Overcoming Menopause the natural way with TCM and Chinese Herbs!

Menopause and Beyond: Embracing Aging with Grace !

Once upon a time, menopause was never discussed! Instead, women suffered silently as their bodies adjusted to a new norm of depleted hormones. Luckily that is a thing of the past – when even a huge celebrity like PE Nation’s Pip Edwards starts talking about her early onset menopause to a leading national Sunday paper - we know that menopause is no longer a taboo subject. Indeed, women are now very happy to talk about their menopause but more importantly they want remedies – and for many that equates to natural remedies. And nowhere are there better natural remedies to be found than through TMC and Chinese herbs.

The symptoms of menopause can vary from mild to severe but tend to include the following:

Irregular Periods

Women entering perimenopause (usually aged 45-52) will experience erratic periods. Sometimes they will skip a period and sometimes get two in a row with just a little break. This is because estrogen is dropping. Once you are in full menopause – usually around aged 52, your periods will stop all together.

Hot Flushes

Any working woman will tell you hot flushes are the worst of all menopausal symptoms especially if you are in a meeting! Still working or not, most women will go through a stage of hot flushes where they experience a sudden blast of warmth which can be very intense and hard to stop. It can disturb sleep as well, waking you up in the night. Sometimes a woman's face and neck may turn red and her skin may look blotchy so there is really no hiding it.

Hormonal Changes

Moods can be affected during menopause. Women may find their emotions change quickly; they may feel calm and content one moment, and depressed or irritable the next.

Exhaustion

The changes during the menopause have a wearing effect on the body, not to mention the mind! A feeling of exhaustion goes beyond sleep deprivation, although lack of sleep due to night sweats or other symptoms may aggravate the problem. Unfortunately this feeling can go on for years.

Hair Loss

Estrogen is important for hair growth, so when it drops off during menopause hair can start to thin and fall out. In some cases, these hormonal imbalances may also cause facial hair growth and lead to less collagen in the skin making for an ‘older appearance’.

Forgetfulness and Lack of Concentration

Many experts believe the hormonal changes that women experience during menopause can be behind women becoming forgetful and being unable to concentrate. Some women experience mild bouts of absentmindedness, others may find that an impaired memory and inability to focus on tasks actually interfere with daily life.

While many of the problem above can be solved by women taking HRT, there are studies that show that taking HRT can lead to greater incidences of cancer especially breast cancer so many women look to natural solutions.

Putting on Weight

Unfortunately menopause slows the body’s metabolism so putting on weight becomes easier. Additionally, menopause-induced changes can redistribute body fat, causing more to be stored in the stomach area.

Nutrition and Menopause

There is evidence that certain foods may indeed help to relieve some of the symptoms that come with the onset of menopause such as hot flushes, poor sleep and low bone density. A balanced diet with dairy products, healthy fats, whole grains and fruit and vegetables is suggested to help relieve those symptoms.

Dairy products, such as milk, yoghurt and cheese, contain calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and vitamins D and K, all essential for bone health while healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, can benefit women going through menopause. As for whole grains, they are high in nutrients, including fiber and B vitamins. A diet high in whole grains has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

Traditional Chinese Herbs for Menopause

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long worked to address menopause. In TCM, menopause is a time of Yin and Yang imbalance. TCM aims to regain that balance and relieve many of the symptoms of menopause. For example, Dong Quai is one of the herbs traditionally used to relieve hot flushes and is also taken as a blood tonic in TCM. Chinese herbs for menopause work on the endocrine system to provide hot flush relief, alleviate vasomotor instability, loss of bone mass, and other conditions associated with menopause. Most importantly, they are much gentler and safer on the body than many other remedies.

Taste for Life Life, a leading Women Health Care Company originally from Taiwan but now available here, is launching a special Menopause Care Package to support women going through the menopause and to help them with herbal nutrition which might relieve some of their symptoms using TCM.

Nicole Chien, a leading nutritionist, and the woman behind bringing Taiwanese mega brand Taste for Life to Australia explains some of the nutritional benefits behind the TFL Menopause Care Package which includes 10 concentrated herbal soups and 10 glutinous rice water packs. The soups provide ingredients, including amino acids, collagen, calcium, anti oxidants and more and are made with Kelp, Black Bean Beetroot and Himalayan Salt among other things.

“You can drink them as they are or use them as the base of any soup you would like to create, using fresh ingredients as many women choose to do. The selected Chinese herbs used in the base meet the highest standard of food quality - no pesticide residues, sulphur dioxide or heavy metal residues,” says Nicole.

“The soups regulate your body constitution, supports hormonal balance, boost energy and promotes bone and skin health. The glutinous rice water contains 17 amino acids which can enhance your health (there are 22 important amino acids for human body including those that regulate hormone imbalances). It can be served as a health drink or for cooking and dessert. ” she explains.

For more information on this product and the natural relief it gives women in menopause go to menopause care package