8 Natural Ways to Ease Menopause Symptoms
八種自然方法減輕更年期症狀
http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/8-natural-ways-to-ease-menopause-symptoms
If you want relief from hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopause symptoms without taking estrogen, you've got several options.
By Wendy C. Fries
若想緩解潮熱、夜裏盜汗和其它更年期症狀而又不想使用雌激素療法，你有一些選擇。
源自 Wendy C. Fries
Question:
問題 ：
I'm going through menopause right now and my hot flashes are pretty bad. With everything in the news now about HRT, I'm hoping I can take something else for relief. What do you suggest?
我正經曆更年期，潮熱很嚴重。現在新聞報道了有關荷爾蒙替代療法的全麵信息 ，我希望使用其它的方法來緩解。你有什麽建議？
Answer:
Suffering from hot flashes and/or night sweats but do not want to take estrogen?
遭受潮熱或夜裏盜汗但又不想使用雌激素？
Here are some non-estrogen options:
這裏有一些非雌激素療法選擇：
1. Behavioral interventions
Wear layered cotton clothing. Avoid coffee, alcohol, spicy foods, and stress! Sip cool drinks or use ice packs . Relaxation and deep, abdominal breathing (6-8 breaths per minute) have been shown to reduce hot flashes by about 40% when practiced as minimally as twice per day. Eliminate hot baths or showers before bedtime. 1 ．行為調整：
穿多層棉質衣服。避免咖啡因，酒精，辛辣食物和緊張、壓力。喝涼的水或使用冰袋。放鬆，每天至少兩次的腹式深呼吸（每分鍾呼吸 6 至 8 次）顯示可以減輕大約 40% 的潮熱。睡前不洗熱水澡或熱淋浴。 2. Vitamin E
Some women experience a reduction in hot flashes when taking Vitamin E. However, a placebo-controlled, randomized study evaluated vitamin E supplements (800 IU/day for four weeks) for 120 breast cancer survivors with hot flashes and found that vitamin E only marginally decreased hot flashes. 2 ．維生素 E
一些婦女服用維生素 E 後感覺潮熱有了緩解。然而，一組控製的、隨機的安慰劑組研究評估了120 位有潮熱的乳癌生存者服用維生素 E （每天 800 IU ，連續四星期），顯示維生素E 隻是有限地（邊際地）減輕潮熱。 3. Soy
The results of the research on soy are inconclusive and contradictory. Some studies have found that soy has a positive effect on hot flashes, whereas others suggest that there isn't any beneficial effect. Christiane Northup, MD, in her book The Wisdom of Menopause, cites research that indicates that women who ate 60 grams of soy protein per day in the form of a powdered drink mix had a 45% reduction in hot flashes after 12 weeks. The following servings contain about 35-50 mg of soy isoflavones: one cup soy milk, 1/2 cup tofu, 1/2 tempeh, 1/2 cup green soybeans (edamame), and three handfuls of roasted soy nuts.
3 ．黃豆（大豆）作物
對黃豆的研究結果仍無明確的結論和有不一致的爭議。有的研究說明黃豆對潮熱有正麵的作用，反之則說它無效。 Christiane Northup ，一位醫生，在她的書《更年期的智慧》裏，應用了這樣的研究結果 --- 婦女每天飲用 60 克粉末狀黃豆蛋白粉，12 星期後降低了潮熱 45% 。下麵的份量裏大約含有 35-50 毫克的黃豆異黃酮：一杯豆漿，1/2 杯豆腐，1/2 杯印尼豆豉，1/2 杯毛豆（青豆）和三手掌量的烤黃豆。 4. Natural progesterone cream
A study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1999 found that natural progesterone cream significantly reduced hot flashes compared to the placebo group. In The Wisdom of Menopause, Northrup says that a 2% progesterone skin cream works in about 85% of perimenopausal women. A little as 1/4 tsp once per day can ease hot flashes. Make sure that you read the labels of natural progesterone cream products careful as there is great variability of progesterone content. Some creams contain less than 5 mg progesterone per ounce, whereas others contain more than 400 mg progesterone per ounce. This can be obtained over the counter or by prescription. 4 ．天然的孕酮, 黃體酮藥膏
發表在 1999 年婦產科雜誌上的一項研究表明天然的孕酮, 黃體酮藥膏與安慰劑組對比，能顯著地減輕潮熱。在《更年期的智慧》裏， Northrup 說 2% 的孕酮, 黃體酮藥膏大約對 85% 的更年期婦女有幫助。每天少至 1/4 茶匙的量能緩解潮熱。要仔細閱讀藥膏上的標簽，因為所含的天然的孕酮, 黃體酮的量有很大的不同。有些藥膏每盎司少於5毫克，而有些則每盎司含高於400毫克的量。這種藥膏可能無需處方或需處方。 5. Herbs
An isoflavone or plant estrogen derived from red clover, Promensil, was found to significantly reduce the number and intensity of hot flashes in a study conducted in 1998-99. However, an article by Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD (The (National Health) Network News, July/August 2002) states that trials of red clover were not effective over placebo for hot flash reduction.
