of British women also found that taking synthetic hormones at menopause doubled the risk of breast cancer for women. Northrup calls bioidenticals “nature’s ideal design,” due to the prescription of individually tailored doses, custom- made by compounding pharmacies. Although these are rarely covered by insurance, estradiol-only patches may be; however, additional progesterone and testosterone may still be necessary, depending on test results, according to Northrup.


Menopause If a woman has had no menstrual periods for 12 months, she is considered to be in menopause. However, Lucille asserts, “Menopause is not a disease.” Northrup touts menopause as the most creative and precious time of a woman’s life; it is often a time of spiritual awakening and self-fulfillment.


“Some women go through these years and truly take their place as women of wisdom and power. They don’t need any additional hormone support; they have enough life energy coming,” comments Northrup.


“When the female brain passes menopause, the brain


changes,” advises Northrup. “In a sense, we move from alternating current to direct current; I believe that this is the way the brain encodes wisdom.” “Yet there are women in their 60s that are still having


hot flashes. What should they do?” queries Northrup. Natu- ral alternatives exist that are safe and effective. “Many herbs have been used for millennia that have estrogen-like prop- erties, but do not have estrogen’s side effects,” Northrup says. “There is huge confusion about this: Plant hormones have different structures than mammalian hormones and cannot act as growth hormones. If you have too much estrogen, these plant hormones can actually protect against excess stimulation.” Her favorite is pueraria mirifica, which has helped


relieve perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms in 80 percent of her patients within days. (Because the method of harvesting and processing supports effectiveness, Northrup likes Solgar brand PhytoGen.) She also uses maca, from Peru, for its phytoestrogens, vitex, black cohosh and ome- ga-3 fatty acids such as those found in salmon for ongoing hot flashes. “Some women go through these years and truly take their


place as women of wisdom and power. They don’t need any additional hormone support; they have enough life energy coming,” comments Northrup. “Others may need to take some kind of hormone support their entire lives. Either way, no one should suffer.”


Kathleen Barnes is a natural health advocate, author and publisher. User’s Guide to Natural Hormone Replacement is among her many books. Visit KathleenBarnes.com.


40 Westchester/Putnam NY Edition


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