Natural Strategies to Manage Female Menopausal Symptoms
See Menopause:”The Climacteric” for a full discussion of what occurs during menopause.
Conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which uses unnatural doses of the most potent female hormone, estradiol, has been known for over a decade to be unsafe. However, it was just this past year that several large-scale human studies had to be stopped because the harm caused by such HRT was undeniable. Finally, conventional medicine has acknowledged that HRT is unsafe.
Natural hormone replacement therapy (nHRT), which seeks to duplicate the hormone profile of a younger woman using natural hormones (not horse estrogens or synthetic estrogens or progesterones), has a long track record and a solid safety profile. In fact, it appears that maintaining a youthful hormone delays the aging process AND helps protect women from hormone-related cancers, heart disease and bone loss.
How is this accomplished? First a female hormone profile should be performed. Based on the results of this test, some combination of DHEA, estriol, estrone, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone will be prescribed. This is no “one size fits all” prescription! Your hormone prescription can then be customized to you, depending on which hormones are deficient or excess. Contrary to what one might think, “menopause” is not “just” a simple across-the-board decline in sex hormones! Again, please refer to Menopause:”The Climacteric” for a full discussion of what occurs during menopause.
While a hormone profile is a highly advisable “first step” for hormone balancing, there are safe and effective self-care measures which can be used to improve hormone balance.
DIET AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS
- Diet: eat a nutritious diet high in nutrient-rich foods. Increase consumption of soy products (both sexes) if tolerated.
- Achieve and maintain a normal weight.
- Exercise regularly. 30 minutes, 3 times per week minimum.
- Don’t smoke! The climacteric occurs sooner in people who smoke.
- Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of vitamin E, C, B6, B12, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, boron, and vanadium are particularly important for peri or post-menopausal women.
- Omega 3 fatty acids:
Flax seed meal, 2 teaspoons per day with food
Flax seed capsules: 2-4 caps, 3 times per day [target dose range: 6-12 caps per day]
Flax seed oil: 1 tablespoon per day
Max EPA (Omega-3 rich fish oil): 1-2 caps, 3 times per day with meals [target dose: 3-6 caps per day].
- Black Cohosh Plus+ 1-2 caps, 2-3 times daily between meals. [Target dose: 2 to 6 caps per day. Adjust dose according to symptoms].
- DHEA: 25 mg taken in the morning. Do not use higher doses without the results of a hormone profile. (A typical dose for post-menopausal females is 10-50mg per day).
- Mega Soy: 1 capsule, once per day with breakfast. [Target dose: 100mg or more of isoflavones; 50-100mg or more of genisteins].
- Melatonin: 3 mg at bedtime.
For hot flashes
- Female hormone profile highly recommended.
- Black Cohosh Plus+ 1-2 caps, 2-3 times daily between meals. [Target dose: 2 to 6 caps per day. Adjust dose according to symptoms. When symptoms improve, decrease dose].
- Vitamin E: 400IU with a meal. [Target dose: 800IU per day. Maxi Multi contains 400IU].
- St. John’s Wort Extract Plus+: 1-2 caps, 2 times per day between meals.
For vaginal dryness/lack of lubrication
Hormone replacement creams or natural prescriptions as recommended by your holistic physician AFTER a sex hormone profile has been performed. I am available for consultations by telephone to help you achieve optimal hormone balance.