Blushing, again, at your age?

May 2009

• She could feel the colour creeping up her chest, neck and into her cheeks. Feeling flushed, hot and bothered, all she wanted to do was to open the windows, but everyone around her seemed cold.
• As suddenly as the heat in her face had come on, it now subsided and she felt cold and clammy. What is this? She wondered.
• She had also not been sleeping well, waking hot and sweating several times a night, tossing off the bedclothes, only to get cold again.
• She just didn't feel herself anymore.
• She hoped she would feel better by the time of her upcoming 50th birthday.

What I've described above is typically how many women feel when they go through menopause. The word itself means cessation of periods. For most women the early warning signs are erratic periods:

• longer
• shorter
• closer together
• further apart
• heavier
• lighter
• with more pain
• with less pain.

This phase is called peri-menopause and may last for several years.

• The Melbourne Women's Midlife Health study tracked more than 400 women through this phase and found that if you had no periods for at least 3 months then your last period will probably come within the following year.
• Some women will have no warning at all, their periods will simply stop.
• As a general rule, the onset of menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.

All women will experience menopause differently, but about 70% will experience hot flushes and 40%, depression.

Other menopausal symptoms are:

• vaginal dryness
• loss of libido
• fatigue
• depression
• insomnia
• with or without night sweats.

Menopause often coincides with other important and demanding transitions in a woman's life:

• caring for elderly parents
• career growth
• empty nest.

So health and wellbeing are at the top of the list.

If you are not one of the lucky few who hardly notice menopause and you are dismayed at the change you feel within yourself, then Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) seems the ideal answer. Simply take hormones to regain youthful wellbeing. But the reality is not quite that easy.

• Over time, research has revealed some problems with HRT, and women have also found that it did not always agree, feeling worse on HRT.
• Most recent research indicates that it is most beneficial for women in the first year of menopause, in that it eases the typical symptoms of hot flushes and sweats.
• For women over 65 it is less beneficial, as it increases the risk of thrombosis (blood clotting) and heart failure.

But what else is there?

Herbal medicine offers some excellent and well researched alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy:

• Black Cohosh herbal extracts have been used in Europe for over 40 years, with clinical experience in over 1.5 million cases. A number of trials have demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of Black Cohosh for the treatment of hot flushes, anxiety and depression. It is particularly helpful for women in the early stages of menopause.
• Other highly effective herbal medicines for menopause are Sage, St John's Wort and Chaste Tree.

Herbal medicines are part of a holistic approach that eases the adjustment to changing hormone levels and relieves the symptoms caused by reduced levels of estrogen. It includes dietary changes, for example, including more soy-based foods.

• Holistic treatment for menopause also aims to identify and modify health and lifestyle factors that contribute to post menopausal health risks for:
  • cardiovascular disease
  • osteoporosis
  • breast cancer
  • dementia.
    
    
• Herbal medicine can help women to come off HRT. Stopping HRT causes an uncomfortable recurrence of menopausal symptoms, but, with the aid of herbal medicines appropriate for the woman's unique experience, this transition can be comfortable and successful.

While herbal medicines are readily available at the chemist or supermarket, only a qualified and professionally accredited herbalist can provide formulations uniquely suited to the individual. Check with National Herbalists Association of Australia (NHAA) to find one near you.

The most important thing to remember is that menopause is a natural transition in a women's life, not a disease. It is only a phase and can be successfully managed with:

• herbal medicine
• diet
• lifestyle changes.

Tips for reducing hot flushes

• Regular physical activity – at least 30-minute exercise 3 times a week helps to regulate the temperature control centre in the brain.
• Wear light loose fitting layers of clothing – natural fibres are best, so you can remove or add clothing as needed.
• Reduce caffeine and alcohol, especially red wine, as they stimulate circulation.
• Hot spicy foods, including ginger, can help some women, make it worse for others.
• Drink sage tea – Recipe for 1 to 3 days supply:
  
  
  1. Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh leaves or 1 tablespoon of dried leaves in 500ml tepid water with the juice of one lemon.
  2. Put in covered jar overnight.
  3. Strain, keep in fridge.
  4. Drink straight or in a little juice, 1 to 3 cups a day.

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Blomberg at mind body insight. You can also schedule a consultation online.