As described in my previous blog, peri menopause is the 3-6 year period of time for women in their 40's who begin experiencing a decline in hormonal production.
Its a natural transition in every woman's life that is rarely spoken of or recognized! If you are a woman in your 40's start becoming aware whether your body is showing you signs that this transition is occurring.
The following are examples of the kind of supplements that could help bring ease during the peri menopausal transition:
Woman Essence
I have always loved energetic medicine because it just makes logical sense to me, we are energetic beings, first and foremost!
Over the years as a practitioner, flower essences were one of my favorite complementary healing modalities. Energy remedies are both subtle and yet very powerful at affecting change and helping bring about homeostasis.
The Woman Essence is a combination of particular Australian Bush Flower Essences that complement each other in helping bring about a balance in emotions, menstrual cycle, and energy levels during any transitions particularly affecting women's cycles.
7 drops under the tongue, upon rising and again before going to bed is the recommended dose. You can expect to notice differences in about 1-2 weeks. It also comes in a spray or, cream that smells amazing and you can apply to your face or body.
Evening Primrose Oil or Borage Oil (source of GLA)
Can help stabilize mood changes, dry skin, flushing, fluid retention and excellent for relief of breast tenderness.
Daily 2-3 capsules with food.
Vitamin E
Essential for dry, flaky skin, loss of elasticity, vaginal dryness, itchiness and irritation.
Make sure its the natural (d-alpha form) and not the synthetic (dl- form). Therapeutic dose can be between 200-600iu.
Withania somnifera
An absolutely amazing herb that is tonifying, relaxing, and restoring to the adrenals. This is for the peri menopausal woman who is stressed out and over worked. She is exhausted, irritable, anxious, perhaps depressed, moody and has trouble sleeping.
Withania will help you adapt to stress, calms your nervous system down so you're not as reactive and just soothes during any stressful transition.
You can purchase withania at most good health food stores either in convenient capsule form or in tincture.
General therapeutic dose is between 500mg-2gm daily. This herb needs to be taken longer term, 2-4 months before you really start feeling its full effect. It truly nourishes your organs deeply from the inside, this takes patience but well worth the commitment.
For more information about this amazing herb please watch my video here
Magnesium
I have written extensively about this mineral as I have witnessed severe deficiencies on too numerous an occasion. Magnesium is absolutely essential for most people, let alone a woman going thru peri menopause.
Magnesium helps your bones 'hold onto' calcium, it helps deepen sleep, relaxes muscles, eases cramps, twitches, reduces carbohydrate cravings, stabilizes mood swings and blood sugar levels, eliminates water retention, and the list goes on.
Therapeutic dose starts at 300mg and can range from 300-1200mg. I recommend supplements that contains several different forms such as amino acid chelate, orotate, citrate, oxide and phosphate. Powdered form further assists in assimilation.
A magnesium formula that contains glutamine for gut absorption is great. Additional taurine is fantastic too because this amino acid helps reduce magnesium loses so its for women who feel they just 'can't get enough' of magnesium and seem to need it excessively. Taurine will help your body 'hold' onto the magnesium you're supplementing more effectively.
Always look for what the equivalent TOTAL magnesium content of a tablet is!
Vitex agnus castus (Chaste Berry Tree)
Vitex is extremely effective at helping regulate hormones. Its especially fantastic for the luteal phase which means it helps balance all symptoms that occur or worsen premenstrually (PMS) such as breast soreness, acne, anxiety, headache, depression, moodiness, bloating, water retention, and irritability.
Vitex can help balance and regulate an altered menstrual cycle length, can balance out ovulation, sex drive and most menstrual irregularities.
Vitex is also a herb that must be taken longer term. Because it regulates the hormonal system and HPA axis (hypothalamic ovarian axis) it is rather slow in action and can take its time in working its magic.
I would recommend consulting a herbalist before starting on vitex. It is well worth the investment to get a more thorough picture. A herbalist will be able to put together a herbal combination perhaps based on vitex, but that will be exactly suited to an individuals particular requirements.
There are many other nutrients that a peri menopausal woman could benefit from significantly. It will depend on the symptoms she is displaying and areas of her life that need most support. Working with a trusted health professional who can gauge her health and assess the appropriate requirements during this time is recommended.
Addressing the areas of her life that need nourishment will bring an alleviation of the presenting peri menopausal symptoms. Looking at nutritional deficiencies is a must, managing stress better, respecting that your body is going through a natural transition and accepting new limits, is essential.
I hope this brings some light to women in their 40's listening and honoring their bodies needs!
Joanna Kujath, N.D.
www.journeythruwellness.com
No comments:
Post a Comment