Fennel for Hormonal Wellness & Perimenopause Support

When Food Really is Medicine 

It’s crunchy, flavorful and incredibly elegant when shaved onto a bed of greens or simmered into soup, but that’s not why we’re fans of fennel. 

Fennel is rich in phytoestrogens, which are nature’s way to safely balance hormones in women over 40. For improved sleep and relief from vaginal dryness and hot flashes, look no further than fennel.

Why We Love Fennel Seeds

• Our quest to balance hormones after 40 immediately put fennel on our list due to its phytoestrogenic qualities. Check out Wile Perimenopause Support and Wile 40+ Period Support to reap the benefits of fennel’s hormone balancing powers. 
• Some herbs come with a longer list of warnings than others — that’s what happens when we work with potent plants. Fennel, however, has no serious side effects, so just about everyone can enjoy fennel’s bounty of benefits. 

Key Benefits: 

Balances Hormones - The phytoestrogens in fennel seeds help with all kinds of perimenopause symptom relief. So how does this work? Phytoestrogens are compounds in plants that resemble and act like estrogen in the human body. They provide mild but effective hormone balance for women over 40 and are literally a natural for perimenopause supplements. Bonus: phytoestrogens aren’t just great for perimenopause! Having great hormonal balance can help during all stages of women’s lives. From PMS and pre-menopause through perimenopause, menopause, and later life, phytoestrogens are our friends. 

Improves Sleep - Sleep issues are one of the top issues of women in their 40s and 50s, but many don’t know there’s a hormonal component. As hormones shift, many women find themselves plagued with insomnia and 3 am wakeups. The culprit? Night sweats. Thankfully, fennel is great for hormonal balance and sleep. One study found that taking fennel helped grown women rest easier by improving:

• Sleep quality
• Sleep duration
• Speed of falling asleep
• Sleep disturbances and nighttime wakeups
• Daytime sleepiness. 

Reduces Vaginal Dryness - Nothing stops a good time quite like vaginal dryness, and around 50% of perimenopausal women have to deal with it. One of the effects of shifting hormones during perimenopause, vaginal dryness can make sex less pleasurable, make tampons unpleasant and even interrupt exercise. You deserve better, and here’s where fennel (and phytoestrogens) come in. By balancing your hormones, fennel reduces vaginal dryness and increases sexual pleasure. 

Traditional Uses:

We know you’re not here for recipes, but trust us that fennel should have a place in your diet—if not for its delicious, aromatic flavor, eat it for the health benefits!

Fennel is also a popular herb in Traditional Iranian Medicine. They use fennel for:

• Vaginal atrophy & to improve sexual satisfaction
• Gas reduction
• Digestive issues
• To improve bone density
• A diuretic
• Depression and anxiety symptoms
• To improve fat distribution

About Fennel: 

Sometimes considered an herb and sometimes a veggie, fennel is a plant with a white or light green bulbous base, long green stems, feathery leaves and yellow flowers. It has a mild licorice flavor and is probably perched on the shelf of your local grocery store right at this moment. It adds a springy burst of freshness to soups and salads. 

Fennel is native to the Mediterranean region and grows wild around Southern Europe and Northern Africa. Monks and crusaders popularized fennel throughout medieval Europe, where it was hung above doors and pushed into keyholes to deter ghosts and evil spirits from haunting homes. 

Found In:

• Perimenopause Support 
• 40+ Period Support 

Things to Know about Fennel:

When prepared as a food, fennel is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. To be on the extra safe side, pregnant and breastfeeding people should avoid fennel seed tea, extracts and supplements. 

Because fennel is closely related to carrots and celery, people allergic to these veggies should avoid fennel. 

Clinical Research

• Garga, Chanchal, Sultan Khan, Shafeeque G. Ansari, Arti Suman, and Munish Garg. “Chemical Composition, Therapeutic Potential and Perspectives of Foeniculum Vulgare.” Pharmacognosy Reviews 3, no. 6 (July 1, 2009): 346–52. https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20103136861.
• Kian, Fatemeh Rahimi, Reza Bekhradi, Roja Rahimi, Parvin Golzareh, and Abbas Mehran. “Evaluating the Effect of Fennel Soft Capsules on the Quality of Life and Its Different Aspects in Menopausal Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” Nursing Practice Today 4, no. 2 (July 18, 2017): 87–95. http://npt.tums.ac.ir/index.php/npt/article/download/229/203.
• Khadivzadeh, Talat, Mona Najaf Najafi, Leila Kargarfard, Masumeh Ghazanfarpour, Fatemeh Rajab Dizavandi, and Imaneh Khorsand. “Effect of Fennel on the Health Status of Menopausal Women: A Systematic and Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Menopausal Medicine 24, no. 1 (April 1, 2018): 67. https://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.2018.24.1.67.
• Rahimi, Roja, and Mohammad Reza Shams Ardekani. “Medicinal Properties of Foeniculum Vulgare Mill. in Traditional Iranian Medicine and Modern Phytotherapy.” Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine 19, no. 1 (January 1, 2013): 73–79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-013-1327-0.
• Sadrefozalayi, Somayyeh, and Farah Farokhi. “Effect of the Aqueous Extract of Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) on the Kidney in Experimental PCOS Female Rats.” Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, March 1, 2014.

Sources

• Johns Hopkins Medicine. “How Does Menopause Affect My Sleep?,” August 8, 2021. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/how-does-menopause-affect-my-sleep.
• Sandoiu, Ana. “Fennel ‘safe and Effective’ for Easing Menopause Symptoms, Study Confirms,” May 17, 2017. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317516.
• Watson, Kathryn. “What Is Fennel Tea?” Healthline, September 29, 2018. https://www.healthline.com/health/fennel-tea#side-effects.