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Check your scores against the charts below.
If your scores are high, the Healthnuts recommend:
Source Naturals Menopause Multiple
Source Naturals Monthly Comfort
Source Naturals Mood Balance
along with other dietary changes and supplements below.
Part A: PMS
Part B: Ovarian Dysfunction
Part C: Menstrual Irregularities
Part D: Dysplasia/Fibrocystic Syndrome
Part E: Menopause
Please note: Our experts' answers are not intended to treat or diagnose any health condition or to serve as a substitute for the advice of a medical practitioner.
Part A: PMS
| 11 - 25+ |
High Priority |
| 5 - 10 |
Moderate Priority |
| 1 - 4 |
Low Priority
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If you scored anywhere between 5 (Moderate) and 25+ (High), you probably already know that you suffer from PMS or premenstrual syndrome. All of the following symptoms can occur in the week preceding menstruation. They are all related to hormonal changes.
- Depression
- Tension
- Headaches
- Breast tenderness
- Water retention
- Bloating
- Low energy
- Irritability
Things you may wish to try:
- Vitex (Chasteberry) to balance hormones. Take 200mg of the standardized extract 3 times daily for two weeks before period.
- Red raspberry tea helps relieve cramping by relaxing the uterus.
- Magnesium 1000 mg daily to relax the muscles.
- B6 50 mg 3 times daily
- Evening primrose and/or borage oil 1000mg twice daily to help stop inflammation.
- Hormonal changes disturb blood sugar control so follow a no-sugar, no-stimulant diet.
- Eating red meat and dairy products promotes the hormone imbalance that causes PMS - excessive estrogen and inadequate progesterone levels.
- Caffeine is linked to breast tenderness.
- Use wild yam creme just after ovulation until period begins.
- Milk thistle cleanses the liver and helps improve liver function. The liver metabolizes the estrogen. Milk thistle should be taken daily for three months for best results.
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Part B: Ovarian Dysfunction
| 9 - 15+ |
High Priority |
| 3 - 8 |
Moderate Priority |
| 1 - 2 |
Low Priority
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If you scored anywhere between 3 (Moderate) and 15+(High) you can do a few things to support the ovaries and the hormone balance.
The ovaries are the essential organs of reproduction. They produce the eggs (ovum) and also the progesterone and estrogen (hormones). Failure to ovulate (either produce eggs or drop them) could be caused by a few different things. It could be from hormonal imbalance, stress, cysts on ovary, blocked fallopian tubes or endometriosis (growth of this mucus membrane outside the uterus).
Sometimes the hormones get off balance because of: birth control, adrenal exhaustion due to stress, severe dieting or body building, surgery or long illness, protein or iodine deficiency, calcium deficiency, B complex deficiency, or EFA (Essential Fatty Acid) deficiency.
Some things that you can try to help support the ovaries and their work are:
- Vitex, or chasteberry, to balance the hormones - 175 to 225 mg. daily.
- Check the thyroid gland. It could be under active. Kelp, the seaweed, is a source of iodine, which supports the thyroid.
- Essential Fatty Acids, EFAs, normalize the hormone production. Try 1000 mg 2-4 times daily.
- Eat cruciferous veggies, like broccoli, to help flush excess estrogen out.
- Limit your beef and pork consumption. They along with chicken are high in hormone-disrupting chemicals. Eat organic.
- Drink green tea to flush out fats that store estrogen-disrupting chemicals.
- Calcium/magnesium 1000mg/500mg daily.
- Folic acid 400 mcg daily
- Vitamin B6 50 mg. It works as a diuretic, especially in premenstrual edema.
- Manganese 2.5 to 5 mg daily. It helps to eliminate fatigue, low back pain, nervousness, and works with calcium.
- Progesterone cream, which is absorbed through the skin, helps to balance out the hormone estrogen.
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Part C: Menstrual Irregularities
| 18 - 30+ |
High Priority |
| 6 - 17 |
Moderate Priority |
| 1 - 5 |
Low Priority
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Any of you women with scores of 6 (moderate) to 30+ (High) can possibly use some suggestions of how to help get the menstrual cycle regular again or ease the cycles you are having.
Women who suffer from menstrual cramping seem to produce greater amounts of prostaglandins, which are hormones secreted by the uterine lining. Saturated fats promote the production of these types of prostaglandins that contribute to cramping.
Some things to consider about heavy periods or cramping are:
- Vitex, the herb, can be used for absence of periods, reducing excessive bleeding during periods, and helps normalize periods. Use Vitex continually for at least 6 months.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine and refined sugar. All these promote inflammation and increase cramping.
- Women with mild hypothyroidism sometimes have prolonged and heavy menstrual periods.
- Bioflavonoids protect and keep the capillaries healthy and help to prevent excessive bleeding. Take 500mg of vitamin C with 500mg bioflavonoids between 4 to 6 times daily.
- Magnesium relaxes the uterine muscles. 1 week before period take 100mg 2 to 3 times daily.
- Don Quai, the herb, helps to regulate the menstrual cycle by balancing hormones.
- Cramp Bark, the herb, is effective in treating menstrual cramps.
