Herbs and health boosting properties often sit comfortably in the same sentence, and numerous studies have extolled the virtues of these natural cure-alls.
And when it comes to the menopause, some herbs could potentially offer women relief from menopausal symptoms including vaginal dryness.
Earlier this year wellbeing guru Liz Earle revealed that sage is one of her go-to’s for relief from menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and more.
Now medical herbalist Pamela Spence – a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and a member of the College of Medicine – is the latest figure to join this conversation outlining that around two-thirds of her clinical practice involves helping women with menopausal symptoms using plants like red clover, hops and sage – all of which contain phyto-oestrogens.
Phyto-oestrogens are plant substances with oestrogenic properties.
But rather than being used in isolation, she revealed that she creates bespoke mixes for her patients to help with symptoms ranging from anxiety, flushes and fatigue to palpitations to joint pain.
MORE:10 causes of hot flushes that have nothing to do with the menopause
Commenting she says, “The key strategies when it comes to menopause are to support the body during the transition from oestrogen created in the ovaries, to creating oestrogen in new sites in the body. This often means supporting the adrenals that are often tired with our modern, stressful lives and have a new and integral role to play in this new oestrogen landscape.
“The liver can also be under pressure at this time and women commonly find that they can’t tolerate alcohol in the same way as they used to. Finally, using plants high in plant oestrogens means that the body has something to use while it gets used to the new lower levels of oestrogen and the fact that it is being prepared in different sites in the body for the first time.”
Concluding she added, “There is no sign that the HRT treatment issue will be resolved any time soon, which is a worry. While I would never suggest coming off prescribed medication without consulting a GP, if women want to explore more natural, but still effective options, then speaking to a qualified medical herbalist could be a good starting place.”
It’s vital to consult your GP first before considering any potential course of action for your menopausal symptoms.
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