New health advice service launched for women keen to balance hormones naturally

Citation

(2003), "New health advice service launched for women keen to balance hormones naturally", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 33 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2003.01733bab.015

New health advice service launched for women keen to balance hormones naturally

Balancing hormones can be difficult at any age. To make this easier, a new advice service has been launched for the many women who want to be proactive, not just about their careers and family but also their health.

Few women in their 30s would imagine that their hormonal balance might impact on the way the menopause affected them ten years later. However, 20 years of clinical experience leads Dr Shirley Bond, a GP specialising in women's health, to suggest that it does, and her findings are likely to mirror those of GPs and practice nurses throughout the country.

"The role of the adrenal glands in the control of stress is pivotal to the outcome", says Dr Bond. "Excessive stress can unbalance the endocrinal system, highjacking those building blocks needed for hormonal health by channelling them into stress hormones instead. This can deprive women of the stability they need as they pass through what should be seamless age stages".

The Natural Menopause Advice Service (NMAS) has been set-up to help women find the information they need and make knowledgeable choices.

A new survey commissioned by Wassen International confirms that:

• •

  44 per cent of women aged between 25-34, are leading a fairly stressful life;

• •

  31 per cent of women aged between 45-54, experienced a difficult menopause, with 56 per cent claiming to have had a fairly stressful life before the menopause;

• •

  24 per cent of women, are still not aware that the menopause can be managed naturally and that HRT may not be necessary.

An earlier survey, which first flagged the idea that women needed more help, found that six out of ten women found the menopause to be the cause of seriously distressing and disrupting emotional symptoms.

The aim is to help women with problems at a difficult stage in their lives and those who want to avoid them if possible. NMAS covers a wide spectrum of natural approaches to health before, during, through and beyond menopause.

"Women should be encouraged to take a constructive role in their health maintenance rather than waiting for disease to be diagnosed", says Dr Bond.

The menopause itself, and its effects, are well documented and normally occur between the ages of 44 and 55. More than 12 per cent of the UK female population currently fall into this age bracket and many suffer devastating effects of hot flushes, insomnia, depression and fatigue. They also risk the long-term effects of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Many women do not want or are unable to tolerate the side effects of HRT.

There are many natural supplements and therapies which may help. One effective nutritional supplement is Confiance, which is manufactured by Wassen. This one-a-day supplement provides a balanced combination of 11 important minerals and vitamins, which work together to help the body adjust naturally to the complex hormonal changes which take place before and during the menopause. The key ingredients are magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and other co-factors.

An open study among 157 women experiencing the menopause and published in the Journal of Sexual Health showed that taking Confiance for three months daily resulted in a significant improvement in their most troublesome symptoms. Of those affected by night sweats and hot flushes more than nine out of ten reported a reduction in their severity.

Maintaining good levels of B vitamins and magnesium help the adrenal glands function properly through stressful periods, stabilising fluctuating hormone levels, thought to be a major cause of depression, irritability and hot flushes.

Younger women may prefer to take the supplement Magnesium-OK which contains a combination of 12 vitamins and minerals specially formulated for women during the monthly cycle.

NMAS, supported by an educational grant from Wassen, has been launched with 16 well-researched "Fact Sheets" prepared with the assistance of Dr Bond, who is medical adviser to NMAS. These are available for patient use in surgeries or clinics from: NMAS at PO Box 71, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7DP, or direct from the Web at: www.nmas.org.uk