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Balancing your doshas, as discussed above, is
first approach to ensuring optimal hormone production after menopause, but Ayurvedic herbs can also help. Indian asparagus root (shatavari; asparagus racemosus), thick-leaved lavender (chorak; angelica glauca- related to Chinese female tonic Dong Quai,) licorice root, sandalwood, pearl, red coral, rose and others are used by skilled practitioners in balanced, synergistic combinations to help relieve hot flashes, libido problems, irritability, mood swings and other menopausal symptoms.
Hormonal Help from Plants--It's Not Just Soy! Diet also plays a key role in balancing hormones during and after menopause. It is well known that Japanese women rarely experience hot flashes, probably because their diet contains large amounts of soy, a food rich in certain plant estrogens called "isoflavones." Soy products are not only source of plant estrogens, however. Another equally healthful source of phytoestrogens are "lignans," compounds found in a variety of whole foods including grains and cereals, dried beans and lentils, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and peanuts, vegetables such as asparagus, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic and broccoli and fruits such as pears, plums and strawberries. Common herbs and spices such as thyme oregano, nutmeg, turmeric and licorice also have estrogenic properties.
It turns out that if you simply eat a varied diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dried beans you will be ingesting a rich phytoestrogen feast in your daily cuisine! Variety and moderation are important because just as too much estrogen is unhealthy after menopause, too much phytoestrogen may also be dangerous. This danger can be avoided by getting your phytoestrogens naturally from a variety of whole foods, rather than from supplements or concentrated tablets.
When You Can't Stop Flashing, Get The "Lead" Out!
More serious symptoms, such as frequent hot flashes, continual sleep disturbance, and moderate to severe mood swings, are signs of deeper imbalances that, if left untreated, will persist to set stage for later disease. For these more troublesome symptoms to manifest, tissues of your body–your bones, muscles, fat, organs, skin, and blood–must be disturbed in some way. Ayurveda describes that stubborn symptoms are usually due to buildup of wastes and toxins, referred to as "ama," in your body's tissues.
For example, hot flashes that won't go away despite herbs, diet, exercise, and perhaps even HRT usually represent a problem with ama. One of my Ayurvedic mentors explained it this way: When your body's channels are clogged with wastes, heat from metabolism builds up in your tissues. Hot flashes result from sudden surges in blood flow as body tries to clear channels and dissipate heat buildup quickly. A similar phenomenon occurs when you have a heater set on high in an overheated room with all windows and doors closed. To cool down room, first you must turn down heater (see Tips for P-Type above) but you also need to throw open windows and doors (as in removing ama) so heat can flow out.
We can understand this analogy medically in terms of hormone receptors. No matter how much estrogen or phytoestrogen you have floating through your bloodstream, it does you no good unless it connects with your body's estrogen receptors, tiny "keyholes" on your cells. Estrogen and phytoestrogens fit these keyholes like minuscule keys and through them gain entry into your cells. When receptors are clogged with debris or "ama," your hormones cannot get into your cells to do their work. Then bothersome menopause symptoms may persist despite a variety of attempted therapies.
In this case, a traditional Ayurvedic detoxification program referred to as Maharishi Rejuvenation Therapy (MRT), or "panchakarma," may be needed to clear body's channels and gain relief. This internal cleansing approach is also treatment of choice for more serious problems such as osteoporosis and high cholesterol. A study published in a recent issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine confirmed that this ancient technology of herbalized oil massage, heat treatments and mild internal cleansing therapies does indeed reduce toxins in body. Hormone disrupting PCB's and pesticides such as DDT were reduced by approximately 50% after just 5 days of treatment. Other studies have shown overall reduction in health symptoms, a rise in "good cholesterol," and reduction in free radicals from MRT.
In my clinical experience, MRT can be very transforming, eliminating symptoms while at same time dramatically reducing stress and fatigue. After a week of treatment, my patients not only report feeling much better, they radiate health and youthfulness and many experience a profound sense of well-being and inner peace.
It's Not Too Late The important point to remember at midlife is that health problems don’t pop out of nowhere when your estrogen levels start to fluctuate and fall off. Rather it is cumulative effects of damaging lifestyle habits--late nights, fast food, eating on run, lots of stress, too little exercise--over decades that set in motion chronic disease and aging well before menopause. Your symptoms are simply telling you just how out of balance you are. The good news is that with a few basic lifestyle changes, and healing power of Maharishi Ayurveda when needed, underlying imbalances can be resolved, paving way for a smooth menopause transition and great health in years to come.
Nancy Lonsdorf M.D. received her M.D. from Johns Hopkins and did her postgraduate training at Stanford. Dr. Lonsdorf has 17 years of clinical experience with Ayurveda and is the author of two books on Ayurveda and women's health: web site url: http://www.ayurveda-ayurvedic.com/
