Menopause:
Changing doesn't have to be so hard

Menopause, or the permanent end of menstruation and fertility, is a natural biological process, not a medical illness.

It shouldn't be something to dread but to embrace. A change, a new beginning. Life is what you make of it. Menopause is like a stepping stone into the next part of the journey that is your life!

A natural part of life should not cause so many problems. If we give our body what it needs; it will take care of and even heal itself.

There are many stories that prove this. Norman Cousins laughed himself into good health, After receiving x-ray burns to the extent he was told to have his arm and leg amputated to the joint, Dr. Shaklee focused on good health with pure water, good exercise, and good nutrition. After three years, his body was healed. (The Shaklee Story by Robert L Shook)

The body is hard to destroy but due to lack of proper nutrition and exercise, the natural parts of life become problems.

Menopause is a change in the body, the hormones, and everything pertaining to child bearing. It is also said it takes several years for the “bad” things to happen to our body after years of abuse. Menopause is not bad, but the symptoms might be due to past “abuse”, not taking care of oneself.

One of the most common symptoms of menopause is Hot Flashes. They occur in about two thirds of American women.

Web MD defines a hot flash as a momentary sensation of heat that may be accompanied by a red, flushed face and sweating. The cause of hot flashes is not known, but may be related to changes in circulation.

The severity and duration of hot flashes varies among women. Some women have hot flashes for a very short time during menopause. Other women may have hot flashes -- at least to some degree -- for life. Generally, hot flashes are less severe as time passes.

While it may not be possible to completely eliminate hot flashes their affects can be reduced by following some of the suggestions on this page.

Avoiding certain triggers such as stress, caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol, tight clothes and cigarette smoke can also help many women get through this time of change.

Some women have no problems “changing” speeds so to speak. If there is a problem, it is my opinion that medications are NOT the way to go.

Medications do not a healthy cell build.

Instead, go for the healthy diet which includes lots of purified water and an excellent fiber. Get one that actually helps the body get rid of the fat in the blood stream. Once again, what company and products are you dealing with? Does their research tell you anything?

The Mayo Clinic recommends the following tips to help reduce or eliminate some of the symptoms related to menopause.

• Eat Well. Eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole
• Don't smoke. Smoking increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, cancer and a range of other health problems. It may also increase hot flashes and bring on earlier menopause. It's never too late to benefit from stopping smoking.
• Exercise regularly. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days to protect against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and other conditions associated with aging. More vigorous exercise for longer periods may provide further benefit and is particularly important if you are trying to lose weight.

There is no question we need exercise.

Research shows that exercise alone can alleviate hot flashes. In one study, aerobic exercise reduced the severity of hot flashes in 55% of postmenopausal women.

You don’t have to join a gym. Just take the dog, a friend, or your husband for a walk. Manage the stress.

Other things we recommend are:

• Add the basic nutritional supplements of a cell building multi-vitamin.
• Take a water washed, non GMO soy protein. Christiane Northup, MD, in her book The Wisdom of Menopause, cites research that indicates that women who ate 60 grams of soy protein per day in the form of a powdered drink mix had a 45% reduction in hot flashes after 12 weeks.
• Supplement your health regimen with a unique complex for menopause that has the phytonutrients that provides ingredients the body can make into hormones it needs. This product also has six other much needed herbs that help relieve hot flashes, helps improve bone strength and density, and helps detoxify the liver.
• Women going through menopause may find relief from their symptoms if they include botanicals such as phytoestrogens in their diet.
• Phytoestrogens are substances found in plant-based foods that are thought to have weak estrogen-like effects. They may work in the body like a weak form of estrogen. Some may help lower cholesterol levels and have been suggested to relieve hot flashes and night sweats.
  
• Get enough calcium. Eating and drinking 2 to 4 servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day will help ensure that you are getting enough calcium in your daily diet. Calcium is found in dairy products, fish with bones such as sardines and canned salmon, broccoli and legumes.
• Pump up your iron intake. Eating at least 3 servings of iron-rich foods a day will help ensure that you are getting enough iron in your daily diet. Iron is found in lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leafy green vegetables, nuts and enriched grain products.
• Get enough fiber. Help yourself to foods high in fiber such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Eat fruits and vegetables. Include at least 2-4 servings of fruits and 3-5 servings of vegetables in your daily diet.
• Read labels. Use the package label information to help you to make the best selections for a healthy lifestyle.
• Drink plenty of water. This will help you stay hydrated.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Lose weight if you are overweight by cutting down on portion sizes and reducing foods high in fat, not by skipping meals.

You may have heard of — or even tried — other dietary supplements, such as dong quai, licorice, chasteberry, evening primrose oil and wild yam (natural progesterone cream). Although some might swear by these remedies, scientific evidence of their safety and effectiveness is lacking.

Hormone Therapy (or Hormone Replacement Therapy) is another medical solution for menopause. While HT may help many women get through menopause, the treatment is not risk free. Known health risks include:

• An increased risk of endometrial cancer (if a woman still has her uterus and is not taking progesterone along with estrogen).
  
• Increased risk of blood clots.
  
• Increased risk of stroke.
  
• Increased risk of gallbladder disease.
  
• Increase in blood pressure in some women.
  
• Increased risk of larger, more invasive breast cancers (combination HRT only)
  

Be careful of what you use. Our goal is to achieve a healthy body now and in the future. Don’t trade long term wellness for temporary relief.

Remember; check the clinical studies on the product. Need help with that? Contact me.

So if the symptoms of menopause are driving you mad. How mad do you have to get before you believe in natural health, not medication?

Think about it!

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