Perimenopausal Symptoms
1. Good diet that’s heavy on organic foods and low in saturated fats
2. Vitex, or chasteberry, to increase progesterone naturally and help balance excess estrogen
3. Black cohosh extract, like that found in Remifemin, to control hot flashes and night sweats
4. Blood sugar stability
5. Stress management, as well as adrenal support via an adrenal glandular supplement
6. Regular exercise
7. Bioidentical hormone replacement, if symptoms become too uncomfortable
Source: Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Woman’s Guide to Safe, Natural, Hormone Health, by Dr. Holly Lucille
cells hold on to toxins and place more burden on the liver, making it unable to effectively metabolize those extra estrogens,” which are stored in body fat and brought into the body as xenoes- trogens. “At the end of the day, estrogen is a messenger, and its message is to tell cells to grow and proliferate. That’s what we don’t want.”
When estrogen becomes domi-
nant, several things happen, including a more rapid release of insulin from the pancreas, which triggers sugar crav- ings. “It’s not a willpower problem,” Randolph assures. “Too much estrogen causes you to pack on the pounds in the belly area, and belly fat produces more estrogen. It’s a vicious cycle.” Lucille considers perimenopause the opposite of puberty and counsels, “While we are dealing with these changes, bringing some hormones on board for a short time can be a valuable tool.” However, she cautions, replac- ing anything isn’t the issue. “You have to look at the big picture,” she avers. “Putting hormones into a toxic body is like putting gas into a dirty gas tank. We have to restore function first.” Bioidentical hormone replacement
therapy (BHRT) has been a boon for millions. Results of the Women’s Health Initiative, a national study of women’s health between 1991 and 2002, involv- ing more than 160,000 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79, sparked more widespread use early in the 21st century, when research began to show the dire consequences of synthetic hormone re- placement. The Million Woman Study of
18 Knoxville
British women also found that taking syn- thetic 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 pe- riods 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 wom- an’s life; it is often a time of spiritual awakening and self-fulfillment. “When the female brain passes
menopause, the brain changes,” ad- vises Northrup. “In a sense, we move from alternating current to direct cur- rent; 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. Natural alternatives exist that are safe and effective. “Many herbs have been used for millennia that have estro- gen-like properties, but do not have estrogen’s side effects,” Northrup says. “There is huge confusion about this: Plant hormones have different struc- tures than mammalian hormones and cannot act as growth hormones. If you
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have too much estrogen, these plant hormones can actually protect against excess stimulation.” Her favorite is pueraria mirifica,
which has helped relieve perimeno- pausal and menopausal symptoms in 80 percent of her patients within days. (Because the method of harvesting and processing supports effectiveness, Northrup likes Solgar brand Phyto- Gen.) She also uses maca, from Peru, for its phytoestrogens, vitex, black cohosh and omega-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 Replace- ment is among her many books. Visit
KathleenBarnes.com.
Foods to Reduce Estrogen Dominance
d Cruciferous vegetables and green leafy vegetables with indole-3- carbinol to decrease xenoestrogens, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, celery and kale; two to three servings a day
d Any citrus fruits, which have d- limonene to promote estrogen detoxi- fication; one serving a day
d Insoluble fiber as an estrogen binder, such as oats, berries, dried beans and apples; two servings a day
d Lignans as estrogen binders, such as flaxseed, sesame seeds and flaxseed oil; two to three tablespoons a day
Source: From Belly Fat to Belly Flat, by Dr. C.W. Randolph, Jr., and Genie James
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