How Long Do Menopause Symptoms Last?

When they first learn about menopause symptoms, the question most women ask is; “how long will they last?”  Thousands of women each year begin to have symptoms associated with menopause.  Naturally, they want to learn more on the topic.

Since the average age of women starting menopause is 51 (in the U.S.), this leaves quite a few years (both prior to and following this age) that women might endure symptoms associated with menopause.

Symptoms can start slowly and gradually with irregular and spotty periods, a few hot flashes and night sweats, and the occasional mood swing.

Depending on the frequency and severity of these symptoms, a woman may seek relief sooner or later. In many women (unfortunately) these symptoms may advance to include (along with greater frequency and intensity of the aforementioned symptoms), additional problems related to the digestive system, blood pressure, weight gain, thinning hair, and the onset of osteoporosis.

A natural solution to menopause is one that can offer more relief with fewer accompanying side effects and/or risks.   This way of thinking has become more of a standard now days, rather than blindly accepting the risks associated HRT (hormone replacement therapy) or bio-identicals.  Many women have taken a more natural approach to menopause symptoms and consider the offerings of the large pharmaceutical companies not to be the best option.

Many women realize that balancing hormones (progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen) through the use of 100% natural, plant-based alternatives can be an effective means to this end.

Current scientific evidence exists (including human trials) that the phytonutrients found in flaxseed (acting as weak estrogen replacements) can (safely and) effectively balance female hormone levels and manage symptoms commonly associated with menopause.

FemFlax® is an all-natural concentration of full-spectrum flax hull lignans (phytoestrogens) and one of the most potent and prolific sources of SDG flax hull lignans (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside) in the entire plant kingdom.

As always, it is important to consult with your physician, nutritionist, or other health-care provider prior to undertaking any new health, physical exercise, or diet regimen changes.

Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones

On the face of it, the top selling book “The Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones” has gotten many favorable reviews.  A note of caution however; any book title with the word “miracle” in the title should bear further investigation.  The old adages “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”, “let the buyer beware”, and “those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it” are all good axioms to live by.  It’s best to insure that there is water in the pool, especially before jumping into the deep end.

 

Any proper analysis of “The Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones” should start with a history lesson. Back in the early 1960’s a Dr. Robert Wilson wrote a book which (at the time) received similar fanfare and was titled “Feminine Forever”.  In it, Dr. Wilson extolled the virtues of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the information contained within was promoted as a potential curative for everything from hot flashes to cancer.

 

While that fact that Dr. Wilson’s Son later confirmed that his Father’s book and speeches were entirely funded by “Wythe”, the pharmaceutical company that produced the drug, history would eventually note that more than 6,000,000 women would be prescribed for HRT for a variety of menopause related symptoms and other perceived ailments.

 

Decades later, a grass-roots movement forced The U.S. Congress to investigate the safety and efficacy of HRT.  The test involving more than 600,000 women over a 5-year period was halted earlier than planned.  Results confirmed the suspicions (of some) that not only was HRT not the miracle elixir that it was purported to be, but that the treatment plan actually led to a much higher incidence of heart disease and various types of cancer.  Following the study, Cynthia Pearson (head of the National Women’s Health Network – the group that spearheaded the test) categorized HRT as “a triumph of marketing over science.”

 

Even with these incontrovertible facts, HRT is still used today, though usually recommended only for short durations.  Seeing that some women will experience menopause symptoms for 10 years or more, HRT hardly seems worth the risk.

 

This brings us to today’s miracle cure; “The Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones”.  These are the facts that we know:

 

• The author of “The Miracle of Bioidentical hormones” (Michael Platt) lost his license to practice medicine in the U.S., August 6^th, 2010, this, following years of investigation regarding his claims.

 

• No comprehensive test studies have ever been conducted as to the safety and efficacy of bioidentical treatment plans.

 

• Arguments persist that “the Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones” is a work of fiction and has no bearing on actual medical science.

 

After 50 years, American women have every right to be skeptical of menopause symptom relief claims as offered by the medical community and prescription drug companies, even those cleared by the FDA.

 

It must be remembered that prescription drug companies are only interested in drugs that can be patented so as to protect their investment.  This means laboratory initiated formulas and not plant-based or herbal treatments which cannot be patented.

 

Few independent research groups have the funding necessary to conduct research regarding all natural menopause symptom relief treatments, without the sponsorship of a large pharmaceutical company.

 

The Mayo Clinic is one of the few that does.

