AUGUST 26, 1998
Page B5
Bod
Spirit
J
NATURAL MANAGEMENT
OF MENOPAUSE
M enopause is a normal, natural tran­
sition o f life that every w om an will pass
through. It will occur for m ost w om en
betw een the ages o f 40 to 55, averaging
51-52. T here are over 20 mi 11 ion w om en
most effective in alleviating symptoms.
Som e basic choices include:
♦Increase consum ption o f soy foods,
nch in phytoestrogens having an estro­
genic balancing effect.
♦Eat plenty o f green leafy vegetables
daily, rich in nutrients such as calcium
in the U nited States today that are expe­
riencing m enopause and this num ber
will grow to around 60 million by the
and antioxidants
♦Avoiddairy products, especially non­
organ ic sources, since they may contain
year 2010.
M enopause is defined as the loss o f
hormones.
♦Avoid sodas, alcohol, nicotine, sugar
and ju n k foods as they deplete minerals
and are dam aging to bone health.
♦Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, colas)
because it m ay disrupt pH and worsen
sym ptom s, in addition to depleting the
body o f needed m inerals and vitamins.
♦Reduce red m eat and animal fat
w hich m ay also certain hormones as
well as deplete calcium levels in thebody
w hich are important for bone health.
♦Drink plenty o f bottled or filtered
by
M aureen O ’C onnor B arnhart ,
NJ).
ovarian function w hich leads to the ces­
sation o f menstrual bleeding. It usually
begins as a gradual process, term ed
perimenopause, w liich can occur for 3-
10 years before the onset o f m enopause
due to erratic fluctuations in horm onal
levels. Menstrual periods becom e irregu­
lar and m ay be lengthened o r shortened
with dim inished menstrual flow. This
can be contusing to a w om an, as it be-
com esdi llicult to detenu inc w hether she
is actually in m enopause <ir n o t
The horm ones (estrogen, progester­
one and testosterone). are declining dur­
ing this period. T hese horm onal changes
lead to menopausal sym ptom s in 8 0 % o f
w om en including hot Hashes o r night
sweats, vaginal dryness andthinned vagi­
nal tissue. O ther sym ptom s o f m en o ­
pause include depression, m ood swings,
sleep disturbances, decreased libido, uri­
nary problem s and i ncontinenee, vagini­
tis, decreased m em ory and concentra­
tion, hair loss, skin dryness, headaches,
fatigue and w eight gain.
Traditional doctors recom m end con­
ventional 11R T (horm one replacement
therapy) to alm ost all w om en experienc-
ingmenopause. Few w illadvisea w oman
about natural alternatives incl uding diet,
nutritional supplements, herbs, exercise
and other lifestyle changes.
The most com m on form o f HRT is a
synthetic estorogen called I’rcmarin.made
from the urine o f pregnant mares. Associ­
ated risks include increased risk ofuterine
and breast cancer, increase risk o f heart
disease and stroke, increase in gal M adder
and liver disease. H RT reduces the risk o f
osteoporosis, helps vaginal dryness, elimi­
nates hot Hashes and decreases the risk o f
heart disease. Because o f these side ef­
fects, many w om en wish to avoid use o f
synthetic hormones.
A com prehensive naturopathic ap­
proach based upon a w om en’s assess­
ment o f health and risk will prove to be
water.
Som e nutritional considerations for
hot flashes include:
♦Vitamin E (800 to 1 0 0 0 IU daily)
♦Vitam in C ( 1,000 to 3,000 mg) and
bioflavenoids, especially hesperidin
(1,000 m g daily)
*A good multivitamin/mineral for­
mula
Lifestyle habits include:
♦Regular weight bearing exercise to
increase bone density, improve circula­
tion and control o r reduce weight (30
minutes brisk walk m ore than 3 times
weekly)
♦Regular exposure to fresh air and
sunshine to m axim ize Viatmin D pro­
duction needed for bone health and a
sense o f well-being.
♦Develop a positive attitude and re­
duce stress through relaxation, m edita­
tion, massage, etc.
