Menopause with Dr. Nicole Apelian, PhD.

There are natural remedies that will help you through the 'changes of life.' HRT has undesirable side effects.

Red Clover, Trifolium pratense

Red Clover

An exceptional herb for promoting hormonal balance, red clover is also a powerhouse for reducing the symptoms of menopause. It is rich in phytoestrogens, which may help protect against bone loss since estrogen plays a key role in maintaining their strength. Recent research highlights red clover’s positive effects on estradiol levels, exercise performance, and gut microbiota as well.⁷ Thanks to its high phytoestrogen isoflavonoid content, red clover serves as an excellent natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy, effectively relieving common menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.

But that’s not all. Red clover is also helpful in maintaining cardiovascular health — an important consideration for those traveling through menopause and afterwards.⁹ Research has shown the herb helps to alleviate other common symptoms as well, including inflammation of the joints, low libido, fatigue, mood disorders, and poor sleep.^8,9 What’s more, red clover is a fantastic anti-aging beauty herb as it helps to reduce collagen loss, hair thinning, and wrinkles — particularly during and after menopause.¹⁰

Safety: People who are allergic to aspirin, have liver problems, issues with seizures, or have a high risk of blood clots or stroke should not use black cohosh. Pregnant and breastfeeding women or those with endometriosis, uterine cancer, or breast cancer should not take black cohosh. Do not use red clover if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

For a comprehensive menopause protocol — including lifestyle and dietary support for addressing hot flashes, weight gain, poor sleep, and more, see my Holistic Guide to Wellness: Herbal Protocols for Common Ailments.

Black Cohosh Root

Long-used in traditional medicine, black cohosh can help to alleviate common menopause symptoms, such as: hot flashes, moodiness, night sweats, headaches, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, and brain fog. It also can improve sleep as black cohosh has sedative properties that calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety.

Considered a phytoestrogenic plant, the beneficial effects are due to its ability to raise estrogen levels and suppress fluctuations that lead to hot flashes and night sweats. Studies have shown black cohosh is more effective than evening primrose oil for hot flashes.¹

In fact, a 2018 study of 80 menopausal women with hot flashes found that those who took black cohosh daily for eight weeks experienced fewer and less severe hot flashes than before they began taking the herb.² Likewise, research published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics noted that “menopausal symptoms improved significantly” in women treated with black cohosh.³

Interestingly, another study found these beneficial effects are due to the modulation of neurotransmitter signaling pathways in the brain.⁴ Additionally, it appears black cohosh also triggers AMPK activation, which improves insulin receptor sensitivity in animal models, thereby improving glucose utilization and metabolic activity.⁵

Since poor sleep is one of the hallmark symptoms of menopause, the findings of a 2015 trial involving menopausal women is encouraging. The randomized, double-blind and placebo controlled experiment involved forty-eight postmenopausal women experiencing sleep disturbance and received either black cohosh or a placebo daily. At the conclusion of the trial, the researchers noted that in early postmenopausal women, black cohosh “effectively improved sleep.”⁶ This is an significant as poor sleep can lead to weight gain, especially during menopause and beyond as the ability to burn calories is reduced due to these hormonal changes.

Effective and Convenient: My Menopause Blend

You asked, I listened — our new Menopause Blend is here! It contains potent extracts of both black cohosh and red clover in an easy-to-use formulation. If you struggle with menopause-related hot flashes and night sweats, sleep disruptions, weight gain, low libido, thinning hair and rapid aging — or have concerns about maintaining bone and cardiovascular health — this blend is for you! Often taken before bedtime to combat night sweats, it may be used during the daytime as well.

Hormonal Balance: Living Vibrantly, No Matter What Your Age

A Changing Hormonal Landscape

As women age, our hormones shift and we often experience weight gain or weight loss, depression and anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, low libido, irregular periods, along with hair loss or hair thinning. It can be a challenging time. But we can manage symptoms and support hormonal balance using select medicinal herbs and adjusting our lifestyle habits.

Outstanding Herbal Support for Hormonal Balance

Needless to say, supporting hormonal equilibrium is an important aspect of maintaining emotional and physical health. Here are a few herbal remedies that may help.

Interested in giving these herbs a try? Find reishi, lion’s mane, turkey tail, and lemon balm tinctures in my apothecary!

Flaxseed — Containing a group of phytochemicals called lignins that have estrogenic and antiestrogenic properties, flax is an excellent food to incorporate into your diet for hormonal health. The high fiber content helps to regulate excess hormones in the system and also offers protection against breast and other hormonally dependent cancers. Just make sure you grind it fresh into a flax meal to enjoy all the healthy benefits.

Black Cohosh — A wonderful herb for balancing the female hormonal system and supporting reproductive health, black cohosh has been traditionally used for menstrual irregularities, PMS, and symptoms of menopause. Personally, I use it to combat hot flashes — and it works! See our potent Menopause Blend in the apothecary, which contains this powerful herb. 

Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Turkey Tail Mushrooms — As adaptogens, these medicinal mushrooms help your body to adapt to physical, emotional, and mental stress. When we are under high levels of stress, it can lead to hormonal imbalance and dysregulation. Medicinal mushrooms also assist in alleviating the fatigue associated with hormonal fluctuations. Additionally, these mushrooms are brimming with beneficial compounds like beta glucans, glycoproteins, and triterpenes that support gut health, metabolic health, and much more.

Lemon Balm — A review in the journal Electron Physician found that several medicinal plants rich in phytoestrogens, including lemon balm, helped to calm the hot flashes of menopause. What’s more, lemon balm soothes the nervous system, thereby providing relief from the anxiety and insomnia that is often associated with menopause.

Ashwagandha — An exceptional medicinal herb for balancing hormones, ashwagandha helps to fortify your adrenals so that hormones like progesterone are not disrupted by stress. It also supports a sluggish or overactive thyroid, which can lead to adrenal fatigue. In fact, a 2019 study found that adults who took 125-300 mg of ashwagandha extract twice daily for 8 weeks experienced lowered stress, better sleep, and reduced blood cortisol levels than those in the placebo group. All three aspects are important for balanced hormones and maintaining a healthy weight.

Ashwagandha, lion’s mane, reishi mushrooms, and lemon balm are all found in my convenient Stress & Anxiety tincture blend.

Lifestyle Tips

As with any health program, eating a balanced diet is important — especially if you would like to regulate your hormones. Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet that is rich in vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Avoid processed foods and refined sugar. High levels of inflammation from poor food choices and a sedentary lifestyle create a vicious cycle of hormonal imbalance. Drinking green tea has been shown to help regulate insulin, which can support a healthy weight when you experience hormonal fluctuations. Since being overweight or obese contributes to hormonal issues, it’s important to maintain a healthy weight. Regular exercise, managing stress, and getting enough quality sleep are crucial aspects of healing.

Lastly, limit your exposure to endocrine disruptors. These are compounds that can wreak havoc on your hormonal system and are found in tobacco smoke, plastics, flame retardants, pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fragrances in cleaning supplies and beauty products like lotion, shampoo, and creams.

By using a few select herbs and shifting your lifestyle, you can achieve hormonal equilibrium and lead a healthy and happy life, no matter what your age.

by: Nicole Apelian, Ph.D.

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Mexican Wild Yam Root, Dioscorea villosa cream for progesterone replacement. by: Jess Catcher with FirstforWomen.com

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Vitax Chaste Berry naturally brings hormone balance of progesterone and estrogen with in your body.

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Castor oil balances hormones and then some…

21:00 min.

Balance Your Hormones Naturally: DIY Wild Yam and Chaste Tree Cream Recipe

Where to buy herbs:

Herbco.com

Mexican Wild Yam Root, Dioscorea villos

1/4 Pound:  $5.02 

Pound:  $11.16 

Chaste Berry Whole, Vitex agnus-castus

1/4 Pound:  $3.84 

Pound:  $8.53 

Black Cohosh Root, Actaea racemosa

1/4 Pound:  $12.60 

Pound:  $28.00  

Red Clover Tops, Trifolium pratense

1/4 Pound:  $6.57 

Pound:  $14.59

Evening Primrose Oil, Oenothera biennis 

For hormone balancing, thinning hair, insomnia, hot flashes, weight loss, night sweats, breast pain, vaginal dryness and especially moodiness you want to take organic Evening Primrose Oil. Take 3 tablespoons per day or more if you are having the above mentioned menopause symptoms getting worse, especially moodiness. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes for the moodiness to go away. If you are still moody, take another tablespoon of EPO every 20 to 30 minutes until the moodiness is gone.

I buy and recommend Evening Primrose Oil from ShayandCompany.com. We use it for our animals and humans.

Side story: We took my Russian Ovcharka, live stock guardian dog to the veterinarian in Omak for vaginal prolapse. The veterinarian wanted to stitch her labia together, called it a ‘vaginal purse stitch.' The veterinarian told me, if the ‘purse stitch’ would not hold in her vagina, I knew it would not, then the veterinarian would have to do a hysterectomy. Needless to say, I refused the ‘purse stitch and hysterectomy. Our dogs are ‘working dogs, who need all their hormones. Our dogs go up against wild animals who have their hormones.

Hormones keep dogs healthy, strong and fit. The same with humans. The diagnosis was ‘hormone imbalance.’ Evening Primrose Oil is great for hormone balancing, not to mention PMS, menopause symptoms and many other female conditions that have to do with female hormone imbalance.

