Menopausal Years - the Wise Woman Way
By Susun Weed
Menopause, like puberty, is a period of transition
and metamorphosis. It consists of three stages: isolation, melt down,
and emergence. Each stage calls forth new energies and new perceptions
of ourselves. Each stage has different demands, different tasks, and
different needs.
Wise Woman ways, such as simple ceremony, compassionate
self-care, and daily use of dooryard plants, can benefit women going
through menopause tremendously. Please allow me to share with you
some of my favorite herbs for easing hot flashes, sleeplessness, and
other distresses of The Change.
They're easy to find; you may already know them as
weeds! These plants, and their cautions and contraindications, are
described in detail in my book NEW Menopausal Years, The Wise Woman
Way. Please refer to it before you decide whether or not to use
any of these green allies to aid you during your menopausal years.
Calcium intake during and after menopause must
be high to maintain health. But calcium in pills can't compare to
calcium in plants when it comes to maintaining healthy, flexible bones.
Bones are made of a dozen minerals besides calcium
(potassium, manganese, magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron,
phosphorus, sulphur, and chromium), all of which are found in rich
supply in the roots and leaves of edible weeds and herbs.
Eating weeds is my preferred way of preventing osteoporosis
and ensuring freedom from heart disease, depression, headaches, leg
cramps, and joint pain.
There are scores of calcium/mineral-rich plants to
choose from, such as the aromatic leaves of sage, peppermint, lemon
balm, bergamot, rosemary, and thyme; the cooked or fresh greens of
lamb's quarters, amaranth, dandelion, chicory, comfrey, stinging nettle,
chickweed, parsley, watercress, kale, collards, and cabbage; the flowers
of red clover; and the roots of yellow dock, dandelion, chicory, and
burdock.
For maximum extraction of mineral richness, I cook
with these herbs, drink them as infusions, and steep them in vinegar.
Seaweeds have incredibly generous amounts of
calcium and minerals too. I make it a practice to eat seaweeds such
as kelp, dulse, and nori daily, as condiments, and seaweed
such as wakame, hijiki, arame, and kombu once a week,
cooked with carrots or in a soup.
I feed seaweed to my goats in the form of powdered
kelp and to my plants in the form of a liquid emulsion. That's why
we all have shiny hair, sleek skin, bright eyes, and lots of energy.
Hormones are a hot topic for menopausal women.
To help myself with hormonal surges and drops, I prefer to use tinctures
of plants rich in plant hormones (phytosterols) rather than prescribed
hormones (estrogen replacement or hormone replacement), which actually
elevate the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, contrary to advertising,
and are linked to increases in breast and uterine cancers.
Women whose blood is rich in plant hormones have
the lowest rates of cancer in the world. Plants rich in phytosterols
include roots of dong quai, ginseng, wild yam, black cohosh, black
haw, dandelion; flowers of hops, yarrow, red clover; leaves of stinging
nettle, sage; berries/seeds/hips of chaste tree/vitex, fenugreek,
roses.
Favorite herbs for menopausal women include the following:
Oatstraw infusion (Avena sativa) strengthens
the nerves, helps reduce emotional distress, promotes sound sleep,
keeps the bones and heart strong, and strengthens libido. The tincture
is a stronger sedative but not nourishing to the bones and heart.
Oats for breakfast is an excellent way to "take" this
herb, but avoid pills and capsules. Oatstraw baths are exceptionally
calming. Instructions for making one are in my green book: Healing
Wise.
Nettle infusion (Urtica dioica) strengthens
the adrenals, eases anxiety, increases energy, helps prevent night
sweats, builds blood, and protects bones and heart.
Eating cooked nettle is another excellent way to gather
its benefits, as is nettle vinegar. I avoid freeze-dried, encapsulated,
or tinctured nettle, believing all these forms ineffective and over-priced.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) - tincture
of the fresh flowering tops - is a favorite with menopausal women,
their daughters and their mothers. A few drops (up to 25 at a time)
will calm emotions, relieve heart palpitations (and strengthen the
heart), reduce the severity of hot flashes, increase vaginal lubrication,
moderate and eliminate PMS and menstrual cramping.
Motherwort vinegar is a fantastic tonic, and tasty
- thank goodness. The tea is violently bitter and disliked by 99 out
of 100 women, including me - yuck!
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - any
part, in any form - is a superb strengthener for the liver, the control
center for hot flashes. Dandelion improves digestion, especially of
calcium, helps relieve headaches, and sees to it that the liver provides
steady blood sugar supplies.
Dandelion wine (from the blossoms) is the most elegant
way to take this remedy, but the cooked leaves and vinegars (as well
as the pickled parts) of the roots and/or leaves are also excellent
nourishing digestives. The tincture, especially of the root, is considered
the strongest medicine, but doesn't contain bone-building nutrients,
so is less ideal than the other forms.
Here are some startling facts about menopause:
- The Grandmother Hypothesis maintains that "menopause, like a
big brain and an upright posture, is one of the essential traits
of the human which allowed us to colonize the world."
- Menopause is not a recent phenomenon, but an ancient women's
mystery, with special gifts for the woman who uses its energies
wisely.
- Estrogen is not one hormone, but many, and our bodies continue
to make estrogens all of our lives. The adrenals, the fat tissues,
and perhaps the uterus make estrogens.
- The levels of hormones in a woman's blood are never higher than
when she is in menopause.
- Herbal hormone (phytosterols or phytoestrogens) are usable by
the body and, in contrast to prescribed hormones, protect against
breast cancer.
Legal Disclaimer:
This content is not intended to replace conventional medical treatment.
Any suggestions made and all herbs listed are not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease, condition or symptom. Personal
directions and use should be provided by a clinical herbalist or other
qualified healthcare practitioner with a specific formula for you.
All material contained herein is provided for general information
purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation.
Contact a reputable healthcare practitioner if you are in need of
medical care. Exercise self-empowerment by seeking a second opinion.
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081
Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has
garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures,
teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional
medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic
knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated
and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.
Susun is one of America's best-known authorities
on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women's health. Her four
best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known
physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around
the world. Learn more at http://www.susunweed.com
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