Natural hormone therapy treatment involves the use of alternatives to the synthetic hormones frequently prescribed to help people overcome the physical symptoms brought on by hormonal imbalances, most typically those suffered by women undergoing menopause. This type of therapy is holistic, making use not only of natural bioidentical hormones, but also medications to treat thyroid imbalance, herbal supplements, and dietary and lifestyle changes to promote overall bodily health. It has received a great deal of media attention of late, and is endorsed by celebrities, such as Suzanne Somers and Oprah Winfrey.
Bioidentical Hormones
Bioidentical hormones, a staple of natural hormone replacement therapy, are hormones that have been engineered to have the same chemical structure as the hormones that are produced by the human body. Some of the commonly prescribed biodentical hormone treatments include the estrogens estradiol, estriol and estrone, often combined in the forms of Bi-est (estradiol and estriol) and Tri-est (estradiol, estriol and estrone). Other bioidentical hormones include progesterone (in a cream form, this is one of the most widely-used of the bioidenticals), pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH).
Herbal Supplements
Black cohosh is an herb that has been proven in clinical tests to have the ability to suppress hot flashes, a typical menopause symptom consisting of a suddenly accelerated heart rate and blood flow accompanied by heavy sweating. It does this by reducing the levels of the luteinizing hormone (LH) that causes this reaction. Red clover also seems to be able to reduce the incidence of hot flashes, and may also be effective at counteracting the osteoporosis that afflicts many menopausal-age women. Vitex is an herb that appears to regulate progesterone levels, not only suppressing hot flashes but also decreasing vaginal dryness, breast soreness and even menopausally-induced depression. Don quai is an herb that has been long used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating women's hormonal imbalances, and it, too, seems to be somewhat effective when it comes to combating menopause symptoms.
Thyroid Medications
As women enter menopause, their thyroid levels often decrease markedly. Part of this is due to the natural decrease that comes from aging, but it is also due to the fact that the transitions the body is making during menopause use up greater than usual amounts of thyroid. Women undergoing natural hormone therapy will need to have their thyroid levels tested, and may be prescribed a bioidentical thyroid replacement, such as levothyroxine.
Dietary Management
Certain types of foods give the body the support it needs to deal with hormone imbalances on its own. While dietary changes may not be sufficient to correct hormonal imbalances, they may at least reduce the discomfort associated with the condition. Recommended foods for menopausal women include potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, melon, oranges, dried apricots, dark leafy greens (kale, spinach and collard greens), cabbage and broccoli. High-fiber foods, raisins, brown rice, dried beans, nuts and oily fish (salmon, mackerel, among others) are also recommended. Soy-based foods may be particularly beneficial, as they are an excellent source of isoflavones, which have estrogen-like properties. Menopausal women are advised to avoid fried foods, caffeine and alcohol, as these substances may aggravate menopause symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes
A regular exercise program during menopause may help to control physical symptoms--not only hot flashes, but also joint pain, insomnia and irritability. Some sort of weight-bearing aerobic activity, such as walking, should be combined with strength training and some type of flexibility exercise is most beneficial, and the menopausal woman should strive for some sort of physical activity (if not a complete workout) on a daily basis.
Other lifestyle changes that may help include meditation, yoga or even aromatherapy for stress reduction. Some women find relief in journaling as well, feeling it helps them chart the course of this new journey. Menopause is above all a time of transition to a new stage in life, and it may help to mark this passage with a certain amount of reflection in order to face it with a positive attitude.
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