Hot Flushes and Menopause

Menopause is defined as the cessation of the reproductive function, which means in concrete terms that menstruation stops, the ovaries cease functioning, and their hormones are no longer secreted. The consequences of this hormonal shortfall are well known, producing a group of symptoms that are typical at this stage in a woman's life. These include not only the familiar hot flushes, but also vaginal dryness that may result in pain during intercourse, drying skin inclined to look thin and dull, and a tendency towards low moods, if not outright depression. Two other conditions have long-term importance: the loss of calcium from the bones, which could lead to osteoporosis, and increased risk of heart disease.

Hot flushes generally start two years before menstruation comes to an end. They usually continue during the first three years of menopause in the form of a sudden sensation of uncontrollable heat. The flushing mostly affects the face and upper body, and is accompanied by sweating and sometimes trembling, lasting a few seconds or a few minutes. This may be repeated several times during the day or night, and can greatly hamper one's social. professional or personal life. Hot flushes are connected with the drop in oestrogen secretion, which disturbs the body's heat control mechanism in the brain.

Here are some gentle, alternative solutions to help the body compensate for the missing hormones:

Diet and menopause

In women over the age of 50, there is a risk of deficiency in calcium, copper, fluorine, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, and vitamins D and E. Such deficiencies can have effects on the whole metabolism, and must be compensated. Trace elements and vitamins usually come from the diet, which should be varied and of high quality.

A recent scientific study suggests that the reason Japanese women rarely suffer from hot flushes is that they eat much more soya and beans, foods that contain large quantities of oestrogen precursors or phyto (plant)-oestrogens

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is helpful for several unwanted symptoms of menopause, such as hot flushes, mood disturbances, and weight gain.

Treatment Schedule: one session every two weeks, to be adapted depending on the symptoms.

Homeopathy

Lachesis and Sanguinaria for hot flushes.

Lachesis mutus

- Animal origin: the venom from a South American snake
- One of the great homeopathic menopause remedies, effective both for mood and for hot flushes.
-A characterstic sign: talkativeness.

Sanguinaria canadensis

-Vegetable origin: the roots of the canadian bloodroot plant
-The homeopathic remedy for excess blood flow to the head
- A characteristic indication: the cheeks become red during hot flushes

-Four 7c tablets of one or both of these remedies to be sucked slowly two
or three times a day

• You could also try Lehning@ L25, whlch contains a blend of several remedies including Actaea racemosa 3x:
  -Sold in 30ml bottles of oral solution
  -Twenty drops to be taken in a little water two to three times a day
• It is important that you combine these treatments with a constitutional remedy, chosen after consultation with a professional homeopath. Some likely choices here are Lachesis, Sepia, or Sulfur

Herbal remedies

Evening primrose is the first choice.

• The seeds are cold-pressed to extract the oil, which provides the therapeutic benefit
  -It is obtainable from the pharmacy, herbalist, or health food shop, most often as capsules each containing between 400 and 600mg of evening primrose oil
  - Two capsules to be taken per day for two weeks each month during perimenopause, three capsules per day during menopause

Other beneficial herbs include:

• Black cohosh, sage, or soya for their oestrogen-like action
• Yarrow, sarsaparilla, chasteberry and yam for their progesterone-like effects
• Ginkgo, ginseng, and common periwinkle for their anti-ageing benefits

Possible Prescription: Ask your herbalist to make up a 60ml bottle of mother tincture of sage. Take 25 drops in a little water three times a day for several weeks.

Common periwinkle

This plant contains a substance that improves blood flow to the brain, promoting its oxygenation. It is also one of the ingredients in a renowned classical remedy for mental deterioration in the elderly.

• You could also try Nature's plus Black Cohosh (extended release); each tablet contains 200mg of black cohosh:
  - Available in containers of 30 tablets
  - One tablet to be taken daily
• Another alternative is Isoflavone (Nutri):
  - Available in containers of 60 capsules, each containing 60mg of isoflavones
  - One to two capsules taken daily
• Or you could take MenoBalance@ (Bional), which contains soya extracts and extract of Angelica sinensis:
  - Available in containers of 60 capsules
  - One capsule twice daily with meals

Soya

Soya is a subtropical plant, probably first grown in Manchuria. After five thousand years of cultivation and use in Asia, it appeared in the West in the 18th century. Various states in the US now grow more soya than maize, and the country now leads the world in soya production. Although it is grown intensively almost everywhere, it does require a hot climate to flourish. Soya, has provided the impetus to herbal therapies and natural medicines in the struggle to find an alternative to the: monopoly of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).