The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (24 page)

In a telephone survey of 886 women, 22.1% used an alternative therapy to manage menopausal symptoms.

In this survey, 9.1% used stress management techniques, 13.1% used over-the-counter herbs or supplements, 0.9% used chiropractic, 2.6% used massage therapy, 7.4% took dietary soy, 0.6% used acupuncture, and 2.0% saw a naturopathic doctor or homeopath, and 1.2% saw an herbalist.

Women were generally satisfied with alternative therapies.

Among the women who used alternative therapies, 89-100% found them to be somewhat or very helpful. Although women reported that certain herbs and supplements were helpful, it has been shown that in research studies on menopause, even a placebo cause’s great improvement.

Women with sleep disturbances used relaxation techniques and soy.

Sleep disturbances were associated with a four-fold increase in the use of bodywork, a three-fold increase in the use of stress management, and more than double the use of dietary soy products.

In a survey of women attending a San Francisco health conference, only 29% use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) alone.

In this survey, 29% used HRT alone, 16% used a combination of HRT with dietary supplements, 32% used dietary supplements alone, and 13% used no product or a different product.

Women attending a health conference in San Francisco may be more likely to used dietary supplements than the rest of the population.

Soy was the most common dietary supplement used for menopausal symptoms.

The most common dietary supplements were:

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Soy (29%)

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Ginkgo Biloba (16%)

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Black Cohosh (10%)

Supplements, however, were not as effective at reducing hot flashes: 63% of women using HRT alone reported relief of hot flashes compared to 30% of women using dietary supplements alone. The group using a combination of HRT and dietary supplements noticed an enhanced improvement in vaginal dryness, libido, and mood compared to the women using HRT alone.

Women using dietary supplements alone had the highest perceived quality of life.  W
omen using a combination of HRT and dietary supplements had highest overall feeling of control over menopausal symptoms.

Women using dietary supplements alone tended to be dissatisfied with the menopause counseling they received from their primary care provider.

From this finding, we cannot conclude that women used dietary supplements alone because they were dissatisfied with the counseling they received (this question was not asked). Satisfaction with menopausal counseling was significantly greater in women receiving HRT alone and combination therapy compared to women using supplements alone.

Herbs that help menopause:

• Alfalfa Leaf
  
• American Ginseng
  
• Black Cohosh
  
• Chaste Berry
  
• Damiana
  
• Evening Primrose
  
• False Unicorn Root
  
• Hops
  
• Horny Goat Weed
  
• Korean Ginseng
  
• Maca Root
  
• Red Raspberry
  
• Sarsaparilla
  

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Did you know…?

Americans now spend approximately $3 billion a year on over-the-counter heartburn drugs, according to the American Pharmacists Association.

But there's a lesser known, frequently overlooked condition called hypochlorhydria, when the stomach doesn't produce enough acid.

What are the symptoms of hypochlorhydria?

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Gas, bloating, burping after meals

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Sluggish digestion - food seems to sit in the stomach after meals.

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Heartburn not due to excess acidity

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Bad breath - undigested meat protein putrefies in the intestines, producing foul-smelling odor.

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Upset stomach, diarrhea

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Iron deficiency

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Low energy

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Weak, brittle, or peeling nails

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Dilated capillaries in the cheeks and nose

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Dry and thin hair and skin

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Acne

People with hypochlorhydria often say that they feel hungry all the time. The food in their body is not being properly digested, and absorption of nutrients is impaired, triggering hunger.

How common is hypochlorhydria?

More common than you might think. It is estimated that 10 to 15% of the population have hypochlorhydria.

Stomach acid production naturally declines with age beginning in the mid thirties. By the time people reach their fifties, some doctors who treat this condition say that the percentage of people with this condition is closer to 50%.

While it is undisputed that production of stomach acid slows with age, most conventional doctors do not test for or know how to treat this condition.

Why is stomach acid important?

Stomach acid plays a vital role in maintaining good health. Let us look at some of the functions these gastric juices have:

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Stomach acid is needed to digest protein. The acid activates an enzyme, pepsin, which breaks down the protein we eat. If there is insufficient stomach acid, hair, skin, and nails become weak and deficiencies of vital hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters can result.

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Stomach acid stimulates the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes. Stomach acid mixes with the food we eat and it is this acidity that triggers the pancreases to release digestive enzymes lipase (to digest fat), amylase (to digest carbohydrates), and protease (to further digest protein). If there is hypochlorhydria, digestion of fat and carbohydrates are also impaired, resulting in bloating, indigestion, and deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

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Stomach acid helps keep the digestive tract free of unwanted bacteria and yeast. Hypochlorhydria can lead to bacterial overgrowth and candida yeast infection, resulting in poor digestion, bloating, IBS-like symptoms, fatigue, and chronic yeast infections.

