Remedies for Hot Flashes

Diet for the Estrogen-Deficient Fast Processor

Monday, April 18, 2011 by Susan Lark

Estrogen deficient–fast processors have more acidic body compositions and can’t handle the acidic foods that estrogen deficient–slow processors thrive on. Fast processors often complain of often severe menopause symptoms like night sweats, vaginal dryness, menopause hot flashes, and dry skin and hair.

Fast processors do best by eliminating all acidic foods, such as red meat, citrus fruits, and hot spices, and even dairy, and instead following a vegetarian-emphasis diet that contains whole grains, beans, salads, and vegetables. I also recommend using "cooler" spices like lemon balm, cilantro, basil, marjoram, and chamomile in your cooking, and forgoing "hot" spices like red pepper and chili powder.

If you are an estrogen deficient–fast processor, here are the foods you should be eating:

• Most vegetables
• Gluten-free whole grains
• Legumes (beans and peas)
• Small amounts of raw seeds and nuts
• Organic eggs
• Wild fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, and tuna
• Sea vegetables such as kelp
• Fruits like bananas, melons, and papayas
• Free-range poultry in moderation

Eating a diet rich in these types of foods will help will increase your energy, stamina, and resistance to disease. Plus, you’ll notice a dramatic decrease in troubling menopause symptoms like menopause hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.

Diet for the Estrogen-Deficient Slow Processor

Thursday, April 14, 2011 by Susan Lark

If you are an estrogen deficient–slow processor, you tend to have greater reserves of alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc within your cells, tissues, and bones. Slow processors also have the body and hormonal makeup to be able to handle an acidic diet that is rich in red meat and dairy, but these foods lack the essential nutrients that all women need to maintain optimal health. For this reason, estrogen deficient–slow processors are best served by following a diet that is both highly acidic and nutrient-rich. This includes the following foods:

• High-fiber foods such as buckwheat and flaxseed
• Citrus fruits (oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruit), berries, and pineapple
• All vegetables, especially sauerkraut, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli
• Free-range poultry
• Wild fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, and tuna
• Free-range beef and lamb, as well as game meats like venison and buffalo
• Soy and soy-based foods
• Vinegar
• Raw nuts (almonds, walnuts)
• Heating spices such as turmeric (curry), ginger, cayenne pepper, chili powder and pepper, cumin, cloves, and cinnamon

By following this diet, slow processors are able to regain their energy and zest for life, reduce joint pain, and stabilize their female hormone levels. Not to mention, eating a healthy diet provides menopause relief from symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.

Exercises for Estrogen-Deficient Fast Processors

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 by Susan Lark

I personally follow an exercise program for estrogen deficient–fast processors. Even though my female hormones are healthy and well-balanced, I fall more into this category because I am a petite and slender woman, and I have a fast-paced day-to-day life. To help balance my female hormones, I follow a workout routine that calms me.

Estrogen deficient–fast processors don’t want to heat up their bodies and sweat. It is more important to engage in slower, more expansive and relaxing aerobic activities that are moderately strenuous and can be done in a relaxed and leisurely way. For this reason, the best activities for women in this category include golf, gardening, swimming, and moderately-paced walking and bicycling. You can also try ballroom dancing—in particular, slower dances like the waltz.

In terms of stretching, the best types for this hormonal category include tai chi and hatha yoga, which are slower and more meditative. With these slower-paced exercises, you will tend to breathe more deeply and slowly. Moderate aerobic exercise relaxes, dilates, and expands the network of blood vessels in your body, and enables your heart to work more efficiently. Better circulation and oxygenation, in turn, improve the health of all of your organs, including your ovaries and uterus.

Of course, another benefit to this and all exercise is the reduction of menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats!

Exercises for Estrogen-Deficient Slow Processors

Friday, April 8, 2011 by Susan Lark

If you are an estrogen deficient–slow processor, I recommend keeping your female hormones balanced with high-intensity activities such as power walking, cycling, running, triathlons, racquetball, tennis, and fast-paced styles of ballroom dance like the tango, foxtrot, and swing.

