Mulling Hormones for Menopause Symptoms?

By Theresa Tamkins

This is the second section of a two-part article. Read more about hormones and the risks of heart disease.

Thinking about taking hormones to reduce menopausal symptoms, but concerned about the breast cancer risk? Well, it’s a tricky decision.

Although millions of women were routinely put on hormones during menopause in the past, many stopped taking them in 2002, when one part of the Women’s Health Initiative trial was halted because the hormones didn’t prevent heart disease, as was once hoped, but did increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer (as well as heart disease and strokes). Read More

PMS Lite

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is characterized by uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms that occur before the onset of your menstrual period. An estimated three out of every four menstruating women experience some form of PMS.

About 5% of women experience symptoms that cause severe impairment. PMS may start at any time during the years that a woman menstruates. Once it begins, the symptoms often continue until menopause.

PMS is more likely to trouble women between their late 20s and early 40s and it tends to recur in a predictable pattern. The physical and emotional changes that are experienced with PMS may vary in intensity with each menstrual cycle. Cyclic changes in hormones are believed to be a precursor to PMS because its symptoms appear with hormonal fluctuations and disappear with pregnancy and menopause. Fluctuations of serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter), are the cause of mood swings during PMS.

Insufficient amounts of serotonin may contribute to other symptoms of PMS, such as fatigue, food cravings, and sleep problems. Occasionally, some women with severe PMS have undiagnosed depression, though depression alone does not cause all of the symptoms associated with PMS. Stress may also aggravate PMS.

Western medicine relies on pharmaceuticals to counteract symptoms related to PMS. Unfortunately, these drugs do not address underlying causes and often result in dangerous side effects. And natural pills only provide fleeting, inconsistent results. Ayurveda, the science of life, prevention and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago.

Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. India Herbs has a seasoned group of Ayurvedic doctors specialized in Vajikarana, one of the eight major specialties of Ayurveda. Vajikarana prescribes the therapeutic use of various herbal and holistic medicines to enhance your physiological and psychological capabilities and composition while strengthening the mind and overall well-being.

India Herbs' Vajikarana scientists combine a proprietary herbal formula based on centuries' old wisdom with advice on diet, exercise, mental training, and relaxation to help you reach your peak and minimize the symptoms of PMS through safe, natural means.

Results: The precise combination of natural ingredients in PMS Lite along with a mind-body focus precisely addresses your gynecological concerns!

more information: http://www.pmslite.com/index.htm?aff=dreddyclinic

Does Drinking Milk Lead to Breast Cancer?

Does Drinking Milk Lead to Breast Cancer?

Is there any correlation between milk-drinking and breast cancer? I've been reading vegetarian Web sites that say there could be a link.

Evidence connecting milk consumption to breast cancer is contradictory, but results of a recent study from Denmark suggest that it may play a role in the increasing incidence of the disease during the past 50 years. In a study involving more than 117,000 women, researchers from the Statens Serum Institute found that height is a risk factor for breast cancer, particularly when it stems from a growth spurt between the ages of eight and 14. In Japan, an increase in women's average heights over the last 50 years may be related to milk consumption. During that time breast cancer incidence doubled from 40 to 80 cases per 100,000 women. The findings were published in the October 14, 2004, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Commenting on the results in the same issue, two experts from Harvard Medical School noted that milk consumption increases circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor 1, a growth hormone associated with higher stature. It isn't known yet exactly how this might contribute to childhood growth and breast cancer risk. But if milk drinking is to blame for the increased incidence of breast cancer, the amount consumed during childhood could be the key, not the amount adult women are drinking today.




To confuse matters, an earlier study had suggested that the vitamin D and calcium women get by consuming low-fat dairy products, including skim or low-fat milk lower the risk of breast cancer before menopause but not afterward. These findings came from data drawn from the famed Nurses Health Study, which began in 1976 and includes more than 120,000 nurses in 11 states. In 2002 Harvard researchers published an analysis of information from more than 88,600 of the women showing that consumption of dairy products - either before or after menopause - had no effect one way or the other on the breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women. The study was published in the September 4, 2002, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Another study, from Norway, published in 2001 also suggested that milk consumption was protective. Data from more than 48,000 premenopausal women researchers showed that childhood milk consumption (regardless of the type of milk and its fat content) was associated with a lower breast cancer risk among women aged 34 to 39 but not among women in their forties. Adult milk consumption also seemed to lower the risk. Among women who drank more than three glasses of milk per day, risk was lowered by about half. The study was published in the Sept. 15, 2001 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

I recommend against using cow's milk and products made from milk if you have a personal or family history of eczema, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, or autoimmunity. If you do drink milk, I urge you to buy only organic brands without the residues of antibiotics and hormones found in conventional brands. In my opinion, those hormone residues may be the factor responsible for increased risks of cancer, especially hormonally driven cancers.
Andrew Weil, M.D.

Menopause Relief

Ayurveda offers a new line of products for menopausal symptoms that are not only effective but safe. When research on hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) was suddenly discontinued by a federally-funded research program this summer, it made headlines.

