Herbs For Menopause Can be Safe and Effective

Are you wondering if herbs for menopause are safe and effective? A lot of women in menopause are looking for a way to avoid HRT because they are concerned about the risks and side effects. Fortunately, there are many herbs for menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, bloating, high blood pressure, insomnia and more.

Herbs for menopause will affect you differently than drugs. If you are used to drugs, you will find herbs to have more subtle effects. Some herbs will give you relief immediately, while some can take two to three months to notice a change.

Herbs for menopause can be used to balance your hormones, support your liver in doing all the extra work it has to do during the Change, recalibrate your stress response, and boost your nutritional intake.

Here are just a few examples of some symptoms of menopause and some herbs that can help:

Bloating, digestive problems – Gentian is a very bitter herb. It will help get your stomach juices flowing if you take it ten to fifteen minutes before eating. This can help with bloating and indigestion. You have to taste it for it to work, so you need to take it in tincture form. Ginger is an excellent herb for digestion. You can drink a decoction made from simmering a few slices of root in water for about twenty minutes, or use the tincture. Blue vervain and scullcap are two herbs that are relaxing and will help your digestive system to relax, which is when it works best. It shuts down under stress, so if you are under stress, these are a couple of good herbs to try.

Heart health – Heart health becomes very important during this time. If you have been exercising regularly and eating a heart-healthy diet (it may not be what you think – see http://www.natural-approaches-to-menopause.com/menopuase-diets.html for more info), you’re ahead of the game. If not, there is no better time to start. Some herbs that can help with heart health are lemon balm, motherwort, and hawthorn.

High blood pressure – High blood pressure often arrives along with menopause. I had blood pressure ov 120 over 80 for years, but once I it menopause, it went sky high. Blue vervain, dandelion, garlic, ginseng, hawthorn, motherwort, nettles, and passionflower can all help with blood pressure. Blue vervain, motherwort and passionflower help by relaxing you. Dandelion supports your liver. Hawthorn is an excellent herb for overall heart health. Ginseng helps your body adapt to stress. Nettles is full of heart-nourishing minerals.

Hormone balancing – Pre menopause and menopause are times when you can easily lose your hormone balance. Hormones affected are adrenal, thyroid, progesterone and estrogen. Dong quai, ginseng, wild yam and vitex (chasteberry) are helpful for these conditions.

Hot flashes, night sweats – Often herbs in combination work best for hot flashes. You can try a combination of black cohosh, dong quai and wild yam. Maca root has worked for many women. Other herbs that work for hot flashes include chasteberry, and motherwort.

Insomnia – Blue vervain, chamomile, hops, motherwort, passionflower, and valerian are all helpful for getting you to sleep and helping you to stay asleep. Chamomile can be infused (pour boiling hot water over the dried leaves, cover and let steep for 2-4 hours) and drunk throughout the day. The other herbs can be used in tincture form.

The best way to take herbs is by drinking infusions (like a tea, only much stronger) or a few drops of tincture or extract several times a day. You can take them with or without food. Capsules are okay if you just can’t stand the taste of a tincture, but you won’t get the benefits of an infusion in a capsule.

If you’re looking for a way to avoid hormone replacement therapy, or even just looking for some natural ways to work with your symptoms, herbs for menopause can be safe and effective.

Candice Jones-Hughes