Menopause symptom control and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) pros and cons have been in the news endlessly in the last few years. The controversy and the questions remain. Is it safe? What combination of progestins and estrogens are safest with the fewest potential risks? If your menopause symptoms are bad enough you may feel that the potential risks are worth the benefits of having your life back and under your control again.

However, even when doctors are recommending and prescribing HRT, most are now saying that you should limit the number of years you should stay on the hormones. Then what do you do? Do you risk staying on them with the knowledge that you could develop cancer or have a stroke?

This is the dilemma most woman must face. Should you go on hormone replacement to deal with the myriad of menopause symptoms that can disrupt your life?  Do you take the risk?

And then dealing with  menopause symptoms is only one aspect of the post menopause picture for women. We also must deal with the threat of osteoporosis and how to avoid it. And again the pharmaceuticals (bisphosphonates) that have been developed to treat osteoporosis are implicated in causing osteonecrosis (bone death) of the jaw and femur fractures. Merck the maker of Fosamax even acknowleged this with a precaution on its label that it could cause osteonecrosis of the jaw.

So what is a woman to do?

I will outline here a four step program to help with both menopause symptoms and osteoporosis.

1. Exercise not only helps relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, irritability but the right kind of exercise helps to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. Weight bearing exercise like walking, strength training, dancing, tennis and others are fun and easy ways to add bone strength.

2. Take an excellent multi-vitamin/mineral supplement daily. Make sure that it includes B complex, calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D3. Ask your health care provider or nutritionist for help in choosing a good supplement.

3. Eat a healthy balanced diet and avoid things that can increase the incidence of hot flashes like alcohol and spicy food. Add seaweed to your diet for calcium and minerals. Make sure to eat whole grains and phytoestrogenic plants like tempeh, miso, black beans, yams. Drink red clover tea which is highly phytoestrogenic and may also help protect the breast from breast cancer. There is a special way to brew it, call me and I will tell you how.

Limit caffeine which can interfere with calcium absorption and don’t drink sodas, especially cola based ones as studies have shown these decrease bone mineral density.

4. Take an herbal formula that can support you hormonally and that can contribute to bone density. Many Chinese herbs like Dang Gui and other less familiar herbs are highly phytoestrogenic and contain other plant substances to support you during your menopausal years and beyond. Studies show that many specific Chinese herbs actually stimulate the creation of new bone.

By following these steps you can eliminate the risks associated with HRT and bisphosphonates, reduce menopause symptoms, take care of your bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, take back control of your life and enjoy being a woman.

If you would like to know more about my programs to support you naturally during menopause and beyond call now for a free 15 minute consultation. 310-367-1564