Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I recently had a complete hysterectomy, which caused me to go into menopause. I am experiencing multiple symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, vaginal dryness, etc.), but don’t want to take HRT long term. I was on it for 6 months following my surgery, but stopped taking it because I am afraid of cancer issues and other side effects. Are there any natural alternatives to HRT?” — Mary H., Kansas City, KS

A. Dear Mary, I do have good news – there are natural ingredients that can help fight the mood swings, night sweats, hot flashes, and other symptoms associated with menopause. I highly recommend taking a complex of hop cone, pomegranate, and black cohosh extracts to help reduce and diminish your hot flashes and night sweats. While each botanical is a strong contender in its own right, I find they are much stronger in combination. This complex of herbs also has additional benefits – it supports bone health, cardiovascular function and weight loss – additional health concerns faced by many women during this challenging time of life. I recommend taking 1,120 mg of the hops cone, pomegranate, and black cohosh extract combination daily.

I also recommend trying Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) oil to help alleviate vaginal dryness associated with menopause. The fruit of the sea buckthorn, a hardy plant native to Europe and Asia, has been called a “nutrient bomb” because it is so rich in flavonoids, vitamins, and other beneficial compounds. The seeds contain exceptionally high omega fatty acids, including the rare Omega-7 fatty acid (palmitoleic acid). In one study looking specifically at post-menopausal vaginal inflammation and dryness, ingestion of sea buckthorn oil resulted in almost double the amount of improvement in vaginal mucous membranes vs. placebo. Dose is important when it comes to sea buckthorn oil – start with the clinically studied dose of two 500 mg capsules, taken internally, twice daily.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally