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WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
With
the current media buzz surrounding hormone
replacement therapy, thought it would be a good time to
write about female health care issues. This is a vast
subject, and I will not be able to cover all the conditions
associated with women's health care. I will address some of
the main conditions and how lifestyle changes can affect a
women's balance and lead to a preventative approach to
these issues. Through education of natural treatments for
the symptoms and diseases related to hormonal and
physiological imbalances, women can experience a better
quality of life.
Conventional approaches to
women's health have often been invasive and not very
sensitive to a woman's needs during her cycle changes. One
example is how orthodox medicine deals with menopause,
which is a natural process not a disease. Complimentary
medicine offers a variety of therapies such as diet,
nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, homeopathy,
naturopathic approaches, TCM (Traditional Chinese
Medicine), and Ayurveda. These approaches address a variety
of symptoms from PMS, infertility, osteoporosis, fibroids,
cysts, pregnancy to menopause and including diseases of the
uterus, vagina, bladder and breasts.
Currently, women's health
care amounts to two thirds of the U.S. annual medical bill;
however, the medical research has been done predominantly
on males. The Women's Health Initiative, under the NIH
(National Health Institute),
began in 1993 assessing 150,000 women in studies dealing
with osteoporosis, gynecological cancers, and
cardiovascular disease. One reason for this is the alarming
rate of older women dying of heart disease, which is higher
than men. Premenstrual syndrome afflicts over 40% of all
women during their reproductive years and can be easily
remedied with lifestyle changes. There are over 1 million
women taking synthetic estrogen or progesterone therapy.
It's time to become better educated.
The myriad symptoms
associated with a women's cycle are due to the constant
hormonal changes happening at different times in her life.
These changes begin with puberty and continue through child
bearing years and then to menopause. Maintaining this
hormonal balance is critical to what type of symptoms, how
severe and the duration of symptoms a woman will
experience. So we need to understand how the hormonal cycle
operates and what can be done to affect this balance in a
positive way.
Hormone production is a
complex process that involves many facets. To begin with,
the glandular system of the body is what controls the
production of hormones (estrogen, progesterone,
testosterone, etc.). The pituitary, thyroid, adrenals and
ovaries are what produce these hormones in conjunction with
specific vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential
fatty acids. The liver is vital to hormonal balance and is
often ignored. The liver tears down excess hormones from
the blood and recycles them. If it cannot perform this
function, many symptoms arise due to these excess hormones
circulating in the bloodstream. Many hormone-related
conditions are PMS, infertility, fibroids, breast or
ovarian cancer, amenorhea, and
menopause.
Some of the symptoms are
bloating, cramps, mood swings, sugar cravings, painful
menstruation, lack of menses,
excessive flow, hot flashes, and breast swelling.
Let's discuss some of the
lifestyle changes and ways that a woman can work with her
cycle and help alleviate some of these negative
conditions. Diet is critically important. Foods that need
to be restricted or eliminated are:
§
High Fat –
A high fat diet tends to increase estrogen production,
especially refined fats
§
Animal
Foods – Particularly dairy and egg products that are
reproductive foods
§
Refined
Sugars – Especially those found in carbonated beverages and
chocolate
§
Artifical
Sweetners – Aspartame
§
Caffeine –
Has been shown to increase risk of fibroids and cysts
formation
§
Sodium
§
Alcohol –
Adversely affects liver function and robs the body of
Vitamins A, B, and C
§
Chemical
Additives
Begin to include in the
diet:
§
More whole
grains – Brown rice, whole wheat, oats, millet, quinoa,
etc.
§
Fresh
Vegetables – 3-4 servings a day include variety of color
§
Fresh
Fruits
§
Soybeans
and Soy Products – Tofu, soymilk,
tempeh. They contain
phytoestrogens (explained later in article)
§
Nuts and
Seeds – Flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower
§
Essential
Fatty Acids – Flax oil contains two essential fatty acids
that aid liver function and provide the starting material
for hormone production. It has also been the subject of
numerous scientific studies with reducing fibroids and
cysts. Evening primrose oil works in a similar way.
§
Water – At
least 6-8 glasses a day.
In addition to these dietary
changes, a good nutritional supplement program will assure
the proper nutrients for proper balance. Some of these
include:
§
Calcium/magnesium – For good nerve and bone health
§
B
Complex – Promotes nerve health
and aids metabolic breakdown of fats and carbohydrates.
§
Vitamin A /
Beta Carotene – Aids liver functions,
improves immunity.
§
Folic Acid
– Prevents neuro tube defects
and aids in preventing anemia. Works with fat metabolism
and lipid profile.
§
Vitamin C –
For collagen production, immunity, and tissue building.
§
Vitamin E –
Aids in hormone production, balances estrogen, used for
repair processes.
There are also many
botanicals that can help alleviate many of the symptoms of
cycle changes. Each condition requires a particular
protocol for the use of herbals, and any good herbal manual
will provide this information. I want to discuss the
phyto (plant bases) estrogen
and herbs that help promote more progesterone production in
the body. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the
preferred treatment for many gynecological ailments, but
there are many questions to the safety of this therapy.
Many women have expressed that they don't want to take
synthetic hormones, so there are alternatives with a lot of
research behind them that offer a different approach.
Phytoestrogens
are plants that contain substances that aid in the
production of estrogen but are not estrogen themselves.
They do have the ability to take up estrogen receptor sites
as a preventive measure when there is too much estrogen
production or the liver can't tear down the excess. This
action has been shown to be preventive in conditions where
gynecological cancers are a concern. What plants contain
these compounds? The following list will give you some that
have been researched: Alfalfa, black
cohosh, hops, fenugreek (tea and sprouts), red
clover blossom, sarsaparilla, licorice root, angelica root
and dong quai, and, of course,
soy beans.
Plants that aid in
progesterone production are wild yam root, blue
cohosh, motherwort,
partridgeberry, red raspberry, and
vitex (chasteberry).
A good tonic tea that can be
consumed on a daily basis is called Full Circle Tea and
consists of dried herbs. Use 5 parts
of Siberian ginseng and wild yam root, 3 parts hawthorn
flower or berry (can substitute motherwort), 1 part
licorice root, and 1 part sage leaf. To make, add
1/2 oz of mixture to 3-1/2 cups of boiling water and steep
for 30 minutes. Drink one to three cups per day.
Before beginning a natural
approach to hormonal balance, it is important to know
yourself and the issues you face. Check with a
complimentary practitioner who is trained in these
particular modalities mentioned. Read as much as you can
about your condition so you can make better choices. Best
of all adopt a positive lifestyle that is preventive in
nature.
Reference material for this
article can be found in Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom
by Christine Northrop, M.D., Herbal Remedies
For Women and The Herbal
Menopause Book by Amanda McQuade
Crawford, and Exclusively Female: A Nutrition Guide For
Better Menstrual Health by Linda
Ojeda.
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