The immune system is the key to fighting every kind of insult to the body, from that little shaving nick to the myriad of viruses that seem to abound these days. Even the aging process may be more closely related to the functioning of the immune system than to the passage of time.

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Modern conventional medicine battles disease directly by means of drugs, surgery, radiation, and other therapies, but true health can be attained only by maintaining a healthy, properly functioning immune system.

It is the immune system that fights off disease causing microorganisms and that engineers the healing process.

Weakening of the immune system results in increased susceptibility to virtually every type of illness. Some common signs of impaired immune function include:

• Fatigue
• Listlessness
• Repeated infections
• Inflammation
• Allergic reactions
• Slow wound healing
• Chronic diarrhea
• Infections that represent an overgrowth of some normally present organism, such as oral thrush, systemic candidiasis, or vaginal yeast infections.

In its simplest terms, the task of the immune system is to identify those things that are “self” (that naturally belong in the body) and those that are “nonself” (foreign or otherwise harmful material), and then to neutralize or destroy that which is nonself.

The immune system is unlike other bodily systems in that it is not a group of physical structures but a system of complex interactions involving many different organs, structures, and substances, among them:

• White blood cells
• Bone marrow
• The lymphatic vessels and organs
• Specialized cells found in various body tissues,
• Specialized substances, called serum factors, that are present in the blood

The human immune system is functional at birth, but it does not yet function well. In large part this is because immunity is something that develops as the system matures and the body learns to defend itself against different foreign invaders, termed antigens.

The immune system has the ability to learn to identify, and then to remember, specific antigens that have been encountered. It does this through two basic means, known as cell mediated immunity and humoral immunity

Another important component of immunity is the lymphatic system. This is a system of organs including the:

• Spleen
• Thymus
• Tonsils
• lymph nodes

It is through the lymphatic system that fluid from the spaces between cells is drained, taking with it waste products, toxins, and other debris from the tissues. The lymph flows through the lymph nodes, where the macrophages filter out the undesirables, and from it there returns to the venous circulation.

Marvelous as it is, the immune system can work as it should only if it is cared for properly. This means getting all the right nutrients and providing the right environment, plus avoiding those things that tend to depress immunity.

Many elements of the environment we live in today compromise out immune systems’ defensive abilities.

• The chemicals in the household cleaners we use
• The overuse of antibiotics and other drugs
• The antibiotics
• Pesticides
• Additives present in the foods we eat
• Exposure to environmental pollutants

all place a strain on the immune system.

Another factor that adversely affects the immune system is stress. Stress results in a sequence of biochemical events that ultimately suppresses the normal activity of white blood cells and places undue demands on the endocrine system, as well as depleting the body of needed nutrients. The result is impaired healing ability and lowered defense against infection.

Proper immune function is an intricate balancing act. While inadequate immunity predisposes one to infectious illness of every type, it is also possible to become ill as a result of an immune response that is too strong or directed at an inappropriate target.

Many different disorders, including:

• Allergies
• Lupus
• Pernicious anemia
• Rheumatic heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Possibly diabetes

have been linked to inappropriate immune system activity. Consequently, they are known as autoimmune, or “self-attacking-self,” disorders.

There has been an increase in people trying to find natural immune system support. Herbal and homeopathic remedies have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to strengthen immune system functioning, acting as natural immunity tonics to encourage normal and efficient defense against pathogens and routine recovery.

In more recent times, research has confirmed this traditional wisdom. There are now many published clinical studies demonstrating the ability of a range of herbs to strengthen natural immunity as well as support the normal and healthy functioning of the immune system to shorten recovery time.

Acne is an inflammatory skin disorder that to some degree afflicts about 80 percent of all Americans between the ages of twelve and twenty-four.

The sebaceous glands, located in each hair follicle or tiny pit of skin, produce oil that lubricates the skin. Sebaceous glands are found in large numbers on the face, back, chest, shoulders. If some of the oil becomes trapped, bacteria multiply in the follicle and the skin becomes inflamed.

