Five Natural Healing Solutions Every Woman Should Know

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Written By Maggie Wehri

When it comes to our bodies, more information is helpful. But what’s truly powerful is understanding what to do with that information and how you can support your body towards optimal health. 

As women, our bodies are incredible - after all, we can bring forth new life. It’s natural for our bodies to change throughout the aging process. When we know how to best support ourselves, we can enjoy the experience of life more.

Having a naturopathic doctor on your integrative care team can be game-changing for your health both now and longer-term. Learn more here. 

Vaginal dryness

One of the most common concerns I see among women during perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause is vaginal dryness. The health of your vaginal tissue is directly affected by changes in your hormones as well as autoimmune health and other factors. 

When estrogen drops off with menopause, it can make vaginal tissue dry and cause discomfort and even pain during intercourse. There are a range of supportive treatment options – including the use of vaginal estrogen to keep vaginal tissue pliable. It’s important to keep in mind that there are non-pharmaceutical natural options available for treatment as well. 

Along with most treatments for vaginal dryness, you can incorporate gentle, non-stimulating vaginal massage. Massage brings more blood flow to tissue, and this increased circulation means the tissue gets more nutrients. We recommend you use a natural vaginal lubricant like coconut oil during self massage to make it more comfortable.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis

The drop in estrogen with menopause impacts bone health, which is why bone density scans (“dexa” scans) are recommended for women around and after menopause. If you’re postmenopausal or premenopausal with a strong family history of osteoporosis and haven’t had a bone density scan, definitely ask your doctor to order this for you. There are various treatments to improve bone density, and natural therapies can be extremely supportive here too. 

A few simple ways to support bone health:

  • Stay active with regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercises where increasing your strength against gravity can stimulate bone health.

  • Eat a balanced diet of primarily whole and minimally-processed foods that are rich in calcium like broccoli, almonds, and tofu in addition to organic fermented dairy like yogurt.

  • Eat a variety of nutrient-dense vegetables that are rich in vitamin K like kale and collard greens.

Phytoestrogens

There’s a lot of noise out there on pros and cons of phytoestrogens. These are natural compounds in plants that can bind to estrogen receptors and, in doing so, exert a mild estrogenic effect while simultaneously preventing estrogen from binding to the same receptors, which reduces the (sometimes large) overall effect of estrogen. 

When we look at the research, most of it shows that phytoestrogens have a protective effect. They can even reduce breast cancer risk and improve sexual health during menopause.

Where can you find phytoestrogens? We can prescribe natural supplemental therapy with phytoestrogens, but the most common food source is soy. Soy contains isoflavones that act as phytoestrogens, and soy is a good plant-based protein source that’s easily accessible in the form of soybeans, edamame (fresh or dry + roasted), tofu, tempeh and other products. In general, whole-food and minimally-processed forms of soy are best - think edamame or tofu rather than fake meat made of soy. Also, soy is one of the top most-contaminated foods in the US, so choose organic/non-GMO.

Healthy hormone processing

Your body is amazing in all that it does. Before menopause, your hormones fluctuate throughout your menstrual cycle - think of this like a beautifully choreographed dance. It’s remarkable that your body regulates hormones to allow for this cycle to happen. In fact, menstruation is often thought of as another vital sign for health (in menstruating women) because when it’s off, it usually indicates a concern or change.

An important aspect of how your body manages your hormones is the processing and elimination of those hormones at the appropriate time. For example, estrogen goes to your liver to be processed and packaged, and then excreted from your body in your stool. If your liver pathways are impaired, your hormone excretion is impaired too. This is common and can lead to a buildup of excess hormones, which can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms like irritability, anger, sadness, painful cramping, heavier periods and more. Excess hormones can also contribute to conditions like PCOS, fibrocystic/dense breast tissue and even cancer.

Cruciferous vegetables have been shown to support excretion of excess hormones, reduce density of breast tissue and potentially prevent cancer. Eating cruciferous veggies is a great way to enjoy their benefits as you also gain nutrient-density and fiber in your diet with these veggies. Cruciferous veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, mustard greens, and more. If you’re looking for a greater therapeutic effect, a supplemental form would give you a higher dose - discuss with your provider before starting, or come see us for support. 

Endocrine disruptors

It would be remiss to not mention endocrine disruptors here. These are things like BPA and other bisphenols, PFAs, phthalates, pesticides and more. We are increasingly exposed to endocrine disruptors in our personal care, beauty, home, food, drink and other products, not to mention more urban environments in general. 

Endocrine disruptors essentially throw a wrench in your hormonal pathways and increase risk for a variety of serious health concerns, including cancer. 

We’re all exposed to endocrine disruptors regularly, so doing what we can to minimize the exposures that we can control is important. Know that there are better, cleaner options for nearly everything. 

Some of the most common exposures include:

It’s what you’re exposed to on a regular, daily basis that has the biggest impact. Don’t stress about occasional exposures, especially when traveling. 

Also, mindset around aging

Maintaining a positive mindset translates to better physical health, less oxidative stress and generally feeling better. Anytime negative thoughts or feelings come up, don’t suppress or push them away, but rather reach for a better feeling or thought by shifting your attention to gratitude for your body and all that it’s allowed you to do and experience. When you reframe aging as a privilege and your body’s changes as adaptations to support you, it can be a powerful support for your long-term health.

Know that additional support is here for you

  • Support your bone health by learning physical exercises tailored to you, and/or finally get support for that neck/shoulder tension: schedule an appointment with Physical Therapist Dr. Becky

References

DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.734334

DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2020.38.15_suppl.15 

DOI: 10.21873/invivo.12737

DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.03.039

DOI: 10.3390/nu14030523

DOI: 10.3390/life13010138

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140887

DOI: 10.3390/endocrines5030027


This blog and website do not provide medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Always check with your own healthcare provider before taking a new supplement and before making any significant diet, lifestyle, exercise or other changes. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on this site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.

Maggie Wehri
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