Menopause – Some women dread it, others welcome it. For some, the advent of hot flashes is mild and somehow anti-cathartic, for others the symptoms are debilitating.
While hot flushes are the most common sign, many women experience debilitating states of depression or anxiety, forgetfulness, loss of libido and weight gain.
Why is one woman’s experience so different from the next? In conventional medicine, Menopause is seen as a change in female hormones. A study was done comparing levels of hormones of Mayan women, who do not suffer from Menopausal symptoms, with those of American women. Researchers expected to see a significant difference in patterns. In reality, the hormonal levels of both groups where identical. So what was different?
That leads us to the Holistic approach of viewing the entire person, not just the symptoms.
It is important to look beyond just sex hormones. For example, Adrenal and Thyroid gland function, which may be borderline low before menopause and greatly decrease afterwards; Insulin levels; Liver Health, the capacity of the liver to properly metabolize hormones and detoxify; Intestinal Health, as women with poor digestion tend to have worse menopausal symptoms; Genetics, at what age did your mom and/or sisters experience menopause and how?; the use of Medications (more elements to burden the liver); and, of course, Personal Sensitivities such as pain threshold, sensitivity to changes in temperature, etc.
It is only when we recognize all those elements (the system as a Whole) that we can address menopause effectively. This explains why we use different herbs, homeopathic remedies and nutritional support with different women. In all cases, the treatment supports healthy change and empowers women as they experience these hormonal shifts.
It is common for women who suffer from debilitating Menopausal symptoms to find relief using Naturopathic Medicine. For those that experience only mild changes, when individualized diagnosis and treatment are not necessary, we suggest herbal combinations of plants such as Black Cohosh (a phyto-estrogen), Wild Yam (a phyto-progesterone), Melissa (a mild nervine), Motherwort (liver aid) and/or Vitex and Angelica to balance hormone levels.
We lose most of our bone mass in the first 5 years of Menopause, so a good mineral combination containing Calcium, Magnesium, Vit D, Vit K and B6 is best insurance. I recommend all my patients to have a baseline bone density test, if possible, 2-3 years prior to going into menopause and to have their blood lipids (cholesterol and triglyceride levels) checked.
As we enter into our Menopausal years we also need to be conscious of our heart health, as cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in women over 50. Preventing disease is much easier and more effective than reversing disease.
Nutrition and exercise are imperative as we age. As metabolism and digestion ability slow, consuming proper nutrients and affecting circulation become not only a good idea, but essential.
Last, but not least: have you loved someone today? We don’t need research (although its being done) to let us know that the happier we are, the easier our bodies experience and can handle transitions. Cherish your relationship and give yourself at least a few moments every day to be grateful and to experience love.