Alternative & Complementary Medicine for Menopause
Menopause occurs when a woman naturally stops ovulating and ceases to have a menstrual period for at least 12 months. Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, poor memory, joint pain, hair loss, mood changes, mental fog, and low sex drive. Hormone therapy using estrogen, progesterone, or a combination of the two is the most common treatment of menopause. However, hormone therapy may put women at an increased risk for cancer, depression, blood clots, and stroke. As a result, many women seek alternatives to traditional hormone therapy. These women have great success using the strategies discussed below.
-
Herbal Alternatives
-
According to Prescription for Drug Alternatives by doctors James Balch, Mark Stengler, and Robin Young Balch, the leading herbal alternatives to hormone therapy are vitex and black cohosh. Also known as chasteberry, vitex is commonly used in Europe to relieve hot flashes and heavy bleeding. A safe dose is 160 mg to 240 mg daily on its own. Avoid combining vitex with oral contraceptives and prescription hormones.
In a study involving black cohosh, 80 percent of 629 menopausal women reported relief within 6 to 8 weeks. Improved symptoms include hot flashes, heart palpitations, vertigo, headaches, nervousness, ringing in ears, anxiety insomnia and depression. Recommended dosage is 80 mg one to two times daily of a 2.5 percent triterpene glycoside extract.
Additionally, the popular product Estroven combines black cohosh with soy isoflavones. Soy isoflavones have been shown to reduce hot flashes. However, these should be avoided by women with a history of breast cancer.
Complements to Hormones
-
Women who choose to continue using hormones but wish to reduce the side effects, may consider supplementing their diets with vitamins. According to Prescription for Drug Alternatives, women taking hormones should supplement with 50 mg of vitamin B6 and 15 mg of zinc daily. Additionally, menopausal women using hormone replacement therapy should take 200 to 250 mg of magnesium twice a day.
Additionally, women may consider the alternative of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Unlike synthetic hormones, which represent more of a "one-size-fits-all" outlook, bio-identical hormones are tailor-made for each patient. Therefore, more specific dosages can be prescribed.
Lifestyle Changes
-
According to Prescription for Drug Alternatives, changes to diet and lifestyle make an excellent complement to both alternative and traditional therapies. Additionally, these changes can be effective when used completely on their own.Specifically, menopausal women can find relief by incorporating aerobic exercise in their day, reducing spicy foods, and increasing their intake of plant food such as legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and other seeds. In particular, ground flaxseeds and fermented soy foods like tofu can reduce hot flashes. Finally, menopausal women who smoke are recommended to quit, as smoking increases negative symptoms.
-
