MENOPAUSAL ISSUES – WHAT EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO KNOW

Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s life. Menopause is NOT a disease nor is it a condition that normally requires medical intervention. A woman is considered to be in menopause when she doesn’t have a period for at least one full year. If the hormones are correctly balanced, then the periods should diminish or stop without any symptoms associated with it. This is of course the best case scenario.  Unfortunately,  this scenario has become very much the exception because of so many concurrent factors that now disrupt hormonal balance.

About 80% of women today experience symptoms both before and after menopause that include: mood swings, disrupted sleep patterns, sweet cravings, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, vaginal dryness, low libido, facial hair growth, hair loss, hot flashes, night sweats, memory loss, breast tenderness, fibroids, fibrocystic breast, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, and/or depression.  Peri-menopausal symptoms can occur between 2 to 15 years before the actual menopause. Post-menopausal symptoms can sometimes last 10 to 15 years after periods have stopped.

So, what can you do to help your hormones to stay in balance as NATURALLY as possible?

1. Eat Properly:

Proper Nutrition is always the most important factor to keep hormones in balance.
- Avoid Sugar as it increases mood swings, night sweats and hot flashes.
- Do Not Skip Meals as it induces hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) with symptoms such as shakiness, lack of concentration, headaches, or poor quality sleep.
- Avoid Caffeine, chocolate and red wine as they increase hot flashes and disturb sleep.
- Avoid Soy products as they can increase the risk of thickening of the uterus lining. Genistein, the predominant isoflavone found in soy seems to increase the proliferation of estrogen-dependant human breast cancer cells. Only fermented soy in the form of Natto, Tamari, Tempeh, and Miso will not increase estrogen levels.
- Avoid Hydrogenated Oils as they disrupt proper energy function, increase weight gains and hormonal imbalances.
- Eat Proteins three times a day to maintain blood sugar levels steady all day long. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of the regular intake of organic eggs, poultry, meat, as well as fish and shellfish.
- Eat Plenty of Vegetables for fibers and antioxidant properties, and eat fruits and whole grains only in moderate amount.
- Eat Good Fats in the form of olive oil, coconut oil and fish oil to bring proper amount of essential fatty acids.

2. Exercise:

Regular Exercise increases blood circulation which diminishes risks of blood coagulation leading to Cardio Vascular Diseases. Regular exercise also helps to maintain proper weight and stimulate brain function. Any exercise such as a brisk walk, a bike ride, a swim, a yoga or Tai Chi class is better than nothing as we know that exercise reduces insomnia, anxiety and hot flashes.

3. Limit Chemical Exposures:

Our world is unfortunately invaded by tons of chemicals in the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. Adding to this world of chemicals is the over-usage of plastics, household cleaners, insecticides, fertilizers, facial make-ups and body lotions, alcohol, drugs and medications. These chemicals enter our bodies every single day and are eliminated through natural detoxification pathways such as the liver, the kidneys, the skin, the lungs and the colon. But, if the body cannot eliminate these chemicals easily or fast enough, then they are stored into any tissues within the body specifically, into fat cells. When these chemicals accumulate into our tissues, then they disrupt body’s normal functions in particular the hormonal system. A couple of current examples: Teflon material (used in non-stick pans) has been found in women’s breasts. DDT the pesticide is still found in women’s breasts even if this pesticide has not been used for the past 35 years! Thus, you should endeavor to:
- Avoid Plastic Containers, plastic wraps, plastic food storages and plastic water bottles as they leach out phthalates which are known to cause birth defects, increase estrogens and induce breast cancers.
- Avoid Bleach and aggressive household cleaning products that can cause cancer and are toxic to the developing endocrine system. Instead use natural cleansers such as vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, essential oils and hot water.
- Buy Organic Food as much as your budget and availability permits to avoid pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones.
- For Your Skin, use Organic materials made with herbs, essential oils, natural grain alcohol, coconut oil, or shea butter. Avoid parabens, artificial colors and artificial smells, or sodium lauryl sulfates.
- Avoid Teflon, Caphalon, or aluminum pots and pans. Instead use cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans.
- Avoid Pesticides and chemical lawn fertilizers for your garden; instead buy Organic composts and mineral fertilizers.
- Install Shower Filters in your bathrooms to REMOVE Chlorine vapor exposure or, install complete water filtration for the entire house.  This is a must do!  I recommend a very simple and effective shower de-chlorinator by Rainshow'r.  This product is so important for good hormomal health that I have it available both in the office and on my web store at, www.YourGoodHealthStore.com.