- For absence of menstruation try chasteberry, blue cohosh or progesterone cream. The chasteberry balances out the hormones and the progesterone cream balances out the estrogen.
- Vitamin B6 helps with the menstruation difficulties. Take 50 mg twice daily 1 week before period. When taking B vitamins individually, one should take a B complex at another time of the day.
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Part D: Dysplasia/Fibrocystic Syndrome
| 15 - 30+ |
High Priority |
| 9 - 14 |
Moderate Priority |
| 1 - 8 |
Low Priority
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If you scored anywhere between 9 (Moderate Priority) and 30+ (High Priority) range you may consider taking steps to help your body. This category suggests possibly unwanted growth, either lumps or cells, maybe caused by imbalance of the hormones.
Fibrocystic breast disease is very common. It is usually a component of PMS. It is apparently due to an increased estrogen to progesterone ratio. With each menstruation, there is a hormonal stimulation of the breast.
Here are some ideas of things to help:
- Evening Primrose Oil - 1500 mg. daily may reduce the size of the lump.
- Vitamin E - 400 to 600 I.U. daily
- Eat a diet high in fiber and low in fat with lots of fruits and vegetables
- Eliminate caffeine. There is a compound in caffeine linked to benign breast lumps.
- Kelp - 1500 - 2000 mg daily. Kelp is a source of iodine and iodine deficiency has been linked to this disease.
- Eliminate meat and dairy products because of the hormones in both.
- Chaste Berry or Vitex helps to regulate the hormones. It inhibits the release of follicle stimulating hormone and increases the production of luteinizing hormone which leads to a shift in estrogen-progesterone balance.
- Milk Thistle helps the body to rid itself of toxins and hormonal metabolites. Get the standardized extract and take 100 - 200 mg. twice daily for seven days for 1 week before onset of the menstrual period.
- Chronic constipation is linked to benign breast lumps. Be sure to eliminate daily.
Dysplasia means abnormal cell growth and the cervix is where it sometimes happens. That is the reason for the pap smear, which can detect cervical dysplasia. This condition should be taken care of as 1 in 10 may develop into cancer.
- Take Vitamin B12 and folic acid combination. Eat plenty of food rich in folic acid like beet greens, broccoli, asparagus, endive and wheat germ.
- Vitamin A helps to heal the mucus membranes.
- Zinc is also a healing mineral. Take 30 to 50 mg daily.
- Again Chaste Berry to regulate hormonal balance. Take 200 mg of the standardized extract 2- 3 times daily.
- Follow the same suggestions for fibrocystic breast disease also.
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| 10 - 19+ |
High Priority |
| 3 - 9 |
Moderate Priority |
| 1 - 2 |
Low Priority
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If you scored anywhere between 3 (moderate) and 19+ (High) you probably already have some idea that you may be nearing menopause. Here are some things to consider.
When a woman stops ovulating, her ovaries have for the most part stopped producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Cells in all parts of the body contain estrogen receptors. The vagina, bladder, breasts, skin, bones, arteries, heart, liver and brain all need estrogen. Estrogen also helps to keep the arteries pliable and relatively free of plaque.
After the change, the hormone estrogen is not entirely gone. Our endocrine lands also secrete hormones to maintain bodily functions. Many women experience: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, aches and pains, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, anxiety, depression, poor libido, bladder problems, vaginal dryness and itching, burning and discomfort during sex, breast tenderness, dryness and aging of the skin, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and insomnia. All of these symptoms are due to the loss of estrogen and progesterone.
Here are some things to consider to help you through this time:
- Evening primrose oil - 1500mg daily is important for the production of estrogen.
- Vitamin B6 as a diuretic 50mg 3 times a day.
- Vitamin E helps to reduce hot flashes. Start slowly with 400 I.U. and increase up to 1000 I.U. if needed. Check with your doctor if you have high blood pressure.
- Damiana, the herb, enhances sexual desire.
- Black cohosh, raspberry, sage and wild yam, the herbs, are natural estrogen promoters.
- Siberian ginseng aids in relieving depression and in the production of estrogen. Don't take if you have a heart disorder, high blood pressure or hypoglycemia.
- Avoid dairy products and meat as they promote hot flashes. Many animal products have hormones in them.
- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, sugar, spicy foods, and hot soups and hot drinks because they trigger hot flashes, aggravate incontinence, and make mood swings worse. They also make blood more acidic, which prompts the bones to release calcium as a buffer. This is important to bone loss.
- Drink 2 quarts of water daily to prevent drying of skin and mucus membranes.
- Many women in menopause have improper thyroid function. So check your thyroid or have it checked.
- Taking natural progesterone increases bone density four times better then estrogen. You can us it in a cream.
- Calcium 500-600 mg twice daily and 300-400mg magnesium twice daily protects bones from calcium loss.
- Eating about 2 ounces of soy products each day may be enough to reduce symptoms of menopause.
- Royal Jelly is rich in nutrients and hormonal factors and helps to optimize hormones. Take 500 mg twice daily.
- For fatigue and depression try 250-500mcgs of Vitamin B12 and 800mcg. of folic acid daily. If you take any of the B vitamins individually, you should take a B complex at a different time of the day.
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