Menopause Natural Remedy

Women who don't want to take hormone replacement therapy do have some other choices:

• phytoestrogens found in certain plants, herbs and seeds
• soy
• hormone creams
• calcium
  

A phytoestrogen is a naturally-occurring plant nutrient that exerts an estrogen-like action on the body. Scientists have discovered hundreds of phytoestrogens including:

• soybeans
• whole grain cereals
• seeds (especially flax)
• nuts (especially walnuts)
• many herbs

Herbalists have discovered that many of the herbs traditionally used by women for the health concerns unique to women contain some of the highest amounts of these beneficial phytonutrients. These herbs include:

• black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
• dong quai (Angelica sinensis)
• red clover (Trifolium pratense)
• alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
• licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
• Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng)
• wild American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
• Kudzu root (Puerariae lobata)

Mexican wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) is not a phytoestrogen but contains a phytonutrient that is a precursor for progesterone.

Calcium supplementation is generally recommended to help prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Boron is a trace nutrient. But many Americans may not be getting enough in their diets. Boron is necessary for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. It probably does this by activating vitamin D and estrogen.