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Could a bowl of oatmeal really be your weapon against the hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disruption, vaginal discomfort, and decreased libido of perimenopause and menopause? Yes, indeed. Serotonin-boosting foods can improve the quality of the menopausal years or at least make the symptoms more tolerable. Foods like potatoes, bread, pasta, and crackers are readily available, effective, safe, and have the added benefit of supporting weight loss. One of our menopausal clients said since starting The Serotonin Power Diet, she was able to sleep through the night for the first time in years. Just getting sleep did wonders for her mood!
You may still decide that supplemental therapy could be of benefit. If so, the list of treatment options includes hormones, vitamins, enzymes, herbs, and minerals including formulations specific to ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and homeopathy. Hormone therapy (estrogen alone or an estrogen-progesterone combination) can be either synthesized de-novo (synthetic) or so-called bio-equivalent which means means it is derived from a plant source such as wild yams or soybeans and therefore thought to be closer to a human form. 5-HTP and L-tryptophan, serotonin precursors, are also used but are most effective in combination with starchy or sweet carbohydrates which allow the precursors to enter the brain where serotonin is made. With all of these therapies, however, there is risk involved. For example, hormone therapy is associated with an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular events, and the contents of some "natural" remedies are not scrutinized by appropriate health regulation agencies nor are they often evaluated in reputable clinical trials, so both the risk and benefit can be questionable. At any rate, therapeutic choices must be made individually and with a qualified health care provider. Our advice is to keep it simple and safe. After all, relief is indeed only a bowl of oatmeal away. | permalink | related link |    ( 3 / 170 ) |
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