A combination of artificial estrogen and progestin, HRT has been used by millions of women as a solution to a wide range of menopausal problems from hot flashes to wrinkle-free skin.

The reason for discontinuing HRT research: despite the fact that HRT has been promoted by doctors and researchers as a way to protect women against heart disease for the past thirty years, the study proved that the opposite is true.

Long-term use of HRT actually increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and clotting, and thus the 16,000 subjects involved in HRT research were at too high a risk to continue. In addition, the study definitively proved what was already indicated in 30 previous studies--that HRT also increases the risk of breast cancer.

The HRT study was conducted by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), one of the largest research programs ever undertaken, involving over 160,000 women subjects. The WHI was begun in 1991 by the National Institutes of Health and is considered the definitive word on women's health by most doctors due to its rigorous design.

So what is a woman to do? Millions of women now feel abandoned, adrift in a sea of symptoms without relief. Many are turning to Maharishi Ayurveda for help.

Maharishi Ayurveda Products has recently developed a complete line of products to treat specific menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, urinary tract infections, and reduced sexual desire. These products effectively treat these symptoms without harmful side effects. Even more importantly, the wisdom of Maharishi Ayurveda offers practical and effective ways to prevent these disorders from happening at all.

What is Soma?

Soma has to do with the finest relative or celestial value that exists in all of nature including the human physiology.

Soma has a cooling, nourishing influence on the physiology, and is associated with lunar energy. In fact, soma is another word for "essence of the moon. Soma, or lunar energy, must be balanced with agni, or the solar energy that is associated with the sun in nature and with the digestive fire in the human body.

Here's one example of how these two forces work together in the body. When you eat an apple, the apple gets crushed by agni in the digestive process, and becomes the liquid nutritive fluid (rasa dhatu). As the nutritive fluid is further metabolized by the body, it becomes more and more refined. At some point, in the gaps between the dhatus (tissues), it becomes soma.

Ideal health means maintaining a balance between the cooling, nurturing, lunar energy of soma and the warm, metabolic and cleansing energy of agni. Women naturally have more soma in their physiology than men, and thus it is very important to maintain a good quantity of soma in the female physiology in order to maintain women's health.

Q: In the West menopause is likened to a disease, with women often under a physician's care for treatment. Is the ayurvedic approach similar or does a planned program of self-care help you go through menopause relatively without discomfort?

A: In the ayurvedic tradition, menopause is viewed not as a disease but as a transitional imbalance. Just as imbalances in the body arise due to the change of seasons, changes in weather, and the changing influence of the sun, moon and planets, menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life.

And just as Maharishi Ayurveda explains how to avoid imbalances in other transitional periods of life, it explains how to avoid imbalances during menopause.These transitions from one stage of life to the next are natural, and menopause itself is manageable through Maharishi Ayurveda. To use an analogy, there may be bumps in the road due to changing from one sort of pavement to another, but if you know the bumps are coming, you can take precautions to slow down so you don't blow out your tires.

In the same way, in daily life change is unavoidable. Maharishi Ayurveda offers concrete lifestyle and dietary guidelines to make those transitions smooth. This is the value of the seasonal routine (ritucharya), and this is the value of the special ayurvedic guidelines for the other changes in a woman's life: puberty, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. They make the transitions happen smoothly, without discomfort or disease.

So the answer to your question is yes, the knowledge of Maharishi Ayurveda offers a complete self-care program for avoiding menopausal discomfort.

Q: Why do so many women in the West experience menopause-related symptoms such as hot flashes, loss of memory, emotional imbalance, and loss of sexual drive?

A: That is a good question. The main thing to understand is that menopause takes place during the transition between the Pitta stage of life and the Vata stage of life. Maharishi Ayurveda outlines three stages of life (called Kala in Sanskrit) for both men and women: Kapha Kala forms the first trimester, when Kapha dosha predominates and the body's structure is developed to maturity. Next is Pitta Kala or the adulthood trimester, when Pitta dosha is predominant and most people achieve their peak in terms of productivity and creativity. Vata Kala, the third trimester, occurs at the end of life, and is predominated by Vata dosha.

Because menopause occurs towards the end of Pitta Kala and the beginning of Vata Kala (the exact age a woman experiences these transitions varies), it is common for a menopausal woman to experience both Vata and Pitta related imbalances. For instance, menopausal complaints such as insomnia, memory lapses, anxiety, vaginal dryness, and aging skin are all related to an imbalance in Vata dosha. Pitta-related imbalances are experienced in menopause as hot flashes, urinary tract infections, anger, irritability, hyperacidity, and skin breakouts and rashes.
If a woman already has a significant Pitta or Vata imbalance in the years before menopause, her symptoms are likely to be much, much worse.

Another factor leading to menopausal imbalances is the accumulation of the digestive impurities called ama in the physiology, often caused by eating a diet of fast foods, foods with chemicals and preservatives, and packaged, canned, frozen or left-over foods. Ama blocks the channels that transport nutrition to the cells and remove waste from the body, and thus ama contributes to disease and aging, including menopausal problems.

