There’s a new brochure, available online, that offers detailed information on non-hormonal treatment options that may alleviate menopausal symptoms. It was developed jointly by the The University of Calgary (Canada) and Alberta Health Services to help women make sound decisions about complementary and alternative treatment options. It’s an excellent resource for any one who is seeking straight-forward, unbiased information and it can be downloaded at no cost!
The well-designed brochure can be used in two ways: you can search for information about treatments for a particular menopausal symptom including prescription drugs; herbs or dietary supplements; and therapies like acupuncture and paced breathing. Or, you can look to see what symptoms a particular treatment may help alleviate. Colored dots are used to reflect the safety of the treatment as rated by evidence-based sources. Ratings fall into one of three categories:
- no known side effects or interactions; generally considered safe
- caution should be taken when using these treatments
- proven risks but may be appropriate on an individual basis.
When there is strong, scientific evidence of a real benefit, the letter “E” is used to indicate effectiveness. When there is no “E”, that means the treatment lacks clear and conclusive evidence of a benefit or lack of benefit. Finally, whether it’s a treatment such as Tai Chi, or an herb or dietary supplement such as Black Cohosh, the chart offers definitions, details about dosage & duration, interactions, and possible side effects.
Here are some examples, taken from the chart, of treatments and the conditions they’re considered effective for:
- Black Cohosh – for hot flashes
- Calcium – for bone loss, sleep disturbances and restless legs
- Fish Oil – for heart disease, mood disturbances and vaginal dryness
- Soy (Phytoestrogens) for bone loss and hot flashes
- Paced breathing – for hot flashes and stress
If you find this brochure helpful, why don’t you let the good doctors and staff in the Alberta Health Services’ Womens Resoure Center know by leaving a comment below.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for this awesome brochure. I am not having Hot Flashes any longer, but sleep disturbances have overcome my sleeping patterns. Today I picked up a dietary supplement that hadMelatonin and Valerian- I trusted the box, but you confirmed that I chose wisely, becuawse of what was in your studirees.
Thank you
Vicki Redoble
Founder of Vicki’s Flash pops
A juice for women experiencing menopausal symptoms. It contains herbs that are well knon to aid women at this time.
http://www.vickisflashpops.com
Thank you SO much for publishing this chart! My company offers herbal solutions to vaginal dryness caused by fluctuations in hormones or no hormones as happens during the menopause, cancer treatment or child birth.
My #1 challenge is providing enough information to my customers, who for the most part are not used to herb’s names or uses, so they can make good decisions for themselves, with their doctor’s support.
I am putting a link to this on my site and thank you again!
Best wishes to you, Helen
Thanks for your comment, Helen and for linking to this blog. You offer lots of good products on your website that could be helpful to menopausal women. I agree that it’s challenging to know what to use and what works. Lots of research is required and I think this chart offers solid information.
Vicki – Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you found the information helpful. Sleep disturbances are a common complaint of women in perimenopause as well as full-fledged menopause. It looks like you’ve found a good solution with melatonin and valerian and there are other possible remedies worth trying, according to the brochure.
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for the information about this brochure! I’ve been thinking about valerian for my sleep problems, but wasn’t sure if it would be safe and/or a waste of money. The scientific and unbiased source for this brochure gave me the confidence to give it a try!
I just started my own personal blog about menopause – a quest for answers! I thanked you for this information in my blog (and provided your web site address). I’ll be checking your great web site again from time to time!
Thanks again! Emily
Emily – I’m glad you found this brochure helpful. The Alberta Health Services website offers lot of good information that you should also find useful. Good luck with your own blog – I look forward to reading it – please let me know where I can find it!
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