Women with these hormone profiles tend to be instinctively drawn to strenuous types of exercise that are more contracting and acidifying to counter their natural tendency toward alkalinity. I’ve seen women with these hormonal profiles maintain this level of intense physical activity well into their later years. In fact, it is not unusual to see slow processors participating in triathlons and bodybuilding well into their 70s and beyond!

Stretching and flexibility exercises are also important parts of your workout routine. Stretching keeps you limber and helps your muscles and tendons function well into your older years. The best stretching exercise is Pilates, as it tends to include more intense and faster-paced movements. In addition, yoga is beneficial for these women—particularly the high-energy Bikram (hot), ashtanga, and power yoga.

Another benefit of these exercises? They help reduce menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats!

Are You Fast or Slow?

Monday, April 4, 2011 by Susan Lark

During menopause, things aren’t as simple as just too much or too little of any given hormone. In my practice, I found that patients tended to experience a total shift in their entire physical and chemical makeup that manifested as one of two patterns. Their body and brain chemistry tended toward becoming either too fast or too slow. For this reason, I call the first pattern estrogen deficiency–fast processor. The second is its mirror image: estrogen deficiency–slow processor.

Today I'll give you the characteristics of a woman who is a fast processor.

Characteristics include:
• Anxiety
• Thin, dry skin and tissues
• Menopause hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Vaginal dryness
• Sore joints
• Increased risk for heart disease and osteoporosis

Later this week, I'll tell you about slow processors, then give you information on how to deal with both chemical makeups!

My Blog Entry About a Blog!

Friday, March 18, 2011 by Susan Lark

I like to read other blogs, and recently came across an entry posted by a woman blogging about menopause symptoms.

The writer quotes a doctor who says he still prescribes conventional hormone replacement therapy to certain groups of women, despite the risks--which I found quite disturbing. However, this doctor did acknowledge the benefits that black cohosh and soy can have in safely and naturally relieving the effects of menopause--namely night sweats and menopause hot flashes.

I say ditch the dangerous HRT and use natural. Along with black cohosh and soy, you can find a variety of solutions for your menopause problems throughout this blog and on my Web site.

High-Dose Hormone Replacement Therapy--Still Being Prescribed?!

Thursday, March 17, 2011 by Susan Lark

According to a study that appeared online December 2, 2010 in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society states that many doctors are still prescribing high doses of conventional hormone replacement therapy for menopause hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia, even though the risks have been thoroughly proven and documented, and even though lower dose hormones are effective in alleviating these menopause symptoms.

I find this news so upsetting, considering how dangerous convention hormone replacement therapy has been proven to be--greatly increasing the risk of diseases like breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, to name just a few.

If you are one of those women still taking conventional hormone replacement to find menopause relief, please talk to your doctor about cutting back or stopping altogether. You can find many, many safe, suitable natural therapies for your menopause symptoms throughout my blog.

And for more information on female hormones and natural menopause relief, please visit my Web site.

Menopause Hot Flashes--Good for the Heart?

Thursday, March 10, 2011 by Susan Lark

A recent study published in the journal Menopause claims that those debilitating menopause hot flashes that so many women suffer from can actually protect the heart!

More than 60,000 postmenopausal women were studied, and researchers found that those who suffered from menopause hot flashes early on were 17% less likely to have a stroke, and 11% less likely to have heart disease or a heart-related illness. And, women who did not have menopause hot flashes until later in menopause were at a 32% higher risk of heart attack!

So, while menopause symptoms can be quite bothersome, this research might be a sliver of positive news for you if you suffer from hot flashes or night sweats!

Hormone Replacement Therapy Settlement

Thursday, February 10, 2011 by Susan Lark

A while ago, I wrote about and linked to an article that discussed tactics Wyeth (a division of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer) used to market its conventional hormone replacement therapy drug Prempro, even though executives were aware of the risks associated with hormone replacement, like breast cancer.

