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Natural Hormone Balance for Menopause
If you are one of the 40 million American women who will transition into menopause over the next 20 years, you may be searching for natural solutions to curb your symptoms without hormone replacement.
A federal study that linked hormone replacement therapy to a higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease and other problems may have led to the 17% drop in the use of hormone replacement and the biggest drop in the occurrence of breast cancer that year thus far recorded. But the mainstream medical alternative was to prescribe anti-depressants such as Prozac, with side effects that many women found to be just as troublesome.
There are more menopausal women now than at any other time in history, and more options than you may have thought available to naturally balance your hormones. A thorough evaluation of your hormones, organ symptoms, stress levels and diet are the first step in determining the root cause of your symptoms.
Most menopausal symptoms come from changes in your primary reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone. But several different problems can cause these changes. For example, low blood sugar, weak adrenal glands, malfunctioning organs such as the kidney and liver, improper diet, and an increased amount of the stress hormone “cortisol' can all cause deficiencies of estrogen or progesterone.
Once you have had a thorough screening to determine where you need help, proper supplementation of essential vitamins can make a big difference. Vitamins such as calcium, magnesium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) found in fish oil can help to balance hormone levels.
Herbs, such as evening primrose oil, gotu kola, dong quai, black cohosh, sage, chasteberry (or vitex), and red raspberry leaf have been found effective in curbing symptoms. However, be sure to consult with a knowledgeable herbalist before adding any of these, as the right dosage is essential in supporting your health and assuring that there are no drug-herb interactions.
Estrogen dominance, when excess estrogen is unopposed or unbalanced by progesterone, can cause menopausal symptoms identical to PMS. Estrogen dominance can be reduced by eliminating estrogen containing foods such as commercially grown meats, poultry and dairy.
Low blood sugar, caused by an overactive pancreas or a toxic liver, can cause similar emotional symptoms as experienced during menopause. Blood sugar can be balanced by a diet free from junk food and white, processed sugar.
Giving up soda reduces unnecessary sugar intake, and reduces intake of phosphoric acid, found in carbonated beverages, which depletes calcium levels in the body essential to protecting against menopausal symptoms. Remember that diet soda is not an acceptable substitute. Did you know that Splenda was first created in Britain as a pesticide? And aspartame contained in many artificial sweeteners is a known neurotoxin, contributing to mental depression and anxiety.
With a little sleuthing to get to know your body and its functioning, a simple routine can be designed to help you live a active, symptom-free life post-menopause.
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