Blackheads form when sebum combines with skin pigments and plugs the pores. If scales below the surface of the skin become filled with sebum, white heads appear. In severe cases, whiteheads build up, spread under the skin, and rupture, which eventually spreads the inflammation.

The exact cause of acne is not known, but factors that contribute to the condition include heredity, oily skin, and androgens. Other factors are:

• Allergies
• Stress
• the use of certain drugs (especially steroids, lithium, oral contraceptives, and certain antiepileptic drugs)
• Overconsumption of junk food, saturated fats, hydrogenated fats, and animal products
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Exposure to industrial pollutants (machine oils, coal tar derivatives, chlorinated hydrocarbons)
• Use of cosmetics
• Monthly menstrual cycles
• Over washing or repeated rubbing of the skin

The skin is the largest organ of the body. One of its functions is to eliminate a portion of the body’s toxic waste products through sweating. If the body contains more toxins than the kidneys and liver can effectively discharge, the skin takes over. In fact, some doctors call the skin the “third kidney.” As toxins escape through the skin, they disrupt the skin’s healthy integrity. This is a key factor behind many skin disorders, including acne.

The skin also “breathes.” If the pores become clogged, the microbes that are involved in causing acne flourish because they are protected against the bacteriostatic action of sunshine.

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• Dirt
• Dust
• Oils
• Grime from pollution

Clog the pores, but this can be eliminated by washing the skin properly. A body pH that is too high, or too alkaline, also fosters the nesting and breeding of acne-causing bacteria.

Nature’s treatment for acne control and prevention, containing carefully selected herbs to:

• Treat Existing Acne Skin Eruptions
• Prevent Future Breakouts
• Improve Skin Appearance
• Reduce Scarring

Anything that causes a deficiency in the formation or production of red blood cells, or that leads to the too-rapid destruction of red blood cells, can result in anemia.

Some things that can lead to anemia:

• Drug use
• Hormonal disorders
• Chronic inflammation in the body
• Surgery
• Infections
• Peptic ulcers
• Hemorrhoids
• Diverticular disease
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Repeated pregnancies
• Liver damage
• Thyroid disorders
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Bone marrow disease
• Dietary deficiencies (especially deficiencies of iron, folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12)

There are also a number of hereditary disorders, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia, that cause anemia.

Pernicious anemia is a severe form of anemia that is due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Persons with this disorder cannot absorb any form of vitamin B12 from the gastrointestinal tract.

Millions of Americans suffer from anemia, a reduction in either the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. The results in a decrease in the amount of oxygen that the blood is able to carry.

Anemia reduces the amount of oxygen available to the cells of the body. As a result, they have less energy available to perform their normal functions.

Important processes, such as muscular activity and cell building and repair, slow down and become less efficient. When the brain lacks oxygen, dizziness may result, and mental faculties are less sharp.

The most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency. Iron is an important factor in anemia because this mineral is used to make hemoglobin, the component of red blood cells that attaches to oxygen and transports it.

Red blood cells exist only to oxygenate the body, and have a life span of about 120 days. If a person lacks sufficient iron, the formation of red blood cells is impaired.

Iron-deficiency anemia can be caused by insufficient iron intake and/or absorption, or by significant blood loss. The latter is commonly seen in women who suffer from menorrhagia (heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding), which in turn may be caused by a hormonal imbalance, fibroid tumors, or uterine cancer.

Women who use intrauterine devices for contraception are also at a higher risk of blood loss, as are those who overuse anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen, which can cause blood loss through irritation of the digestive tract. Excessive aspirin usage, particularly by elderly people, may cause internal bleeding.