Basically if a woman has had problems in the years before menopause with accumulation of ama then the symptoms of menopause are likely to be worse. A third factor is the misuse and overuse of the mind, body, emotions, or senses. Basically, this happens when a woman strains her mind too much, is under too much ongoing stress or pressure, or is doing work that is too "heavy" for her body, or is under tremendous emotional stress.

So if a woman enters menopause with a Vata or Pitta imbalance, or with the accumulation of ama, or having strained her emotions, mental faculties, physical body or senses through misuse or excessive use--then these pre-existing imbalances will combine with the natural fluctuations in hormones that take place during menopause. The result will be the symptoms that we recognize as hot flashes, loss of memory, emotional imbalance, weight gain, urinary infections, vaginal dryness, loss of sexual desire, and sleep problems.

Unfortunately, these causal factors are found more often in the West, or in women who are living a fast-paced lifestyle as in the West. When I was practicing in India, the women in the villages did not have the same problems of menopause that I am seeing in my practice in the West. There is an interesting story that illustrates this difference. In the village where I lived in India, there were two identical twin sisters.

One stayed in the village all her life, and the other moved to New Delhi, the Indian capital, with her husband. When these women reached menopausal age, the sister who stayed in the village had a smooth transition with no symptoms. The sister who had moved to New Delhi eventually consulted my father because she was suffering many complications of menopause, due mainly to her faster-paced, more stressful lifestyle and lesser attention to a proper diet and daily routine.

Q: This is fascinating, that menopausal symptoms are a symptom of the imbalances of our culture as well as the time of life itself. What's the best way to prepare for menopause and prevent these imbalances from happening?

A: The most important thing is to prevent Pitta and Vata imbalances and to keep the body free of ama before menopause begins. First of all, it's important to understand that not all women will get the same symptoms. Some will have more hot flashes, some more mood swings, others a memory problem, and others a loss of libido. Very few will have all the symptoms. And some women will have no symptoms at all.

The reason for this variation, even though all women experience the same reduction in estrogen at the time of menopause, is that there are other factors in play, as we have already mentioned. If someone is of Pitta constitution, or if they are eating foods that cause a Pitta imbalance or living a lifestyle that creates those imbalances, they are going to experience more Pitta-related symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. On the other hand, if the person has a Vata imbalance due to having more Vata in their constitution or eating more Vata foods and living a Vata-aggravating lifestyle, then they will experience more Vata-related symptoms, such as memory loss and vaginal dryness.

So it's important to identify the etiological (causal) factors behind the symptoms. You could say that the main cause is the drop in hormones due to menopause, and certainly this is a major transition in a woman's life. But if the cause is only a drop in hormones, why isn't every woman getting the same symptoms? An intelligent woman can see that there also has to be some imbalance there in order for specific symptoms to manifest. And that is what you need to identify, whether it's a Vata or Pitta imbalance, and you need to stop doing those things that are causing the imbalance.So if you start to have any of the Pitta-based problems of menopause, be sure to follow a Pitta-pacifying diet. Avoid foods that are spicy, such as chilies, cayenne and black mustard seed. Salty foods and foods that are sour, such as yogurt (unless it is diluted and sweetened in a drink called lassi) and sour fruits such as ketchup, mustard, and other salad dressings and condiments made with vinegar should also be avoided.

Favor foods that are bitter, astringent and sweet, as these are cooling to Pitta dosha. Bitter and astringent foods include most vegetables. Sweet foods include rice, milk and cream, sweet lassi, wheat products, pasta. Sweet, juicy fruits such as pears and plums also pacify Pitta dosha. Cook with Pitta-reducing spices, such as cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, fennel and small amounts of cumin seed.

If you start to have some Vata-related symptoms of menopause such as memory loss or vaginal dryness, you'll want to work at bringing Vata dosha back into balance. For this, you'll want to eat foods that are cooked, warm, and unctuous (meaning that they have a small amount of good fats such as ghee and olive oil). Eat foods that are sweet, sour and salty, as this balances Vata dosha.

Apana Vata, which governs the genito-urinary tract, elimination, and menstruation, is a key area to attend to when preparing for menopause. Drink plenty of warm water throughout the day. Eat plenty of cooked, leafy greens, as this helps elimination and is also a good source of calcium. For both Pitta and Vata imbalances, a breakfast of cooked apples and prunes and figs is a good way to start the day, as it balances the doshas and cleanses the digestion.

In addition to balancing Pitta and Vata dosha, it's important to keep your digestion strong and free of ama. All of the above suggestions will help with this, In addition, avoid eating foods that are packaged, processed, frozen, canned or left over. Eat organic foods that are cooked fresh each day. The bulk of your diet should consist of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and legumes and light dairy products such as milk, lassi or panir for protein. This type of light but nourishing diet will aid your digestion and avoid the build-up of ama. Avoid heavy foods such as meat, cheese, yogurt and frozen desserts like ice cream, especially at night.

Q: And are there any lifestyle tips for preparing for menopause?

A: Yes. Sleep is an important area of concern for the woman entering menopause, because both Vata and Pitta imbalances can cause sleep problems that will only make menopausal imbalances worse. To keep both doshas in balance and to sleep more deeply at night, be sure you're in bed before 10:00 p.m. and that you arise before 6:00 a.m. This is the time of night when sleep comes easier and is more restful. If you stay awake past 10:00, it will be harder to fall asleep, and you'll also increase any Pitta imbalance, because 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. is the Pitta time of night, when the body needs to be at rest in order to cleanse and purify itself.

