Controlling the discomforts of Menopause the Herbal way!
73'The Change' is finally changing...
Menopause, often referred to as 'the Change of life' is really just the normal natural transition period of a woman's body.
It's only been a few years when 'the Change of life' was still considered a hush-hush situation. Even when my Mom went through it, 30 or so years ago it still seemed to be perceived as an illness or a disease instead of a normal occurrence. By making the natural an unnatural it labeled the menopausal woman as a an inadequate, lacking, defective and incomplete being.
Today's woman is starting to move away from these archaic beliefs but only slightly. She is still standing partially in the shadow of these negative attitudes. TV ads, magazines, pharmaceutical industry etc are still trying to point out that to have real value a woman must appear young and fresh. To keep up with this prerequisite she will dye her hair to pretend the grey does not exist. She will wear more make-up in the attempt to hide wrinkles. She will try plastic surgery, unhealthy diets and horror of horrors, hormone replacement treatments (some of these HRT are made from the urine of pregnant mares) or synthetic estrogen which has a whole set of dangerous side effects, all in the name of staying youthful.
The menopause in short is when the woman's body stops ovulating. This menopausal period plays out differently in each woman. As an average at the age anywhere between 45 and 50 it starts and usually lasts last for 2 to 5 years however, for some
women menopause may last a decade. Some women start earlier, for some it starts and stops, some have some of the symptoms others experience the whole lot. Some women have an easier time and breeze through this time of their life, while others can't even sleep, have a hard time concentrating at work. All in all the menopause disrupts their whole life.
The risks of using estrogen
Estrogens are important but there are many risks in their uses
- Estrogens may cause fluid retention
- Heart disorders
- Increase in the severity of asthma
- Kidney stones
- Epilepsy
- Migraine headaches
Some of the symptoms
Hot flashes
| Nausea
| Dizziness
| Disturbing memory lapses
|
|---|---|---|---|
Night sweats
| Gastrointestinal distress
| Anxiety
| Difficulty concentrating
|
Sleep problems
| Indigestion
| Heart palpitations (racing heartbeat
| Mental confusion
|
Difficulty breathing
| Flatulence
| Constant deep bone weary fatigue
| Disorientation
|
Shortness of breath
| Bouts of bloat
| Headaches
| Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body
|
Osteoporosis
| Mood swings or irritability
| Light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
| Increase in facial hair
|
Itchy, crawly skin
| Loss of libido (some women actually find sex repulsive)
| Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
| Weight gain often around the waist and thighs, resulting in an 'MIA waistline'
|
Incontinence especially when sneezing, coughing or laughing
| Dry vagina which can result in painful intercourse
| Constant feelings of dread, apprehension and doom
| Gum problems, sensitive with increased bleeding
|
Herbs that have been found to be helpful in treating menopause!
- Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
- Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
- Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
- Licorice root
- Golden seal (Hydrastis canadenis)
- Ladies mantle Wchemilla vulgaris)
- Sage (Salvia officinalis)
- Siberian Ginseng
Motherwort tincture eases hot flashes, stressed nerves, relieves anxiety and can help relieve insomnia.The usual dosage is 18-20 drops of tincture about 4-5 times per day the last dose being just before bed time. It has been found that Motherwort will lessen the frequency, the severity and the duration of hot flashes. Best results using this herb will come after using it for 1-2 months.
Herbal Tea for Menopausal Symptoms
There is very strong scientific evidence that using a menopausal supplement that includes Black cohosh is effective against hot flashes and other symptoms. However it's important to discuss and check out all the possible side effects with a Doctor or Naturopath. Taking any herbal supplements with any type of prescription or non-prescription drugs could interact adversel.
My Personal Herbal remedy recipe for menopausal symptom relief.
- 4 oz Alfalfa leaves(dried)
- 3 oz Lavender (dried)
- 3 oz Hops (dried)
- 3 oz Licorice root
- 2 oz Bee pollen granule
- 2 oz Lady's Mantle (dried)
- 2 oz St. John's Wort (dried)
- 2 oz Chamomile flowers (dried)
- 1 oz Lemon-balm leaves (dried)
Combine all herbs to make an herbal tea blend. For best results powder-ize herbs in either a coffee grinder, blender or mortar pestle.