To follow up on this, yesterday, a report came out saying that Pfizer is paying $330 million to settle 2,200 claims from women who blamed Prempro for their breast cancer. This amounts to about $150,000 per person--WAY less than the costs they incurred during their cancer treatments, I'm sure.

I cannot reiterate enough the dangers associated with conventional hormone replacement. Protect your heart, protect your breasts, and protect your overall health by exploring the many natural therapies for hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopause symptoms that I discuss throughout my blog.

And for more information about natural menopause relief, visit my Web site.

Menopause Hot Flashes and Breast Cancer Risk

Tuesday, February 1, 2011 by Susan Lark

A recent study published in the online edition of the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention has tied hot flashes with a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Researchers questioned 1,437 postmenopausal women between 55 and 74 years old, 988 of whom had had breast cancer at some point. They were asked about the severity of their menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and anxiety. They found that the women who had the most hot flashes had a very low risk of developing breast cancer.

It is known that high estrogen levels increase the risk of breast cancer. What this study shows is that, yes, drastically reduced levels of estrogen can lead to miserable menopause symptoms, but can also significantly protect you against breast cancer.

Of course, if you have hot flashes and other menopause symptoms, you can reduce them by using nonhormonal methods. I talk about many of these options throughout this blog. And for more information on natural hormone support, visit my Web site.

The Feminine Benefits of Testosterone

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 by Kimberly Day

If you are like most women, you probably don’t spend much time thinking about your testosterone levels. While testosterone is typically thought of as a “male hormone,” it is just as critical to your health as the more common female hormones like estrogen and progesterone. You simply produce testosterone in much smaller amounts.

Testosterone plays an important role in normal female sexual development. The initiation of menstruation and puberty is, in part, triggered by testosterone production. Additionally, testosterone stimulates libido. Levels of the hormone rise and decline during the menstrual cycle to insure that sexual desire increases just before ovulation, when a woman is fertile and chances are greatest for conception.

Testosterone also restores vitality and energy levels, helps reduce depression, balances mood and, in part, engenders attributes such as optimism, assertiveness, and aggressiveness that are usually associated with male behavior.

Finally, testosterone benefits female health by helping to relieve menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, nervousness, vaginal dryness, and the strength of vaginal tissues. It can also help to prevent osteoporosis.

Do You Have Testosterone Deficiency?

Even the small amount of testosterone you produce can have a significant effect on your quality of life. If levels are below normal, you can experience a wide range of emotional symptoms, including decreased energy, depression, and anxiety. You’ll also notice a few physical effects as well, such as loss of libido, osteoporosis, and insomnia.

The following checklist will give you an idea of whether you are experiencing the effects of inadequate testosterone production.

I am over the age of 50.
I experience menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
I lack interest in sex.
I have a tendency toward depression.
I often feel withdrawn.
I have experienced a decline in the frequency of my sexual activity and orgasms.
I suffer from persistent fatigue.
I have osteoporosis and suffer from frequent bone fractures.
I have rheumatoid arthritis.
I lack stamina.
I have experienced a decline in my level of assertiveness.
I typically have little desire to take risks.
I have poor muscle tone or weak muscles.

If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, you very likely have low testosterone levels. If this is the case, you may want to get your hormone levels tested.

For more information about ALL female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 24, 2010 by Susan Lark

I want to wish you and your loved ones the merriest of Christmases!

No doubt, Christmas can be one of the most joyous--and stressful--times of the year. And as you know, stress can exacerbate any number of health complaints, including estrogen dominance, menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, and even your appearance!

To help you enjoy your holidays to the fullest, I would like to give you the gift of relaxation this year. The following are some of my top relaxation recommendations. Take good care of yourself--now, and into the new year!