4. Limit Heavy Metals Exposure:

Again, in our polluted world, we see more exposure to heavy metals than ever. The predominant heavy metal is Mercury.  Mercury has been used in dental fillings since the beginning of the century and was thought to be safe until about 20 years ago when researchers started to be aware of the problems that silver fillings could be dangerous hazards to health. Mercury is a potential hormonal disrupter because it robs the minerals right out of the body. Every hormonal pathway requires the appropriate minerals in order to function properly.   The most important minerals for hormonal balance are Zinc and Copper. When Mercury is high in the body, it disrupts the Zinc to Copper ratio which then creates hormonal imbalances. I recommend to all my patients to first refuse any new silver fillings and second, try to have old silver fillings removed. If your dentist doesn’t agree with this, then seek for a biological dentist who is educated in this domain.

Avoid Aluminum Exposure through aluminum cans and foils, aluminum pots and pans, table salt, anti-perspirants, antacid medication, bleached flour, and non-organic teas.

5. Take Care of Your Liver and Gallbladder:

The Liver is the principal organ of detoxification and is essential for hormone metabolism. Proper estrogen metabolism is dependant upon a healthy Liver as it is largely responsible for the break down and excretion of hormones metabolites that are ultimately eliminated through the bile. Liver imbalances in women therefore include headaches, nausea, heartburn or constipation, hot flashes, painful and heavy periods (with clots), breast tenderness, insomnia, night sweats, and hot flashes. It can also be expressed on the emotional level as irritability, anger, frustration, and depression. The Liver works in partnership with the Gallbladder by secreting bile that emulsifies the fats we ingest. The Liver is like the oil filter in your car, and it should be cleaned out regularly which will improve hormonal symptoms. You can cleanse your Liver and Gallbladder with herbs such as Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Artichoke, and Fringe Tree. A squeezed lemon juice with hot water first thing in the morning is also a good way to stimulate Liver function. Peppermint and ginger tea can be drunk every day to improve Liver function. Warm Castor Oil packs applied onto the Liver help to detoxify the liver. Eating calf, beef or chicken livers will help your own liver to function better. Livaplex from Standard Process is a wonderful supplement for the Liver if you cannot eat Liver because Livaplex contains Liver extract. LV/GB from Designs For Heath is a combination of herbs, ox bile, vitamins and beet root which are excellent for the Liver.

You can improve Bile Secretion by eating beet roots and beet greens, as well as eating the proper amount of good fats.  Someone who is trying to avoid fats is actually slowing down his / her Gallbladder function. This is a good way to develop Gallbladder stones (Gall Stones) as well as to develop harmful hormonal issues.

6. Improve Your Colon Health:

If the peristaltism of the Colon is too slow, a certain amount of hormones will be reabsorbed into the blood stream, which means that we will have too much of one hormone or the other. This is why we need to have enough fibers to sweep out the Colon and push out non-digestible material. A few years ago researchers were telling us to eat 3 to 5 servings of vegetables a day, but now they are recommending 7 to 9 servings per day!

- If you cannot eat as many vegetables servings as recommended then take a fiber supplement made of soluble and insoluble fibers such as PaleoFiber from Designs For Health, which is derived from fruits, vegetables, roots, seeds and tree extract. It can easily be added to a smoothie or simply diluted in water. Fibers are also reducing appetite and cravings, as well as balancing blood sugar.

- Eliminate Fungus, Bacteria Overgrowth, and Parasites as they can impair proper digestion which then can affect the hormonal system. Fungus increases sweet cravings and weight gain. Imbalanced bacterial flora contributes to constipation and weight gain. Parasites increase appetite, disrupt sleep mood and body temperature. A good Probiotic may be very helpful for these issues.

