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Menopause
Assistance
The great majority of women require no treatment at menopause whatsoever
as the symptoms are minor and will pass without any particular treatment
in a few weeks or months, or at the most two or three years. Since the
use of hormones from an outside source has been associated with serious
problems, it is recommended that the administration of hormones be avoided
if at all possible. An increase in breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer
has been associated with the use of estrogens, as well as fibroid tumors
of the uterus, depression, and liver or gallbladder disease.
What is natural menopause? Only a few women get to experience it because
of the high rate of hysterectomies, other surgery, and medications.
What happens after hysterectomy? Even though the patient has been told
her ovaries were saved when her uterus was removed, it is questionable
whether the ovaries are in fact useful or were seriously reduced in function
by tying off blood vessels that nourish the ovaries, and mechanical trauma
to them.
Osteoporosis is definitely the major health concern occurring in women,
attributed to menopause. It is a condition of five, ten, even forty years
in the making, and at the time of menopause usually has no recognizable
symptoms. Most often it is only when a bone breaks that the condition
is recognized. Prevention of severe osteoporosis is a result of two things:
strong bone development before age 35, and avoiding bone-thinning health
habits after age 50. It is not caused by dietary deficiency of calcium
according to authorities in mineral and bone physiology.
Common Conditions
Occurring at Menopause
Cardiovascular system: palpitations, high blood pressure, hot flashes
(the major symptom)
Musculoskeletal: aches and pains (not osteoporosis, as it is usually
symptomless), but usually a form of arthritis.
Genital: irregular bleeding, decreased libido, vaginal dryness
General: dryness and wrinkling of the skin
Neurological: nausea, dizziness, mood changes, irritability, depression,
insomnia, numbness, tingling
Cause of Hot Flashes
The cause or causes of hot flashes are not known, but two theories merit
mention. The first is inadequate breathing efforts. Sleeping on the sides
rather than the back will discourage snoring (which in turn reduces the
heat loss with each breath, allowing slight heat buildup in blood going
to the thermostat in the brain. The brain then sends a message down to
the skin to open up blood vessels and sweat glands). Lose weight, if
necessary, to reduce the metabolic rate and to make each breath deeper.
Practice deep breathing daily.
The second theory has to do with blood vessel tone. An experiment was
done measuring the tightening of blood vessels in the skin after applications
of ice. Women with hot flashes tended to lack the normal tightening of
blood vessels; whereas women who had no flashes or very mild flashes
tended to have a more brisk tightening of the blood vessels. There was
a significant relationship between the degree of tightening and the severity
of the symptoms.
Avenues To Work For Treatments
1. Hormones
The following are organs we can work with in order to optimize physiological
processes:
- The adrenal glands in women secrete small amounts of male hormones,
some of which are converted to estrogens in the body’s fat
cells. Stimulate the adrenals with vigorous tapping over them with
the fingertips
for two minutes; and by alternating very hot water applications and
very cold water applications over the upper back, one minute each
for 6 minutes,
ending with one minute of cold. Repeat daily.
- The liver has an overworked system for breakdown of estrogens. Relieve
the liver and increase its activity by one day of fasting each week,
ending the fast with breakfast, never with supper.
- The thyroid has an effect on metabolism. Stimulate the thyroid by
a cool shower each morning, followed by a brisk but brief cold mitten
friction for 3 minutes.
- The hypothalamus produces luteinizing hormone (LH). Stimulate by
starting a new intellectual program, such as initiating a Bible study
group in
your home, or organizing a group ministry for a prison or an orphans’ home.
- The anterior pituitary produces follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
and LH. Stimulate by being regular to bed and to rise, regular with meals,
and regular with an hour of exercise daily and at the same time if possible.
2. Botanical Remedies
Herbs: The General Menopause Formula, one quart daily, by itself is
about 80% effective:
4 c. boiling water
Add: 1-3 t. black cohosh (use the smaller amount if it causes a headache)
1-3 t. licorice powder
Simmer gently for 20 minutes and remove from fire, Add immediately the
following:
4 T. red raspberry leaf
2 T. alfalfa leaf
1 T. catnip leaf
Steep
Other herbs that have estrogen and progesterone precursors are hops
and ginseng. All ginsengs have a lot of saponins in them which stimulate
the nerves and cleanse the bowels. Chaste tree tea can be used as a progesterone
replacement; wild yam and black cohosh (bind to estrogen receptors like
estrogen and reduces the quantity of estrogen taken up by); licorice
tea (stimulates adrenals), angelica; sarsaparilla root, blessed thistle
and false unicorn root.
Vaginal itching may be helped by mixing angelica and alfalfa (if not
already a powder, pulverize in a seed mill or blender) in enough glycerin
from the pharmacy, and using topically. Damiana tea is also most helpful
to some. Puncture a Vitamin E or Vitamin A capsule and insert it high
as a suppository in the vagina each night for dryness of the vagina.
The Vitamin A or E suppositories have to be used daily for six weeks
to get relief. In six weeks drop back to about once or twice a week.
Itching can also be helped by Vitamin E oil rubbed on the vulva.
3. Physical Activity
Exercise: Exercise is not just a healthful thing to do; in menopause
it is one of the main treatments women need. We recommend that a woman
obtain one to five hours of outdoor exercise or labor daily to stimulate
the ovaries and other endocrine glands. Weight bearing exercise is the
ideal, as it protects against osteoporosis. Swimming one hour three times
per week has been shown to increase bone mineral content.
Several times a day, at least four, raise up from your work, stand tall,
hold the elbows at shoulder height, and try to touch the elbows together,
both in front and behind. Maintain all day the good position you must
achieve with this exercise and it will help you guard against humpback.
A deep breathing exercise will often stop a hot flash in a few seconds.
Simply breathe in deeply through the nose and out through the mouth,
repeatedly, until the flash stops.
4. Habits of Life
Smoking: Stopping smoking is a treatment for menopause. Smoking itself
leads to decrease in estrogen level and increased bone loss at an earlier
age (1% per year after the age of 50).
Alcohol: It suppresses the growth of bone, causing osteoporosis, is
toxic to the ovaries, and can cause irregular ovulation and menstrual
periods.
Coffee: Coffee interferes with many metabolic processes, including those
concerned with normalizing the menopausal process. Most damaging is the
loss of 1.4% of bone calcium per year after menopause from drinking just
one cup of coffee per day.
5. Mental Health
Emotional Aspects: Improving one’s interpersonal relationships
not only makes one more at ease, but actually lessens women’s
hot flashes. The twelve step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous, Alanon,
and
Co-dependents Anonymous are very good for this purpose. Stop by a library
and make a copy of the 12-Step Program. Study it carefully.
6. Nutrition
Diet: Hot drinks, hot meals and hot spices can aggravate hot flashes.
So can sugar, alcohol, or other refined carbohydrates. Do not be disappointed
if you must go through several months trying to improve hot flashes.
Use a vegetarian diet without sugar and often the hot flashes will stop
promptly.
The following foods have been found to be high in naturally occurring
plant sterols similar in chemical formula to estrogens. Some of these
should be eaten daily in liberal quantities if you do not have sensitivities
to them.
Apples Cherries Olives
Plums Anise seed Wheat germ
Food yeast Whole grains Garlic
Barley Corn Parsley
Oats Rice Wheat
Sage Coconut Carrots
Peanuts Yams Soy beans
Alfalfa leaf tea Licorice root tea
Foods of the nightshade family (bell pepper, paprika, pimentos, eggplant,
potatoes, tomatoes)
Eat a low protein diet, as the kidneys excrete large amounts of calcium
through the urine to make up for the high level of sulfuric acid from
the protein. All clinical nutritionists are now recommending the low
protein diet for osteoporosis. The vegetarian cuisine is the most favorable
diet.