Of those suffering from anemia, 20 percent are women and 50 percent are children. It is often a hidden disease, because the symptoms can easily go unrecognized. The first signs of developing anemia may be:

• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Irritability, and/or difficulty in concentrating

Established anemia can produce such symptoms as:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Coldness of extremities
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Overall pallor
• Most noticeable in pale and brittle nails
• Pale lips and eye lids
• Soreness in the mouth
• In women, cessation of menstruation

Herbs that are good for anemia:

• Alfalfa
• Bilberry
• Cherry
• Dandelion
• Goldenseal
• Grape skins
• Hawthorn berry
• Mullein
• Nettle
• Oregon grape root
• Pau d’arco
• Red raspberry
• Shepherd’s purse
• Yellow dock

Include the following in your diet:

• Apples
• Apricots
• Asparagus
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Egg yolks
• Kelp
• Leafy greens
• Okra
• Parsley
• Peas
• Plums
• Prunes
• Purple grapes
• Raisins
• Rice bran
• Squash
• Turnip greens
• Whole grains
• Yams

Also eat foods high in vitamin C to enhance iron absorption.

Blackstrap molasses is a good source of iron and essential B vitamins. Consume at least 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses twice daily (for a child, use 1 teaspoon in a glass of milk or formula twice daily).

Avoid beer, candy bars, dairy products, ice cream, and soft drinks. Additives in these foods interfere with iron absorption. For the same reason, avoid coffee (which contains polyphenols) and tea (which contains tannins).

AnemiCare is a safe, non-addictive, FDA-registered natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients selected to temporarily increase iron absorption and hemoglobin levels needed for normal iron levels in the body.

People suffering from motion sickness experience symptoms that range from severe headache to queasiness to nausea and vomiting while flying, sailing, or traveling in automobiles or trains.

Other symptoms of motion sickness includes:

• Cold sweats
• Dizziness
• Excessive salivation and or yawning
• Fatigue
• Loss of desire for food
• Pallor
• Severe distress
• Sleepiness
• Weakness

If severe, an attack can make the sufferer completely uncoordinated.

Women are affected by this condition more frequently than men are. Elderly people and children under the age of two usually are not affected.

Motion sickness occurs when motion causes the eyes, the sensory nerves, and the vestibular apparatus of the ear to send conflicting signals to the brain.

Common contributing factors are:

• Anxiety
• Genetics
• Overeating
• Poor ventilation
• Traveling immediately after eating

Natural remedies have been used with great success for motion sickness.

Prevention is the key; motion sickness is far easier to prevent than it is to cure. Once excessive salivation and nausea set in, it is often too late to do anything but wait for the trip to be over so recovery can begin.

• When traveling, take whole-grain crackers with you on trips.
• Peppermint tea soothes and calms the stomach. A drop of peppermint oil on the tongue provides excellent relief from nausea and motion sickness.
• Pay special attention to your diet. If a certain dish disagrees with you at home, it will most certainly disagree with you on the road.
• Stay cool, if possible. Fresh air can assist in battling motion sickness. If in a car, roll down a window. If on a ship, standing on deck and taking in the sea breezes can help. In an airplane, open the overhead vent.
• Limit or eliminate visual input. This will cut down on the conflicting information assaulting the brain. Traveling at night helps many people, simply because visual acuity is diminished, so that thy do not perceive motion to the same degrees as during the day.
• At sea, lying down and closing your eyes at the first sign of motion sickness can be helpful.
• In an automobile, set your eyes on a distant, stationary object, such as the horizon.

There are several over the counter products that causes drowsiness, which is not always a wanted side effect.
I especially recommend this product that really helps:

People who suffer from asthma often describe this plight as “starving for air.” Asthma is a lung disease that causes obstruction of the airways. During an asthma attack, spasms in the muscles surrounding the bronchi (small airways in the lungs) constrict, impeding the outward passage of stale air.

Typical symptoms of an asthma attack are:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• A feeling of tightness in the chest
• Difficulty in breathing

The spasms that characterize the acute attack are not the cause of the disorder, but a result of chronic inflammation and hypersensitivity of the airways to certain stimuli.

If you have allergies an attack may be triggered, if a susceptible individual is exposed to an allergen or irritants.

