Saturday, November 15, 2008

Herbs For Menopause to Use With Hot Flashes, Bloating, Depression, Headaches, Insomnia and More

Are you looking for some herbs for menopause that you can use to reduce or eliminate hot flashes or other bothersome symptoms? 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 and support, as well as other natural approaches to help you go through your change with minimal discomfort.

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.

Depression   St. John's wort is well known for it's ability to lift your spirits. It's not for everyone though. Do some research before you try it.

Fatigue   Both American ginseng and Siberian ginseng are excellent herbs for stress and will give you extra energy as well.

Headaches, migraines   Black cohosh, blue vervain, scullcap, St. John's wort, wild yam, and willow bark can all help with headaches. Feverfew can help with migraines.

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.

Do you want to learn more about exactly how and when to use herbs and other natural approaches for menopause? Find out more here: Herbs for Menopause

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Candice_Hughes

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