To make up tea pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tbsp. of herbal tea blend. Let steep for 5 minutes and strain.
Drink four cups per day either hot or cold use small amount of honey to sweeten if necessary.
TIP: To make up the daily 4 cups at once use a small sized Melita coffee filter (it's the cone shaped one) spoon in the 4 tablespoons worth of tea-blend and tie up the top with a twist tie or piece of thread. This will act like a big tea bag, hang over side of tea pot and pour 4 cups of boiling water over it. Let steep for at least 15 minutes to assure the right strength of tea.
CAUTION!
This information does not replace medical advice. It is important to consult a Doctor and/or Natutopath before taking any herbs. Just like drugs, herbal or botanical preparations have chemical and biological activity and may have side effects and interact with certain medications.
Things to avoid when in the menopausal time
- Alcohol drinks, including wine and beer
- Caffeine, including coffee, black tea, cola and chocolate
- Spicy foods which include cayenne pepper and ginger
- Smoking including tobacco or marijuana
- Acidic foods (citrus, tomatoes, pickles)
- Hot drinks in the late evening or before bed (except milk)
- Hydrogenated and saturated fats which are in meat and margarine
- Stress especially anger
- Hot tubs and saunas
Additional reading links!
http://www.womentowomen.com/menopause/blackcohoshformenopausalsymptoms.aspx
http://www.menopause-black-cohosh.org/black-cohosh-research/menopause-hot-flashes.html
http://www.menopause-black-cohosh.org/black-cohosh-research/licorice-root-depression.html
http://www.menopause-black-cohosh.org/black-cohosh-research/vitamin-e-menopause-flashes.html
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CommentsLoading...
Thankyou for your helpful advice for coping with the disgusting menopause. It all works for me. Only one thing can be worse than menopause ; old age and death; the next thing on the agenda. Men only have the old age and death. If only we could reap our revenge on whoever stuck us here in these womanly suffering bodies. Revenge! Revenge! Curse on whoever invented hormones!! Bastard!
thanks for advice will check it out....
medina112 check out the recipe in 'Home Remedies for Menopausal Hot Flashes!' I follow that juice recipe faithfully and I have had the flashes under control for a few years now. If I get too busy or am away from home without the juice I have bone melting hot flashes like crazy.
The link is above in the hub if you're interested.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Great Hub, I have been looking for some natural relief for hot flushes which are a real pain especially when you are trying to sleep at night...
Imelleda, thank you for taking a look and for commenting.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Great hubbing, Ms. Bee. Thanks for this info packed and interesting article. Congrats on being the very first winner!
Guru-C I just have the occasional hot-flash now, I believe I'm keeping them at bay with my tea and fruit juices. I too am hoping to be all those things except 'stable' no hope for that as I never was before (hahaha)
Glad you came for a visit
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Hi Zsuzsy Bee, Very nice hub! I'm on the other side of the hot flashes (yes, they do go away eventually). I found reading about the emotional symptoms helpful. I plan to try your herbal tea blend. I'm truly looking forward to soon being an active, stable, cheerful woman of a certain age!
sasikrishna Thanks for taking a look and for commenting.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Ristac Thank you for taking a look and for commenting. Hope some of it will help your wife.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
B.Crowe Thank you for taking a look and for commenting
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Money Glitch, (love that name) hope your friend will try some of the herbal remedies, they will work.
Thank you for taking a look and for commenting
kindest regards Zsuzsy
really very useful post...great..all the best...
Great article, I have just sat back in my chair after my wife took over the computer to take a read.
Wow, This is a great well of info. you dug deep,thank you and I will pass this article along.
Congrats Zsuzsy on your win! I've been trying to get a friend of mine to try some herbal remedies for her menopausal symptoms. I'm going to share this hub with her. Thanks for sharing! :)
Gigi, thank you for taking a look and for commenting. Those internal imbalances can throw the best of us into a loop. Give hubby an extra kiss and tell him to be patient as those twisted inside-out hormones will not last for ever.
All the best
Zsuzsy
Steph, I would think that anger would be triggered by stress.