Common asthma-provoking allergens include:

• Animal dander
• Chemicals
• Drugs
• Dust mites
• Environmental pollutants
• Feathers
• Food additives such as sulfites
• Fumes
• Mold
• Tobacco smoke

Other things that can bring on asthma attacks include adrenal disorders:

• Anxiety
• Changes in temperature
• Exercise
• Extremes of dryness or humidity
• Fear
• Laughing
• Low blood sugar
• Stress

A respiratory infection such as bronchitis may also be involved. Whatever the instigator, it causes the bronchial tubes to swell and become plugged with mucus. This inflammation further irritates the airways, resulting in even greater sensitivity; the attacks become more frequent and the inflammation more severe.

A predisposition to asthma may be hereditary.

In the last decade, the number of Americans with asthma has increased by one third. Today, asthma affects over 10 million people (3 million children and 7 million adults). Children under sixteen and adults over sixty-five are more likely than other people to suffer from asthma. Among children, the incidence of hospitalization for asthma has increased fivefold in the last 29 years; the rate for adults has doubled.

Use an elimination diet to see if certain foods aggravate the asthmatic condition. Common culprits include:

• Alfalfa
• Corn
• Peanuts
• Soy
• Eggs
• Beets
• Carrots
• Colas
• Cold beverages (which may cause bronchial spasm)
• Dairy products (including milk and ice cream)
• Fish
• Red meat (especially pork)
• Processed foods
• White flour

Avoid:

• Furry animals
• Food additives BHA and BHT
• FD&C Yellow No. 5 food dye
• Tobacco and other types of smoke
• The amino acid tryptophan

Support healthy lungs, maintain open air passages and easy breathing with this amazing product.

Migraines are a relatively common disorder, affecting about 10 percent of the population. An estimated 8.7 percent of females and 2.6 percent of males in the United States suffer from migraines.

They may occur anywhere from once a week to once or twice a year, and they often run in families.

One factor behind the higher incidence of migraine in women may be fluctuations in the level of the hormone estrogen; women typically get migraines around the time of menstruation, when estrogen levels are low.

A migraine is a vascular headache that involves the excessive dilation or contraction of the brain’s blood vessels.

There are two types of migraine, common and classic. The common migraine occurs slowly, producing a throbbing pain that may last for two to seventy-two hours. The pain is severe and is often centered at the temple or behind one ear. Alternatively, it can begin at the back of the head and spread to one entire side of the head ( the word “migraine” comes from the Greek (hemikrania). which means “half a skull”). It is usually accompanied by:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Tingling and numbness in the limbs that can last up to eighteen hours

A classic migraine is similar to a common migraine, but it is preceded by a set of symptoms referred to as a aura, which can consist of:

• Speech disorders
• Weakness
• Disturbances in the senses of vision and or smell

An aura can also consist of:

• Brilliant stars
• Sparks
• Flashes
• Simple geometric forms passing across the visual field

The most common symptom is an inability to see clearly. Visual disturbances may last only a few seconds or may persist for hours, then disappear.

Migraines occur most often in people between the ages of 20 and 35, and tend to decline with age. However, children too can suffer from migraines. In children, migraine pain tends to be more diffuse, rather than localized. Migraine can first show up in childhood not as headaches, but as:

• Colic
• Periodic abdominal pains
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Severe motion sickness

Any number of things can trigger a migraine in a susceptible individual, including:

• Allergies
• Constipation
• Stress
• Liver malfunction
• Too much or too little sleep
• Emotional changes
• Hormonal changes
• Sun glare
• Flashing lights
• Lack of exercise
• Changes in barometric pressure

Dental problems may also be a factor. Low blood sugar is frequently associated with migraine; studies have shown that blood sugar levels are low during a migraine attack, and the lower the blood sugar level, the more severe the headache.

Smoking can cause an attack because the nicotine and carbon monoxide cigarette smoke contains affects the blood vessels. The nicotine constricts them while the carbon monoxide tends to expand them.