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Stomach acid is needed to absorb minerals. One clue to doctors is low iron, even though the person gets enough in their diet. Other minerals that rely on stomach acid to be absorbed are calcium and zinc. Chronic malabsorption of these minerals can manifest as low bone density and increased susceptibility to colds and flu.

The stomach glands that produce acid also produce intrinsic factor, a substance needed to absorb vitamin B12. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are depression, fatigue.

What causes hypochlorhydria?

• Bacterial infection (H Pylori)
  
• Aging
  
• Adrenal fatigue
  
• Chronic stress
  
• Alcohol consumption
  

Similar conditions

Because food in their body is not being properly digested and nutrients aren't absorbed, hypochlorhydria is believed to contribute to the onset of many diseases,
including:

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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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Autoimmune Diseases

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Rosacea

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Vitiligo

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Gallbladder Disease

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Hypoglycemia

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Asthma

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Adrenal Fatigue

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Chronic Hepatitis

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Celiac Disease

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Chronic Thyroiditis

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Diabetes

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Eczema

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Food Allergies

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Gastritis

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Graves Disease

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Hepatitis

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Hives

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Lupus

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Osteoporosis

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Pernicious Anemia

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Psoriasis

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Thyrotoxicosis

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Ulcerative Colitis

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Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

How is hypochlorhydria diagnosed?

If you think you may have hypochlorhydria, it is important to receive a proper diagnosis, because hypochlorhydria can be confused with hyperacidity and gastric ulcers, conditions at the opposite end of the spectrum.

The Heidelberg Gastric Analysis test is considered one of the most accurate. It is one of the most expensive tests. The Heidelberg test involves swallowing a vitamin-sized capsule containing a pH meter and radio transmitter. The patient then drinks a solution of water and bicarbonate of soda, which normally stimulates the release of stomach acid. The pH is transmitted to a receiver that is placed on the outside of a person's body near the stomach, and the fluctuations in pH are plotted on a graph, called a gastrogram. After the test, the capsule passes through the digestive tract and is excreted.

The gastro test is a simple, less expensive version of the Heidelberg. It is also less accurate. The gastro test involves swallowing a vitamin-sized capsule containing pH string. Holding the end of the string, the patient swallows the capsule, which dissolves as it makes its way down the esophagus until it the opposite end is in the stomach. After 10 to 15 minutes, the end of the string that the patient is holding is gently pulled until the entire length of the string is removed. The end that was in the stomach is compared to a color key to measure the pH. It should be in the acid range. Neutral pH is a sign of hypochlorhydria. This may be combined with a baking soda challenge.

Natural treatments for hypochlorhydria

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Chew thoroughly
- One of the simplest things you can do to lessen the job of your digestive juices is to chew your food thoroughly.

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Multivitamin
- Because hypochlorhydria can cause malabsorption of many vitamins and minerals, it is important to take a good multivitamin/mineral supplement.

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B complex
- An extra B complex supplement may be necessary for some. Vitamins B1 and B5 help to repair the stomach glands, vitamin B3 helps increase acid release, and folic acid and vitamin B12 are often deficient in someone with hypochlorhydria.

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Bitter herbs
- Bitter herbs stimulate the secretion of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Examples of bitter herbs are gentian and dandelion. To have the full effect, they must be taken in liquid form (vs. capsule), because it is the bitterness that triggers the release of the digestive juices. Add up to 3 ml of the herb tincture to room temperature or warm water and sip. Drink 15 to 30 minutes before eating. Another option is to buy an herbal tea containing bitter herbs and drink one cup before eating.

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Digestive Enzymes
- Look for a blend that includes lipase to digest fat, protease to digest protein, and amylase to digest carbohydrates.

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Betaine Hydrochloride
- Look for a capsule (not tablet) that contains both betaine hydrochloride and pepsin. It should be taken at the start of a meal, and the dose depends on the size of the meal. I only recommend taking this under the supervision of a health care practitioner, because too much can lead to stomach bleeding or ulcers even in the absence of symptoms. Betaine hydrochloride also should not be taken by people taking cortisone, NSAIDS, or aspirin. People who have peptic ulcer disease or abdominal pain also should not take betaine hydrochloride. If abdominal pain, burning, discomfort, dark stools occur, it should be discontinued immediately.