The morning abhyanga or ayurvedic oil massage is extremely important for preventing menopausal problems. Use the Youthful Skin Oil for Women. This oil is designed to increase circulation, calm Vata dosha, and prov ide needed moisture to the skin. For both Pitta and Vata dosha, it's important not to skip meals, and to eat your main meal at noon, when digestion is the strongest. Try to eat at the same time every day, and go to bed and wake up at the same time. And be sure to get lots of rest during your menstrual cycle as you approach menopause, because this will keep Apana Vata in balance and avoid more serious complications of menopause. Daily exercise (gentle for Vata and not too overheating for Pitta) is also important for keeping all doshas in balance. F inally, practice of the Transcendental Meditation® program is an effective way to keep the doshas in balance, to keep the mind clear and focused, and to calm the emotions and dissolve stress.

Q: You've given us a clear picture of what to do to prevent menopausal problems. What should a woman do during menopause?

A: All of these dietary and lifestyle suggestions that I just described to help prevent menopausal problems will also help keep Pitta and Vata dosha in balance once menopause begins.

Q: I understand that you have developed a completely new line of products for menopause called the Graceful Transition line of nutritional supplements. Can you tell us about this targeted line of products for menopause?

A: The Graceful Transition line as a whole is designed to prevent and address the imbalances related to menopause. It provides both general support and targets specific imbalances that women experience before, during and after menopause. The Graceful Transition line includes these products: Hot Flash Relief, Midlife for Women 1, and Midlife for Women2. In addition, the program includes dietary and lifestyle recommendations to correct specific imbalances during menopause.

The entire program is targeted especially for women of the West: who have the Western physiology, live in that environment, or work in that culture. It addresses the dietary needs, lifestyle and stress levels of women who live a fast-paced life. This program is designed to promote the overall emotional, physical and mental health of women. It helps keep the body free of ama and maintains the balance between soma (lunar energy) and agni (solar energy).

Q: That sounds like an amazingly comprehensive program. Can you tell us first of all what causes each type of imbalance and how each formula from the Graceful Transition line can help?
A: Certainly. Let's start with hot flashes. Hot flashes are caused when too much Pitta dosha accumulates in the body and at the same time ama blocks the channels (srotas). This causes the circulation of heat to become uneven, which women experience as hot flashes. Hot flashes, you could say, are the body's attempt to release heat that has accumulated due to blocked channels.

There is another factor that is highly important here, and that is the influence of soma on a woman's physiology. Soma is the cooling, nourishing substance related to lunar energy that is more predominant in a woman's physiology (see box for more detailed explanation). When, due to Vata and Pitta imbalances, the cooling soma decreases, this contributes to chronic hot flashes. Hot Pitta burns soma and high Vata dries it. When the channels are clogged and the release of heat in the body gets obstructed, then heat builds up and eventually gets released through uncomfortable hot flashes or night sweats.

Once there is this level of Pitta imbalance, and the damage has been done, so to speak, then what is needed is an herbal product to reduce Pitta in the deeper tissues of the body, such as the muscle and fat tissues. In addition, the microcirculatory channels of all the tissues (dhatus) and the waste products (malas) need to be cleansed. It's necessary to regulate the heat throughout the body and the brain as well. Most importantly, the connection between the the mind and body and the mind and the heart need to be re-established. In ayurvedic terms, this relationship between mind and heart is governed by Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha that regulates the emotions and their effect on the heart, and Prana Vata, the subdosha that regulates the mind and senses. Finally, in chronic situations, soma must be increased, because the burning effect of hot flashes has reduced it to critical lows.

Hot Flash Relief is designed to repair all of these imbalances in order to cool the body and reduce hot flashes during menopause.

Q: That's remarkable, that Hot Flash Relief has been designed to take into account all these different causes of hot flashes. Can you tell us something about the herbs in the formula and how they achieve these effects?

A: Let's look at the first benefit this formula imparts: to reduce Pitta in the deeper tissues of the body. To reduce Pitta imbalance in the deeper tissues, the fat (medha) and muscle (mamsa) tissues, we added the ayurvedic herbs Shatavari, Indian Asparagus, Indian Sarsaparilla, Khus Khus Grass, Water Lily, Sandalwood, Indian Tinospora, Cabbage Rose, and Mica Bhasma. These herbs, when combined, perform an important task. They go deep into the fat and muscle tissues and remove the heat that has been stored there.

There's a very interesting story related to one of these ingredients, Water Lily, which to me illustrates how this wisdom of Maharishi Ayurveda is so profound. In ancient times, the great seers were aware that there were many herbs to increase soma and reduce heat in the deep tissues of the body. But they also knew that there was only one herb that is ideal to increase soma production in women, and that herb is the Water Lily.

