Interview with the two experts on women's health

"Chaste tree, lady's mantle, lavender, black cohosh, and rhodiola rosea, as medicinal plants for women, combine traditional empirical medicine with modern phytotherapy: They regulate the female hormonal system, strengthen stress resilience, and support emotional balance – gently, yet highly effective. With their help, women can manage their health responsibly and in harmony with nature." Prof. Dr. Ingrid Gerhard and qualified pharmacist Sabine Bäumer aim to combine ancient healing knowledge with modern science in their compact guide "Chaste Tree, Lady's Mantle & Co." and provide women with reliable herbal helpers in all phases of life.

With "Chaste Tree, Lady's Mantle & Co.," you are focusing on the most important medicinal plants for women's health for the first time. What inspired your selection, and what is the goal of your book?

Sabine Bäumer: As a medical doctor and a pharmacist, we both want to show women gentle ways to greater well-being. The inspiration for this book didn't just come from specialist literature – it grew out of the many conversations, emails, and inquiries that clearly reflected women's needs. As a phytopharmacologist, I have deep insight into the mechanisms and connections of herbal medicine. This knowledge allows me to select medicinal plants that can truly support women – gently, naturally, and free from burdensome side effects or interactions – not based on personal preference, but on efficacy, tolerability, and scientific evidence. We wanted to find herbal companions that don't demand, but rather promote and strengthen – providing more balance in everyday life, without chemical sledgehammers, but with the power and intelligence of nature. Medicinal plants like chaste tree or lady's mantle have accompanied us for centuries, often quietly and unnoticed, even though they work in remarkable ways. The goal of our book is to combine ancient healing knowledge with modern science and to provide women with a herbal home pharmacy for all phases of life. It is an invitation to manage one's health responsibly and in harmony with nature – with roots in the earth and an eye on inner balance. Just as Maria Treben did in the past, with the experience of that time and the evidence-based knowledge of today about exactly what works where.

Hormonal balance changes throughout the phases of life, and each phase brings its own challenges and opportunities. What are these, and what measures are particularly suitable for promoting balance?

Prof. Dr. med. Ingrid Gerhard: The female hormonal system resembles an internal seasonal clock: Childhood and young women symbolize the spring of a woman – untouched, growing; the fertile years, bringing with them the desire for children, pregnancy, birth, but also "small women's issues," correspond to the powerful summer. Menopause symbolizes autumn – with a rich harvest, but also more or less severe storms; and old age finally stands for winter – calm, wise, everything in order. Each phase brings a new task: puberty demands orientation, the postpartum period requires healing, menopause needs stability. And it's always about balance – not perfection, which many women nevertheless demand of themselves. Balance can be promoted through a combination of naturopathic support, conscious nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and me-time – and, of course, through medicinal plants that address precisely where the system gets out of sync.

Disruptions in the delicate "clockwork" throw a woman's being out of sync and cause a range of complaints. What hormonally-induced ailments do women struggle with, and what remedies promise relief here?

Prof. Dr. med. Ingrid Gerhard: When the finely tuned hormonal orchestra goes out of tune, life suddenly sounds discordant: menstrual irregularities and discomfort, PMS, unfulfilled desire to conceive, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), fibroids, fatigue and exhaustion, mental rollercoasters, menopausal symptoms – all these problems are expressions of hormonal imbalances that are not only physically but also emotionally burdensome. Here, medicinal plants act as silent helpers: Chaste tree regulates pituitary function and harmonizes the cycle. Lady's mantle provides supportive and gentle relief for menstrual complaints and numerous other women's issues. Black cohosh alleviates hot flashes and mood swings during menopause. If your thoughts are racing and you're looking for a way to stop them, lavender is very helpful; rhodiola, on the other hand, provides the necessary power when the engine shuts down too quickly amidst the everyday madness that many women have to cope with. These plants do not act like a hammer, but sensitively, empathetically – they gently bring everything back into harmony that has been hormonally disrupted.

Chaste tree (Vitex agnus castus) is excellent for regulating female hormone balance and has proven effective, among other things, in treating symptoms such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menstrual disorders. Its designation as "Medicinal Plant of the Year 2022" honored its long historical significance and its ongoing relevance in modern phytotherapy, especially in women's health.