Many different foods may precipitate an attack. Some of the most common offenders are:

• Chocolate
• Citrus fruits
• Alcohol (especially red wine)
• Any food that is aged, cured, pickled, soured, yeasty, or fermented

If you suffer from migraines, it would be best to omit from your diet foods that contain the amino acid tyramine, including:

• Aged meats
• Avocados
• Bananas
• Beer
• Cabbage
• Canned fish
• Dairy products
• Eggplant
• Hard cheeses
• Potatoes
• Raspberries
• Red plums
• Tomatoes
• Wine
• Yeast

Also avoid:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Aspirin
• Chocolate
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Nitrites (preservatives found in hot dogs and luncheon meats)
• Spicy foods

Women who suffer from migraines may benefit from the use of natural progesterone cream.

A study on the herb fever few found that participants who took the herb got an average of 24 percent fewer migraines than those who did not, and also that vomiting was reduced, with no side effects.

I suggest this product if you suffer from migraines

Breastfeeding, or lactation, is the natural way in which the mother of a newborn can feed her child instead of relying on cow’s milk or artificial formula preparations. A woman’s breasts are ideally suited for the task of feeding a baby, and nursing provides many wonderful benefits for both the mom and the baby that bottles and formulas just can’t!

Mother’s milk is:

• Much easier to digest
• Prevents constipation
• Lowers the incidence of food allergies
• Protects the baby from many infectious diseases

Nursing also:

• Promotes healthy oral development
• Satisfies suckling needs
• Enhances bonding and skin to skin contact between mom and baby

Breastfeeding is beneficial to the mother in that:

• Reduces the chance of hemorrhaging from the placental site
• gives the mother an opportunity to rest ( for a while at least)
• Encourages the uterus to contract, returning it to its pre -pregnant size

Breast milk contains high amounts of inositol, a B vitamin that plays a crucial role in survival and infant development.
In breastfeeding, as with anything else that is new and unfamiliar, problems may occur. The important thing to remember is not to give up. This is a very wonderful time in a mom and baby’s life, it passes very quickly, but will always be in your heart.

ENGORGEMENT

This is a temporary problem that most commonly occurs between 2-5 days after childbirth. It is caused by a combination of the increased blood supply to the breast and the pressure of the newly produced milk, resulting in the swelling of the tissues in the breast. A low-grade fever may be present; the breasts feel full, hard, tender, and tight; and the skin of the breasts is hot, shiny, and distended.

Recommendations

• Give baby short, frequent feedings. A feeding schedule of everyone and a half to two hours day and night should be maintained while engorgement lasts.
• Express milk between feedings to relieve pressure
• Apply moist heat for thirty minutes preceding each feeding, and massage the breast during feedings to help get the milk flowing. (stand in shower with warm water running on the breasts really help, or soak in the tub in warm water)
• Do not use nipple shields, as they can confuse the baby’s sucking pattern, damage nipples, reduce stimulation of the breast, and decrease the milk supply.
• Allow the baby to empty each breast completely at each feeding. This should take about seven minutes on each side.

PLUGGED DUCT

Incomplete emptying of the milk ducts by the baby, or the wearing of a tight bra, can cause a plugged duct. Soreness and a lump in one area of a breast is an indication of this problem.

Recommendations

• Check the nipple very carefully for any tiny dots of dried milk, and remove them by gentle cleansing. Together with frequent nursing on the affected breast, this should allow the duct to clear itself within 24 hours.
• Massage the breasts with firm pressure, from the chest wall toward the nipple to stimulate milk flow.
• Alter the position of the baby on the nipple so all the ducts are drained.
• Make sure you offer the affected breast first, when the baby’s sucking is strongest.

Almost all drugs have been found to enter a nursing mother’s mild, including Tylenol ( and the like), alcohol, amphetamines, antibiotics, antihistamines, aspirin, barbiturates, caffeine, cimetidine, cocaine, decongestants, Valium, ergotamine, Librium, marijuana, nicotine, and opiates (codeine, meperidine, morphine). Some of the effects these drugs can have on an infant include diarrhea, rapid heart rate, restlessness, irritability, crying, poor sleeping, vomiting, and convulsions, and of course some of these drugs may accumulate in an infant’s body and cause addiction.