 

In 2007 the Mayo Clinic conducted a study on flaxseed that showed exception promise in reducing the common symptoms associated with Menopause.

 

Additional in vivo tests have concluded that flax hull lignans (the chemically active portion of flaxseed) can be as effective (about 70%) as HRT in reducing menopause symptoms (especially hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings), while remaining safe and effective (without increasing the dose), even over prolonged use.

 

Concentrated FemFlax® has 10-times the phytonutrients and hot-flash stopping power of ground whole-grain flaxseed.  To learn more about plant-based, all-natural FemFlax, please visit our website at: www.femflax.com.

 

 

 

 

The Sixteen Most Important Things to Look For In a Menopausal Treatment Plan

Part 1 of 2:

Millions of women face varying of degrees of pain, discomfort, and irritation as a result of symptoms associated with menopause, each year.

Sorting out the best menopausal treatment for you can be a daunting process, especially if you’ve already had (HRT) hormone replacement therapy, or are considering it.

We are not discounting the positive effectives of HRT.  Unfortunately, no accredited medical professional will recommend HRT for long-term use.  It must be noted that many menopause symptoms can last for ten years or more.  These include (but are not limited to), hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, mood swings, vaginal dryness, itchy skin, unwanted weight gain, increased risk of high blood pressure, renal failure, greater risk of developing certain types of cancer, hair loss, etc., to name a few.

So, even if you’ve already been exposed to HRT for a relatively short time period of time (or are considering this type of menopausal treatment), what are your plans to deal with menopause symptoms once your HRT menopausal treatments stop?  Unfortunately, (in the majority of cases) once HRT menopausal treatments cease, menopause symptoms come back with a vengeance.

This obviously begs the question; “What will you do now to treat your menopause symptoms?”

Between our research and interaction with actual women having menopause symptoms, we’ve created a list of 16 questions that might be asked (you might think or more) before embarking on a new menopausal treatment plan.

In no particular order of relevance, here they are:

Is it Safe?

Clinical evidence is clear when it comes to HRT.  HRT, even taken for a short duration is more risk intensive than most women are willing to accept.  Many herbal (non-pharmacological) alternative treatments have proven to be unsafe over the long haul.

Does it Work?

By all accounts, HRT offers some of the best percentages of menopausal treatment relief of anything available (prescription or non-prescription).

Clinical studies have indicated that certain (purported) herbal remedies (black cohosh) are no more effective at treating menopause symptoms than placebos.

Some plant-based supplements contain concentrated amounts of phytoestrogens which (some health experts believe), are as effective as HRT in relieving symptoms associated with menopause.

Is There a Guarantee?

Offering a money-back guarantee is always a good idea, as long as the guarantee doesn’t obligate the consumer to purchase multiple bottles or sign up for a subscription, in advance.

For obvious reasons, pharmaceutical companies can’t offer guarantees, as legal issues preclude them.

What about Clinical Trials?

Any company offering a viable menopausal treatment plan ought to be able to offer real clinical evidence in support of their claims.  With all of the bloated claims out there, hear-say and antidotal remarks no longer offer sufficient proof for the educated web browser.

Are the Active Ingredients Clearly Identifiable?

HRT menopausal treatment plans are required to divulge all ingredients (active and inactive), by law.

Many supplement manufactures, including some herbal and all-natural menopausal treatments are not as clear when it comes to the actual active ingredients.

Some use terms like; “Ancient Secret” or “proprietary blend” to hide or disguise the actual ingredients.

In today’s information-centric society, do you really want to put your trust, confidence hard-earned into a product that won’t divulge upward to 90% of the actual ingredients?

Are the Risk Levels Acceptable?

Some menopausal treatment plans are unsafe, except for short term use, or are only considered safe if you constantly “stop and restart” the program.

What you need is to find a program that is considered safe (taken every day) for as long as your menopause symptoms persist.

Does the Product Address More Than One or Two Symptoms Associated with Menopause?

The active ingredient(s) in some “all-natural” products would have you believe that they cover a myriad of menopause symptoms.

One such company claims that “Maca Root” is great for reducing menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings.

Even casual research will not only indicate that these claims are unfounded, but that maca root

Is primarily promoted as an herb to enhance male virility, and can affect testosterone levels.

It is already known that one of the undesirable effects of menopause is the increased risk of hair growth in unwanted areas of the body, including facial hair.

Does the unwitting addition of increased levels of testosterone sound like something that you’d like to add to your health regimen?