7. Reduce Adrenal Fatigue:

The Adrenals Glands are “your best friends” when you enter menopause because they compensate for the lack of hormonal ovarian production. They are two little glands sitting just on top of the kidneys. They secrete hormones such as Cortisol, DHEA, and Adrenalin. The Adrenal Glands are responsible for the “fight or flight” mechanism, so when we are in a stressful situation they secrete hormones which increase blood pressure and blood circulation, so we can either run, fight, shout, or chose the appropriate action needed. Around menopause, the Adrenals compensate for the lack of estrogens and progesterone secreted by the Ovaries, by producing some estrogens and progesterone on their own, if the Adrenals are healthy . If not, then symptoms such as night sweats and poor quality sleep are often due to low Adrenal function. By supporting the Adrenals with glandular extracts as in Drenatrophin PMG from Standard Process, as well as with minerals, vitamins and herbs, we can successfully address many menopausal symptoms such as PMS, nigh sweats, sleep issues, water retention, food cravings and weight gain.

8. Check Your Thyroid:

The Thyroid Gland is found at the base of the neck. It regulates the body’s metabolism, which means that it regulates the production of many types of cells, including how much estrogens and progesterone are produced by the Ovaries. At the time of menopause, the Thyroid Gland also regulates the production of cells such as those produced by the Adrenal Glands. The Thyroid is affected by the Adrenals as well as by the sex hormones (estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone) as there is constant feed back communication system between the Ovaries, the Adrenals and the Thyroid.

It is often difficult to distinguish between Thyroid symptoms and menopausal symptoms as they can be very similar in their manifestations. For example, dry skin, brittle nails, fatigue, weight gain, mood changes, body temperature changes and sleep disturbances are symptoms manifested by a Thyroid disorder as well as by menopausal symptoms. By supporting the Thyroid Gland, many of these symptoms will be reduced or simply disappear. The supplements I use for Thyroid issues are glandular extract as in Thytrophin PMG from Standard Process, as well as Iodine, Herbs, Magnesium and B6.

9. Get Tested Properly:

Many patients come to me with previous blood tests showing no signs of hormonal imbalances. However they very often feel that something is wrong with their health and their hormones. The reason is that a common blood test is not the best place to look for hormonal imbalances. Sex hormones (estrogens, progesterone and testosterone) are bound to proteins into the blood so they are “hiding” behind blood proteins which are in large amount in the blood.

A better place to look at sex hormones is in Saliva, which contains much less proteins so the hormones are “free” and thus, can be seen easily. When a woman is still menstruating we run a panel with 11 different saliva samples collected all along the month from the beginning of one period to the next one. It gives a reading of estrogens and progesterone over a full month with all the different fluctuations that many women experience in their cycles. It also looks at pituitary and ovarian functions.

If a woman has already entered menopause and is not menstruating anymore, then the test consists of only one or two saliva collection. In both cases, estrogens (E1, E2, and E3), progesterone, testosterone and sometimes androstenedione (a precursor to testosterone) are tested. These tests are extremely important pieces of information to determine if hormones are imbalanced and how they affect the organs of the body, especially the Liver.

Another very useful test is the Hair Analysis Test which looks at minerals and heavy metals. A simple hair sample taken in the back of the head clearly reflects a three month period of the minerals in a person’s body. As mentioned earlier in this newsletter, minerals are critically important for Organ and Glandular function.

Using both the Hair Test Analysis and the Saliva Test Samples, I have a very precise and accurate picture of a woman’s hormones and her specific situation. This information greatly helps me to determine the appropriate supplements and glandular supports to assist my patients to get back to good hormonal health.

So, if you are suffering from menopausal issues, know that there are many ways you can be helped WITHOUT the use of Hormonal Replacement Therapy (H.R.T). It is not that I am totally against H.R.T, as I think that it may be necessary especially when a woman had a hysterectomy. But, I believe that in many cases (even most cases), once the underlying causes of hormonal imbalances are addressed, H.R.T. will no longer be necessary.

Clearly, there are accurate and science based solutions available to those women who are approaching menopause or who are now in menopause. It is simply not necessary to suffer in silence thinking that it is “normal” to go through all of the difficulties that you may be expecting or are in fact, now experiencing. Instead, make sure you get tested using the appropriate tests mentioned in this Newsletter and seek the counsel and guidance of a qualified health care professional.

Yours in Health,

The entire contents of HEALTH AWARENESS are based upon the opinions of Beatrice Levinson, Naturopath, unless otherwise indicated. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as an offering and sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Beatrice Levinson, Naturopath within the U.S. and Europe. Beatrice Levinson, Naturopath encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

©Copyright 2007 Beatrice F. Levinson, Naturopath. All Rights Reserved.  This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Beatrice Levinson is required.

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