For her size, 160 pounds, I gave her 1/4 cup of Evening Primrose Oil in her food once per day. It took 3 days to see the prolapse was starting to go away, her vagina was returning to normal position. Her vaginal prolapse went completely away by the end of a week. Her moodiness went away too. When she went in to heat, her menstruation stopped smelling terrible. We continued to give her Evening Primrose Oil for the rest of her life to keep her hormones balanced. Once she was out of the woods with the prolapse, we backed off from 1/4 cup to 2 TableSpoons of EPO daily in her food. Getting a diagnosis for our girl Zoya and putting her on EPO daily, was worth it to get our big girl back in to our dog pack actively working again. RIP Zoya.

A different veterinarian in Oroville, delivered our puppies, while she was delivering them, she decided to give their mother a hysterectomy with out consulting us first. After the hysterectomy, my dog was never the same. She was slower, weaker, got old ‘fast’ and died 2 years later. Where we live, it has been hard to find a good veterinarian. RIP Reina.

Safe Enough for Pre-Teen Moodiness A neighbor who owned the local Chesaw Ghost Town Store asked me what to give her 11 year old daughter for ‘bitchiness.’ For pre-teens I suggest starting out with 40 mg capsule of Evening Primrose Oil 1 time per day. If the moodiness does not go away after 30 minutes, give her another 40 mg of Evening Primrose Oil every 30 minutes until moodiness goes away, not to exceed 200 mg. Some days she will need more than others as her hormones fluctuate, especially as she gets older.

I recommend Shay and Company Evening Primrose Oil for it’s great quality. The better the quality, the less Evening Primrose Oil you will have to take. Evening Primrose Oil is safe and effective for all kinds of female hormone related conditions. The worse your moodiness is from PMS or menopause, the more Evening Primrose Oil you will need. You take it and listen to your body. If you are still experiencing menopausal symptoms, you will benefit greatly from taking more Evening Primrose Oil.

Start with 1 table spoon of oil for PMS or Menopause symptoms. After 10 to 20 minutes if symptoms persist, you need to keep taking 1 tablespoon of Evening Primrose Oil every 20 to 30 minutes until your moodiness goes away.

Evening Primrose Oil for Hormone Balance: Why it Works & How to Use it

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The Mysterious Curative Effects of Evening Primrose Oil

9 Phenomenal Benefits Of Evening Primrose Oil For Menopause Face

1.   Improves Fertility

2.   Helps Endometriosis 

3. Improves and Removes Menopause Face

4. Soothes Menopause Symptoms 

As the body prepares for menopause, estrogen levels drastically drop. This leads to menopause symptoms in many women such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, spotting and others. Taking evening primrose oil helps naturally boost estrogen levels in the body which provide quick relief from uncomfortable symptoms. 

It is recommended to take two 500 mg evening primrose capsules one in the morning and one at night or 1000 mg daily for menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and others. 

4.   Treats PCOS 

5.   Reduces PMS 

Evening primrose oil capsules are effective in treating premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS consists of a group of symptoms such as bloating, mood swings, irritability, depression, breast pain/tender breasts, anxiety, body aches, cravings, acne, headaches and more. All these are worsened by hormonal imbalances. 

Research indicates that evening primrose oil may be included as a helpful side-by-side treatment for PMS.

For PMS, try taking 1500 mg of evening primrose oil capsules from the first day of your period to ovulation. Use an ovulation calculator for precise results. 

6.   Heals Hormonal Acne 

You can take evening primrose oil internally as well as apply it externally to reduce hormonal acne. 

• Take 1000-3000 mg of evening primrose oil daily. 

• Prick a capsule, squeeze out the oil and apply to hormonal acne areas such as big pimples and acne around the chin & jaw.

Where to Get Evening Primrose Capsules

Solgar Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg, - Promotes Healthy Skin & Cardiovascular Health - Nutritional Support for Women - Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Dairy Free - 60 Servings. Recommended.

Balancing Act: Natural Herbs and Supplements to Navigate Menopause with Ease

by: Herbco.com

How To Make Your Own All-Natural Vaginal Lubricant 

Triple board certified OB/GYN

By: Anna Cabeca, D.O.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup organic Coconut oil

• ¼ cup Aloe gel or 1/4 cup of Evening Primrose oil

• 1 to 4 drops essential oil*

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar. Shake well.

Keep by your bedside, and use as much as desired prior to and during intimacy or with intimate massage.

* A few essential oils mixed in with my DIY lubricant, and ones shown to soothe vaginal tissues, include Clary sage, Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) or Cape chamomile (Eriocephalus punctulatus), Rose, Lavender, Frankincense, and Sandalwood.

A word of caution: Never apply essential oils directly on the vaginal or vulva skin. Always use a carrier oil or the recipe above, and before using in the vaginal area, test on your inner arm skin first for signs of irritation.

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