Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "The Herb Corner"

Menopause has always been a natural part of a woman’s life marking the end of her reproductive cycles. It is not a disease and it does not need to be medicated away by doctors. It doesn’t mean you are old and dried up, in fact in today’s time it is quite freeing. We are not the 50 year olds of our grandmother’s day, We live much busier lives with our families and loved ones and without a period we no longer have to plan around bleeding, bloating, weight gain, moodiness, headaches and the painful cramps associated with menstruation. Typically menopause is a gradual process that can take years and is different from woman to woman. It’s not the menopause causing the problems that’s the end of menstruation caused by the inability of the ovaries to produce the estrogen needed for a period. It’s the peri-menopausal stage that causes problems such as hot fl ashes, changes in hair, skin and muscle tone, brain fog, weight gain, rising blood pressure and cholesterol, mood swings and depression for women.

If you have been advised to take synthetic hormones to help you through this do your research; they have been linked to uterine and breast cancer, heart disease, lowered levels of HDL’s and increases in LDL’s this is not a wise trade for hot flashes. There are much more natural ways to beat a hot flash and other discomforts.

Fortunately we naturally produce hormones from the compounds made available in herbs and from many of the foods we eat. These nutrient and herbal phytoestrogens help relieve symptoms but they do not cause the side effects synthetic hormones do because they are short acting and weak with the liver only accepting the compound necessary to complete the hormone puzzle.

Black Cohosh is well known for its ability to relieve hot flashes plus it can also ease depression, vaginal dryness and water retention. Vitex helps balance hormone production so you are not overloaded with progesterone or estrogen; it also helps regulate the hypothalamus, the area of the brain that regulates body temperature (aka a hot fl ash). Red Clover contains phytoestrogens, lignans and plant compounds that protect you from estrogen dominant cancers, it also enhances libido and reduces hot fl ashes. Ashwaganda supports the adrenal glands in the production of estrogen, it protects the heart and it helps reduce hot flashes and night sweats so you sleep better.

Instead of reaching for a synthetic hormone why not try balancing your hormones with a tea or tincture made with:

2 parts Wild Yam

2/3 part Licorice

1 part Dandelion Root

1 part Sage

1 part Red Clover

If hot flashes are your problem they can be cooled with:

1 part Black Cohosh

1 part Vitex

1/2 part Sage

1 part Hibiscus

1 part Red Clover

1/2 part Nettles

1/2 part Oatstraw

Remember it is not a disease it’s a stage of life.