Probably the most common herbal remedy for hot flashes is black cohosh. However, the results of trials have been mixed. Three randomized, controlled trials found that black cohosh was as effective as pharmaceutical estrogen in relieving hot flashes. However, a placebo-controlled, randomized trial, involving 85 women with a breast cancer history, found that black cohosh and placebo similarly decreased the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. However, the authors did note that black cohosh was significantly more effective than placebo in reducing excessive sweating. Side effects are rare but may include gastric discomfort, nausea, and vomiting. It can, however, lower blood pressure. The general recommendation is to use black cohosh for up to six months continuously.
According to Northrup, the usual dose of Remifemin (a standardized extract of black cohosh distributed by GlaxoSmithKline) is two tablets (60 or 120 mg per tablet) twice per day. A woman can also take black cohosh in any of the following forms, three times per day: powdered root or as a tea, 1-2 g; solid, dry 4:1 powdered extract, 250-500 mg; fluid extract, 1:1 tincture, 4 mg (1 tsp, or about 5 ml).
Dong quai acts like an estrogen and can ease hot flashes for some women. However, Lila Nachtigall, MD, in her book Estrogen states that it is not recommended because it contains psoralen, a known carcinogen. 5 ． 藥 草（草本植物）
1998-99年所做的一項研究中發現從紅三葉草、Promensil 裏提取的異黃酮或植物雌激素能顯著地降低潮熱的次數和強度。然而，由Adriane Fugh-Berman ，一位醫生發表的一篇文章（ 2002 年 7/8 月“國家衛生健康”網絡新聞）指出紅三葉草的試驗，與安慰劑對比，對潮熱的緩解無效。
可能緩解潮熱的最常見的草藥是Black Cohosh （ 總狀升麻？）。然而，研究結果是混雜的。三次隨機的、控製的試驗發現Black Cohosh 與製造的雌激素藥物對減輕潮熱症狀一樣有效。然而，一組安慰劑組---控製的、隨機的、對85位有過乳癌史的婦女所做的試驗發現，Black Cohosh 與安慰劑的作用相似。但作者們注意到 Black Cohosh 與安慰劑組對比，能顯著地減輕過度出汗。除了胃部不適，惡心和嘔吐外，它的副作用很少。但是它可能會降低血壓。一般建議它可以連續使用6 個月。
根據Northrup ， Remifemin （由 GlaxoSmithKline 提供的、一種標準的Black Cohosh 提取物）的常用劑量是每天服用兩次、每次兩片（每片 60 或 120 毫克）。也可以服用以下任何一種 Black Cohosh 形式，每天三次：Black Cohosh 的全根粉劑或泡茶，1-2 克；固體的、幹燥的 4:1 粉末提取物，250-500 毫克；液狀提取物，1:1 酊劑，4 毫克（一茶匙或大約 5 毫升）。
Dong quai 的作用與雌激素相同，能緩解一些婦女的潮熱症狀。然而，Lila Nachtigall ，一位醫生，在她的書《雌激素》裏表明不建議使用，因為它含有一種致癌物，psoralen （ 補骨脂素）。
6. Other prescription drugs
Low doses of antidepressants such as Effexor or Paxil have been effective in reducing hot flashes. Clonidine, (Catapres), a drug normally used to treat hypertension, can sometimes help relieve hot flashes. However, it may lower normal blood pressure. A drug that has been used in other countries and is undergoing clinical trials in the U.S. is tibolone (marketed as Liviol). It has estrogen-like effects on hot flashes but does not result in hyperplasia. As a result, this drug may be a promising remedy. Megestrol acetate (Megace) is the only type of progesterone that is FDA approved for women who have had breast cancer and can help diminish the frequency and severity of flashes. An article in Neurology reported on six women taking gabapentin (neurontin) for seizures or migraines who had decreased hot flash frequency and needs to be studied more extensively. 6 ．其它的處方藥