In addition to nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress, environmental stressors are increasingly influencing the female cycle. Which chemical or physical influences should be mentioned here, and how can women protect themselves from them?

Sabine Bäumer: Our modern environment is full of invisible troublemakers: Endocrine disruptors – such as Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, or parabens, hidden in plastics, cosmetics, or cleaning products – act like hormone mimics and deceive our bodies by binding to our receptors like superglue and leading to continuous impulses. Electrosmog from constant accessibility disturbs the sleep-wake rhythm. Light pollution affects nocturnal melatonin production, which can impact the female cycle and impair the necessary reset through sleep. To protect oneself, no radical asceticism is needed, but conscious decisions: nature instead of chemicals, glass instead of plastic, offline periods instead of constant availability.

Psychological stressors, such as anxieties, traumas, or depression, also profoundly affect hormonal balance because they directly interfere with the hormone control center. How can the psyche and hormones be stabilized?

Sabine Bäumer: The soul speaks through the body – and the hormonal system is a very sensitive listener. Stress, anxiety, and emotions directly influence the hypothalamus, the control center of our hormones. Cortisol becomes a permanent guest, progesterone withdraws – and suddenly life feels like a clockwork out of balance. Stability does not arise from suppressing and ignoring, but from care and mindfulness, because the body sends us silent warning signs that want to be heard. Medicinal plants containing essential oils and flavonoids, such as ginkgo, lemon balm, or lavender, provide the soul with support and calm emotions through direct receptor action. Adaptogens like ashwagandha or rhodiola help the body better cope with stress, or more precisely, cortisol. In addition, rituals, meditations, and timeouts offer good opportunities to switch from survival mode back to living mode. One could say: reflection, emotional balance, and self-care are the best hormone therapeutic – but who can manage that in everyday life between work, children, and other tasks!

Stress, anxiety, and other psychological stressors profoundly affect hormonal balance because they directly interfere with the "control center" of hormones. Our organism switches to survival mode and increases the release of the "stress hormone" cortisol, while progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones decrease. Fortunate is the woman who knows the right herbal companions for such phases and masters helpful relaxation techniques for all eventualities!

The "fantastic five of women's health" have been known and proven as helpful companions for centuries and in many cultures. What role do chaste tree, lady's mantle & Co. play in modern medicine and pharmacy?

Prof. Dr. med. Ingrid Gerhard: The "fantastic five" – chaste tree, lady's mantle, lavender, black cohosh, and rhodiola rosea – are more than herbs. As medicinal plants for women's health, they combine traditional empirical medicine with modern phytotherapy: They regulate the hormonal system, strengthen stress resilience, and support emotional balance – gently, yet highly effective. Modern studies today confirm what midwives, healers, and herbalists knew centuries ago: the plant active ingredients specifically intervene in hormonal regulatory cycles, have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, mood-lifting effects – and that with an impressively favorable side effect profile. In modern phytotherapy, they have become an essential, indispensable component. Their role is growing – not as competition to conventional medicine, but as its intelligent complement.

In contrast to synthetic medicines, medicinal plants offer the advantage of natural active ingredient combinations and are often better tolerated. How are the quality and efficacy of naturopathy ensured?

Sabine Bäumer: Medicinal plants are team players who complement each other through their multitude of ingredients and enhance each other's effects. This complexity is a great advantage, but also a challenge for modern pharmacy. Herbal extracts, as unique products, represent a special medical discipline – with standardized extracts, verified quality, and proven efficacy. Here, we definitely advise against being swayed by cheap offers and grand promises in online retail – reliable herbal preparations are available with advice and security in pharmacies.

Prof. Dr. med. Ingrid Gerhard Pharmacist Sabine Bäumer Chaste Tree, Lady's Mantle & Co. Compact Guide The most important medicinal plants for women's health for hormonal balance and energy. Help with cycle disorders, PMS and desire to conceive – support through menopause Mankau Verlag, 1st edition October 2025 Paperback, colored, 11.5 × 16.5 cm, 159 pages ISBN 978-3-86374-775-6, 14.00 Euro (D) | 14.40 Euro (A) To the book →

Link recommendations:

More about the book "Chaste Tree, Lady's Mantle & Co." →
To the reading sample in PDF format →
More about Prof. Dr. med. Ingrid Gerhard →
More about Pharmacist Sabine Bäumer →
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