If you are a woman on the other side of forty then you are either already facing issues regarding menopause, or will be facing them soon enough to know that herbs such as red clover, black Cohosh and chaste berry are natural ingredients that relieve all women from this stressful time. It is natural to experience mood swings and even feel physical discomforts such as migraine and cramps at certain times of the month. These natural herbs are not known by many. Therefore, they are yet to be optimally utilized for relieving menopausal stress.
Black Cohosh
Black Cohosh bears no connection to blue or white Cohosh. The Native Americans were the first ones to use it as a healing ingredient. They later introduced it to the Europeans. Black Cohosh is also known as Black Snakeroot, Rattleweed, Bugwort or simply Snakeroot.
Research regarding the benefits of this herb has still not been able to prove if it triggers any estrogen related activities in women which might not affect the reproductive organs. Despite this lack of proven scientific evidence, many women vouch for the use of this herb during menopause to control sudden bursts of hot flushes.
Women in Germany have been using a product known as Remifemin to treat menopausal stress for more than 50 years now. This is claimed to be „the only black cohosh proven to relieve hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings, and it is a treatment that is widely available from leet many leading online sites such as Amazon.com.
It is best to use any of these herbs and their related products after consulting a doctor and finding out what effects each of them might be responsible for. Most of the time all these herbs have some sort of reactions with other substances in the body that might be harmful.
Chaste Tree Berry
For the most part Chaste Tree Berry has been used by women to seek relief from pre menstrual stress that includes cramps, inflammation and headaches. However, recent research has been concentrating on the possibility of this herb being used to help treat menopause related issues as well. According to historic belief, Chinese monks would chew on the Chaste Tree Berry to control their sexual urges and maintain celibacy. This herb is also popularly known as Hemp Tree, Chinese Vitex, and Mang Jing Zi.
There are three studies being conducted simultaneously to see if the Chaste Tree Berry is useful in treating hot flushes during menopause.
It is suggested that the main effect of this herb is on different neurotransmitters and hormones which results in lowering of estrogen level and increase in progesterone. These functions are performed by the herb indirectly.
This herb can be useful to treat PMS in women and even treat menopausal stress as long as the individual doesn‟t have a past that includes cancer and cancer medication.
Red Clover
Red Clover is also known as Meadow Clover, Purple Clover, Trifolium and Genistein. However, it is completely different from Soy, Liverwort and Sweet Clover.
Red clover has long been used as a natural blood purifier, a substance that improves circulation, promotes the production of urine and mucus, and stimulates the body‟s ability to generate bile.
From the point of view of a menopausal woman, the main advantage of red clover is that it helps to reduce the increased risk of other illnesses that is an attendant disadvantage of menopause. For example, it is believed that the isoflavones in red clover helped to slow down the deterioration in bone mass and quality, thereby helping to offset the potential of osteoporosis. At the same time, isoflavones are also believed to promote the production of „good‟ cholesterol in the body at the time of menopause, thereby helping to offset or minimize the potential for cardiovascular disease.
From what you have read so far, it should be clear that amongst the three herbs mentioned in this chapter, it would appear that black cohosh is the most suitable for treating women who are experiencing menopause.
The Chaste Tree berry is good to treat PMS conditions in women, but it does not appear to significantly effect menopausal symptoms. No matter how fit you are medically, you should remember that these herbs are drugs that have the potential to react with other substances in the human body and result in various symptoms, all of which might not be pleasant. Therefore, before consuming any of these natural drugs, it makes a great deal of sense to seek a thorough medical checkup with your doctor before embarking on your own program of herbal treatments and remedies for the worst adverse side effects of the menopause.
Another pointer to take into account is that for many women, they will live through menopause without any significant changes in their lives or in their body.
Even if there is any change, it is so small to be hardly noticeable, to the extent that for many women, the menopause almost passes totally unnoticed and overlooked. Therefore, it is fair to say that menopause and its symptoms have a lot to do with the kind of lifestyle the woman follows. During this time it is important to pay attention to alcohol consumption levels, smoking habit, eating habits and exercise routine that are followed on a regular basis.
It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle while going through menopause as habits such as smoking and excessive drinking can aggravate the symptoms.
It is also important to stay away from low-nutrition fast foods and to stick to fresh vegetables, soups, meat, fruits and salads. At the same time, since menopause is accompanied by cramps and sudden weight gains, it is also necessary to partake in a regular routine of exercise. This not only controls excess weight but it also keeps the body active which relieves the cramping considerably.
Most people don‟t identify the chain effect that cramping and weight loss has, but there is a connection. For example, severe cramps and the pain that they bring on can lead to depression, which itself can lead to overheating and a lack of exercise.
Therefore, eating healthy and working out regularly makes life easier for women going through menopause.