Natural Approaches to Menopause
Menopause is not a disease or health condition - it is simply a time in woman's life when menstruation stops, indicating the end of fertility. It happens when the ovaries stop releasing eggs - usually a gradual process. Sometimes it happens all at once. Understanding Menopause
Years before ovulation stops, a woman's ovaries slow production of the reproductive hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Estrogen, in addition to being essential for reproduction, also acts on many other organs and stytems in the body.Estrogen receptors are present in cels of the vagina, bladder, breasts, skin, bones, arteries, heart, liver, and brain, all of which require ths hormone for optimal functioning. The body needs estrogen for smooth, supple skin, for bone formation, and to keep the thermostat running smoothly. After menopause, estrogen levels decline, but do not disappear. Other organs, such as the endrocine glands, take over producing a less potent form of estrogen.
Symptoms of Low Estrogen Rapid pulse rate. Fatigue. Poor Memory. Hot flashes. Joint pain, swelling and stiffness. Decreased Sex Drive. Headaches. Osteoarthritis. Lower back pain. Dry skin. Vaginal dryness. Unexplained weight gain.
Progesterone is known as estrogen's counterpart. During the secolnd half of the menstrual cycle, it stimulates changes in the uterine lining to prepare it for housing a fertilized egg. If fertilization doesn't happen, the lining is broken down and expelled and the cycle begins again. Like estrogen, progesterone has actions in other body systems. It affects the nervous system and has a calming effect on the brain. Symptoms of Low Progesterone
Irritability. Breast tenderness. Carbohydrate cravings. Lower body temperature. Mood swings. Ovarian cysts. Bloating. Water retention. Weight gain around the middle.
Testosterone is most important for a healthy sex drive. Women produce about 80% less than men do.
A woman's hormonal system is greatly influenced by the hypothalamus, the part of the brain affects the secretion of sex hormones, and also the production of a whole range of other hormones directing the endocrine system. Endocrine glands, which include the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenals, pancreas, gonads and other glandular tissues located in your intestines, kidneys, lungs, heart, and blood vessels, make and secrete many important hormones. The endocrine system works with the nervous system to keep the body in balance. It controls many vital functions in the body, including body temperature, circulation, digestion, bone structure, emotions, mood changes, water balance, sleep and metabolism.
The average age for a woman's final period is 51, but it can occur as early as age 40 and as late as age 60. Each woman's experience with menopause is unique. Some women experience very few changes during this time, while others report noticeable symptoms. Although menopause is a natural progression in a woman's life, it is sometimes accompanied by imbalances or discomforts - many of which can be remedied with lifetsyle changes and natural herbs and supplements. Balancing Hormones One of the best things we can do to assist in a smooth transition during menopause is to balance hormone levels. Herbs That Help Balance Hormones Chaste Berry (also called Vitex)is a well-known hormone balancing herb that has been used by women for generations to help stabalize hormones. Some university studies show that this herb appears to stimulate the pituitary gland to balance estrogen and progesterone.
Black Cohosh may compensate for low or highly variable levels of estrogen during menopause, and is a popular remedy for hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
Dong Quai has been used for centuries by Asian healers to balance female hormones and to prevent troublesome symptoms of menopause. Research has shown that Dong Quai is extremely effective in providing long term relief from symptoms of Menopause when taken regularly for between 8 and 12 weeks, and its effects are most noticeable at the end of the treatment period. Get More Info on Dong Quai for Hormone Balancing, and Menopause,
Professional Formulas
Native Remedies makes a wonderful, all natural formula called MellowPause for Menopause that many women find very effective.
Nutrition During Menopause
A diet rich in minerals will help balance hormones, nourish the nervous system, protect against stress, and help build healthy bones, joints, skin and hair. Minerals are also essential for proper gland functioning. Seaweeds are rich in minerals - especially calcium.
One great way to ensure adequate minerals in the diet and to boost overall nutrition is to drink daily herbal infusions. Herbalist Susun Weed suggests the following for menopausal women: (Exerpted from susun's wonderful book, Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way:
To make a nourishing herbal infusion: Buy (or gather and dry) at least one ounce of nettle leaf or oatstraw or red clover blossoms or comfrey leaf. Place the ounce of dried herb in a quart jar. (One ounce equals one full cup of dried herb.) Fill jar to the top with boiling water. Cap tightly and allow to brew for at least four hours. Overnight is fine. Strain and drink 2-4 cups a day. Most menopausal women prefer their infusion iced, but you can drink it hot or at room temperature. A little mint or sage may be added to change the flavor.
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) builds energy, strengthens the adrenals, and is said to restore youthful flexibility to blood vessels. A cup of nettle infusion contains 500 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of bone-building magnesium, potassium, silicon, boron, and zinc. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E, and K. For flexible bones, a healthy heart, thick hair, beautiful skin, and lots of energy, make friends with sister stinging nettle. It may make you feel so good you'll jump up and exercise.
Oatstraw(Avena sativa) reduces high cholesterol, increases libido, and strengthens the nerves. A cup of oatstraw infusion contains more than 300 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of many other minerals. Its steroidal saponins nourish the pancreas and liver, improving digestion and stabilizing moods. Oatstraw is best known however for its ability to enhance libido and mellow the mood. Do be careful whom you share it with, or you may find yourself sowing some wild oats. In Auryuvedic medicine, oatstraw is considered the finest of all longevity tonics.
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is better in every way than its cousin soy. It contains four phytoestrogens; soy has only one (isoflavone). Red clover infusion has ten times more phytoestrogens than soy "milk," fewer calories, more calcium, and no added sugars. Red clover is the world's leading anti-cancer herb; soy isoflavone encourages the growth of breast cancer cells in the lab. Red clover improves the memory; Japanese men who ate tofu twice a week doubled their risk of Alzheimer's disease. Soy beverage can contain up to 1000 times more aluminum than milk, according to Sally Fallon, lipid researcher and fat specialist. She believes that "the highly processed soy foods of today are perpetuating . . . nutrient deficiencies. . . ."
Comfrey (Symphytum) leaf is free of the compounds (PAs) found in the root that can damage the liver. I have used comfrey leaf infusion regularly for decades with no liver problems, ditto for the group of people at the Henry Doubleday Research Foundation who have eaten cooked comfrey leaves as a vegetable for four generations. Comfrey is also known as "knitbone," and no better ally for the woman with thin bones can be found. And, don't forget, comfrey contains special proteins used in the formation of short-term memory cells. Its soothing mucilage adds flexibility to joints, eyes, vagina, and lungs. Menopause can change your life. Our Wise Woman grandmothers used nourishing herbal infusions, fermented dairy products, healthy exercise, and simple whole foods to weather their change naturally and live productively another 50 years. You can too.
The information on this web site is intended for educational purposes only, and not as any form of medical advice. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider.
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