低劑量的抗抑鬱藥，如 Effexor 或 Paxil 對緩解潮熱有效。 Clonidine (Catapres)，一種通常用於治療高血壓的降壓藥，有時也可幫助緩解潮熱問題。然而，它可能會降低正常的血壓。一種用於其它國家的藥稱 tibolone （市麵上稱 Liviol) 現在正在美國做臨床試驗。結果可能會是個很有希望的療法。Megestrol acetate 醋酸甲地孕酮 (Megace) 是僅有的一種被 FDA 批準的孕酮 , 黃體酮用於乳癌婦女和幫助緩解潮熱的次數和嚴重度 。神經病學的一篇文章報道，六位婦女服用治療癲癇或偏頭痛的藥物 gabapentin (neurontin) 後降低了潮熱次數，但仍需更大規模的研究。 7. Acupuncture and yoga
The benefits of acupuncture and yoga for menopause symptoms haven't been carefully studied. Many women, however, say they help. One Swedish study found that women who had acupuncture experienced relief from hot flashes. The benefits lasted several months. Also, women are increasingly turning to yoga to alleviate menopause symptoms. Suza Francina in her book The New Yoga for People over 50 describes specific yoga postures to alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and depression. Some yoga studios are now offering special yoga classes for the menopausal woman. 7 ．針灸與瑜珈
針灸和瑜珈對更年期症狀的益處尚未仔細研究。然而許多婦女說它們有幫助。瑞典的一個研究發現采用針灸治療的婦女有潮熱得到緩解的經曆。 針灸的好處還持續了好幾個月。而且女性們越來越多地用瑜珈來緩解更年期症狀。Suza Francina 在她的書《給五十歲以上的人的新瑜珈》裏描述了特別的瑜珈姿勢來緩解潮熱、盜汗、情緒波動和抑鬱。現在有些瑜珈場所還特別為更年期婦女設置教程。
8. Exercise, exercise, exercise!
Research shows that exercise alone can alleviate hot flashes. In one study, aerobic exercise reduced the severity of hot flashes in 55% of postmenopausal women. For many women choosing not to take HRT, regular weight-bearing exercise and strength training can also help maintain strong bones. Miriam Nelson, Ph.D, author of Strong Women Stay Young , has done extensive research at Tufts University on the benefits of weight training. Nelson compared two groups of healthy postmenopausal women who were sedentary at the start of the program. One group lifted weights for forty minutes twice a week; the other group remained sedentary. The sedentary control group lost about two percent of their bone density during the year, while the strength-training women gained one percent in bone density. Another study of menopausal women found a 3.5% increase in lumbar spine bone mineral density among women who exercised, compared to a 2.7% decrease in the group of women who didn't exercise. 8 ． 運 動, 運 動, 再 運 動！
科研顯示運動本身能緩解潮熱。在一項研究裏，有氧運動能減輕55% 更年期後婦女潮熱的激烈度。對許多不采用荷爾蒙替代療法的婦女來說，有規則的重量支承運動和力量（強度）訓練也能幫助維持強壯的骨頭。 Miriam Nelson ， Ph . D ，《強壯的婦女顯得（保留）年輕》的作者，在 Tufts University 做了大量的有關重量訓練的好處的研究。Nelson 比較了兩組健康的、開始時都好靜不愛運動的更年期後婦女。一組人每星期兩次舉重，每次 40 分鍾；另一組保持不變 ---不運動。不運動的那一組在一年裏失掉了大約 2% 的骨密度，而運動組的成員則增加了 1% 的骨密度。另一研究還發現常運動的女性其腰脊柱的礦物質密度也增加 3.5% ，而對比之下，不運動的女性的腰脊柱的礦物質密度降低了2.7% 。
(若翻譯有誤,敬請指正.）
(原文自: http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/8-natural-ways-to-ease-menopause-symptoms) | 
