I know, I know... It's been too long since I've posted. Sorry. I'll try and do better from now on; promise.
I was scanning a quick google news search today trying to figure out what to enlighten you about, and right near the top was a link to a story about herbal remedies and menopausal symptom relief.
How appropriate, as I've got two clients right now in the process of perimenopause I'm working with. Jumping over to the document in question, I quickly discover it's a "Dear Doc" column and not one devoted to herbal or natural remedies. The jist of the conversation is this:
Writer: "I'm 50 years old and experiencing classic menopausal symptoms (not to mention a pain-in-the-ass husband) of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, crying jags and low libido over the past several years. I can't take conventional HRT as I've a history of breast cancer in the family. After doing some research, I've been on Black Cohosh and a soy preparation. Guess what? Hot flashes are gone." (No mention of the other symptoms. I guess those are better...)Doctor: "What the hell is Black Cohosh? Never heard of it... But don't trust natural foods (Of course, why would anyone trust anything that comes from nature?) because their unregulated. (Or it could be that you're just uneducated. Ever heard of DSHEA?)
Standard routine for most women... or anyone approaching their allopath about natural supplements or herbal remedies. The good news is that Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) and other botanical medicines are very effective to women going through the various stages of menopause. There's also Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex agnus-castus), Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) and a host of other wonderful plants that are very beneficial.
But next time you've got a question about some herbal prep you picked up in a health food store after your own research, you might want to consult with an herbalist... before you perplex your poor medical doctor.