Now, every herb has its own intelligence, its own purpose. Some plants are receptors for solar energy (agni), and thus have a heating effect on the human physiology. Other plants are receptors for lunar energy (soma), and thus have a cooling, nourishing effect. To understand how this works, think of a chili pepper. Nature has given it a receptor, you could say, that allows it to store solar energy. If you allow a green chili to mature until it is red in color, it will store more solar energy and we experience this as a hotter taste.

I learned a valuable lesson about the intelligence of herbs when I was interning with my father. We lived near a pond in which the Water Lily and the Red Lotus grew. The Red Lotus is large and red, and its petals are open during the day and closed at night. The Water Lily, on the other hand, opens its petals at night and closes them during the day.

My father pointed out that both lilies are cool by nature because they live in the water and derive their nourishment from the water. So both are good for pacifying Pitta on the deeper tissues, as is needed in the Hot Flash Relief formula. But if you also need an herb that increases soma, then the best choice is the Water Lily, because its petals are open during the night and closed during the day. The fact that it is open to the moon and closed to the sun makes it a receptor of lunar energy, and the best herb to increase soma in the feminine physiology.
You can see from this illustration that if you follow the traditional, proven guidelines of Maharishi Ayurveda, the formulation ends up being unique and highly effective.

Q: That's a fascinating story. What other herbs are used in this formula?

A: Other herbs such as Long Pepper, Indian Sarsaparilla, Turbinella rapa Bhasma and Cumin seed cleanse ama from the microchannels. Indian Tinospora, Shatavari, Coral (Corallium Rubrum) and Licorice nourish the connection between mind and body and mind and heart. Khus Khus Grass (Vetiver), Sandalwood and Mica Bhasma maintain proper heat regulation.

As far as dietary tips for reducing hot flashes, follow a Pitta pacifying diet. Don't eat anything that aggravates Pitta. Favor more sweet, juicy fruits, Rose Petal Preserve, and start the day with a stewed apple.

Keep your home environment cool, pleasant and loving. Fill your garden and home with roses. For daily abhyanga (ayurvedic oil massage), use 50% Youthful Skin Oil and 50% Cool Sensation Oil. This will calm and balance the emotions and support coordination of body, mind and heart.

Q: Can you tell us what causes other Pitta-related imbalances, such as mood swings?

A: Changing hormones can contribute to emotional ups and downs during menopause, and this physiological change can be magnified by special problems such as work pressures, children leaving the home, the burden of caring for ailing parents, and financial and marital problems. When emotional stress becomes chronic, even the brain chemicals can be affected, leading to feelings of depression.

Sadhaka Pitta, which governs the emotions and their effect on the heart, is often thrown out of balance when Pitta dosha becomes aggravated, creating sudden mood swings and a critical attitude towards loved ones.

To counteract mood swings, I'd recommend taking Stress Free Emotions along with a Pitta pacifying diet. If you feel critical or upset, try eating a sweet, juicy pear or take a teaspoon of Rose Petal Preserve. It's very important to take care of emotional imbalances when they first appear, because if left untreated they can cause major problems and even lead to early menopause. So it's very important to keep Sadhaka Pitta in balance at all times.

The various herbs in Stress Free Emotions combine to do three things: enhance coordination between mind and emotions, cleanse the channels between heart and mind, and nourish the heart and mind.

Q: What is the best way to approach multiple symptoms? Can a woman take all of these formulas at one time?

A: If a woman has multiple symptoms, she should try to find out which symptom occurred first. Then she should try to address that problem first, and make the recommended lifestyle and dietary changes along with taking the formulation.

What often happens is that one imbalance creates additional imbalances, with the root imbalance causing other symptoms to manifest. So as a general rule in Maharishi Ayurveda, we address the symptom and underlying imbalance that occurred first, since it is often the cause of later problems. For instance, if someone is hungry and then gets a headache, it would be wise to eat a meal first, instead of just popping a pain-relieving pill. The secondary symptom is often related to the first symptom, in the same way that the headache is related to hunger.

In general, take only two of the Graceful Transition formulas at one time, and in special cases up to three. But if you feel you have three or more symptoms, it's best to consult a physician trained in Maharishi Ayurveda, who can determine the primary cause through nadi vigyan (pulse diagnosis). This is also a good idea if you are taking other herbal formulas or medications.

An important part of this program is knowledge, and I'd highly recommend the newly released book, A Woman's Best Medicine for Menopause: Your Personal Guide to Radiant Good Health Using Maharishi Ayurveda, by Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D. This book gives a deep understanding of menopause, its imbalances, and the causes of specific symptoms. It also outlines a complete self-care program for taking care of those symptoms and removing the imbalances at their source.

Q: How do Midlife for Women I and II fit in with these Graceful Transition targeted menopause formulas? And what about taking Maharishi Amrit Kalash with these products?

A: I'm glad you asked because this is important to clarify. Midlife for Women I and II should be taken along with the new targeted formulas from the Graceful Transition lines. Midlife for Women I (for preparing for menopause) and Midlife for Women II (for during menopause) provide overall support. A woman needs both types of nourishment and support--general and specific.

Many women won't have any symptoms, and will be able to stay in balance by just taking Midlife for Women I or II. For women who have specific imbalances, such as hot flashes, mood swings, urinary tract disorders, vaginal dryness or memory loss, they should take both the Midlife for Women I or II plus up to two of the specific formulas.

