By guest author Dr. Jo Ann Holoka
Nowadays, there seems to be a magical pill for just about everything. And if the pills you’re taking are making you feel lousy, there’s a pill for that too. This roundabout way of addressing health concerns can be ineffective and potentially detrimental to your overall health. This is especially important for women experiencing symptoms of menopause. Unlike most medical conditions, menopause isn’t the result of malnutrition, lack of exercise, genetics or any lifestyle or predisposition. It’s a transitional period that all women must face, willing or not.
There are a variety of symptoms that women may experience in the years leading up to and during menopause. Some of these include hot flashes, night sweats, decreased sex drive, loss of energy, fatigue, mood swings, irritability and depression. The problem is that most women (and their doctors) aim to treat menopause on a symptom-by-symptoms basis. For example, if a woman going through menopause tells her doctor that she’s feeling depressed, the doctor will likely recommend an anti-depressant to improve her mood. While anti-depressants may help some individuals, for women going through menopause, depression isn’t the problem — the problem is her hormones.
What many women don’t know is that there are several foods that can actually help curb many of the symptoms women experience. These foods contain “dietary estrogens” or phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens, while not found naturally within the human body, mimic the action of natural estrogens. Being that menopause symptoms are typically the result of waning estrogen levels, phytoestrogens have the ability to minimize the effects of hormonal decline in women.
The most common phytoestrogens are:
- Black cohosh
- Ginseng
- Soy
- Red clover
- Dong quai
Phytoestrogens such as these have been found to help alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and even depression. Still, women should exercise caution when using any substance capable of altering hormonal activity, because our hormones are held together in an extremely delicate balance. Even the slightest change can have a ripple effect and interfere with the balance of other hormones throughout the body. If you’re trying to find relief from symptoms of menopause, I would highly recommend talking with your doctor about your options before taking matters into your own hands. It’s always wise to test hormone levels to get an accurate baseline prior to any treatment, regardless of how non-invasive it may be.
Dr. Jo Ann Holoka , Jacksonville Bioidentical Hormones expert is part of BodyLogicMD, a network of highly trained physicians across the country who use BHRT (bioidentical hormone therapy) integrated with nutrition and fitness planning to help those suffering from hormone related conditions such as adrenal fatigue, menopause, and andropause (the male menopause).
By guest author Dr. Jo Ann Holoka
There are a variety of symptoms that women may experience in the years leading up to and during menopause. Some of these include hot flashes, night sweats, decreased sex drive, loss of energy, fatigue, mood swings, irritability and depression. The problem is that most women (and their doctors) aim to treat menopause on a symptom-by-symptoms basis. For example, if a woman going through menopause tells her doctor that she’s feeling depressed, the doctor will likely recommend an anti-depressant to improve her mood. While anti-depressants may help some individuals, for women going through menopause, depression isn’t the problem — the problem is her hormones.
What many women don’t know is that there are several foods that can actually help curb many of the symptoms women experience. These foods contain “dietary estrogens” or phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens, while not found naturally within the human body, mimic the action of natural estrogens. Being that menopause symptoms are typically the result of waning estrogen levels, phytoestrogens have the ability to minimize the effects of hormonal decline in women.
The most common phytoestrogens are:
Phytoestrogens such as these have been found to help alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and even depression. Still, women should exercise caution when using any substance capable of altering hormonal activity, because our hormones are held together in an extremely delicate balance. Even the slightest change can have a ripple effect and interfere with the balance of other hormones throughout the body. If you’re trying to find relief from symptoms of menopause, I would highly recommend talking with your doctor about your options before taking matters into your own hands. It’s always wise to test hormone levels to get an accurate baseline prior to any treatment, regardless of how non-invasive it may be.
Dr. Jo Ann Holoka , Jacksonville Bioidentical Hormones expert is part of BodyLogicMD, a network of highly trained physicians across the country who use BHRT (bioidentical hormone therapy) integrated with nutrition and fitness planning to help those suffering from hormone related conditions such as adrenal fatigue, menopause, and andropause (the male menopause).