Deep Breathing—Lie on your back with your knees pulled up and inhale deeply and slowly through your nose. Allow your lungs and abdomen to naturally expand. Imagine that the air you breathe is filling your body with energy. Then exhale deeply, letting your stomach and chest collapse. When you are doing your deep breathing exercises you can visualize relaxing and healing colors, such as sky blue and gold colors flowing through your body.
Yoga—The Child's Pose in yoga calms anxiety and relieves stress. Sit on your heels. Bring your forehead toward the floor, stretching your spine as far as possible. Close your eyes and hold for as long you can without pain, breathing deeply through your nose. The Sponge is another pose that relieves anxiety and irritability, while reducing eye tension and swelling of the face. Lie on your back. Your arms should be at your sides, palms up. Close your eyes and relax your whole 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 that your body is porous and open like a sponge so that this energy can be drawn in and revitalize every cell of your body. Exhale slowly and deeply, allowing every ounce of tension to be drained from your body.
Acupressure—This ancient Chinese technique can promote general healing and relieve anxiety, nervous tension, and sleeplessness. This particular exercise can help energize you. Stand or sit upright in a chair. The point you’re looking for is below your navel. Measure three finger-widths below your navel to find this point. It is located 1–2 inches deep inside the abdomen. Hold the point for 1–3 minutes.

To learn more about how relaxation techniques can minimize menopause symptoms and other health complaints, visit my Web site.

Wheat-Free Recipes: Pizza

Monday, October 25, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Seeing as this the last week of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month, I thought I’d give you

all several wheat-free recipes.

You don’t need to have celiac disease to reap the benefits of going wheat free. You will also likely enjoy looser pants and tops as you reduce inflammation and false fat. You may even start to feel your female hormones come into balance in the form of fewer menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.

Best of all, you can enjoy all these benefits without depriving yourself of your favorite foods, including pizza, pasta, and baked goods.

So, on that note, I’ll give you two pizza recipes today, two pasta recipes on Wednesday, and we’ll end the week with two of my favorite desserts on Friday…just in time for the weekend.

BBQ Chicken Pizza
Serves 4 (two slices each)

This is my family’s favorite pizza. It’s so easy and is so delicious, you’ll never miss the wheat. If you are vegetarian, swap the chicken for 14 ounces of black beans, drained.

1 wheat-free pizza crust, such as Namaste Foods
½ cup pizza sauce
½ cup low-sugar BBQ sauce
2 red peppers, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces chicken breast, cooked and cubed
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 avocado, diced

Combine pizza sauce and BBQ sauce in a small bowl. Spread evenly over the pizza crust. Sauté peppers, onions, and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Distribute pepper mixture over sauce. Add chicken and goat cheese. Bake at 425ºF for 12–15 minutes, or until goat cheese has browned. Top with diced avocado and serve warm.

Pesto Pepper Pizza
Serves 4 (two slices each)

This is a great pizza for those of you who don’t care for tomatoes or tomato sauce.

1 wheat-free pizza crust, such as Namaste Foods
1 cup pesto
4 ounces roasted red peppers, sliced
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Spread pesto evenly over the pizza crust. Distribute peppers evenly over sauce. Top with goat cheese and bake at 425ºF for 12–15 minutes, or until goat cheese has browned. Serve warm.

For more great wheat-free recipes, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: The Bad News Continues

Friday, October 22, 2010 by Susan Lark

Conventional hormone replacement therapy--specifically the brand Prempro--was in the news again this week. Follow-up studies published in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association have found that Prempro increased women's risk of breast cancer, and these cancers were more likely to spread to the lymph nodes. Even worse, researchers found that the women who took Prempro were more likely to die of breast cancer.

This is disturbing news indeed--but definitely not surprising at all. I've discussed the dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy many times in my newsletter, and Kimberly and I have written about it here on my blog. If you are currently taking hormone replacement therapy to ease your hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and other menopause symptoms, I strongly encourage you to look into more natural methods for menopause relief. Simply search through this blog to read about the many safe, natural options available to you. And to learn more on how to achieve menopause relief safely and naturally, visit my Web site.

