Supplements | My Healing Kitchen

Black Cohosh Cools Hot Flashes

Although a member of the gentle buttercup family, the powerhouse herb black cohosh has the ability to wallop troublesome menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, anxiety, vaginal dryness and sleeplessness right out of the park. 1. Ancient herbal remedy. A medicinal plant native to North America, black cohosh was widely used by Native Americans for issues like malaise, kidney problems, sore throat, and rheumatism. An...

B Vitamins Smooth Out Menopausal Moods

When you enter the terrain of menopause, hormones change, stressors increase and your moods start swinging like a monkey in a tree. Fortunately, B-vitamins, key in the production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, are here to save the day. 1. Low B6 fuels depression. B6 deficiencies are linked to low moods. Essential in the production of red blood cells and the absorption of that other B-vitamin powerhouse B12, enough...

Healing Menopausal Symptoms with Hops

No, downing a six pack isn’t going to chill those hot flashes. But taking hops extract, proven to help bring down menopausal temperatures for women in midlife, might make a big difference in cooling you off. 1. Hops: A history. Native to Europe and Asia, hops have been cultivated for centuries for their bitter flavor to offset malt in the brewing of beer. The female plant has flowers, called strobilus, used by herbalists...

Pump Up Your Iron During Menopause

Steel your inner foundations with iron during menopause when your periods become more irregular. Women tend to lose more blood than normal, which can put you at risk for anemia and fatigue. Maintaining your iron levels is a sure way to stay strong and vigorous in midlife. 1. Your whole body needs iron. A mineral that is in every cell in your body as part of the protein hemoglobin, iron carries oxygen from our lungs throughout...

Vitamin K-2 Kick-starts Bone and Heart Health

Like a bike messenger zipping through traffic, vitamin K-2 is the agent that makes sure your bones get the calcium they need. As women age, their risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures grow. K-2 should be part of your plan to keep bones strong for an active old age. 1. K-2 builds bones. Our bodies use the protein osteocalcin to carry calcium from our blood to our bones. But science is finding that osteocalcin can’t fulfill...

Licorice Soothes the Menopausal Heart and Mood

Not just a candy flavoring, the herb licorice has been used as a health remedy for thousands of years. Science is discovering that licorice is also a gentle and tasty way for women to relieve many menopausal health challenges. 1. Ancient healing tool. The Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese used the root of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra) both as a sweetener and as a medicine. In the Chinese medical tradition, licorice is...

Magnesium Maxes Bone and Heart Health

Poor old magnesium has been elbowed out of the limelight when talking about women’s menopausal health. But magnesium deserves to be front and center when healing bones and hearts. 1. Building better bones. It is a common misconception that osteoporosis is caused by calcium deficiencies. While calcium is vital, studies show that low levels of magnesium may be an even bigger factor in creating brittle bones. It is likely that...

Pycnogenol Mends Midlife Symptoms

Discovered by desperate sailors 400 years ago, pycnogenol not only healed malnourished mariners then, but now helps soothe menopausal troubles like hot flashes, night sweats and insomnia. Its powerful antioxidant properties also foil heart disease and cancer. 1.Discovered by scurvy-riddled explorers. Made from bark of the European coastal pine, pycnogenol’s healing properties were reportedly discovered when a 16th century...

Strontium Bulks Up Menopausal Bones

For decades, menopausal women have been told that osteoporosis is the inevitable result of aging. But a big power-player has arrived on the scene to stem the tide of brittle bones. Women concerned about osteoporosis should look to strontium ranelate for its extraordinary power to support and even rebuild bone tissue. 1. Useful for building everything. A silvery metal that is the fifteenth most abundant metal on earth,...

Relax With St. John’s Wort

Hormonal highs and lows are a setup for mood and sleep changes at menopause. Even if you live an exemplary life, you may need a little help calming your system and getting to sleep at night. In Europe, the go-to herb for depression and sleep problems is St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum). In Germany, the herb is often prescribed for mild depression, especially for children and adolescents, as it has been shown to...

5-HTP Helps Menopausal Sleep

Many people with menopausal depression have low levels of serotonin, the brain neurotransmitter that controls mood. Selected Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressant that helps you hold onto serotonin in the brain, are designed to chemically correct this problem. But before you take this route, give the inexpensive over-the-counter amino acid 5-hydroxytryptophan, popularly known as 5-HTP, a try....

Manage Menopause Blues With Fish Oils

Studies suggest that depression is less common in countries with higher fish consumption. And while you should definitely enjoy wild-caught, oily cold-water fish as often as possible, you can also send menopausal depression packing with omega-3-rich fish oil supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for optimum brain health, and fish oil is a good source of these depression-fighting nutrients. 1. The omega-3 fatty acids...

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