Before Hormones, There Were Life Stages

Traditional medicine did not treat women as hormonally static beings.

Across continents, cultures recognized that a woman changes fundamentally over time — not only biologically, but socially, energetically, and spiritually.

Herbs were not prescribed for “symptoms.” They were assigned according to life role, reproductive capacity, vulnerability, and responsibility.

This framework appears independently in:

  • European folk medicine
  • Balkan village healing
  • Ayurveda
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Arabic medicine
  • Indigenous American traditions

The language differs.
The structure is the same.

The Maiden Years: Blood Awakening & Boundary Formation

Approx. menarche to early adulthood

This stage centered on protection, gentle tonics, and learning bodily awareness.

This stage focused on:

  • regulating first blood
  • protecting vulnerability
  • calming fear and excess imagination
  • teaching bodily awareness

Common Folk Themes

  • Menstrual blood seen as powerful but unstable
  • Increased susceptibility to spirits, dreams, and emotional overwhelm
  • Strong protections, mild tonics

Common Herbs Across Cultures

  • Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) — Europe, Asia
  • Chamomile — Europe, Middle East
  • Rose — Persia, Mediterranean
  • Yarrow — Europe, Indigenous America

Herbs were gentle, aromatic, and regulating — never aggressive.

The Fertile Years: Strength, Endurance & Continuity

Approx. 20s to mid-30s

This phase emphasized preservation, endurance, and reproductive continuity.

This was the most demanding phase:

  • pregnancy
  • childbirth
  • labor
  • caretaking
  • sexual relations
  • household authority

Folk medicine prioritized preservation, not stimulation.

Global Patterns

  • Protective herbs increase
  • Bitter tonics introduced carefully
  • Excess blood loss avoided
  • Nervous system quietly supported

Herbs Commonly Used

  • Nettle — Europe, Balkans
  • Red Raspberry Leaf — Europe, Indigenous America
  • Shatavari — India
  • Fennel — Mediterranean, Middle East
  • Garlic & Juniper — protective, not nutritive

Women were not pushed to “optimize hormones.” They were protected so they could last.

The Threshold Years: Perimenopause as a Liminal State

Mid-30s to late 40s

Recognized as a spiritual and physiological threshold, requiring careful support.

Folk medicine recognized this phase as dangerous — not pathological.

Blood retreats. Heat rises. Dreams intensify. Sleep fractures.

Across cultures, this was treated as a spiritual threshold.

Global Beliefs

  • Increased spirit sensitivity
  • Heightened intuition
  • Risk of nervous collapse if unsupported

Herbs Used Carefully

  • Sage — Europe
  • Motherwort — Europe, China
  • Bitter Artemisia species — Balkans, Asia
  • Ashwagandha — India (low doses)

Protection + nervous system support mattered more than balance.

The Elder Phase: Authority, Cold & Conservation

Elder women were considered keepers of continuity, not weak or expendable.

They were considered dangerous if ignored.

Folk Views

  • No blood = no monthly release
  • Power turns inward
  • Cold, dryness, and stiffness increase

Herbal Focus

  • Warming roots
  • Circulatory herbs
  • Digestive bitters
  • Ancestral plants

Examples:

  • Angelica — Europe, China
  • Ginger — global
  • Juniper berries — Europe
  • Resins — frankincense, myrrh

Elder women were treated as keepers of continuity.

What Folk Medicine Never Did

  • Gave the same herbs at every age
  • Suppressed cycles permanently
  • Stimulated fertility endlessly
  • Treated menopause as failure

Why This Framework Still Matters

Modern women are expected to:

  • perform indefinitely
  • bleed silently
  • suppress transition
  • remain hormonally flat

Folk medicine knew this was impossible.

It worked with time, not against it.

Note: This post documents historical and folklore practices. It is not amedical advice.

FAQ

Can I use these herbs today?
Some herbs are safe and widely used; others require caution. Always consult a trained herbalist or physician before experimentation.

Why were herbs tied to life stages?
Traditional medicine viewed women’s health as dynamic — changing with fertility, reproductive cycles, social role, and spiritual life.

Does this imply women were weak at any stage?
No. Each stage was recognized for its unique strength, vulnerability, and social role. Folk medicine worked with time, not against it.

Why include global examples?
Patterns repeat across cultures, showing consistent understanding of female physiology and lifecycle, even if expressed differently.

References & Sources

  • Pócs, Éva — Between the Living and the Dead
  • Hatfield, Gabrielle — Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine
  • Unschuld, Paul — Medicine in China
  • Wujastyk, Dominik — The Roots of Ayurveda
  • Grieve, Maud — A Modern Herbal

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