Natural Replacements for "Hormone Replacement"

One would think that since women have transitioned from making babies to no longer being able to procreate for thousands of years, menopause would feel like a familiarly natural process.

This is not the case.

Menopause is actually a liberating time in a woman's life however the unbearable symptoms associated with the end of ovulation and the imbalance between the key hormones, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone take a toll on a woman, mentally, physically and spiritually.

Common symptoms include uncomfortable hot flashes and night sweats, irrational mood swings and anxiety, frustrating insomnia and weight gain and sadly loss of libido and vaginal dryness.

Many women choose to try the "stay forever young" promises of hormone replacement therapy and whether bio identical or traditional it seems to me that historically there should be a way to transition naturally.

It is evident that most severe symptoms stem from stress reaction that originates in the adrenal system.

Personally I decided to take the natural route. For me this includes:

• avoiding stress inducing ingestibles like caffeine and alcohol
• regular gentle exercise like yoga and pilates
• a daily relaxation practice which might include sitting quietly focusing on long deep breathing or gardening
• supplementing with extra B vitamins, Calcium and magnesium, evening primrose oil, omega 3
•  eating more fruits and vegetables to increase my level of antioxidants to prevent inflammation and aging
• I found Age Defy to be very helpful in preventing hot flashes, vaginal dryness and a reduction in libido
• maca powder mixed into a smoothie or other drink for libido and energy
• DHEA and pregnenelone drops are also helpful
• there are herbs like black cohosh, chasteberry, dong quai, peony and Chinese yam extracts that may help as well

Have a frank and honest chat with your health care provider and embrace this journey as a natural rite of passage.

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