Natural Approaches to Menopause
Ageless Chinese Medicine (TCM) Approaches
In Chinese medicine, menopause is often referred to as the
'second spring' because this is when a woman enters into her power years. This is a difficult concept to wrap around a Westerner’s mind, since a woman outgrows her value as her beauty fades in our media driven culture. But traditionally, a woman’s value, influence, and power grows as she matures with wisdom; the matriarch once held a high position of respect and reverence, even in our culture.
Menopause signifies the end of a woman's menstrual cycle, not of her value and beauty. The majority of women end their menstruation between the ages of 48 to 52, but uncomfortable symptoms of peri-menopause or pre-menopause can begin as early as forty and last until fifty-five years of age. Women who undergo a hysterectomy, or who have their ovaries removed experience menopausal symptoms immediately. While this signifies the beginning of the winter season for bearing children, it has traditionally marked a new spring, when women are freed-up for creative endeavors, personal growth, financial ventures, and travel.
A woman may notice that her menstrual cycle changes and become irregular. Breast tenderness, abdominal bloating, mood swings, sweets cravings, and decreased energy can all be part of the peri-menopause experience. As the actual menopause, the cessation of menstruation grows nearer, the symptoms may become more extreme; hot flashes, or "hot flushes", night sweats, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, headaches, insomnia, and moodiness may aggravate the transition.
In Chinese medicine, menopause is considered a normal transition that should pass quickly and smoothly. Modern women experience so much stress throughout their adult lives that our endocrine systems become un-balanced, and menopause becomes yet another source of stress. Chinese herbs can help to normalize hormones and lessen the symptoms associated with peri-menopause.
1.) Balance Hormones
There are specific herbs traditionally used to balance hormones during the transition of menopause that include dang gui, vitex, mugwort and sage. Additionally, herbs such as cuscuta and cynomorium combat vaginal dryness. In Chinese medicine, menopausal night sweats are considered a sign of Yin deficiency and deficient heat; rehmannia, peony, and swallowwort lesson, are remedies for hot flashes and night sweats.
2.) Normalize Menstruation & Bleeding
During the peri-menopausal phase, symptoms of PMS and irregular bleeding are not uncommon. Liver Qi Stagnation and uterine blood stagnation have symptoms of breast tenderness, cramps, moodiness, brown menstrual blood, heavy bleeding, and headaches with menstruation. Chinese herbs can soothe Liver Qi Stagnation and break up uterine blood stagnation to help balance the body and alleviate the upheaval associated with peri-menopausal changes.
3.) Get to the Root Cause of Hot Flashes
In Chinese medicine, the Kidney energetic system and Liver energetic system together generally govern over the endocrine system and there are constant influences from these systems throughout our reproductive lives.
The Kidney Yin Deficiency is typically the underlying imbalance leading to hot flashes and night sweats. Nourishing Kidney Yin is very important because signs of Kidney Yin Deficiency can be the beginning of an escalated rate of aging and drying out. Vaginal dryness, brittle hair, hair loss, stiffening joints, and dry skin are all possible results of chronic Yin Deficiency.
4.) Protect the Heart and Nourish the Skin
After menopause occurs and menstruation stops, women must take greater care in protecting their heart and building blood that will nourish the skin, joints, hair, and organs. The last thing a woman wants to do is become dried out and brittle. One only has to observe nature to realize that young spring growth is flexible and moist, whereas, dead wood is dry and brittle. Nourishing Chinese Tonic herbs
that are included in Sage Mountain Formula will nourish the heart and enhance
Blood production to prevent aging and disease. Menopausal women must also nourish their bodies with foods rich in calcium, omega 3 fatty acids, greens, and protein. Eating a whole food, organic diet is recommended at every stage of life.
Understanding Natural Hormones-Phytoestrogens
Obviously, women are avoiding synthetic HRT, and searching for natural ways to balance hormones after recent studies have proven that synthetic hormones may do more harm than good. My years practicing in a hormonal clinic left me pondering one question; if we are naturally supposed to decrease our estrogen levels, do we really want to supplement estrogen into our bodies to avoid hot flashes?
Many women believe that bio-identical hormones are made from herbs, and many informative websites and pamphlets that I have read do tend to suggest that bio-identical hormones are based in herbs. The truth is that bio-identical hormones are very much man made; the chemical compounds are identical to hormones found in the body, but bio-identical hormones were developed in a chemistry lab. Often, this process starts with wild yam herb, as it contains hormone-like chemical constructs that are building blocks for developing bio-identical hormones; however, bio-identical hormones are not herbal.
