Natural Remedies for Perimenopause and Menopause Symptoms
More and more women are seeking natural alternative treatments
for symptoms of menopause, for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the
most compelling reason for many is the association between
conventional hormone replacement therapy and a number of serious
health risks, including an increased risk of breast cancer and
blood clots, although the link has by no means been proven, and
the issue is currently the subject of serious debate among
women’s health experts. Many women have experienced unpleasant
side effects resulting from conventional HRT, including nausea,
headaches and vaginal bleeding. Many women simply feel
apprehensive at the thought of taking drugs which have been
manufactured synthetically.
The whole notion of returning to old fashioned herbal treatments
and folk remedies has a certain comforting, romantic appeal.
Some of the herbal medicines which are being rediscovered have
been used to treat a range of ailments for literally thousands
of years. There is a commonly held belief that medicines derived
from natural sources are necessarily free from the risk of
negative side effects, harmful interactions and allergic
reactions. This is simply not true. Whatever kind of medication
you choose to take, it’s essential that you fully understand how
it works, what dosage level is appropriate for you, and what
objective research has been done on its effectiveness and its
potential hazards. Your doctor is the best person to provide you
with professional, individual advice and attention. Information
you find online and in women’s health publications is a useful
supplement to your doctor’s advice, and it’s wise to read as
widely as you can to get an overall picture of the issues. Your
health is the most important thing you have, and while you are
free to make your own choices about treating menopause symptoms,
it’s vital that you make these choices with your eyes open.
Most experts believe that all of the common symptoms of
menopause are caused by the dramatic decline and fluctuations in
the body’s levels of estrogen and to some extent progesterone,
and the imbalance between them. Approaches to alleviating
symptoms generally focus around restoring these hormone levels.
Natural treatments are typically made from extracts of plants
containing substances which are very similar to the estrogen
and/or progesterone produced by the ovaries. The effectiveness
of these treatments relies on the assumption that these
phytoestrogens and plant progesterones have a similar effect in
the body to the body’s own natural hormones. Some herbal
treatments work by stimulating glands to produce natural
hormones more effectively, rather than restoring the hormones
artificially.
Another approach is to treat each symptom individually. There is
a range of natural treatments which focus specifically on
alleviating common symptoms such as hot flashes, depression,
libido problems, vaginal dryness and fatigue.
Estrogen Treatments
Soy
By far the richest source of phytoestrogens (sometimes called
"isoflavones") is soybeans, and foods made from soy extracts.
Soy can be consumed in the form of tofu, soy cheese, meat
substitute products such as soy burgers, breads and muffins made
with soy flour, and soy drinks, sometimes known as "soy milk."
Some studies have shown that consuming soy beverages or breads
made with soy flour twice daily can reduce the severity or the
number of hot flashes, but results have been inconclusive and
inconsistent. Soy powders and pills contain much higher levels
of phytoestrogens than soy foods, and may have a more
significant effect in alleviating menopause symptoms than soy
foods, but little is known about the potential hazards.
Consuming soy extracts and soy foods may have a range of other
health benefits, including reducing the risk of osteoporosis,
cancer and heart disease, and lowering cholesterol. Some studies
suggest that phytoestrogens may actually help to reduce the risk
of breast cancer by blocking the overproduction of natural
estrogen in the body.
Herbs containing phytoestrogens
Red clover has been used in Asia for thousands of years to treat
skin conditions, asthma, bronchitis, kidney stones, joint
disorders and breast inflammation. It is thought to work by
improving circulation and stimulating urine and mucous
production, or "purifying the blood." Red clover has been
recently discovered to contain high levels of phytoestrogens,
and its usefulness in the treatment of menopause symptoms is
being investigated. Some studies have shown the herb to be very
effective in reducing hot flashes and improving bone density and
strength, while others have been inconclusive.
Dong Quai is an important herb used in Chinese medicine, and has
been used to treat PMS, menstrual irregularities and menopause
symptoms for thousands of years, although its effectiveness has
yet to be clinically verified by Western health practitioners.
It is also believed to dilate blood vessels, and is used to
treat high blood pressure and circulatory problems.
Black Cohosh
Black cohosh is commonly believed to contain phytoestrogens,
although clinical studies to confirm this have been far from
conclusive. It is a perennial plant native to North America, and
is also known as black snakeroot, bugbane, rattleroot and
macrotys. The plant has a long history of usefulness as a
medicinal treatment, first by Native American people and more
recently by alternative health practitioners, and has been used
to treat a range of gynecological ailments including menopause
symptoms, infertility, inflammation of the uterus and ovaries,
and to induce lactation, bring on menstruation, and alleviate
labor pains. It has also been used to treat rheumatism, fever,
coughs and colds, hives and backache. Some studies have shown
that taking pills made from black cohosh extract is very helpful
in providing short term relief from a range of menopause
symptoms including hot flashes, depression, mood swings and
anxiety. However, little is known about the effects of taking
the treatment in the long term, and some negative side effects
have been reported, including headaches, stomach and gastric
discomfort and weight gain.
Maca
Peruvian Maca root is believed to work by stimulating glands in
the body to produce their own estrogen and testosterone. Maca
has been cultivated in the Andes region for perhaps thousands of
years, and has been used as a treatment to increase energy,
enhance libido and increase fertility. Maca root is claimed to
provide a range of benefits, including alleviating PMS symptoms,
reducing depression and stress, increasing athletic ability and
creating a general sense of well being. It is also claimed to be
effective in treating a wide range of menopausal symptoms,
including mood swings, depression, irritability, anxiety,
fatigue, hot flashes, reduced libido, sleep disturbances and
breast tenderness. Objective clinical research into the
effectiveness and the potential hazards of taking Maca root
supplements is very scant.
Progesterone treatments
An alternative view of the causes of menopause symptoms places
more emphasis on the role of progesterone, and the imbalance
between progesterone and estrogen. "Estrogen dominance" is a
recently identified syndrome, and is believed by a small number
of doctors to be the cause of severe PMS and menstrual problems
in early adulthood, and a range of severe symptoms as menopause
approaches. Advocates of progesterone treatments believe them to
be free from the health risks and side effects associated with
estrogen based treatments.
Natural progesterone cream
Natural progesterone creams usually contain extracts from
Mexican wild yam, which contains a substance which is believed
to be similar to the progesterone produced in the body. The
creams are applied to the parts of the body where the skin is
thinner, such as the breasts, inner thighs, inner forearms or
stomach, and are believed to pass through the skin and circulate
through the body. Many women have found natural progesterone
creams to be very effective in treating menopause symptoms, but
there is no evidence to show that the creams lower the risk of
breast and uterine cancer, or are free from the risk of side
effects as is sometimes claimed.
Chaste tree berry
Chaste tree berry, sometimes known as Chasteberry or Vitex agnus
castus has been used since ancient Greek times to treat a range
of ailments. It is believed to stimulate the production of
progesterone, and has been shown to be very effective in
alleviating severe PMS and a range of menopausal symptoms
About the Author
Lynn Donn is the webmaster for www.menopause-symptoms-perimenopause.com. Her website
includes helpful articles on perimenopause and menopause
symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats. Site offers
suggestions on how to ease symptoms of menopause and
perimenopause naturally using black cohosh, soy and natural
progesterone cream etc.
|
© Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. www.menopause-answers.com
|