Facebook Pixel

Menopause Join this Group

Naturopahtic vs western medicine

By October 3, 2010 - 10:02am

I am 40 years old and just realizing that I'm experiencing perimenopause symptoms of mood swings, low libido and chronic yeast infections (which my western doc attributed to perimenopause). I have had no, zip, zilch success treating the yeast with western drugs and have had amazing success treating it with suggestions from a naturopathic do. I am wondering if anyone has had success with naturopathic medicine vs western treatments for other perimenopause symptoms and what the options are from naturopaths. Do they really work? Is it healthier?

By July 10, 2011 - 6:58pm

Check out Women to Women: http://www.womentowomen.com/menopause/earlymenopause.aspx They take an integrated approach, combining certain conventional medicine practices naturopathy and mind/body medicine. Read some of their menopause articles to see if this approach feels comfortable. I think it is the best of both worlds!!

July 10, 2011 - 6:58pm
By March 22, 2011 - 3:49am

I'm trying acupunture to help me with the mood swings. It seems pretty effective, although I suspect the other things I do to keep healthy also come into play. But the mood swings are pretty extreme for me, and the acupunture is definitely smoothing them out. When my acupunturist was out of town, I tried shiatsu massage. It felt great and also helped move the energy around so I wasn't quite so strung out. I'm also going with the flow when I don't feel hungry. During one particularly energetic time when I had no appetite I simply fasted for a few days. (This coincided with a heavy period.) I also took off from work during this time, since I was very clumsy at the time and I knew my overall judgement was off. I fasted by systematically decreasing and then systematically increasing the food intake. So the first day I ate rice and vegetables and fruit. The second day only fruit and water. The third day only water and juice. The fourth day I went back to eating fruit. And the fifth day was back to rice, vegetables and fruits. It seemed to work and overall, I had more of a sense of well being.

March 22, 2011 - 3:49am
By October 14, 2010 - 10:16am

I just uploaded a great article on Embracing Menopause if you'd like to check it out, as it offers some all-natural resources in dealing with some of the symptoms and issues around menopause. www.oceanusnaturals.com/blog ~ Let me know what you think : )Thanks! ~Allura

October 14, 2010 - 10:16am
By October 3, 2010 - 11:48am

Here's my yeast story: hope it helps others...I now do beleive it is related to perimenopause...I am 40 years old. I started having chronic re-occuring vaginal yeast infections about 2 years ago. I went to my western doc and she gave me scrips for anti-fungals, over, and over, and over again. I'm not a person who runs to the doc for a scrip evertime I get sick so I thought this was not really helping the problem, just treating the symptom. My doc didn't really seem to have many answers for my. At my request, she did do a full blood work up, though she did not test my hormone or bone density levels. I haven't taken anti-biotics in 20 years, I have no cancer or diabetes in my family. I was tested for all sorts of dis-ease and nothing came up. I eat a very healthy diet filled with raw fruits and veggies, grains and lean protien. On my own, since my doc wasn't helpful (it's just your age, yes, it happens to a lot of women, oh, it could be the start of perimenopause, you'll just have to keep taking these anti-fungals...etc) I turned first to the internet and then to a friend who is a naturopath. She suggested starting with a candida cleanse and then the candida elimination diet and adding major probiots. I did the cleanse. No relief. I don't eat much fermented, processed food or sweets, so going on the Candida diet was pretty easy. I added all sorts of pro-biotics to my diet...and after 6 months, nothing had changed...I had my partner tested, he was negative...no change...My partner and I broke up and I was sexually inactive for a while...no change. My naturopath finally suggested garlic. First, she said to take a fresh raw clove of garlic, cut it into swallow-able pieces and swallow that 3 times a day for the first week. Let me tell you, the burning and itching disappeard in 4 hours! After the first week, she told me to switch to a Kyolic type of garlic (aged garlic that doesn't make you stinky) and take 6 capsuls a day, 3 2x a day or 2 3x a day. For me, this is the only thing that has worked. Unfortunately, if I stop taking it for any length of time, the yeast eventually comes back. The garlic keeps it away, as long as I take it regularly, but I"m not really sure this is a "cure." It sure has been the only thing that's made me feel better though.

October 3, 2010 - 11:48am

Group Leader

Related Topics

Description

We're a group devoted to the education and support of something that will happen naturally to all of us at some stage: menopause. No longer called things like "the change" in quiet female-only groups; menopause is a normal stage of life that signals one part of life leaving, and a potentially fantastic one marching in! Some of us will need help, support and advice during this time, and some of us have lots of it to give. Light-hearted or troubled, we can swap experiences and stories, post questions and worries - all within a compassionate community that offers professional resources. Any woman, from 18 to 80, can benefit from membership! Let the fun and friendships begin...

Privacy

This Group is Open to all EmpowHER.com members