Good article, full of helpful tips and guidelines about coping with menopause:
“Many women these days are turning to traditional Chinese medicine, which refers to menopause as a “second spring”, for help.
“Menopause is not seen as such a negative thing in the east,” says Stefan Hafner, who practises in Vaucluse, at Gnostic Healing in Woy Woy and at the Natural Way Health Centre in Gymea, all in NSW. “Women are no longer obligated to bear and raise children and can have a new life where they focus on themselves and their personal growth. Not having menstruation is also seen as not having to lose energy.”
In traditional Chinese medicine, a decline of kidney “yin”, that is responsible for nurturing and cooling, is often seen as the problem behind symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can address this. However, Hafner emphasises that all women need to be treated as individuals and that herbs and acupuncture, while effective, are only part of the picture.
“Diet is a very important factor too, as are energy renewing exercises such as tai chi and meditation.”
Practitioners use products such as Golden Dawn, which includes the widely-touted sex drive booster horny goat weed among its ingredients, and herbs such as black cohosh, vitex agnus castus (chaste tree) and dong quai for their hormone balancing properties; ginseng and licorice to ensure the optimal functioning of the adrenal glands (for energy); sage (for night sweats and hot flushes), valerian and hops (insomnia) and calendula and evening primrose oil (for vaginal dryness).
Although herbal remedies are natural they do contain powerful ingredients, so always seek advice from a practitioner.”
DAAN carries a number of women’s health products.
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