AIM RevitaFem™ details
For
many years, most medical and health related research was done on men,
and it was assumed that women have the same health problems and needs.
We now realize that this is not true. The symptoms and progression of
diseases differ between men and women. Women have special needs due
to their unique physiology.
Menopause
As women age, a major concern is menopause, when hormone levels begin
to drop and the menses cease. The term perimenopause refers to the events
leading up to and lasting for one year after menopause.
Today, millions of women in their 40s and 50s are on the threshold
of menopause. Many sail through without symptoms. However, many others
experience a wide range of discomforts, such as hot flashes, night sweats,
and mood swings. Osteoporosis also becomes more of a concern at this
time, as the lack of estrogen may speed up bone loss.
A question of balance
Menopause results from changes in the ovaries and in glands that
produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control the menstrual
cycle. If communication between all the organs and glands involved in
the production of these two hormones fails, too much estrogen or progesterone
may be produced. This generally results in too much estrogen relative
to progesterone—a condition now known as estrogen dominance.
John R. Lee, M.D., author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Menopause and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause,
believes that estrogen dominance is prevalent in industrialized societies
due to a number of factors. These include estrogen replacement therapy,
birth control pills, and hysterectomies.
Other factors may include lack of exercise and a diet rich in animal
fat, sugar, refined starches, and processed foods. When women consume
more calories than they need, hormone production increases, and this
may contribute to hormonal imbalance and estrogen dominance. Finally,
we must consider xenoestrogens, which are foreign substances originating
outside the body that have estrogenlike activity. Xenoestrogens are
generally produced through pesticides and petroleum products. Again,
these may contribute to hormonal imbalance.
Estrogen dominance manifests itself in many ways, including the absence
of periods, a long menstrual cycle, frequent or heavy periods, painful
periods, PMS, hot flashes, mood swings, and more. Dr. Lee also notes
that estrogen dominance may be linked to the acceleration of the aging
process, allergies, breast tenderness, decreased sex drive, depression,
fatigue, fibrocystic breasts, headaches, irritability, memory loss,
osteoporosis, uterine cancer and uterine fibroids, and water retention.
Synthetic hormone therapy
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was developed in the 1960s to treat
the symptoms of menopause, but doctors have since prescribed HRT to
relieve depression, cardiovascular disease, and bone loss, as well as
a myriad of other conditions. In the United States and Canada, most
women use one of two main types of hormone therapy-combined estrogen
and progestin or estrogen only.
These therapies have been shown to provide relief from hot flashes,
night sweats, and vaginal dryness, as well as to decrease the risk of
osteoporosis and colorectal cancer. However, research shows that the
risks may be greater than the benefits.
Due to serious health concerns, the Women’s Health Initiative, an
eight-year study commissioned to determine if HRT is beneficial to healthy
women, was halted after five years and two months. This study involved
16,608 healthy postmenopausal women (no periods for 12 months). The
women received equine estrogen with synthetic progestin. It was concluded
that the study posted significant health risks to women that exceeded
the benefits. The results from the study indicate a 111 percent increased
risk of blood clots, a 41 percent increased risk of stroke, a 29 percent
increased risk of coronary heart disease, and a 26 percent increased
risk of breast cancer.
Natural hormone therapy
Millions of women in the United States and Canada use some form of
synthetic hormone replacement therapy while still others experience
symptoms but don’t want to take a drug. Studies are currently under
way to compare the benefits of synthetic therapies to natural remedies
and healthy lifestyle choices. But the anecdotal evidence is already
clear. Natural hormone therapies and lifestyle changes relieve symptoms
without unwelcome side effects and harmful health risks. One such natural
approach to menopause is AIM RevitaFem®.
Powerhouse of menopausal support
The combination of botanicals in AIM RevitaFem provide a synergistic
powerhouse in the support of menopause management.
The combination of botanicals in AIM RevitaFem® provides a synergistic
powerhouse in the support of menopause management. Please note that
this formula is strictly contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.
If you experience long and heavy periods, consult a health care practitioner
before use.
Lifestyle support
Of course, taking a natural, botanical supplement like AIM RevitaFem®
is only part of a menopause management program. After a lifetime of
prescription drugs, stress, poor food choices, and environmental pollutants,
the liver and adrenal glands have become taxed leading to even greater
hormone imbalance. It is necessary to provide support to the liver and
adrenals to aid the body through the transition. To support a system
going through the “change,” it is wise to incorporate the following
lifestyle factors:
- Exercise regularly.
- Manage your stress.
- Eliminate toxins regularly.
- Eat a whole foods diet. Eat foods rich in phytoestrogens such
as soybeans, yellow and red lentils, blackeyed peas. In fact, all
legumes are high in isoflavones. Eliminate red meats, fried foods,
and dairy products. If you must eat meat, eat less and eat organic.
Meat and dairy products most often contain synthetic growth hormones
that can add to the disruption in your body systems. Avoid junk
foods.
- Replenish your body with the nutrient-dense AIM Garden Trio®
(AIM BarleyLife®, AIM Just Carrots®, and AIM RediBeets®) and add
other supplements as needed.
In the early 1900s, the average life expectancy for women was 51. In
this century, a woman’s life expectancy has increased dramatically to
93. That means she can expect to live nearly a third of her life after
menopause.
A positive attitude about this change eases the transition and helps
the body weather almost any challenge.
Despite an increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis or a
family history of difficult menopause, women can—by utilizing natural
healing strategies—defy genetics and enjoy a vital, strong, productive
new beginning in this stage of their life.
If you are a perimenopausal or menopausal woman, make the right choice
for your physical and emotional health, as well as peace of mind. Choose
the natural way for optimal health during your transitional years.
References
- Bensky, D. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica. Rev. Ed.
East Land Press, 1993.
- Blumenthal, M.; Busse, W.R., Ph.D.; Goldberg, A.; Gruenwald,
J., Ph.D.; Hall, T.; Riggins, W.; Rister, R.S.; Klein, S., Ph.D.
The Complete German Commission E Monographs—Therapeutic Guide to
Herbal Medicine. America Botanical Council, 1998.
- Corsello, S., M.D. The Ageless Woman. Corsello Communication,
Inc., 1999.
- Graham, K., Husband, A., Waring, M. “Phenolic Phytoestrogens.”
Quarterly Review of Natural Medicine, Spring 1998.
- Holt, S. Soya for Health: The Definitive Medical Guide. Larchment,
NY: Mary Ann Liebert, 1996.
- Kenner, D., Requena, Y. Botanical Medicine. Paradigm Publications,
2001.
- “Pros and Cons of Hormone Therapy: Making an Informed Decision.”
The Canadian Women’s Health Network. Written by Women’s Health Network,
1998. (Updated 2002).
- Writing Group for the Women’s Health Initiative Investigators.
“Risks and Benefits of Estrogen Plus Progestin in Healthy Postmenopausal
Women.” Journal of American Medical Association 288 (2002): 321-333.
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