Archive for the ‘Natural remedies for menopause’ Category

Getting to Know Natural Menopause Remedies

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009


Menopause is an indication that a woman’s ability to bear a child has ended. While this is a completely normal occurrence, still a lot of women are dismayed by its arrival. Menopause is like the complete opposite of puberty where secondary sex characteristics begin to appear pp it is the cessation of menstruation. Note that there is no known treatment to prevent this from happening.

The onset of menopause is accompanied by the following: termination of menstruation, decrease in the size of the breasts, as well as decrease in the body’s production of hormones associated with child bearing. Any woman who has reached menopause will tell you that it is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms like drying of the vagina, sleeplessness, hot flashes, night sweating, mood swings and even osteoporosis. Since certain hormones are depleted, some doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy.

However, there are natural menopause remedies available today, which do not cure menopause but prevent women from going through those unpleasant symptoms. If you prefer not to undergo hormone replacement therapy, you can opt for natural menopause remedies. One example is the Lydia Pinkham pills — a mixture of vitamins and herbs.

Natural Menopause Remedies You Can Try

Alternative Chinese medicine offers Dong Quai. Although not yet backed by the FDA, a lot of women find Dong Quai helpful in easing cramps experienced during the premenstrual cycle, as well as during the menopausal stage.

Shatavari is Ayurveda’s contribution to the list of natural menopause remedies. Ayurveda, an Indian way of healing, recommends women taking Shatavari to consume bananas and orange juice to replace potassium losses, since the natural drug induces diuresis.

Black Cohosh Root used to be an essential ingredient in Lydia Pinkham pills. Being one of the many natural menopause remedies, it is said to effectively ease hot flashes, migraine, mood swings, sleeplessness and drying of the vagina. Herbal practitioners advise that Black Cohosh Root be taken for half a year only. However, you should not confuse this with the Blue Cohosh Root, which is a potentially dangerous root.

Soy Isoflavones are also great natural menopause remedies. Obtained from soy beans, they act as a form of estrogen, especially helpful for women who prefer not to undergo hormone replacement therapy. Herbal practitioners recommend consuming soy-rich foods like tofu and soy milk as these are natural sources of Soy Isoflavones. But if you have a history of breast cancer, this one is not the best choice for you.

One of the newest natural menopause remedies are the Alfalfa leaves and seeds. They produce similar effects on the body as estrogen. However, there is not enough research done on this plant. Those with diabetes and autoimmune disorders are discouraged from taking Alfalfa leaves and seeds.

Red Clover is one of the favorites among all natural menopause remedies. It is great for alleviating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, and it is even found to help lower the cholesterol levels in the body. However, since Red Clover acts as a mild form of estrogen, this is not recommended for those with history of breast cancer, as well as those taking Warfarin and other drugs that thin the blood.

Chasteberry, or vitex in Latin, is also good for women experiencing irregular menstrual cycles, especially during the early stages of menopause. But for the effects to be evident, Chasteberry has to be taken for many months.

Natural menopause remedies are usually safe and produce little or no side effects. You can purchase them via the Internet, in stores carrying natural food and health care products, and in most supermarkets.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!