It is im portant for you to become
educated regarding all o f your options
regarding this normal liteprocess. Naturo­
pathic medicine offers a unique and suc­
cessful approach to the managem ent o f
menopause.
Dr. B arnhart is com pleting her sec­
ond year residency in family practice at
Natural Health Centers and provides the
following services: general health con­
cerns, w om en’s health care, pediatrics,
natural obstetrics and hom e and w ater
births. She can be reached at NHC, Mt.
O livetClinic.Call(503)255-7355X147.
HCRBS C a n H e lp
W o m e n Live A H e a l t h i e r
Wei Li has a unique perspective on how traditional
Oriental m edicine can benefit people in our com m u­
nity, particularly women.
A , age 10, she began learning about Chinese medi­
cine and herbs from her father, a doctor in China. Later,
she completed medical school and became chief
resident at the university hospital in Anhui Province.
After com ing to the U.S., Dr. Li joined the faculty
at the Oregon College o f Oriental Medicine in Port­
land. Here she teaches Chinese herbal medicine and
serves as a clinic supervisor.
‘Traditional Oriental medicine works in a natural
way to keep you healthy and enjoy a long li fe,” she says.
“T he important thing is to b e healthy and happy.”
However, w hen she looks at many Americans,
especially w om en. Dr. Li sees examples o f poor health
and prem ature aging.“Bad food, bad diet, bad lifestyle
is a big problem here,” she observes.
Too m any Americans, Dr. Li believes, expect
western m edicine to cure them, to counteract the harm
Dr. Wei Li, a practitioner and professor at the Oregon College of Oriental
o f unhealthy habits and lifestyles.
“W estern m edicine is appropriate when you have Medicine in Portland, prepares a formula In the college's herbal
broken bones or a m ajor problem like a heart attack,” dispensary.
she explains. "T he focus is on treating you when you
and instructing the patient to boil the mixture in patient for hepatitis C she may select dried I
are very sick, but not on keeping you well.”
berries like comus and rubi. Herbs are also!
O n the other hand, she says, traditional Oriental a tea. “It may not taste good, but it has the best
available in granules and in pre-mixed patent I
medicine “can help your body get back to normal, results,” she explains.
The dispensary at the Oregon College o f formulas.
restore balance and help you to stay w ell/’An impor­
“ Iheadvantageoftraditionalikietitalmedicine."
Oriental
Medicine is filled with herbs, some
tant element in Chinese medicine is the use o f herbs,
Dr. Li says "is that we can prescribe a treatment, I
a form oftreatm ent that goes back thousands o f years. exotic and some quite familiar to mostofus,like
ireludinglMbs.thatisspecilicti,thepatKnt’scondi-
Today, herbs are used to maintain health, to prevent mint, honeysuckle, dandelion and chrysanthe­
txxiThatmeansthere islikelytnbeagoodresultand
illness and to treat ailments, particularly those suffered mum. In most cases they' are used in combina­
the person will be restored to health”
tion, often with 6 to 12 herbs in a form ula
by women.
AsapractitioneroftraditionalOnental medi-
For
treating
fatigue
and
lowered
immunity,
“Herbs are effective in helping women during
cine. Dr. Li believes strongly in promoting '
Dr.
Li
may
prescribe
a
formula
that
includes
pregnancy,” Dr. Li says. “They also can be used in
good health. The secret, she says, is “following
alleviating PM S and in treatn lg senous problems like ginseng and astragalus. To ward off the com ­
a sensible lifestyle and maintaining harmony ]
mon cold, the formula can include perilla leaf,
ovarian cysts.”Dr. Li prefers to use bulk
magnolia flowers or schizonepeta. To treat a and balance in one’s life.”
h efo S jC arefid l^n ix in ^h e^o rrecU o n n u la
AMRIT DARSHAN: MASTER JUICER
I nterview by J oy R amos
1 met A m ritthissum m er and w as struck by heryouth fulness, grace and vibrancy. She
exuded health in appearance and spirit. Amrit has experienced her ow n personal
transformation from the regenerative pow er o f drinking juices and eating raw Suits and
vegetables. She encourages others to try it, even for a week.