Maharishi Amrit Kalash is the supreme rasayana, or herbal compound, for overall balance and youthfulness, so it can be taken in addition to two other herbal formulas.

Q: Osteoporosis is, of course, another problem often associated with menopause. Can you tell us something about the Calcium Support formula?

A: The Calcium Support formula is a vegetarian source of calcium that is easily absorbable and safe. Since one of the problems with calcium supplements is that they are often not absorbed by the body, this formula focuses on absorption, and contains herbs that enhance absorption of calcium. It also enhances the metabolic mechanisms between fat and bone tissue, so the bone tissue can actually utilize the calcium and other nutrients supportive to the bone. This high absorbability makes Calcium Support a unique product on the market today. Many commercial varieties are digested but not absorbed by the body, which creates a strain on the kidneys to remove the excess calcium through the urinary tract.

Another important feature of Calcium Support is that it is lead-free. Many commercial calcium supplements today contain lead, which is harmful to the body. Calcium Support contains Pearl Bhasma, which is one of the richest sources of calcium mentioned in the traditional ayurvedic texts. It and the other natural sources of calcium are easily absorbable and natural.

Q: Should you take the Calcium Support along with the Graceful Transition supplements?

A: Women of any age can take Calcium Support on an ongoing basis as you would a food, one tablet twice a day, without counting it as one of the Graceful Transition formulas that you take.

Because Herbal Calcium Absorb contains herbs to enhance utilization, and because the herbs also increase the absorption of calcium from the food you eat, it is much more effective in supplying needed calcium to menopausal women than the large quantities normally recommended for other types of calcium supplements.

Q: Menopausal women sometimes complain about skin and hair problems such as acne. What are the reasons for these symptoms?

A: One reason is that the decrease in estrogen and the onset of Vata time of life associated with menopause causes the glands to produce less oil and the deeper fat layers to become thinner.

This drying effect of Vata dosha causes the skin to wrinkle and lose its softness.

The surface layer of the skin also thins, and thus many women find that their skin is more sensitive to sunburn, windy and dry conditions, and allergens. That's why women in their fifties are sometimes dismayed to find that they have a case of acne, something they haven't faced since adolescence.

Aging also causes a decrease in circulation and blood flow, so the skin is no longer nourished on deeper levels. This, along with the drying of natural emollients, can cause the skin to look pale and pasty. Fluctuations in hormones also cause collagen to decrease, making the skin less firm and youthful looking.

Q: Do women just have to accept these changes, or is there something that they can do to increase the natural vitality and beauty of their skin?

A: Maharishi Ayurveda offers a wide range of remedies to keep a woman's skin healthy and youthful as she ages. The most important thing is to identify your skin type. Vata skin is delicate, thin, fine-pored and cool when you touch it. When out of balance, it is more prone to dryness, roughness, a gray or wan color, wrinkles and early aging. Pitta skin is usually fair and sensitive, with a tendency to freckles, moles, pinkish or reddish color. When out of balance it can develop sunspots, rashes, and breakouts. Kapha skin is usually soft, oily, thick, and darker in color. When out of balance, it can develop enlarged pores, blackheads and pimples, moist types of eczema and water retention.

For Vata skin, you'll want to moisturize your skin from the inside and out. Drink several glasses of pure water a day. Eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits. Follow a Vata pacifying diet. Because Vata skin is delicate, you'll want to avoid harsh cleansers or products with chemical ingredients. The Youthful Skin Massage Oil is especially soothing to Vata, and helps nourish and soothe the skin.
For Pitta skin, which tends to be extremely sensitive, you'll also want to avoid harsh chemical ingredients. Cooling foods and tastes are best for your diet. Include Ghee and Rose Petal Preserve in your diet.

The Youthful Skin products are ideal for rejuvenating dry and aging skin and making it youthful again, and are completely free of harmful additives and preservatives. In fact, the Youthful Skin Cream is comprised of 9.5% herbal extract, which is truly an unheard of percentage. Most skin creams that are labeled "herbal" or "natural" contain only .025-1% herbal extracts.

Youthful Skin Cream has been tested in an independent laboratory with impressive results.

After two months, skin thickness increased by an average of 14.59%, which is a remarkable result from an all-natural cream. Wrinkles were reduced an average of 33% in the first month, and by 40% in just three months. Firmness, clarity and radiance, and moisturizing of the skin all were also substantially improved.

One reason that Youthful Skin Cream is so effective in moisturizing the skin is that the herbs open the channels and allow moisture to be conveyed to the deepest layers of the skin. Youthful Skin Cream, even though applied from the outside, actually improves the metabolism of the skin and opens the channels so it can show the results of being moisturized from the inside (by drinking water) and from the outside with the application of the cream.

The Youthful Skin Herbal Tablets are also a big help for menopause-related skin problems, because they promote contentment and serenity even in the face of stressful challenges. This formula also nourishes the deepest layer of the skin, the rohini layer, which means that it helps replenish and rebuild the tissues and fluids necessary for healthy skin.