To control stress increase on the lavender and meditation.
greetings from an almost spring-y Ontario
take care
Zsuzsy
Fab hub and much for me to ponder. I and poor hubby going through menopause hell. If something doesn't work soon my hormones will help me on my way to second divorce!!
Great hub! (how do you avoid anger in menopause? LOL)
But seriously, I have tried black cohosh myself. There are some that say it brings on labor. None of my babies cooperated. Yet, I do understand it can be very effective during the change. Best to you!
Michelle, sweety how are you? Thanks for taking a look and for the congrats. It sure was a nice surprise.
It is so important that women find out all the different options there are for them. Alternative Medicine might not right for everyone same as estrogen treatment are not.
Hope you and your family are well
kindest regards Zsuzsy
shipsuperstore thank you for taking a look and for commenting. The internal imbalances can throw the best of us into a loop. All the best for your wife. Hope she gets everything straightened out really fast.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Pamela the sad thing is that there are a lot of women that are still not aware of all the help there can be.
Thanks for coming by
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Zsuzsy, you won! WOW! So wonderful news... hahahahah I know a lot of women suffer discomforts caused by menopause and so this hub is very helpful and this is an alternative treatment too. I am bookmarking this hub for future reference and will forward it to friends who might need it. Congrats again... :)
Great story. My wife is seeing a shrink over the depressional symptoms. he won't even consider that she is fifty and has these thoughts and most of the symptoms.
Great topic that will help so many women as menopause can be such a problem Good hub.
GP how are you my dear? How is the busy life?
Will you do me a favor? Please, research all there is to do with estrogen treatments. Estrogen has so many side effect that are ten times worse then the actual menopausal symptoms.
Take care of yourself and your sister too
greetings from a "spring in the air" Ontario
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Zsuzsy Bee....very informative hub. Thank you! I'm going to forward this to quite a few friends of mine. My sister and I have been discussing estrogen creams because we are both experiencing some stuff but "not there yet." I did purchase a natural one from Japan and just started it. We can feel the beginning of it all though since we are nearing the mid-forties. More information is "key." Thank you! Best, G
Lamme thank you for taking a look, for commenting and the congrats. The win was really unexpected, quite a surprise.
regards Zsuzsy
Ictodd thank you for dropping in. I too still get the occasional hot flash but thank goodness they are nothing like they used to be.
regards Zsuzsy
Excellent hub, very useful information. Congratulations on your win!
Very good information...I think I am done with this even though I still have the hot flashes sometimes. I did have surgery though and it was the best things I have ever done. Not all women say that but it was true for me and of course it was necessary.
Great Hub with excellent thoughts.
Support Med thank you. I can only say that just about all my hubs have personal basis to them. All about things that are or were relevant to me at one time or another. These menopause ones came from having gone through a darned long eight years of dealing with the changes especially with the hot flashes. Like I said before I was worried that I was the sole reason global warming came to be.
As far as side effect go everything we eat or wear or do can have side effects maybe not on their own but in combination...
Kindest regards Zsuzsy
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WIN!!!!!!!!!!
The article is very interesting. Glad to see you mentioned that it can happen earlier in life as well (there are many people who do not know that). I'm pretty new to hubpages and it is nice to see that there are many hubbers who are serious about the articles they write. Again, CONGRATS. Now that you have been brought to my attention, I'll have to take a look at some of your other hubs. GOSH!! You have a plenty!!!
PS: I am also glad that you mentioned the possible side effects of herbal medications and/or remedies. Many people think that because it is 'herbal' there can be no danger. Thanks for your thorough information!!!!!!!!!
Wandah, thanks for reading and for commenting. Maybe there might be something in my other hub that can help you with the hot flashes. I know how much of a nuisance they can be.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Home-Remedies-for-Menopaus
regards Zsuzsy
Good advice thanks for sharing.
I went through surgical menopause in 1998, and I was put on a patch for my symptoms, it worked for a while then nothing helped.
I finally came off the patch because of the other side affects.
I've tried everything, nothing works for me.
So I now take nothing, but it seems the only symptom I have left that I deal with is hot and cold flashes. I have them everyday.
My other symptoms cleared up a lot once I got my thyroid under control. (I have Graves Disease).
