Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Greening Beauty: Herbal Remedies For Menopause

By Paige Donner


So it seems to have gotten popular in Hollywood to start having kids when you're 45!  But for the rest of us, our 40's mean the onset of menopause and the end of possibilities for natural, organic conception and childbearing.

What is wonderful to bear witness to these days, however, is women's beauty manifest at all ages and in so many forms, such diversity.
Menopause need be no different. It's a time of womanhood that ushers in a new era of the feminine. Strong and beautiful and womanly.  Here are some natural herbs that some of have suggested can ease the physical transition.

Herbal Natural Remedies For Menopause

On top of these measures natural remedies for menopause include herbs, homoeopathic remedies and aromatherapy oils.
Herbs often used include: [In addition to Black Cohosh]
  • Agnus Castus - best selling herb for menopause and periods
  • Dong Quai - another best selling herb for menopause and periods - has a centuries old reputation in the Far East
  • Gingko biloba - helps to allay 'brain fog' and counteract cold hands and feet
  • St John's Wort - great in keeping up the spirits, nourishing the nerves, and counteracting depressive tendencies
  • Red sage - recommended by many for 'keeping cool' during menopause
  • Motherwort - a 'forgotten' herb, strongly recommended by old herbalists for women - especially at menopause; for energy; and for the heart.
  • Cayenne pepper - which, surprisingly, can be used to help counteract hot flushes. For this purpose it is usually used in capsule form, so that sufficient can be taken to help.
Let's focus on Dong Quai. This is a popular herbal, natural remedy in China and other parts of the Orient. It is seen there as a sort of wonder remedy for women.
Dong Quai is, foremost, a blood tonic used to nurture the blood and invigorate the blood circulation. The interlinked acupuncture meridians are the Liver, Heart and Spleen. Some of the chemical ingredients of Dong Quai include vitamin B (nictonic acid, folic acid, vitamin B12), and vitamin A. Its ability to regulate and normalise hormonal imbalances means that this herb can be immensely worthwhile in alleviating symptoms asscociated with PMT, infertilty and the menopause.
Healthy Food And Exercise
Other recommended remedies are more of a lifestyle approach and include, healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables or the "Mediterranean Diet" of lean meats and fish for proteins. We always need to include fair doses of exercise and it's highly recommended to avoid stress and stressful situations.
SOY
Soy is another key ingredient in alleviating some of the side-effects of menopause. The 'active constituents' in soy that act as a natural remedy for menopause are the soy isoflavones, and it is suggested that you take 50 mg of soy isoflavones per day or get it in your diet by eating tempeh, tofu, soy milk and other soy products.
Another little secret, from WebMD, is natural progesterone cream
A study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1999 found that natural progesterone cream significantly reduced hot flashes compared to the placebo group. In The Wisdom of Menopause, Northrup says that a 2% progesterone skin cream works in about 85% of perimenopausal women.
A little as 1/4 tsp once per day can ease hot flashes. Make sure that you read the labels of natural progesterone cream products careful as there is great variability of progesterone content.

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