Maharishi Ayurveda Products International, Inc.

YOUR HEALTH - Seeking alternatives

By K. Oanh Ha
San Jose Mercury News
An increasing number of American women are turning to alternative, Eastern medicinal arts to solve problems with infertility, menopause, weight loss and even dry skin.
Acupuncture treatments are now recommended by some in-vitro specialists as a way to increase fertility. Women also are turning to ayurveda -- a 5,000-year-old practice from India that incorporates mind, body and spirit -- to ensure health, rid the body of toxins and help with dull skin.
Robin Hays used acupuncture for a sprained ankle two decades ago and was so delighted with the results that she pursued it as a profession. She graduated from San Francisco's American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1985.
Back then, it was mostly Chinese and older hippies who turned to acupuncture, Hays says. Now insurance often covers treatments.
At Hays' practice, about half of the patients see her for women's health issues, including premenstrual syndrome, irregular menstrual cycles and menopause. She also treats many patients for pain disorders and allergies.
Meanwhile, ayurvedic spas are increasing. A survey of spas offering "wellness treatments" in 2004 found that 12 percent added ayurvedic services while an additional 7 percent planned to, according to the International Spa Association.

HRT Raises Risk for Specific Breast Cancers

THURSDAY, Feb. 16 (HealthDay News) -- When taken for more than five years, estrogen-progestin hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with a more than two-fold higher risk of lobular breast cancer or tubular breast cancer, compared with the more common ductal breast cancer, Swedish researchers report.
According to the American Cancer Society, about two-thirds of breast cancers are ductal malignancies, arising in the breast ducts. A smaller percentage of breast cancers are categorized as either lobular -- arising in milk-producing glands called lobules -- or tubular, meaning the cancer itself produces small glands and tubules resembling mammary ductules. Lobular and tubular breast cancers usually have a somewhat better prognosis than ductal cancers.
Reporting Thursday in the journal Breast Cancer Research, researchers at the Karolinska Institut in Stockholm found that HRT, typically given to help reduce menopausal symptoms, is associated with a greater risk of developing tubular rather than ductal cancer. The study also confirms previous findings that the therapy is associated with a greater risk of lobular cancer vs. ductal cancer.
The study included 1,888 women with ductal cancer, 308 women with lobular cancer, and 93 women with tubular cancer. They were matched with a control group of more than 3,000 women without breast cancer.
Both the breast-cancer patients and the women in the control group provided information on their medical history, health status and use of menopausal therapies.
Women who used medium potency estrogen-progestin combination therapy had a higher risk of either lobular or tubular breast cancer than of ductal cancer, compared with women who did not use hormone therapy. Women who used the therapy for more than five years had a higher risk, the study authors found.
They also found that other factors, such as body mass index, number of births, and age at menopause, were associated with a similar risk of developing these three forms of breast cancer.

More information
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about estrogen-progestin therapy.
Last reviewed: 02/16/2006 Last updated: 02/16/2006

Beyond HRT is a product designed to promote healthy hormones in both men and women.

FRIDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The increased risk of breast cancer known to be associated with the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) applies to all ethnicities, a new study finds.
Ever since the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study was halted in 2002, after investigators found that the women taking HRT had a higher incidence of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and breast cancer, experts have known about the increased health risks.
But one of the unresolved issues has been whether women of all races were equally affected, since the majority of the WHI participants were white, explained study co-author Malcolm Pike, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. His report appears in the Sept. 16 online issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
However, based on the new study, Pike said, the firm conclusion is that "every one of these ethnic groups has the same risk of breast cancer from HRT."
Pike's study evaluated more than 55,000 menopausal American women taking part in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. That study included more than 215,000 men and women, aged 45 to 75 at the start of the study who were living in Hawaii or California in 1993. The women included whites, blacks, Hawaiians, Japanese-Americans and Latin Americans. "The women told us their contraceptive history, their pregnancy history, what hormones they took post-menopause," Pike said.
Current use of the estrogen-progestin therapy was associated with a 29 percent higher risk of breast cancer after five years of use, he found. The association held for women in all ethnic groups. Current use of estrogen-only therapy was associated with a 10 percent higher risk of breast cancer after five years of use, and this was found in all ethnic groups except for blacks.
The researchers also found that leaner women -- those with a body mass index (BMI) below 25, had a slightly higher relative risk of getting breast cancer than the heavier women, although the heavier women were also at increased risk. Although the researchers couldn't pinpoint the reason for the finding, Pike did have a theory.
"The bigger you are postmenopausally, the more estrogen you [continue] to make," he said. That's because the more fat cells a woman has, the more estrogen she produces.
A woman who weighs 180 pounds, for example, is probably making as much estrogen herself as the breast positively reacts to, Pike said. "These women are at a saturation point."
But the woman who weighs, say, 130 pounds or less gets more of an effect from supplementary estrogen, he said, perhaps accounting for their increased risk.
Studies following the halting of the WHI have been plentiful, all evaluating different aspects of risk. A study published last month in the British Medical Journal found that the risk of breast cancer declines with age if a woman is not taking HRT. But if she does take HRT, that risk starts to climb. If therapy is stopped, however, the risk returns to that of a woman of the same age who has never used HRT, the researchers found.
Another expert, Roshan Bastani, associate dean for research at the University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, praised the new research.
"I think it's a well-done study," she said. "And it is important, particularly because they were able to include data from large numbers of people from many ethnic groups."
For women, the study provides more valuable information, but each woman must still take into account her own symptoms, medical history and family background when deciding whether to take hormones after menopause, Pike and Bastani agreed.
"What they need to do," Bastani said, "it to understand the risks and then assess whether they are willing to take the risk."
For instance, she said, if a particular woman is told taking hormones increases her risk of breast cancer or other disease by, say, 10 percent, she should ask what her "baseline" risk is, which depends on factors such as family background and medical history. If the baseline risk is just 1 percent or 2 percent, an increased risk is not a lot compared to a baseline risk of 50 percent or 80 percent.
"If you want to take HRT to deal with problems at menopause, it's perfectly reasonable," Pike said, as long as the treatment is limited. It's difficult, he said, to put an absolute number of years on that advice.
The best course, said Pike, is to keep the amount of progestin "to an absolute minimum."
"What a woman wants to do is discuss with her physician -- can she use the minimum amount of estrogen to control her hot flashes, and how frequently does she need to take progestin?" he said.