Best Wanda H
Hi Soni, how are you? Thanks for the congrats.
greetings from Canada
Zsuzsy
Congratulations Zsuzsy Bee for this great achievement. This hub is really outstanding than others.
Lela, you need to check it out, your body might not get triggered into any of the 'menopausal symptoms' by having an occasional glass of wine or by spicy foods. I figured out that I cannot have the combination of spaghetti, garlic bread and red wine...it triggered such hot flashes that I could probably have been the sole reason for global warming but if I had it with a fairly dry white wine I was okay.
I love spicy... I was okay with Tabasco sauce, my girlfriend broke out in sweats just thinking about it but she was okay with a sauce called Red Hot.
I would really have been upset if I would have had to give up my wine or the foods that I like. I kept a 'hot flashes' diary for 3 months before patterns started to show up. Tomatoes(in every shape or style) with garlic and the tannins of the red wine blew a gasket in my system. Tomatoes and garlic were fine, as was garlic in any other food with the red wines but the three together was a big no-no.
I've been drinking this tea for almost six years now. I'm over the hot flashes and all the other menopausal treats. It took almost 8 years but I'm back to normal (if I ever was normal hahaha)
kindest regards Zsuzsy
I like the recipe. When you list things to avoid during menopause, does that mean the throughout the ENTIRE process. I can't imagine giving up wine and spicy foods for years!
charanjeet kaur thank you for stopping by and for the congrats.
regards Zsuzsy
Hija Hypnodude thanks for the congrats and comment.
regards Zsuzsy
Congratulations Zsuzsy Bee for winning the honour and money. I will get tired of saying well deserved again. It surely shows how well informed this hub is; I am bookmarking it as will need this after say 20 years and will know where to look for. ;)
Thumbs up from me!!!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great hub, very well done and full of good informations. Rated and stumbled.
Veronica Allen, thank you for taking a look and for commenting.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Katrina Ariel, glad you came for a visit.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Excellent information Zsuzsy Bee. Congratulations on your win!
Excellent hub! Great job and congrats on a well deserved recognition.
Sara, how are you? Thanks for the congrats.
regards Zsuzsy
Congratulations on your win!
Thank you Maita I was really surprised
hope you're well,
greetings to you from Canada
Zsuzsy
congratulations you won Ms Zsuzsy, well done!! I am glad to follow you as well! Maita
lelanew55 thanks for stopping in and for commenting.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Very nice article. Easy to follow and understand. Thank you for sharing.
dramaticalee thank you for stopping by and for commenting.
kindest regards Zsuzsy
Very informative article! Good work!
patriciarose7, hit and miss seems to be the way with most of us. After many trials and errors I was able to fine tune my tea. It works well for me.
regards Zsuzsy
Thanks for this hub as it's great to know this as some days my menopausal symptoms drive me right up the wall....so to speak.
I also have researched on this topic and found for me that some herbs do work and others don't because of my allergies to some things.
It's a hit and miss thing with me but when I find something that works for me I stick to it!
Ghost Whisper 77, thank you for taking a look and for commenting.
Possibly why you've noticed so many herbal hubs is because of the contest. Check it out by following the light blue measuring tape/arrow on your stat page. Maybe you can put together a few hub too. Good luck.
regards Zsuzsy
Oh this is an excellent hub--I am sitting here wondering about rashes--I have one that came out of nowhere-looking for answers-interesting. Not sure if I am starting Menopause? Why is it that every not so good things starts with MEN? LOL just kidn--
It must be my night for herbal hubs cause you are the third :) Thanks for great information Zsuzsy-Q !
Hello Susan, glad you came be to check out the hub and for commenting. I'm all for natural everything. I can't find anything more annoying then knowing that our whole environment, all the way down to its smallest molecules, has been altered one way or another. Because of this I'm turning more and more towards all natural and herbal remedies which are chemical free.
regards Zsuzsy
I like your article because it's not pushing hormone replacement therapy. I believe in using natural herbs and vitamins to help the body (and your emotions) cope with "the change". Thanks for some really good advice.
Zsuzsy Bee Hub Author 2 months ago
Susan, thank you for taking a look and for commenting
regards Zsuzsy