"Bone-Building" Drugs are Causing Broken Bones?!

Monday, October 18, 2010 by Susan Lark

Along with hot flashes, night sweats, and loss of libido, many women have to worry about bone loss when they reach menopause. Osteoporosis is a common effect of menopause that, fortunately, can be prevented. However, mainstream medicine would have you believe that prevention is as easy as taking a pill once a day or once a month. But emerging science has shown that these so-called "bone-building drugs"--or bisphosphonates--are not all they're cracked up to be.

I wrote about the increasing dangers of bisphosphonates in the September issue of my newsletter. The mainstream media reported on these same dangers just last week. The most recent news is that the FDA is requesting labeling changes in the Warnings and Precautions section of bisphosphonates stating that these drugs could make bones weak and more likely to break. You read that right--the very drugs that are used to prevent bones from breaking are actually making them more likely to break!!

As I wrote a few months ago in my newsletter, your body is designed to naturally rebuild bone. And as we get older, we can help that process along:

Every three to six months, your bones undergo a complete renovation. During the breakdown process, a team of bone cells—osteoclasts—secretes an acid that dissolves old bone. Once they have broken down enough bone to create a small hole, they die and the remodeling phase begins. At this point, a new team of cells—osteoblasts—takes over. Osteoblasts are responsible for producing collagen fibers and other substances that allow your bones to be stronger and more flexible, thereby enabling the bone to withstand physical trauma and injury.

Sadly, conventional medicine’s attempt to treat osteoporosis only addresses one-half of the problem…and not the right half. As it turns out, the supposed “bone-building” bisphosphonates, like Boniva and Fosamax, don’t build new bone at all. All they do is prevent the osteoclasts from breaking the bone down, thereby keeping old, tired bone around longer than Mother Nature intended. This reduces bone quality and actually increases fractures in unusual locations, such as mid-shaft on the thigh.

However, many doctors continue to push bisphosphonates on patients while ignoring all of the dietary, exercise, and supplement research out there (with the occasional nod to vitamin D and calcium). Worse yet, they also continue to ignore the myriad of disturbing side effects associated with bisphosphonates, including arthritis, muscle pain, esophageal cancer, and kidney and liver toxicity, and rotting of the jawbone.

If you are taking bisphosphonates, I urge you to talk to your doctor about taking a more natural approach to protecting your bones that includes exercise; nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium; cutting-edge treatments like low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field therapy; and maintaining a healthy, alkaline diet.

To learn more about protecting your bones, and staying healthy during all stages of menopause, visit my Web site.

Cut Menopause Symptoms with Aerobic Exercise

Tuesday, September 7, 2010 by Susan Lark

According to a recent study, postmenopausal women who engaged in three 70-minute sessions of aerobic exercise experienced a reduction in their menopause symptoms after 24 weeks on the program. The 65 women in the study reported significant decreases in their menopause hot flashes, night sweats, cardiac symptoms, muscle and joint pain, sleep problems, anxiety, irritability, sexual problems, and urinary symptoms.

The benefits of exercise truly are endless. In terms of the balancing of female hormones, exercise helps to relieve the effects of menopause, as well as PCOS, estrogen dominance, and PMS.

I encourage you to exercise as often as you can--ideally every day for at least half an hour. In reality, I know we are all busy--so do your best to add exercise into your everyday routine. Go for a walk at lunch, park far away from the entrance of the mall or grocery store, and do sit-ups or push-ups while watching TV. It all adds up!

To learn more about balancing female hormones and reducing menopause symptoms, visit my Web site.

Female Hormones and Stress

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Stress can exacerbate virtually every female problem, from PMS through menopause symptoms,

by interfering with the production and function of normal female hormones.

