Please note this is only a view expressed from an aromatherapy, holistic and herbal stance. (I wrote this in the 1990s.) Science is always changing with newer products and procedures available. Please do your reseach and definately consult your GP.
Hot
flushes? Night Sweats? Moodiness? The symptoms of the menopause are too
numerous to mention. All who have been through it have their own story to tell. We are all different and HRT
can affect us in varying ways - one woman's meat is another woman's poison so
to speak.
Whilst
Hormone Replacement Therapy can be of great benefit to some, onset of the
menopause can find others considering the natural options even if their lives
have been 'processed and packaged to date'. They want something more and
recognise that everything in their lives
needs to accommodate the change - not
just their bodies. Indeed, if you have already been through the menopause or
going through it at this moment, ask yourself
how many other areas of my life are changing too? Perhaps your children
are leaving home or you've just moved or your working life is changing. Maybe
you're finding that your eating and sleeping patterns are different or your
energy levels fluctuate. Passage through
the transitions phases in one’s life can be eased by using a holistic approach.
Just as we help our children come to terms with losing their milk teeth perhaps
with the aid of the tooth fairy and a 50p coin, we can help ourselves to sail
through life's other inevitable transitions.
Holism
recognises that everyone is an individual with each having their own needs. One
remedy will suit one woman but not another. The same remedy could help yet
another with totally different symptoms. In choosing your own way to improved
health and well-being, can you can really expect a quick fix? Will the complete solution for
your circumstances appear packaged on the chemist's shelf? Probably not. So
what are your options and how can you
discover your personal combination to crack the code and move easily in to a
new era?
The
holistic approach considers not only your health and its symptoms but also how
you lead your life. Covering your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual
nature, check to see which area or areas
are out of balance before determining a course of action. Have you responded to
the change physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually - or the whole lot?
Imbalances are revealed in various guises, these are some
examples:
Physical -
the obvious symptoms of the menopause, other health conditions, posture or
'body language' can tell you a lot about a person's inner state. Are you too
tense or too laid back? Do you find your sense of security being challenged?
What kinds of foods do you eat?
Mental -
lack of concentration, endless worrying or attention to trivia can be revealing
in that such symptoms can indicate a need to escape from the reality of ones
changing life.
Emotional -
how do we feel about ourselves? Over confident, under confident? How do you get
on with our family and friends - distant or interfering? Are you filling any
emotional gaps by over eating or denying yourself by under eating? Have
life-long habits become irritating?
Spiritual -
Unlike the dictionary definition, this term concerns 'inner drive'. How
spontaneous, motivated and energetic are you?
Why do you do the things you do? How much or little exercise do you
take?
Just
a look at the above list shows how one thing can lead to another. For instance
a lack of concentration or apathy (mind) could lead to being unable to care for
oneself physically and emotionally
resulting in reduced energy levels (spiritual).
We
need to face up to the changes in our lives and ring out the old - ring in the
new. Wherever the source of the imbalance, attention given to all areas of your life where you consider
there to be a problem will flow around to the
parts, possibly undiscovered, that really need harmonising. Here, use
of Aromatherapy can be considered the ultimate pampering way to improved health
and well-being. Consulting a qualified therapist can lead to a complete treatment even for
those deep dark problems that you have cast into the depths and recesses of
your mind years ago! However, a remedy can be as simple as eliminating an item
of food or taking an extra 30 minute walk every day or experiencing a shift of
attitude to view your problems in a different light.
From
a holistic point of view, using a
natural version of HRT can only be seen as treating part of the problem
but it may be all you need. Many women find that a combination of Aromatherapy, herbs with
their oestrogenic and progesterone like qualities and a wholesome diet with appropriate exercise and daily routine fits the bill.
The
oestrogenic phase is equivalent to the first two weeks of your menstrual cycle.
If you are not having periods, then base your dates on those of your closest (most regular) friend's. Of
course, there is one 'condition' for not having periods and that's pregnancy!
So check this first if you're in any doubt as many oils are unsuitable.
Aromatherapy oils
for use during the 'oestrogenic' stage of your cycle are Geranium, Cypress,
Clary Sage or Fennel. These oils and others quoted may not always
be suitable for women with other conditions, and you should first consult the specialist at the point of sale.
Liquorice,
which you may know as 'Spanish Wood', is
a plant source of oestrogen and can be obtained from herbalists either as the
chewable wood or in herbal teas and tablets.
Lack of oestrogen can lead to osteoporosis or
heart disease. If you consider yourself prone to either of these
conditions, the chances of being affected by them may be reduced by taking adequate and regular
exercise. Change your dietary pattern by
cutting out or reducing meats and processed items from your menu replacing them
instead with leafy green vegetables for extra calcium, oily fish for vitamin
D and edible 'oestrogenic' supplements
in the form of Soya beans and alfalfa sprouts. Raw bran is said to inhibit
absorption of calcium, so this should be avoided.
The
second half of the cycle can be mimicked by progesterone-like herbs taken
either as teas or tablets. These are the Chaste tree known as Vitex Agnus
Castus and the appropriately named Ladies Mantle and you could try Lime Blossom
or Chamomile tea to ease away emotional ups and downs. Aromatherapy oils do not
have progesteronic qualities but stress relieving gentle oils such as Lavender
and Ylang Ylang for balanced moods, palpitations and less chaos in one's life;
Chamomile to reduce hot flushes and anger and Neroli, a beautiful oil from
Orange Blossom can allay fears. All these oils are easily used in baths or
massage.
A touch of
luxury (only use
carcinogenic free type)
Use
of Rose, one of the most luxurious oils can not only make one feel good but has
also been used to help ease heavy
bleeding (Menorrhagia) along with other hormone balancing oils such as Geranium and Cypress in baths or for massage.
Here, whilst Aromatherapy can offer great support, you should always seek medical advice.
Frankincense
is worth its weight in gold when it comes to dispensing with past conditions
and makes a lovely blend with Rose. For those who anticipate and concern
themselves with the future, try Frankincense and Neroli a true blend for New
Year’s eve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other hormonal natural remedies:
Thyroid
- Garlic and onions
Adrenal
cortex stimulants (stress busters) Geranium, Pine and Rosemary
Lowers
blood sugar - Eucalyptus, Juniper, Geranium
Impotence
or Frigidity - Jasmine, Rose (carcinogenic free type), Neroli
Galactagogues
(stimulates milk production) - Fennel
Parturient (eases birth ) - Jasmine and Lavender
PMS
Days 1 - 14 Fennel, Cypress, Clary Sage and Geranium
Days 15 - 28 Chamomile, Lavender & other relaxing oils
Menstrual
regulator - Rose (carcinogenic free type)
Prostate
problems: Use
anti-inflammatory oils, anti-infectious and immunostimulants. Bergamot,
Chamomile, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Juniper. Tea-tree every few hours during an
acute attack.
Useful herbs
for male reproductive system are: Yarrow and Saw Palmetto taken as an infusion.
Garlic is a good addition.