Q: H ow did you get started on Juicing?
A m rit D arsh an : 1 hadaroom m ate w ho cured herselfofC ancer by living o n ad iet
ofjuices, raw fruits and vegetables and nutritional supplements. She had somuchenergy.
I thought to myself, ‘ I f this can do that for a person that's not been healthy, what would
it do for a person already basically healthy?’ T hat’s how I got into juicing daily.
Q: W hy is drinking fruit and vegetable juices good for the body?
A m rit D arsh an : Everybody should have som e form o f raw fruits and vegetables.
T hat’s w here enzym es com e from. Enzymes are what your cells live on for nutrition.
Drinking juices are like a transfusion by bringing nutrients to your body within a few
minutes.
O nce you start cooking foods (by broiling, frying, freezing, canning, grilling,
microwaving or other means), you destroy enzymatic properties. It’s really debatable
i f « " “ ’ 1 <000 JOUflRE f i n
or
TUI iht OVIUTY
LtfiWt I
on it slowly but surely with the idea that you add more raw foods and juices to your new
how much nutrition you get from cooked foods. Too m uch processed foods weigh your
can be seen on channels 9 ,1 1 ,2 7 and 33. Call (503)283-6166.
hours before sleeping. The idea o f eating late at night is the worst thing because you go
to bed with food in you that’s partial ly digested. This can lead to weight gain. The food
just lies there in the digestive tract and putrifies.
Q: W hat have you noticed in yoursel f and others from juicing and eating raw fruits
and vegetables regularly?
A m rit D arsh an : Juicing can lead to an increase in energy, awareness o f one’s Self
and one’s connection to God. You are eating food in its most natural, God-given state.
And, when you do that, it’s like you have a direct line to God. All o f your cells are being
nurtured and loved and cared for. It’s an upliftment o f the Soul. Y ou feel more loving
in your heart because you’re lightening up inside.
W hen your body is trying to deal with processed foods and chemicals, y o u ’re
depleting your body o f its Life Source. Energy is spent m ore on digestion than towards
Life The more your fxxly becomes clean anil pure, the more you have energy for
yourself and service to other people in a selfless way. ih a t’s part o f being healthy.
Q: Any suggestions for som eone wanting to try this lifestyle?
A m rit D arsh an : D on’t just ju m p into this. Juicing and eating raw fruits and
vegetables have a cleaasing effect. You d o n ’t want to put your body into shock. Work
vt UTn
Amrit is an avid juicer from NE. Portland.
body dow n and your body w orks so hard at digesting it.
from Carnivores.
Q: Y ou look very vibrant and energetic. What is your juicing regiment like?
A m rit D a rsh an : I drink several glasses (2-3 quarts) o f purified w ater daily to flush
out impurities in m y system and drink fruit juices throughout them om ing forCleansing.
D unngthem id-day, I have m y largest meal. After I PM , I drink vegetablejuices for
Regeneration (to build up the body). For dinner, I eat light and d o n ’t have any food 4
per person
N« *•!!< ♦****)
diet.
If you w ould like to leant m ore about Juicing, Amrit Darshan is available for
consultations. She hosts her ow n cableprogram call “Alivewith Kundalini Y oga” which
Q: A re hum ans vegetarian by Nature?
A m rit D a rsh a n : Yes. Y ou can get protein from vegetable sources like soybeans.
Meat is very difficuIttodigest.C am ivorous anim als havealotofstom ach acid and short
intestines for m eat to go through them easily. Hum ans are designed just the opposite
(
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Natural Health Centers at
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For in fo rm a tio n & schedule,
call 254-3566
1054 1 SE C herry Blossom Dr., Portland
(by Mall 205)
A S e r v i c e o f t h e O r e c jo n C o ll e g e o f O r i e n t a l M e d ic in e
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