Vernon Morning Star December 31, 2000

If you’ve begun to experience the changes that for most women signal the onset of menopause, you may be thinking…What do I do now?  Do I just suffer through it?  Do I take a chance with drugs?

Maybe one of your friends feels better taking Premarin and Provera (Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT).  Her mood is brighter, her skin looks better and she has more energy.  But another friend hated the drugs because the side effects were terrible and she gained 30 pounds.

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when her estrogen levels begin to drop, signaling the end of menstruation and child-bearing years.  This change is often accompanied by unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, insomnia, depression and thinning hair.  These symptoms actually result from hormonal imbalances caused by a combination of diet, environmental, and stress-related factors.

Some doctors tell women they don’t need their uteruses anymore and that they should take synthetic hormones to stay young and healthy, denying the aging process.  Either this or shrivel up like a prune and wait for heart disease or osteoporosis to strike.  Many women think their only choice is Premarin, a conjugated estrogenic compound, combined with Provera, a synthetic progesterone derivative.  But these drugs have side effects and increase the risk of some cancers.

For those women on this regimen, it has been estimated that as many as half stop after a year, unable to tolerate the side effects.  Two-thirds stop the Provera and continue to take just Premarin, which places them at risk for endometrial cancer.  Many women, because of the confusion and misinformation about HRT, forego any kind of help and end up suffering the often debilitating effects of menopause in silence.

This is the dilemma faced by most women at menopause:  to take or not to take HRT.  But there is a safe and effective way to balance and replenish your hormones.  You can eliminate symptoms, achieve cardiovascular protection and maintain bone density, while getting the benefits but none of the side effects of HRT.

The Natural Menopause Plan will help you stay afloat.  It features the following:

 
1. Replenishing your hormones using bio-identical plant-derived hormone products that exactly replicate your own hormones.  These hormones don’t have the side effects of synthetic and semi-synthetic hormone replacement drugs.
 
2.  A specially designed eating plan for hormone balancing.  Foods high in phytosterol activity are incorporated into your daily diet to help you self-regulate.
 
3.  An exercise plan which will keep you fit and toned, and even help reverse any pre-existing bone loss.
 
4.  Supplementation with herbs and nutrients to protect your system from pesticides and stress, which unbalance your hormones.

The dread of getting older needs to be re-examined and a refreshing outlook must be acknowledged to maintain a healthy, positive future.  Menopause is a transition not a disease.