More information
To learn more about breast cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.
Last reviewed: 09/16/2005 Last updated: 09/16/2005

Prevent the Menopause Blues

Prevent the Menopause Blues: An Interview with Dr. Nancy Lonsdorf

Dr. Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D., is currently the Medical Director of the Maharishi Vedic Medical Center at The Raj in Fairfield, Iowa. The author of A Woman’s Best Medicine: Health, Happiness and Long Life through Maharishi Ayurveda (Tarcher/Putnam), she has lectured extensively on Maharishi Ayurveda and appeared on The Donahue Show, Geraldo, and CNN. Total Health News recently asked her to talk about better health during menopause.


Q: Why is menopause such a difficult passage?
A: I would say that even though menopause is often a difficult passage in America today, there are many other cultures in which menopause isn’t such a problem. In Japan, for instance, there’s not even a term for “hot flash.” This absence of hot flashes is commonly attributed to the fact that the diet of most Japanese women consists of foods which contain natural phytoestrogens (plant-based estrogens). Ayurvedic experts who have come to America have expressed amazement that there are so many more American women with menopausal, menstrual, and reproductive problems than in India.

Q: Is there a reason for this discrepancy?
A: Of course, the diet is probably an important factor. Also, possibly part of it is genetic. However, if a woman’s lifestyle, diet, and sleep habits are out of balance, it creates imbalances in the doshas -- which in turn creates problems with menopause. For example, any change tends to aggravate Vata. So if a woman is already experiencing a Vata imbalance, the major hormonal and internal changes of menopause can take Vata further out of balance. And Vata can lead Pitta out of balance -- and that can cause hot flashes, emotional ups and downs and other problems.

Q: So how can American women avoid those kinds of imbalances?
A: The main thing is to really slow down. Go to bed before 10:00 because after ten, Pitta dosha increases, and that creates more heat in the body. If you begin your night’s sleep in the cooler, Kapha time, then the body will be more settled. If hot flashes at night are a problem, it’s better not to eat a lot of heavy or spicy food at night. Before bed, you could drink warm cow’s milk or warm soy milk. Maharishi Ayurveda recommends boiling both types of milk first to make it more digestible. You can add a little rose water or Rose Petal Preserve for a cooling, Pitta-pacifying snack. It’s also important not to to work on the computer or watch violent, frightening, or emotionally intense movies before bed, as these charge up Vata and Pitta dosha.

Q: And for the daytime?
A: Get some exercise. Also, practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique twice a day helps release stress and balance the mind, body and emotions. Eat meals on time. Favor zucchini, squashes and watery vegetables, as they have a natural cooling effect. You can start the day with stewed apple to balance all three doshas [see recipe]. You might eat more phytoestrogens, such as tofu. Sauté the tofu with spices -- such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander -- to make it more digestible. You can also drink Golden Transition Tea, which provides nutritional support, balances and supports hormonal flow, and boosts resistance to stress -- both before and after menopause. Midlife for Women I helps women who are still menstruating to purify toxins, which are a complicating factor in menopause. Midlife for Women II is recommended when menstruation becomes irregular and especially in the case of hot flashes, because it’s more cooling.

Q: Is there anything women can do instead of taking HRT (hormone replacement therapy) with all its risks, if these natural self-treatments aren’t enough?
A: Fortunately there is. A minority of women have very resistant hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms that don’t respond to the recommended diet, herbal and lifestyle changes. Usually this is due to “ama,” or wastes and impurities blocking the tiny circulatory channels in their bodies, making it especially difficult to balance their doshas. These women often find Maharishi Rejuvenation Therapy (MRT), or "panchakarma," to be very effective in reducing their symptoms. Just today, a 60-year-old lawyer, back for her second MRT treatment, raved to me about how symptoms she had suffered from since menopause 6 years before disappeared within 2 weeks of the treatment and never returned. She was very grateful.