"It is sad to grow old, but nice to ripen."
--Brigitte Bardot

Perhaps the only thing more natural than the cycle of life and death itself is the life cycle of female menstruation — the ability to impart life and death — and the transitory phases within it. Predictably, the medical community has done its scientific best to abscond with the process. From our doctors to the media, Western women are proffered myriad ways to shorten, hide, sanitize, pathologize, prettify and otherwise nullify the mystery and very normalcy of our feminine essence. And so it is with menopause, that time when a woman’s ovaries cease to produce hormones and we move from a child-bearing capacity to that of elder.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most commonly prescribed treatment for the symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, forgetfulness, and a heightened sensitivity to stress and nervousness, among others. However there is considerable controversy about the benefits and risks associated with HRT drugs. For example, HRT has been recommended by some for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis; yet still others suggest estrogen may have adverse effects in postmenopausal women. There is considerable evidence of a strong correlation between HRT and an increased risk — of between thirty and fifty percent — of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots in the lungs, as well as high blood pressure and gall bladder disease.

And the risks affect not only women. Consider the abuse – and questionable gain – that befalls the source of Premarin, the third most prescribed drug in the world (just behind Tylenol). Premarin, prescribed by doctors to treat the symptoms of menopause since 1942, is made from conjugated estrogen extracted from the urine of pregnant mares – the unscrupulous production of which causes untold suffering to and ultimately costs the lives of millions of horses. For more information, please read Premarin: Cycle of Cruelty at http://www.equineadvocates.com/premarin.html.

Despite a market glut of medically inspired menopause “cures”, there exist a variety of time-tested, natural methods to ease the symptoms of this universal biological transition. Those who oppose HRT are usually in favor of phytoestrogens, estrogens supplied by vegetables, herbs, and legumes. For those choosing a more natural approach, we offer the following natural, gentle and safe ways to ameliorate some of the discomforting menopausal symptoms and bolster the systems of your changing body.

DIET
Diet is the single most important tool to alleviate menopausal symptoms. And the good news is that it is utterly at your disposal!

Foods to avoid:
* caffeine
* carbonated beverages (they contain phosphorous and can increase bone loss)

Foods to limit:
* commercially raised meats including beef, pork, and chicken (they contain high saturated fats and decrease the body's ability to metabolize estrogen)
* Sugar (it limits your liver's ability to metabolize estrogen and impairs the immune system)

Foods to increase: all foods that contain phytoestrogens
* grains (oats, wheat, brown rice)
* soy products, such as tofu and flax seed oil
* almonds and cashews
* fresh fruits
* vegetables
It bears noting that symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, are rare in vegetarian communities and cultures – those with diets rich in vegetable and soy products. Case in point, there is no Japanese word for “hot flash”.

HERBS & SUPPLEMENTS
* Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) - for hot flashes and vaginal dryness
* Licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra) - to adjust hormone levels
* Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) - for normalizing hormones, distress and hot flashes.
* Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) - for vaginal dryness
* White Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) - For nervous system
* St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum) - For distress
* Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus leaf) - Uterine tonic
* Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis) - blood building, anxiety, depression, nervousness, insomnia and hot flashes
* Red Clover – to alleviate hot flashes, reduce rate of bone loss, decrease severity of night sweats
* Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidus (the "good" bacteria in our intestines) - help with metabolism and utilization of estrogen, and help reduce the occurrence of yeast infections
* Vitamin E - to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats
* Calcium - the best type of calcium is not calcium carbonate which may not be fully absorbed, but microcrystalline calcium hydroxyapatite calcium (MCHC) or calcium citrate
* Magnesium - to help with the absorption of calcium
* Vitamin C - helps absorption of Vitamin E and decreases capillary fragility

EXERCISE
Regular exercise helps prevent and reduce bone loss, and plays a key role in reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease, and stress-related conditions.

Women’s bodies are as different as women are – no one answer will apply to all. Listen to your body, consult your health specialist, and follow the wisdom that points to your individual way through this most natural of all transitions.



Sources
http://womenshealth.about.com/library/weekly/aa121200a.htm
http://herbsforhealth.about.com/library/weekly/aa031499.htm
http://www.menopause-online.com
http://www.equineadvocates.com/premarinprintout.htm
Steven G. Ottariano, Medicinal Herbal Therapy: A Pharmacist's Viewpoint, Nicolin Fields Publishing, Inc., January, 1999.