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