Phyto-estrogens are substances that are found in many herbs. While phyto-estrogens are not human estrogens, and a not bio-identical to human estrogens, they have been proven to be beneficial to women’s health and influence hormonal balance in the body. Patients sometimes have concerns over phyto-estrogens, especially if they have had breast cancer, or if their family has a history of breast cancer. Utilizing foods and herbs through traditional methods has not only been proven safe and helpful in these situations, but phyto-estrogens can actually protect from breast cancer.
Optimally, women experiencing menopause and peri-menopause benefit from nourishing themselves with healthful foods and rich Chinese tonic herbs, and from nourishing their spirit with self improvement and self empowering activities. Make menopause your second spring!
A safe alternative to HRT, these Chinese menopause herbs address the many symptoms associated with peri-menopause hormonal imbalance. Jade Spring Formula an effective natural choice, often used in place of hormonal replacement therapy.
This Chinese menopause herbal formula works with your endocrine system to nourish and restore function of natural hormonal production. Unlike synthetic hormones that override your body, herbs for natural menopause gently brings you back into balance and normalizes hormones.
Jade Spring for a natural menopause addresses hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and hormonal balancing. In cases of severe hot flashes, Yin Valley Formula is added. Both these formulas are especially helpful herbal formulas for surgically induced menopause by a full or partial hysterectomy. For extreme mood swings and anger associated with menopause, add our Free and Easy Wanderer Formula to soothe Liver Qi Stagnation. In cases of severe PMS and PMDD associated with menopause, add Stasis in the Lower Palace Formula.
For information on conventional treatments for menopause, visit the NA Menopause Society, the Medline, or the Mayo Clinic. This is not an endorsement of these organizations, just a resource guide.
Menopause Treatment in Chinese Medicine
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Herbs for Menopause
Vitex spp. - Chaste Berry
Vitex has been used for thousands of years for its beneficial affect on the female hormonal system and modern research has confirmed this use. Vitex is especially helpful for PMS and in reversing estrogen dominance in menopause that leads to excessive bleeding. It clears Liver heat, especially associated with headaches and eye pain.
Angelica sinensis - dang gui
A common Chinese menopause herb for invigorating the blood, especially when blood has been stagnated by cold. Dang gui harmonizes the blood and hormones. It balances hormones in menstrual disorders and builds blood in cases of blood deficiency.
Paeonia lactiflora - bai shao - White peony
Moistens and soothes Liver Qi Stagnation while building and purifying blood. Peony root is a famous and highly prized Chinese longevity herb. It is an eminent woman's menopause herb used to regulate the hormonal cycle and stabilize emotions. It relieves cramps and spasms anywhere in the body.
Artemesia vulgarus-ai ye-Mugwort
Leonorus cardiaca - Motherwort
Motherwort is valuable in the treatment of female reproductive weaknesses and disorders such as PMS and menopausal disorders. It dispels nervous irritability, inducing calmness to the whole nervous system.
Cynanchum atratum-bai wei-Swallowwort Root
Relieves hot flashes and night sweats.
Salvia officinalis -Sage
Sage is an amazing rejuvenation herb that fortifies the endocrine system, respiratory system, nervous system, and immune system. It is invaluable in women's health as it balances hormones, reverses infertility and addresses menopausal issues such as night sweats and hot flashes.
Cuscuta chinensis-tu si zi-Cuscuta
Cuscuta is gentle Chinese Tonic for the Kidney Yin and Yang. It nourishes and consolidates Kidney Qi. It strengthens sexual functions, prevents miscarriages, relieves vaginal dryness and soothes anxiety associated with sex.
Paeonia suffruticosa - mu dan p i- Tree peony root bark
Cools blood heat, pacifies Liver Fire, and invigorates the blood. Quells anger and emotional outbursts and cools fire from yin deficient patterns.
Astragalus - huang qi
Astragalus is potent immune system booster and has been used for over 2000 years to strengthen the body as a whole and it controls night sweats in menopause.
Schisandra chinensis-wu wei zi
Schizandra is a famous tonic historically consumed by Chinese royalty. It is renowned as a beauty tonic and is considered to be a youth preserving herb. It has been used for centuries to make the skin soft, moist and radiant. It is said to help produce abundant sexual fluids, increase sexual endurance and to strengthen the whole body. It is used in many tonic formulations as an "astringent" and can stop night sweats.
Cynomorium songaricum-suo yang
A Kidney Yang tonic that is warming and is an excellent tonic for impotance and sexual rejuvination. It is also an excellent Blood tonic and is used for vaginal dryness and constipation due to blood deficiency.
Rehmannia glutinosa - shu di huang
A Chinese Kidney tonic and longevity herb and is found in "anti-aging" formulations for longevity, and rejuvenation. It is a first-class blood tonic and benefits sexual functions in men and women.