Herbal remedies have been used for hundreds of years to encourage a healthy flow of breast milk and, despite the advances of modern life; nature’s wisdom still has the answers!

This is a wonderful natural product for breastfeeding

Autism is a little understood brain disorder that affects approximately 4 out of every 10,000 people. But every mom with a little one that shows sign of autism feels very alone at times. There are well over 100,000 autistic individuals in the United States.

Autism is usually diagnosed in early childhood (before the age of three) and is characterized by a marked unresponsiveness to other people and to the surrounding environment. Physically, autistic individuals do not appear different from others, but they exhibit marked differences in behavior from a very early age. While most babies love to be held and cuddled, autistic infants appear indifferent to love and affection. As they grow older, they fail to form attachments to others in the way most children do, and instead seem to withdraw into themselves. It is important to note that autism is not a mental illness.

Many autistic children also exhibit unpredictable and unusual behaviors that can range from constant rocking, to pounding their feet while sitting, to sitting for long periods of time in total silence. Some experience bursts of hyperactivity that include biting and pounding on their bodies.

Autistic children have learning disabilities, and are often mentally disabled. Speech development is usually delayed, and in many cases is absent or limited to nonsensical rhyming or babbling.

Some autistic children seem to have lower than normal intelligence, while others seem to fall into the normal range. Still others have low intelligence in most areas but almost supernatural abilities in others, such as mathematics or music. Most develop a strong resistance to any changes in familiar environments or routines.

The cause of autism is unknown. Studies comparing twins suggest that there may be a hereditary component to this disorder. Some experts believe that it is a result of some neurological imbalance or malfunction that renders the autistic individual painfully oversensitive to external stimuli. It is known that autism is not caused by parental neglect or actions, as was once believed.

Certain triggers have been implicated as possible precipitators of the disorder. These could include problems in pregnancy and birth, viral infections, exposure to certain environmental chemicals or pollutants, or even allergies to certain foods (i.e. gluten or dairy products).

There are also suggestions that autism may be caused by a reaction to childhood vaccines, especially those containing high amounts of mercury. More research is needed in this area.

There are also natural treatments for autism, including herbal and homeopathic remedies which can help maintain harmony, health, and systemic balance in the brain and nervous system, without side effects or sedation.

Here are some natural remedies

High Blood pressure usually causes no symptoms until complications develop, this is why it is known as the “silent killer.” Warning signs associated with advanced hypertension may include:

• Headaches
• Sweating
• Rapid pulse
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Visual disturbances

Blood pressure is usually divided into two categories, designated primary and secondary.

Primary hypertension is high blood pressure that is not due to another underlying disease. The precise cause is unknown, but a number of definite risk factors have been identified. These include:

• Cigarette smoking
• Stress
• Obesity
• Excessive use of stimulants such as coffee or tea
• Drug abuse
• High sodium intake
• Use of oral contraceptives
• Family history

Because too much water retention can exert pressure on the blood vessels, those who consume foods high in sodium may be at a greater risk for high blood pressure.

When persistently elevated blood pressure arises as a result of another underlying health problem, such as a hormonal abnormality or an inherited narrowing of the aorta, it is called secondary hypertension. A person may also have secondary hypertension because the blood vessels are chronically constricted or have lost elasticity from a buildup of fatty plaque on the inside walls of the vessel, a condition known as atherosclerosis. The narrowing and or hardening of the arteries makes circulation of blood through the vessels difficult. The result is high blood pressure.

Secondary hypertension can also be caused by poor kidney function, which results in the retention of excess sodium and fluid in the body. This increase in blood volume within the vessels causes elevated blood pressure levels.

When the heart pumps the blood through the arteries, the blood presses against the walls of the blood vessels. In people who suffer from hypertension, this pressure is abnormally high.

