I had a blood clot years ago deep in the vein of my leg and am unable to take hormones. Is there something natural I can take to relieve my menopausal symptoms?

 

I have no energy and often experience heart palpations. I had a complete hysterectomy in 2003 and I feel like my health has gone down hill since I cannot take hormones.

 

Answer:

 

There are a number of natural remedies that have been thought to help reduce or alleviate the symptoms of menopause. Whether they actually work or not is still unknown. They may have different results on different women. Some women refuse to use hormone replacement therapy and turn to herbal remedies instead. Since the effects are somewhat unknown, it is important to talk with your doctor first before starting to take any herbal supplement.

 

Also, many herbs themselves work by replacing the hormones in your body. Black Cohosh and Dong Quai are examples. Herbs such as these are classified as phytoestrogens. This means that they are plant extracts that have estrogen properties. They are supposed to work by helping to balance out the hormonal levels in menopausal women. Since your doctor doesn’t recommend any form of hormonal therapy, non-estrogenic herbs would be another approach.

 

Just as their name suggests, non-estrogenic herbs don’t contain any estrogen. They instead work with your body and help stimulate the glands to more efficiently produce their own natural hormones. It helps to balance estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone levels which may help to relieve the symptoms of menopause. One type of non-estrogenic herb is macafem. To learn more about this herb you can visit the website at www.macafem.com, but please first consult with your doctor before trying any kind of herbal supplement.

 

There are also some ways to help relieve menopausal symptoms without taking herbal or hormonal supplements. For hot flashes, which can cause heart palpitations (increased heart rate with no exertion), try the following:

 

• Keep a diary of your hot flashes - tracking your hot flashes can help you figure out what triggers them.
• Keep your environment cool.
• Dress in layers - you can discard layers when a hot flash occurs.
• Avoid stressful situations - stress can trigger hot flashes.
• Cool off with water - splash your hands or face with cool water during a hot flash.
• Watch your diet - fatty foods may be trigger hot flashes.
• Try deep breathing exercises - these can help alleviate the magnitude of the symptoms.

 

Maintaining a consistent exercise plan and eating a well-balanced diet consisting of a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can help provide you with the energy you need to get through each day.