BY EULALEE THOMPSON, STAFF REPORTER
Dr. Diane Robertson, herbal consultant, holds a box containing Red Clover tea bags, a herbal tea believed to be useful in managing some menopausal symptoms. - RUDOLPH BROWN/Chief Photographer
Some herbs contain types of plant hormones which can help women to manage the symptoms of menopause
IF YOU are a woman and live long enough, then you will not escape the phase of menopause. But the health experts say that this 'change of life', as it is sometimes called, is not to be approached with apprehension but as a normal part of the life cycle... perhaps a little bit like the onset of puberty, the shift from childhood to womanhood.
Dr. Diane Robertson, herbal consultant, says, in fact, that menopause may carry with it some cultural component as Mayan, Greek and Japanese women either do not experience 'hot flashes', one of the signal symptoms of menopause, or shrug it off as trivial.
"The Japanese do not have a word for 'hot flashes'. What makes the difference is the cultural diet they are on...cultural diet plays a pivotal role, along with exercise, meditations and support groups for those that have entered the age of maturity," she said.
Cultural foods, Dr. Robertson explained, include phyto-oestrogenic plants (that is, plants with substances resembling the female hormone, oestrogen) such as barley, beets, greens, black beans, black sesame seeds, deep-sea fish, green leafy vegetables, mung beans, sarsaparilla tea, black cohosh tea, pomegranates, string beans, walnuts, whole wheat, yams, wheat germs, seaweeds (Irish moss) which promote vaginal elasticity.
HORMONAL CHANGES
Most women will reach the menopause between 45 and 55 years. Various research studies indicate that by age 52, 80 per cent of women will no longer menstruate. The hormonal changes at this period of a woman's life not only leads to the cessation of menstruation but to other bodily changes such as changes in skin texture, bone density and heart function. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), often given to women to replace the female hormone that has gone into decline, is part of the drug therapy used to ease women through the period of menopause but Dr. Robertson says that there are also many herbs (available in capsules, tea bag extracts, tinctures, topical creams or just the raw herbs) that can be of benefit to women during this phase of their lives. She listed some of these herbs and their uses as follows:
Alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa) this is a phyto-oestrogen and extremely nutritious.
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) this is phyto-oestrogenic and relaxes smooth muscles and the nerves. It assists in relieving hot flashes, headaches and oedema.
Dong quai (Angelica) this helps to build the blood and relieves blood stagnation. It also assists in managing anxiety, depression, hot flashes and irregular menstrual cycles.
Motherwort herb (Leonurus cordiaca) this helps to cool and lessen the frequency of hot flashes and night sweats. It's good to use it in times of emotional upheaval and uterine pain associated with stress.
Nettles (Urtica dioica) this herb is nutritious and especially good as a source of mineral for healthy bones. It strengthens the kidneys and adrenal glands, dissipates liver stagnation and helps to prevent excessive bleeding.
Licorice root (Glycyrhizza glabra) this is also phyto-oestrogenic and improves adrenal function and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable thus facilitating the normalisation of moods.
Raspberry leaf (Rubus species) this is used for irregular menses and hot flashes. It also normalises heavy bleeding.
Sage leaf (Salvia officinales) this herb contains phyto-oestrogen and acts to balance the emotion and curb night sweats. It is not to be used in cases of vaginal dryness as it can dry secretions of the mucus.
Vitex berries this herb activates the corpus luteum (tissue in the ovaries) and normalises both excess and deficiencies of hormones. It is useful for irregular periods, spotting and menstrual flooding.
White yam root (Dioscorea villosa) this is phyto-progesteronic. It assists in improving liver and kidney functions, according to Dr. Robertson.
