Easing Menopause Wtih Essential Oils
Have you ever wondered why it is called ‘men’opause? Last time I checked, men were not involved and seldom get concerned about our hormones until the spillover is unavoidable! Interestingly enough, men have at some point in our lives given us similar symptoms of sleepless nights, emotional turmoil, irritability, headaches, digestive problems and hair loss, or at least pulling our hair out in frustration! Maybe these similarities are the ironic aspect of menopause, but all joking aside, this is a serious matter that not only has significant health implications but can make life miserable.
Between the ages of 45 and 55, most women will enter perimenopause, which is a term that describes the “menopause transition years”. Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her ovaries stop producing eggs, her body produces less estrogen and progesterone, and menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether. The symptoms of menopause are caused by changes in estrogen and progesterone levels as the ovaries produce less and less of these hormones over time. The specific symptoms experienced vary from woman to woman and range from mild to severe.
According to 2000 U.S. Census data, 37.5 million women are currently reaching menopause age (40 to 59) and up to 70% of these women may experience varying symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, urinary tract infections (UTI), memory problems, fatigue and irritability. Hot flashes and sweats are at their worst for the first 1 - 2 years following the last period, but menopause symptoms may last 5 years or more. Other potential symptoms associated with menopause include difficulty sleeping, skin flushing, mood swings and depression, decreased libido, headaches, achy and painful joints or even heart palpitations.
When the production of estrogen and progesterone slow, it affects the whole endocrine system including your thyroid, hypothalamus, pituitary, parathyroid, adrenal, pineal body, and reproductive glands. The pancreas is also part of this hormone-secreting system and everything works together. Consequently, any imbalance of the endocrine system causes other effects, which explains the variation from woman to woman in the types of symptoms as well as their severity.
What are some factors that can create this imbalance besides age? Our diets for one. Meats and dairy products often have steroids and artificial hormones including growth hormones; all these chemicals can wreak havoc on our bodies. When the production of progesterone slows down, our bodies become estrogen dominant. Eating unclean meats and dairy intensifies this condition and intensifies the symptoms of menopause. In addition, exposure to synthetic hormones increases your chance of ovarian and breast cancer dramatically.
The first step in managing this change is to clean up the diet by reading labels carefully. Purchase meat and dairy products that are free of steroids, antibiotics and hormones. It doesn’t have to be organic to be healthy meat. Farmers pay a high price for an organic “certification” and many local farmers who have practiced organic methods for years can’t afford to pay this price. It is also very important to avoid all processed, synthetic foods and vitamins which includes anything produced with genetically modified organisms (GMO). In fact, living this way before menopause is very likely to reduce the challenges of going through this life transition in addition to enhancing your overall health.
The second step is to work with an experienced practitioner who is knowledgeable about the use of therapeutic-grade essential oils. Mother Nature has provided a bountiful pharmacy and certain essential oils have hormone-like properties which may help support the endocrine system. Using these oils instead of synthetic hormones offers a safer, natural alternative without harmful side effects. In fact, medical research shows that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can actually increase the risk of breast cancer. A trained professional will understand the ideal oil blend, delivery method and body placement to address specific imbalances for each individual. For example, hot flashes may respond to bergamot, clary sage, nutmeg, sage, ylang ylang, endoflex, fennel, peppermint oils. You may try applying one of the above oils behind the ankles, on the lower back or over the uterus. It may also help to diffuse them or simply inhale.
Another tremendous product is a therapeutic grade blend created by Dr. Dan Purser who specializes in natural hormone therapy. Progessence Plus Serum is the first product of this kind on the market in the United States. It is made from wild yam, vitamin E and a blend of therapeutic grade essentials oils including limonene. Studies indicate that limonene (from frankincense and bergamot) as well as menthol from peppermint oil can enhance the absorption of natural progesterone through the skin. Most natural hormones or bio-identical hormones can be costly but Progessence Plus is very user friendly and easy on your wallet. If you would like to learn more about this product or relieving menopause symptoms, you should register for my class on Enhancing Women’s Health With Essential Oils on Wednesday, May 18th at 7pm.
Chalyce Macoskey is VP of Aromatherapy for the Natural Therapies Certification Board. For more information about essential oils you may follow Chalyce on EmpowHer.com as Wisdom By Nature. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, prescribe or diagnose any disease; these statements have not been approved by the FDA. Be pro-active in your health and do the research to choose wisely because you only have one body.
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