The Common
Symptoms
Menopause and
orPerimenopause
- Hot flashes
- Night Sweats
- Fatigue
- Poor memory
and/or cognition
- Irregular
menstration
- Loss of Libido
- Pain during
Intercourse
- Increased
Abdominal Fat
- thinning Hair
Commonn
Naturopathic Treatments
- Nutritional
Modifications (1 ex: phytoestrogen foods)
- Botanical
Supplementation
- Bioidentical
Hormone Replacement
- Homeopathy
General Information
Estrogen is responsible for ovulation (the release of an egg from the
ovaries) and the development of the uterine
lining. Progesterone prepares the body for implantation and
pregnancy and promotes menstruation if implantation doesn’t
happen. Both of thee hormones also have far reaching
physiological effects on a women’s physical and emotional health.
The classic thought is that menopause is due solely to diminished
estrogen production though the truth is that progesterone drops as
well. Therefore it is best to assess both hormonal levels so
treatment reflects physiological needs. Also, the sex
hormones are not the only culprits in menopausal symptoms.
Examples of other common hormonal impacts include Thyroid
and Adrenal
function. Adrenal function, post menopause, is very important
as a natural medical target as these gland take over some estrogenic
production. Understanding each women’s physiology, symptom picture,
personal and family history and appropriate medical diagnostics will
direct a thorough treatment.
Assessment and preventative treatment is very important for
related heart and bone health. Both of these systems are
sensitive to diminished sex hormone levels. Natural medicine
has much to offer this transitional state. Targeted natural
medical choices are plentiful in the medical research as well as time
tested. Holistic medicine in general understands the full
impact of an individual’s general health and what this means to
comfortably working through what is for many women a very difficult
transitional period.
Treatment is not limited to hormone replacement. Targeted natural
treatments such as diet, botanical, supplemental and lifestyle
have dramatic effect as well. For instance Japan has
a history of very low menopausal complications. Many believe this to be
related to Japanese high consumption of phytoestrogenic foods such as
soy. Soy has in fact in a number of studies demonstrating the
effectiveness of soy enriched diets on risk factors for breast cancer,
cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, as well as helping to combat
some of the unpleasant symptoms of menopause.
Natural solutions can dramatically reduce symptoms while protecting
against the potential adverse outcomes of menopause.
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