This is my first month using Elix's Cycle Balancing elixir and I have to say, it is already working for me. If you are someone with a hormonal imbalance that impacts your period every month, then this stuff is for you, too. The concept is that you take an online quiz to assess your specific dilemmas (think when your pain is worst, what color your blood is, how regular you are, etc.), then they create an elixir with various herbs blended together, designed for your individual needs, which you will mix with water to consume. You either add 6 drops to your drink twice a day for a week before your period, if you are regular, or 3 drops a day all month if you are irregular. Even though I'm technically irregular, because my cycle is crazy long, I went ahead and did the 6 drops so I could feel the full effect faster and I'm so glad I did.
What's in it? Each bottle is custom made to fix your own personal issues, but I can give you an idea of some of the ingredients offered by telling you what is in mine. I have Angelica Senensis (Dang Gui) which regulates hormones and acts as an anti-inflammatory; White Peony Root (Bai Shao) which is a blood builder, pain reliever, and spasm reducer; Corydalis (Yan Nu So) which is an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative; Cyperus (Xang Fu) which is a hormone regulator, antioxidant, and pain reliever; plus many more, such as peppermint, licorice, and ginger. All of these ingredients combine to create a walloping vitamin packed punch to your system which rewires it to function properly each month. The taste isn't the best, but it's definitely better than couch syrup. It forms to make a brown liquid which in my case does have a hint of licorice flavor (nasty!) but I got used to it pretty quickly and don't mind it so much anymore.
What are the effects? For me, most of my herbs are anti-inflammatory, so I noticed the biggest difference in terms of pain. It's kind of like taking an NSAID without the medication. Beyond lower pain levels, I could definitely tell a difference in my energy. On my 6th day using the drops I forgot to take them in the morning and by the afternoon I was SO sluggish, about to fall asleep on my date after work! I brought it with me to the restaurant, put it in my glass, and within minutes I was more awake. Even my date could tell how much it impacted me. Another day I forgot to take my afternoon dose, which I had been doing around 4 after my tea break around 2, and I could feel myself getting bloated and uncomfortable. Elix fixed that right up when I took it, too. Each day when I took my dose I would literally feel better minutes after drinking it, just like I do taking an aspirin, but I felt so much better about knowing I wasn't using something that's harmful to my liver. My overall hope is that it can actually regulate my cycle so I won't have to rely on awful birth control pills for that.
How does it work? Chinese medicine, sometimes just referred to as Eastern medicine, has been around for centuries and consists of chiropractory, acupuncture, cupping, herbal remedies, and a slew of other concepts that have existed for centuries, but we just don't delve into on the Western side of the world. Even if you are a full proponent of Western medicine (prescription drugs assigned by doctors in the Americas), I think it can be helpful for everyone to open their mind to trying out more natural remedies. You don't have to give up on medications entirely or stop seeing your regular doctors if you don't want to, but exploring healthier options than fix the root of the problem rather than putting a Band-Aid on it and can be a total life changer. I choose to use both and go the natural route first with medications as a last resort. If you are dealing with ongoing, chronic body issues then going to a functional doctor can help give you some guidance on what approach to take to gain some relief, but know that they are not covered by insurance in the US and are very pricey.
How long will take to notice? Of course, this shouldn't work immediately and it takes time to reset your body with any changes you make, but after a few months (they say 3) there will be a shift. I have tried many other natural methods to combat my PCOS, including seed cycling, acupuncture, Vitex Fruit (Chaste Tree), and the FLO vitamin gummies, but none of them made a noticeable difference for me. That's not to say they won't work for you, but that was my experience. Here is a direct quote from the Elix website explaining why their process is different and more effective than other companies:
We start with the highest quality ingredients, carefully process to extract the most benefits, and expertly blend them into a highly bioavailable form.
For more explanation from the founder of Elix on how this particular product uses Chinese Medicine to heal you, you can read this. I was recommended this product by @overcomingvaginismuspmdd, who has been using it for a few months now herself and loving it. I know Lara Parker has also used it for Endometriosis. Basically, anyone with period problems might want to consider giving this a shot.