Dr. Lark has seen this first hand in her practice. Women come in with severe PMS symptoms, fibroid tumors, and endometriosis, as well as hot flashes, insomnia, and night sweats. When she asks them what is going on in their personal life, more often than not, they have an extremely stressful situation they are dealing with.

Unfortunately, even if you are eating the perfect diet, exercising every day, and taking the recommended nutritional supplements religiously, excessive stress can literally neutralize the benefits of everything positive that you are doing. But the good news is that the reverse is also true. You can create miracles by handling stress in a positive, self-nurturing, life-enhancing manner.

By discovering and taking the emotional and spiritual journey towards a stress-free life, you’ll begin to notice several amazing changes. Your mood will lift and even out, you’ll feel much more loving and joyful, you’ll begin to sleep like a baby, you’ll experience more positive dreams, and you’ll have a new appreciation for your friends and family. What you may not also realize is that your health will greatly improve too, particularly your hormone health.

For more information on female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Alcohol Affects Estrogen Levels

Friday, August 27, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Numerous studies show that women are markedly less able to tolerate alcohol than men.

Women metabolize alcohol slower than men, thus it takes longer to clear out alcohol’s toxic effects.

Alcohol is particularly problematic for women with estrogen dominance, as it increases estrogen levels, and is associated with fibroids, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, and the development of breast cancer. Plus, it may inhibit ovulation. Moreover, excess alcohol can tax your liver, making it more difficult to detoxify excess estrogen, thus allowing more free estrogen to be circulated in the blood. This can lead to a whole host of issues for estrogen dominant women.

Plus, alcohol worsens menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and mood swings. It is particularly pronounced in women who suffer from night sweats and insomnia. And, alcohol is a diuretic. This means that overconsumption can lead to dehydration of your skin and tissues, as well as loss of essential minerals through urination.

For more information on foods that affect estrogen levels and other hormone issues, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Bioflavonoids for Estrogen Dominance

Friday, August 13, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Flavonoids encompass a wide group of antioxidants, including bioflavonoids and flavanols. Bioflavonoids are usually found in the pulp and rind of citrus fruit. They have wea

k, estrogen-like properties, and have also been shown to interfere with the production of estrogen by binding to estrogen receptor sites. In this way, bioflavonoids work to normalize estrogen levels, bringing excessively high estrogen down to more normal levels.

Because bioflavonoids do bind to estrogen receptor sites, they can also act as a supplemental form of estrogen, helping to combat common menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Flavanols, namely polyphenols and catechins, also bind to receptor sites, which is why they have been found to be so beneficial in protecting women from cancer. By binding to breast tissue estrogen receptors sites, polyphenols work to prevent carcinogens (tumor promoters, hormones, and growth factors) from binding to and harming the cells. In essence, the polyphenols "seal off" the tissue from invasion by carcinogens.

The superior antioxidant properties of polyphenols also help in the fight against heart attacks and other forms of cardiovascular disease. Japanese researchers have found that tablets of green tea extract providing 254 mg of catechins raised blood levels of antioxidants and reduced plaque-forming oxidation.

Foods rich in bioflavonoids include citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and limes) and buckwheat (a gluten-free grain that is not botanically related to wheat). Other good sources are apricots, cherries, grapes, plums, blackberries, papayas, green pepper, broccoli, and tomatoes. Foods rich in flavanols include green tea, apples, grapes, and onions.

For more information on estrogen dominance or natural treatments for menopause symptoms, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

#2 Food for Menopause Relief

Thursday, August 5, 2010 by Susan Lark

#2 Food for Menopause Relief: Whole Grains

The best grains for menopausal women are oats, corn, barley, millet, buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, and amaranth. Many whole grains are excellent sources of phytoestrogens because they contain lignans, a material that is used to form the plant cell wall. Lignans, like isoflavones, are mildly estrogenic and provide support for women deficient in estrogen who are suffering from hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and other effects of menopause.

For more information on diet and what foods provide the best menopause relief, visit my Website.