The first thing I want to ask is that you begin to change your mind set concerning menopause. Do not dread, do not set your mind into a negative tail spin about what you have heard from family and friends, or even what you have read and studied. For many women, this is a very good part of life, it could be the same for you as well!
Menopause is a natural transition period in a woman's life when menstruating stops. Experts says hormone function decreases slowly for about ten years before menopause is actually reached. Remember that menopause is a physical and emotional transition. Dr. Louise Tenney, N.D. says "menopause can take up to five years, but can take longer if a woman is in poor mental and physical health.
Some women start early, some later says Dr. Tenney. Fertility pills can throw women into menopause way before their time. According to Tenney, "some drugs can even cause menopausal symptoms".
Menopause symptoms include, hot flashes, dizziness, night sweats, dry skin,headache,difficulty breathing, anxiety, heart palpitations and more. These symptoms are connected to a decrease in hormone production, an increase in pituitary hormone, and high amounts of male hormones (androgen).
Dr. Valerie Saxion,N.D. in her book, THE GOSPEL OF HEALTH says "female menopause usually occurs between the ages 45 and 55. In western nations, the average age of menopause is 51. Saxion goes on to say, "since hormones are metabolized in the liver, keeping a clean liver would help with PMS and menopause". It seems the healthier you are, the easier the transition will be, and daily exercise reduces he symptoms as well.
It is interesting that Japanese women generally experience fewer symptoms than western women. It seems that Japanese women eat more phytoestrogen (plant estrogens). These estrogenlike foods are found in soybeans, flaxseeds, tofu, miso, pomgranates and dates. When these foods are consumed, they act like the the estrogens produced in the body. WOW!
Perimenopausal and menopausal women should take measures to protect themselves against heart disease. Some women have been lead to believe that taking estrogen protects against this disease, but there is doubt as to whether synthetic estrogen keep back heart problems in women, experts says.
Here are some HEALTHY SUGGESTIONS...
.ADD SOY PRODUCTS to your diet. Phtoestrogens found in soybean have been found to to relieve some side effects of menopause and helps with osteoporosis. It is taught to help with some cancers as well
.DECREASE CALORIES---LESS calories are needed at this time of life. Watch your weight, complex cards and vegetables and green salads will help keep weight down.
.EXERCISE REGULARLY..WALKING briskly at least three times a week, in fresh air when possible will help in the prevention of osteoporosis. Weight lifting is very useful to strenth the heart and other muscles. Find the exercises that you enjoy and then change up a bit.
.KEEP STRESS LEVEL AT BAY. Stress has a negative effect on the endocrine glands, which control mood swings, circulation, digestion,, bone structures, depression, sleep and weight.
.CUT COFFEE, TEA cocoa and chocolate. They contain caffeine, which interferes with hormone balance. Caffeine also prevents the liver from breaking down the bad estrogen that most women have. Caffeine also increases the stress by increasing the adrenaline output. Tea and coffee also seems to interfere with the absorption of minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc and antioxidants. NO SMOKING! Smoking can increase hormonal problems as well as the body's need for vitamin C.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Eat more raw foods and take a protein supplement to stabilize blood sugar. These foods have been shown to help: black-strap molasses, broccoli, salmon with the bones, kelp, dandelion greens, sardines and other white fish.
Avoid stress as much as possible. Stay clear of alcohol,caffeine,spicy foods, sugar, hot soups and drinks, these seem to trigger hot flashes, and aggravate urinary incontinence, worsen mood swings. These foods also makes the blood more acidic, making the bones release calcium to act as a buffering agent. This effects bone loss.
Eat less animal products. Avoid dairy, only eating low-fat yogurt and buttermilk. It is well documented that dairy and meat promotes hot flashes. Evidence also show these foods contribute to loss of calcium in the bones. YIKES!
Back off on the salt, use garlic and onion power as a substitute.
Drink at least 2 quarts of water to prevent dryness of the skin and mucous membranes.
Try using Vitamin E oil or aloe vera gel to lubricate the vagina if sexual intercourse is painful.
Supplements that experts say can help during menopause and before.
Vitamin C
Black Cohosh
Flaxseed oil
Evening Primrose Oil (epo)
Soy protein
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)
Ginkgo Bilobo
B Complex Chaste Tree Berry
Calcium, Magnesium, Silica and Boron
Antioxidants
St. John's Wort
Natural progesterone
Damiana
licorice
Milk Thistle
Horsetail...and many more
