I’ve been looking for some good information on using herbal supplements to treat the symptoms of menopause. I finally found two real, honest-to-goodness clinical studies that yielded some pretty good results. Not the “miracle” I was looking for, but definitely good to know.
The two studies were conducted by the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, both in Chicago. The first study included 89 women who were experiencing moderate to severe hot flashes, at least 35 per week. The women were divided into random groups, and they kept diaries for 12 months detailing the number and severity of the hot flashes and night sweats.
One group of women was given a black cohosh botanical supplements, a second received red clover, a third group was given hormone therapy, and the final group received a placebo. What was really interesting is that the number of hot flashes per week decreased over time across all groups- black cohosh 34%, red clover 57%, placebo 63% and hormone therapy 94%. What this showed is that the only real results come from hormone therapy, and just thinking you’re getting treatment will bring you some relief.
The second study focused on verbal memory and cognitive skills along with the hot flashes. (Now here’s where I’m hoping for a miracle–can anyone relate to the fuzzy mind?) A sub-group of 66 women in the four sectors from the first study agreed to participate in an extension of the investigation while their hot flashes were being studied. During that time, they had periodic evaluations to measure recollection of words and short stories. They also wore monitors that measured skin temperature during hot flashes. Again, there was no difference between those who took the herbal supplements and those who didn’t when it came to improving cognitive functions. Those who took the hormone therapy actually had a slight decrease in memory during the trial.
So what does all this tell us? Those herbal supplements that claim to be the miraculous answer to our symptoms of menopause don’t work any better than a baby aspirin. Hormone replacement therapy works, but can decrease memory, and also increases the risks of breast cancer, strokes and heart attacks.
Bottom line, imagine yourself feeling cooler–it’s now a proven remedy, and has no side effects!
Read the entire study from Medical News Today.
Hello, here is a great article written by Linda Page N.D. and PhD about sea vegetables concerning menopause and more…Enjoy
John
Sea Vegetables-Nature’s Healthy Gifts From The Sea
By Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D./HealthyHealing.com
http://healthyhealing.com/
In Western countries, land vegetables are the traditional sources of greens, but vegetables from the sea are nutritious foods and powerful healers that have been used by European and Asian cultures for centuries. I eat sea vegetables every day. I recommend them as a critical part of many healing programs-detoxification, illness recovery, heart healthy, hormone balancing for women (and men), and much more! Sea Vegetables can literally transform your health. When you drink sea vegetables, or take seaweed baths, you’re tapping into the ancestral and restorative source of all life-the ocean. Just a few of the miraculous health benefits of sea vegetables:
Super Nutrition
Ounce for ounce, along with herbs, sea vegetables are higher in vitamins and minerals than any other food. Sea vegetables are really the ocean’s deep greens, rich in vegetable protein, and full-spectrum concentrations of important carotenes, chlorophyll, enzymes, amino acids and fiber. They are the only vegetarian source of B-12 for cell health, containing amounts that rival beef liver (the leading animal source). They are an excellent source of body building minerals like calcium, iron, iodine, and potassium. Sea vegetables contain trace minerals like boron, chromium and selenium that are vital to health, but that modern farming techniques have leached from the soil.
Our body fluids have the same chemical composition as seawater. The same trace elements than run through the oceans run through the human body. Seaplant chemical composition is so close to human plasma that perhaps the greatest benefit from sea vegetables is promoting our internal rebalance. Sea vegetables act as the ocean’s purifiers, and they perform many of the same functions for our bodies.
Detoxification
Sea vegetables offer superior protection from radiation and heavy poisoning. Studies done a McGill University reveal algin, a component of sea greens like kelp and alaria, binds to heavy metals and chemical pollutants in the intestinal tract, allowing them to be safely eliminated from the body. Seaplant algin even binds to radioactive strontium (one of the most hazardous atomic pollutants), radioactive iodine-131, barium, zinc, and cadmium, flushing them out of the body before they can even poison us. Sea vegetables are so effective that the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommends that people consume two to three ounces of sea vegetables a day for maximum protection against radiation poisoning.
Major Disease Protection
Sea Vegetables are an excellent addition to you natural arsenal against cancer and heart disease. Further, sea vegetables help dissolve fatty deposits in the cardiovascular system that lead to heart disease, and relieve tension in the blood vessels caused by over-consumption of table salt. Japanese studies from the 1960’s show sea vegetables extracts control high blood pressure and atherosclerosis in animals fed in a high cholesterol diet. The same studies show that sea vegetables lower blood pressure in people, too.
Hormone Balancing For Women
Sea vegetables can ease the discomforts of menopause. They are a rich source of fat-soluble vitamins D and K that assist with production of steroidal hormones like estrogen and DHEA in adrenal glands play a key role in shoring up hormone production when estrogen production slows down during menopause. Vitamin K in sea vegetables especially boosts adrenal activity; ingesting them can help maintain female hormone balance for a more youthful body for years to come. Sea plants also nourish an under active thyroid to trigger increased libido in women after menopause.
Sea vegetables are especially good for stimulating metabolism in overweight pets. Dosage: about 1 to 2 tbls. for dogs and 1tsp. for cats.
Copyright 200 Traditional Wisdom Inc. For more information about Linda Page, free healing programs, free recipes, please visit:
http://www.healthyhealing.com
Website Resources
Resources for Sea Vegetables
Phytonutrients http://www.ars.usda.gov
They are constantly updating their website with new information and articles. All of these can be found in the Nutrition section of the website.
Trace Substances.
Sea Water and Blood Ratio’s are the same.
Chloride 48%
Sodium 44%
Sulfate 3.3%
Potassium 2.4%
Calcium 1.3%
Magnesium .03%
Sea greens = vitamins, B12, A,C,D,E,B, minerals, amino acids, protein, chlorophyll, enzymes, fiber, fatty acids, antioxidants, immune system, anti HIV.
http://www.4source.com/technical/nutraceuticals_world.shtml
http://www.seaveg.com/bibliography.html
Resources for Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera stimulates cell growth and tissue healing. It aids in detoxifying, cleanses liver, cleanses kidney, helps breakdown and eliminate trapped matter in colon and a gentle laxative. Powerful aid with digestion. Great for skin conditions such as boils, burns, hemorrhoids and anti-inflammatory. Wonderful antiperspirant. It has 20 of 22 amino acids including 8 essential nutrients. It is an excellent vitamin B12 source.
http://www.wholeleaf.com/aloeverainformation.html
By: johnslfi on November 13, 2009
at 3:49 pm
As a man, I can’t say I understand the situation. But from your article I can say that I learn something today. Again.. another great posting Susan.
By: Chris on November 16, 2009
at 5:36 pm
I have read some posts and i am going to add this blog to my RSS feed reader
By: brain power supplements on March 20, 2010
at 4:01 am
I can speak from experience that 400 mg. once a day (preferably mornings) of a pharmaceutical grade of SAM-E, will eliminate severe hot flashes. I am 5’5″ and 130 lbs. Adjust dosage if you weigh considerably more. This also helps with focus if you have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) for those that follow Dr Amen on PBS.
The Mayo Clinic is currently doing a study from 7/2010 to 6/2011 on SAM-E for hot flashes. Make sure you buy pharmaceutical grade and eat with some food if it causes any abdominal discomfort.
It has been the answer to my prayers for these two issues and you only have to take once a day!
By: Tori on October 20, 2010
at 6:18 pm
Thanks for the great article. I’m over 50 and on bio-identical hormones and never felt better!
http://www.herbsupplementshop.com
By: herbsupplementshop on October 29, 2010
at 7:21 am