Recently I have had many women come into the shop with concerns about getting away from taking their Hormone Replacement Therapy, HRT. Many of them are now looking for alternative means of hormone replacement using phytoestrogens. I recently attended a class with Susan Weed on the topic of phytoestrogens and natural alternatives for HRT's. In her class she explained that plants do not actually contain human hormones but they do contain lignans, coumetain, isoflavones and other chemicals that are plant based. When these chemicals come into contact with the good bacteria in the digestive system, they provide the needed building blocks to convert plant chemicals, phytoesterols, into human estrogen and progesterone.

Some of the ways you can obtain phytoesterols is through your diet. Let your food be your medicine. Seeds like sunflower, sesame and pumpkin are high in phytoesterols as are whole grains like brown rice, wheat, corn, rye or oats. Beans, especially lentils, fruits and vegetables also contain some phytoesterols. It isn't hard to put these foods in to your diet if they are not already there. Another way to get your hormone levels in balance is by using herbs. Black or Blue Cohosh, Vitex, Wild Yam, Dong Quai, False Unicorn, Elethuro, Licorice, Motherwort, Red Raspberry, Sage, Dandelion and Yarrow are just some of the herbs that contain phytoesterols. When using plants for hormone replacement you don't need to worry if you are not getting enough or if you are taking too much the way the body chemistry works with plants is that the body will only take what it needs to be converted into estrogen or progesterone. Using a combination of these herbs can help to reduce night sweats, bloating, mood swings, heart palpitations, migraines, breast tenderness, irregularity of periods, insomnia and the scattered thinking (menopausal moments) that goes along with peri-menopause and menopause.

In Rosemary Gladstar's book, "Herbal Healing for Women", there is a tincture recipe for menopause, it is the one that I use.

Mix all the herbs together. Put mixture into a wide mouth jar and cover with a good quality brandy, I use black berry. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Shake the jar daily for 4-6 weeks. Strain through a cheesecloth and rebottle liquid into a dark colored jar. Rosemary recommends 1/2 tsp. diluted in tea or juice 3X a day.

For those who may not yet be going through menopause, this formula can help to balance hormonal levels, regulate your period, and help with moodiness and other symptoms associated with PMS.

If you have had your ovaries removed, herbs like Wild Yam, Dong Quai, Red Clover or Licorice would be the ones you would want to use. These can help to prevent the thickening of the uterine walls, which over time, may lead to cancer.

The following formula from Rosemary Gladstars book helps to strengthen the endocrine glands and the adrenal glands. They take over the roll of producing estrogen after the ovaries are removed or cease to function.

Mix all the herbs together. For each quart of tea use 6 tbsp. of the herb mixture. Rosemary recommends 3-4 cups per day for at least 3 months, but you can use this longer if you like.

If you have any questions on how to make any of these formulas pleas stop by the shop and I will gladly teach you.

RESOURCES:
Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary Gladstar
The Wisdom of Menopause by Christine Northrup, MD
Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way by Susan Weed