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Yoga of Menopause - Alternatives to Hormone Therapy


in phytoestrogens. They have different places in my life.

  • I eat phytoestrogenic foods daily in quantity.
  • I use phytoestrogenic food-like herbs regularly (not daily), in moderate quantity.
  • I take phytoestrogenic herbs rarely, in small amounts, for a limited time.

Phytoestrogenic foods are the basis for a healthy diet and a long life. The first food listed is the highest in phytoestrogens. The best diet contains not just one but many choices from each list:

Whole grains (rye, oats, barley, millet, rice, wheat, corn)

  • Edible seeds (buckwheat, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, amaranth, quinoa)
  • Beans (yellow split peas, black turtle beans, baby limas, Anasazi beans, red kidney beans, red lentils, soy beans)
  • Leafy greens and seaweed (parsley, nettle, kelp, cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, lamb's quarter)
  • Fruits (olives, cherries, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, salmon berries, apricots, crab apples, quinces, rosehips, blueberries)
  • Olive oil and seed oils. Garlic, onions and their relatives leeks, chives, scallions, ramps, shallot

    Phytoestrogenic food-like herbs are generally considered longevity tonics. For optimum effect, use only one from the list below and to stick with it for at least three months.

    • Citrus peel, dandelion leaves and/or roots, fenugreek seeds, flax seeds, green tea, hops, red clover, red wine.

    Phytoestrogenic herbs are usually too powerful for long- term use. From the list below (which is in alphabetical order), it is safest to use only one herb at a time, and use it only when needed, although that may mean daily use for several months. More information about these herbs, including specific dosages and cautions, is in New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way.

    • Agave root, black cohosh root, black currant, black haw, chasteberries, cramp bark, dong quai root, devil's club root, false unicorn root, ginseng root, groundsel herb, licorice, liferoot herb, motherwort herb, peony root, raspberry leaves, rose family plants (most parts), sage leaves, sarsaparilla root, saw palmetto berried, wild yam root, yarrow blossoms.


    4. Most of the warnings about phytoestrogenic herbs center on their proven ability to thicken the uterine wall in animals who have had their ovaries removed. This could encourage cancer, just as taking ERT encourages cancer of the uterus by stimulating cell growth. Women without ovaries are probably safe eating phytoestrogenic foods, but may want to use phytoestrogenic herbs - especially ginseng, dong quai, licorice, red clover, and wild yam - in small amounts and only for short periods.

    NEWS NOTES ON PHYTOESTROGENIC PLANTS (UPDATED JUNE 2002)

    • Recent studies indicate black cohosh does not suppress luteinizing hormone, has no estrogenic effect, and
      The copyright of the article Yoga of Menopause - Alternatives to Hormone Therapy in Menopause Naturally is owned by Susun S Weed. Permission to republish Yoga of Menopause - Alternatives to Hormone Therapy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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