An effective menopause supplement will offer menopausal treatment relief from more than just one or two symptoms.

Has the Product been Proven Effective When Treating Health Concerns Other than Menopause Symptoms?

Some of the newer menopausal treatment manufacturers can supply clinical evidence proving that their product can actually treat other ailments as well.

Among these are hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, renal disease (kidney ailments), retard the growth (or totally eliminate) certain cancerous tumors and lesions, and lupus.

click here to continue to part 2

 

The Sixteen Most Important Things to Look For In Your Treatment for Menopause

Part 2 of 2:  click here for part 1

Is the Product Cost Effective?

Some treatments for menopause contain exotic ingredients, concentrated, and are not easily manufactured.  These can cost as much as $1.00 to $1.50 per day, and up.

If you find a find a relatively small manufacturer (not one of the larger pharmaceuticals or vitamin companies) who has out-sourced their own blend of typical vitamins and minerals that could be recommended for good over-all perimenopause and menopause health (calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, selenium, manganese, zinc, vitamin C, B-2, B-6, B-12, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin E, and folic acid) you still should not pay much more than $10 for a one-month supply.

What about Health Benefits for Men?

If you find a product that can actually thwart menopause symptoms plus act as a safe and effective treatment for male medical concerns, it’s a bargain at any price.

At least one known manufacturer supplies a product that deals (coincidentally) with both female and male medical concerns.  We say confidentially due to the fact that the product is the highly-concentrated result of an all-natural plant (not an inert, formulated chemical compound produced in a laboratory).

This manufacturer can substantiate claims that their product is an effective treatment for high blood pressure and heart disease (for both men and women), can level or adjust male hormones, and has properties that retard or eliminate the growth of certain cancerous lesions and tumors, including testicular cancer and prostate cancer.

Do I Have to Subscribe to Get the Best Deal?

If you are forced to purchase multiple bottles, sign up for multiple bottles, subscribe to purchase,  engage in any program where your credit card will be billed on a reoccurring, mandatory basis, or agree to purchase more than one bottle just to qualify for the manufacturer’s return policy, then it’s likely that you haven’t found the best ‘deal’ and certainly haven’t found the best product.

If a manufacturer has to attach a ‘gimmick’ for you to purchase their product, then they obviously haven’t worked hard enough to convince you of the merits of their product.

Is the Product easy to Take?

Some natural supplements come in powdered form.  This in itself is not a bad thing.

However, these manufacturers suggest that you add your powdered daily dose (or doses) to snack or in-between meal foods, including yogurt, ice cream, hot or dry cereal, etc.

Some manufacturers even go so far as to suggest elaborate main meals or things that you can bake that incorporate the dry supplement as a raw food additive.  You’ll find all sorts of recipes on their websites.

There is a reason that you do not often see the words ‘supplement’ and ‘yummy’ in the same sentence. Frankly, most of these concoctions are awful, with the possible exception of any popular brand of flavored yogurt, which can effectively disguise the flavor of almost anything else.

The real culprit in all this (in case you hadn’t noticed) is that you will be ingesting many more calories and carbohydrates (than necessary) as a sort of vehicle to transport your daily powdered supplement.

One of the 34 most prevalent menopause symptoms is unwanted weight gain.  This is also due to changes (in the body) when reaching menopause.  The drop in estrogen levels coupled with an increased (comfort) urge for sweets make it nearly impossible to shed unwanted pounds, without the right intervention.

Do you really need the extra calories and carbohydrates just to facilitate your daily supplement?  We don’t think so.  There are better choices.

What about Shelf Life?

We’ve noted that some well-advertised treatments for menopause have an extremely short shelf life (of only one or two weeks) even if stored in an air-tight glass or metal container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Again, there are better choices.

What does the FDA Think?

If the FDA has weighed-in with favorable comments linked to the active ingredient in your supplement choice, this is a good thing.

If the FDA has commented negatively or not all, in all likelihood you can make a better choice to ward off hot flashes and night sweats.

Does the Product Produce Health Benefits for Younger Women as Well?

Any good treatment for menopause will offer health benefits to younger women (not children) as well.

In this regard, some menopause supplements have been known to effectively balance hormones (in younger women), make periods less severe, and to improve hair sheen and fullness.

Can I Take the Product Over a Protracted Time Period?

The very best treatment for menopause will be safe and effective throughout the entire time that you experience menopause symptoms.