Low fat, eliminating almost entirely, or even completely, if the weight
demands it, all free fats such as margarine, mayonnaise, fried foods,
salad oils, cooking fats and most nut butters. This diet is most helpful
in menopause, both for the hot flashes and preventing osteoporosis. Low
fat Seventh-day Adventist women, who use no animal protein or animal
fat whatsoever, do not have evidence of essential fatty acid deficiency,
and have a very low rate of osteoporosis.
Some other factors in osteoporosis: If a calcium supplement is taken
it may decrease the availability of copper and zinc and may increase
cholesterol. Zinc is considered to be as important in bone strength as
calcium. Calcium supplement also decreases iron and magnesium retention,
increasing risk of iron deficiency anemia and nerve, muscle, and bowel
function. Flaxseed, two tablespoons freshly ground, at each meal has
benefits in the menopausal years to prevent strokes and high cholesterol.
Too much salt causes the kidneys to excrete more calcium in the urine.
Caffeine can seriously increase calcium loss. Women should avoid refined
phosphates, another benefit of a no animal protein diet, as animal products
are generally high in phosphates. Soft drinks and baking powder are high
in phosphates.
Vitamin E: One quarter cup of soybeans and 400 iu of vitamin E by mouth
can be used for the management of hot flashes.
Boron supplements have been used by some to increase the deposition
of calcium in the bones. It also stimulates the production of very tiny
amounts of estrogen, even in women who have gone through the menopause
or who have had a hysterectomy. Although the estrogen production is in
small amounts, it may be sufficient to avoid the most severe symptoms
of menopause. Take 3 milligrams per day.
7. Water Treatments
A cool or tepid shower every morning (about 95 degrees water temperature)
slows down hot flashes. Hydrotherapy is useful in osteoporosis to improve
absorption and assimilation of nutrients: Hot compresses to the abdomen
for 20 minutes four to five times a week or hot sitz baths for 20 minutes
five times a week for three to four weeks to stimulate the ovaries. For
itching around the vagina, use the perineal pour each time the bathroom
is used: mix one to four tablespoons of vinegar in one quart of hot or
cold water and pour slowly through the low part of the pubic hair and
encourage with the fingers to touch all parts of the vulva by opening
all the folds. Allow to dry. Do not remove the vinegar water. Vinegar
makes the most favorable acid condition for the vulva.
An attempt should be made to avoid irritation of all mucous membranes,
including nasal, as these surfaces become quite thin following the menopause.
When the vaginal opening is cleansed, the hands should be first washed
and then the hands used to thoroughly wash the area. Then more plain,
clear water is used to meticulously rinse the area, being gentle and
using no abrasive cloths. Drying of the nonhairy portions is done by
blotting rather than rubbing. Douching is to be discouraged, as the internal
surfaces are washed free of the lubricating covering of shed cells. Never
use soaps on the genital area.
8. Clothing
The clothing should be checked carefully for healthfulness. Girdles
are taboo. There must be no band tight enough that it leaves a red mark
on the skin. Perhaps the most important, yet most difficult to attain,
is warm clothing for the extremities. Even though there is no sense of
chilliness in cold weather, the extremities should be adequately clothed.
The blood loses much latent heat from a bare skin area. Experimentally
there is alteration of the blood flow in the pelvic organs if only one
hand is chilled for over five minutes.
9. Why Not Use Hormones
To give estrogen treatment in menopause treats menopause as a disease,
not a normal physiologic process. That there are symptoms associated
with it in a certain percentage of people should bring us to search for
physiologic and natural remedies, rather than pharmacologic.
If a woman takes estrogen for five years, she increases her risk of
getting cancer of the breast measurably, and if she takes it for 15 years,
the risk of breast cancer increases by 35%. (Ref. Center for Disease
Control, 1992) Taking progesterone also increases her risk of getting
cancer of the breast, (Ref. Dr. John McDougall) and also of getting gallstones,
hypertension, and intravascular blood clotting. (Ref. Annals of Internal
Medicine, May 1, 1992).
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