Before the Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause with The Essential Woman Formula  We've received extremely positive reports from women whose lives have truly been transformed once they've begun to use our combination of flax, evening primrose and soy oils. Many women experiencing early signs of menopause or PMS symptoms have benefited from this formula. That is because this combination of oils provides premenopausal women (in their twenties, thirties and forties) with primary healing often deficient in todays diets: rare essential fatty acids and natural phytohormones. While not all fats are good, particularly those that are fried or the trans-fatty acids in margarine and vegetable shortening, not all fats are bad. The problem is that most Americans have been eating the wrong kinds of fats for the last several decades. Women especially have been erroneously programmed to believe that fat is bad and must be eliminated from foods via fat-free cooking methods, the intake of no-fat foods, and the conscientious counting of fat grams. Instead of healthy fats, my clients have loaded up on sugars and carbohydrates like rice cakes, breads, pastas, potatoes, and fat-free yogurts. Sadly, by eliminating all fats (even the healthy and essential ones), from their diets, these women have gained weight, feel depressed, suffer from PMS and perimenopausal symptoms like mood swings, irritability, water retention, and breast tenderness, as well as dry skin, lack-luster hair and brittle nails. Essential Oils for the Change Women in their late forties, experiencing perimenopause (the early stage of menopause) may find the formula especially helpful both for relieving acute menopausal symptoms and reducing risk of other serious mid-life conditions, including arthritis and heart disease (see additional reports on osteoporosis and heart health in this educational literature series). Essential Fats Often Lacking in Women's Diets The essential fatty acids we recommend are required for production of hormones, calcium absorption and assist in absorption of fat soluble vitamins that nourish our skin, nerves and mucous membranes. These same fats further benefit women's immune, cardiovascular, reproductive and central nervous system health. In addition, the formula is both transformational and beautifying for women's skin, hair and nails. Let's look at each of these special healing treasures, flax, evening primrose and soy isoflavones, more closely to see how they work together to help transform women's lives. Lignan Flax Lignan flax oil contains an extraordinarily high content of omega-3 fatty acids. Volumes of scientific studies on the omega-3 fatty acids in flax have shown how important they are for women's overall health. Not only has flaxseed oil been shown to relieve depression, fatigue, and allergies, it is a specific healing agent for topical conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, and dry skin. There is also emerging research that suggests lignan flax oil is vital for the prevention of breast cancer, a disease that currently strikes one in eight women. The lignans (found in the flaxseed particulate of the shell hull) have the ability to normalize estrogen metabolism and remove the excess toxic estrogens thought to fuel breast cancer. With this devastating epidemic on the rise among women with no previous family history, it makes perfect nutritional sense to become proactive with your diet. You can start to deliver powerful cancer fighters on an everyday basis with flax oil in your diet. Flax holds many other benefits for women, including alleviating perimenopausal hot flashes and possessing antibacterial and antiviral activity. Beware, not all flax oils are good sources of lignans due to filtration methods. Prefer a non-filtered, unrefined oil, rich in flax particulates (high in lignan precursors) which are then retained in the oil. Evening Primrose Evening primrose oil is a botanical source of the essential fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) from the omega-6 fatty acid family. This plant with its bright yellow flowers is actually a member of the willow family but acquired its name from its flowers propensity to bloom at night and their resemblance to those of the primrose. Evening primrose has been used for centuries for skin conditions and wound healing, as well as for treating asthma, gastrointestinal disease, and gynecological problems. Although it is not the highest source of GLA (borage oil and black currant seed oil are actually higher), we have consistently found that evening primrose oil, a Native American traditional remedy, eases female symptoms more effectively than the higher GLA sources. In study after study, women have found evening primrose oil to be outstanding for irritability, mood changes, headaches, anxiety, and PMS and perimenopausal discomforts such as fluid retention and breast tenderness. Studies from England, where evening primrose oil is produced, have been mixed. They generally support its medicinal uses, particularly in regard to clearing or reducing symptoms in arthritis, skin problems, and premenstrual syndrome, as well as for all kinds of inflammatory problems, cardiovascular disease, and suboptimal immune function. Soy Isoflavones The beauty of soy phytohormones in the form of isoflavones, saponins, and protease inhibitors is that these plant-based hormones are about a thousand times less powerful than human estrogen. Yet, they are accepted by human cell estrogen receptors so the body will not be tempted to incorporate more toxic estrogenic substances into cell receptor sites, such as toxic forms of estrogen produced by our bodies or those types of estrogen supplied by medications or found in the environment in the form of byproducts of pesticides, plasticizers, and other industrial chemicals. Moreover, plant phytohormones are known to perform a balancing act for both estrogen and progesterone the two major hormones that play a role in both PMS and perimenopause. The soy phytohormones (technically known as isoflavones) provide all the benefits of natural hormone balancing without the possible allergic response of soy foods. Time and time again we have found women who are highly allergic to soy products in the form of tofu and soy milk, most probably due to the protein or high copper content of these foods, find that soy taken in the supplement or isolated form has no allergic side effects.  The soy isoflavones are known to specifically help relieve
perimenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings,
anxiety, and flushing, block estrogen's cancer promoting ability, and
inactivate enzymes produced by cancer cells. Soy saponins are
antioxidants and help to lower cholesterol. The protease inhibitors
limit the rate of cell growth, block cancer cell enzymes, and assist
cells in repairing DNA damage.
We call this combination a beautifying and transformational formula for women. That is because the essential fatty acids from flax and primrose, together with soy's phytohormones, perform so many important functions and are so frequently lacking in women's diets. If you've been focusing on cutting out fats from your diet, this combination is one of the most important additions you can make to your diet. Use of flax, evening primrose and soy phytohormones puts back, in a delicious, easy to assimilate form, what women have been depriving themselves of for years, the healing and beautifying oils. Conditions that Benefit from Flax, Evening Primrose and Soy Phytohormones
Our recommended formula comes in both liquid and capsules and is available at natural health centers nationwide. How to Use Recommended Formula Women should take one to two tablespoons of the liquid daily. Instead of butter or margarine on bread, try using the combination as a spread for its pleasant, nutty taste. The formula can also be spread on foods such as baked potatoes (after cooking, of course). If using the capsules, take two to three capsules, three times daily with meals. Tell Me More About Perimenopause... While premenopause is marked by hormonal fluctuations associated with early menopause-related changes, women usually maintain regular menstrual cycles. Perimenopause is the transition between the premenopausal phase and menopause and is characterized by changes in estrogen levels, irregular menstrual cycles, and increased menopausal symptoms. |