Whether blood pressure is high, low, or normal depends on several factors:

• The output from the heart
• The resistance to blood flow of the blood vessels
• The volume of blood
• Blood distribution to the various organs

If blood pressure is elevated, the heart must work harder to pump an adequate amount of blood to all the tissues of the body. Men tend to develop hypertension more often than women, but the risk for women rises after menopause and soon approaches that of men. A woman’s risk of high blood pressure also increases if she takes oral contraceptives or is pregnant.

Eat a high-fiber diet and take supplemental fiber. Oat bran is a good source of fiber.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, asparagus, bananas, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, eggplant, garlic, grapefruit, green leafy vegetables, melons, peas, prunes, raisins, squash, and sweet potatoes.

Eat grains like brown rice, buckwheat, millet, and oats,

Take 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily.

Keep you weight down.

Be sure to get sufficient sleep.

It is important to support the solid health of the heart and circulatory system. Natural Remedies I suggest are

Some women go through menopause with few or no noticeable symptoms. However, some of us get” lucky” and experience symptoms such as:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Poor libido
• Bladder problems
• Vaginal dryness and itching
• Burning and discomfort during sexual intercourse
• Breast tenderness
• dryness and aging of the skin
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Insomnia

Hopefully not all in the same day! All of these symptoms are due to estrogen and progesterone deficiency. Over the long term, the diminished supply of estrogen increases the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and vaginal atrophy.

Osteoporosis in particular is a major problem for women after menopause. An estimated 80% of the 250,000 hip fractures that occur in the United States every year are due to osteoporosis.

Although estrogen levels drop sharply after menopause, the hormone does not disappear entirely. Other organs take over from the ovaries and continue to produce some estrogen and other hormones. Organs known as endocrine glands secrete hormones to maintain proper bodily functions.

Menopause, also referred to as the “change of life,” is the point at which a woman stops ovulating and menstruation ceases, indicating the end of fertility. When a woman stops ovulating, her ovaries largely stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is more than a sex hormone strictly tied to reproduction, it also acts on many different organs in the body. Cells in the:

• Vagina
• Bladder
• Breasts
• Skin
• Bones
• Arteries
• Heart
• Liver
• Brain

all contain estrogen receptors, and require this hormone to stimulate these receptors for normal cell function. Estrogen is needed to keep the skin smooth and moist, the body’s internal thermostat operating properly, and the arteries unclogged, for example. It is also necessary for proper bone formation.

This period in a woman’s life can come early or later, but the average age at menopause is about fifty. The transition usually lasts up to five years. A woman who undergoes a hysterectomy but who keeps at least one of her ovaries stops menstruating after surgery, but she will still go through menopause. If the ovaries are removed during hysterectomy, menopause occurs suddenly and symptoms may be more severe. Smoking is associated with early menopause.

Remember, it is important to remember that menopause is not a disease. It is a natural process in a woman’s life. How a woman views this time of her life can have a lot to do with how frequent and severe her symptoms are. If menopause is thought as the end of youth and sexuality, this time will be much more difficult than if it is viewed as the next, natural phase of life. With a proper diet, nutritional supplements, and exercise, most of the unpleasant side effects of menopause can be minimized, if not eliminated.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, sugar, spicy foods, and hot soups and drinks; they can trigger hot flashes, aggravate urinary incontinence, and make mood swings worse. They also make the blood more acidic, which prompts the bones to release calcium to act as a buffering agent. This is an important factor in bone loss.

The decision to use hormone replacement therapy is up to each individual. If you are considering estrogen treatment, it is critical to analyze your medical history while weighing the benefits against the possible risks. It is inadvisable to take estrogen if you have a personal or family history of breast cancer, uterine cancer, of fibroid tumors; if you have cystic breasts diagnosed as “atypical hyperplasia”; or if you suffer from liver or gallbladder disease.

There are some wonderful natural remedies for this time in a woman’s life that makes life much easier for her and her loved ones.

These are some great ones: