Early Menopause

Did you know that taking conventional hormone replacement therapy increases your risk for stroke?  In fact, preliminary studies show that in younger females, estrogen actually protects brain tissue traumatized by stroke, but after menopause estrogen becomes neurotoxic: It takes the area of the brain damaged by stroke and actually enlarges it.

It is important to remember that conventional hormone replacement therapy does not cure menopause symptoms, it only postpones them. For the majority of women, menopause symptoms come back when they discontinue hormone therapy, whether they quit cold-turkey or gradually wean off. But alternative therapies, such as supplements and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, actually target the causative hormonal imbalance, rather than the symptoms.

Review all my menopause-related entries in this blog, and my Web site, for more information about natural solutions for menopause relief.
 

Vaginal dryness and loss of tone in the vagina are some effects of menopause that many women don't like to take about. In fact, a reader of my newsletter recently wrote in asking for my opinions on vaginal rejuvenation, which is a procedure that surgically tightens up the vaginal muscles to enhance sexual pleasure.

It is true that vaginal muscles can become stretched after birthing babies, and also due to age and fluctuating estrogen levels. However, libido and sexual pleasure are influenced by many factors, not just the "tightness" of the vagina. If you feel you need to enhance your sexual pleasure, I suggest trying natural methods first before resorting to risky surgeries like vaginal rejuvenation.

Some of the best nutrients to try include Mucuna pruriens, a concentrated natural form of L-dopa (300 mg per day in capsule form, standardized to 60 mg L-dopa; L-arginine (500 mg one to three times daily); and maca (2 to 10 grams per day). 

To learn more about how to achieve menopause relief naturally, visit my Web site.

• It does not reduce a woman's risk of heart disease. While it can improve HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, these improvements are not associated with fewer heart attacks or other heart problems.
• It increases a woman’s risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.
• It does not reverse pre-existing heart disease.
• It raises levels of C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation that is a strong predictor of a future heart attack.
• It increases the risk of invasive breast cancer.
• It increases the likelihood of an abnormal mammogram after just one year of use.
• It increases risk of gallbladder disease by 40 percent.

Research shows that watching what you eat--and, in particular, eating certain types of foods--can help relieve and prevent menopause symptoms. Today and in the coming days, I will give you my top 3 food recommendations for menopause relief. Let's start with the first:

#1 Food for Menopause Relief: Beans and Legumes

Soybean-based products actually help reduce and prevent menopause symptoms. Soybeans are loaded with plant-based phytoestrogens  called isoflavones. These compounds bind to estrogen receptors in the body and act as a substitue form of estrogen in estrogen-deficient women.

Legumes are also excellent foods for menopausal women. Common types are garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lima beans, black beans, and lentils. These foods provide essential nutrients needed by women in menopause, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, and zinc.

For more information on diet and foods for menopause relief, visit my Web site. 
 

Acupuncture (usually a minimum of six treatments) reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep disturbances by about 50 percent. An impressive 80 percent of people who try acupuncture significantly benefit—which makes it more than worth your while to give it a shot if you suffer from difficult menopause symptoms. Consider these statistics from recently published studies:

• A Swedish university study found that electroacupuncture reduced hot flashes by half.
• In Norway, individualized electroacupuncture reduced hot flashes by 77 percent.
• At Harvard and Stanford medical schools, university clinicians of Chinese descent collaborated on a study of acupuncture for nighttime hot flashes. Compared to placebo’s 6 percent improvement, acupuncture reduced nighttime hot flash severity by 28 percent.
• In another Stanford study by clinicians of Chinese descent, women who averaged seven moderate to severe hot flashes per day were randomized into seven-week sham versus real acupuncture treatment. The sham group had only a 4.4 percent reduction in severity of hot flashes, versus 24.5 percent in the real treatment group.

This exercise helps relieve menopause hot flashes by stimulating the entire endocrine system. It involves a very powerful point for the pituitary gland, the master regulator of your ovaries. This point also helps relax the emotional tension that you may feel as an effect of menopause. Finally, you may also experience relief from eye strain and headaches using this pressure point.

1. Sit upright in a chair.
2. With your right hand, hold the point directly between your eyebrows, where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead.
3. Hold for one to three minutes.

This acupressure exercise relieves menopause hot flashes and night sweats.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. With your right hand, hold the point below your little toe (on the underside of your foot). Hold for one to three minutes.
2. With your right hand, hold the point above your middle toe, on the top of your foot. Hold for one to three minutes, then move your hand to the point behind your ankle bone. Again, hold for one to three minutes.
3. With your left hand, hold the point on your right hand on the outside of your fourth finger.

Repeat this sequence on the left side of your body.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Here is another yoga pose that's good for beginners, and for anyone looking for menopause relief. This one is called "The Pump."

This exercise improves blood circulation through the pelvis, thereby promoting healthier ovarian function. It helps relieve menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, as well as PMS and menopause-related anxiety. It also strengthens the back and abdominal muscles.

• Lie down and press the small of your back into the floor. This allows you to use your abdominal muscles without straining your lower back.

• Keep your back flat on the floor and let the rest of your body remain relaxed.

• Slowly raise your right leg while breathing in. Make a conscious effort to move slowly. Imagine your leg is being pulled up smoothly by a spring.

• Hold for a few breaths; exhale as you lower your leg.

• Repeat this exercise on your left side.

• Repeat entire sequence, alternating legs, 5-10 times.

Yesterday, I wrote about how wonderful yoga is for reducing perimenopause symptoms, particulary hot flashes and night sweats. To follow up, I wanted to give you a few poses this week that are easy, even for beginners. This one is called "The Sponge."

This exercise relieves anxiety and stress due to emotional triggers or menopause-related tension, and other menopause problems. As an added bonus, it relieves lower back pain, and also reduces eye tension and facial swelling.

• Lie on your back with a rolled towel under your knees. Your arms should be at your sides, with your palms facing up.

• Close your eyes and relax your entire body.

• Inhale slowly, breathing from the diaphragm.

• As you inhale, visualize the energy in the air around you being drawn in through your entire body. Imagine your body is porous and open like a sponge, drawing in this energy and revitalizing every cell in your body.

• Exhale slowly and deeply, allowing all tension to drain from your body.

• Repeat 2-4 times.

In this book, Lilias, who has been practicing and teaching yoga for more than 30 years, guides readers through her favorite poses and stretches—all of which are adapted for older practitioners who have reached menopause. One of the chapters I like best is called “The Yin Approach.” In traditional Asian medicine, health and well-being are believed to be a balance of two equally important, but opposing, principles—yin and yang. Yin is associated with femininity, receptivity, calmness, coolness, and moisture, while yang is associated with masculinity, aggression, heat, and dryness.

When dealing with menopause symptoms, you have a deficiency in yin and an abundance of yang. But with Lilias’ approach to yoga, you can focus on increasing yin, thereby reducing the heat that can lead to menopause hot flashes and other symptoms.

This is a fabulous book to get you started in yoga. I highly recommend it!