Tea for Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years and typically occurs in her late 40s to early 50s (mean age of 51 in the UK and USA; median 54 in EU, slightly earlier in Asia (2,3)), earlier if her ovaries are surgically removed. It is defined as the permanent cessation of menstrual periods after 1 year of complete absence of menses. Perimenopause is the time before cessation of menses during which regular cycles of ovulation and menses become irregular, a natural result of declining hormones. Perimenopause can last 8-10 years. Most women notice these changes during their 40s, but some may be affected as early as their mid-30s (4). 

 

Symptoms

Menopause is linked with a myriad of over 40 symptoms. If you are experiencing any, or all, of the following symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, you are not alone: for example 45% to 63% of postmenopausal women report that they experience vulvovaginal symptoms (5). A new term, the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), describes various menopausal symptoms and signs related to genital, sexual and urinary symptoms (6).

• Vasomotor symptoms - increased blood flow to the face, neck & chest, resulting in hot flashes & profuse sweating during the day or night. “Night sweats” can cause significant sleep disturbances. Episodes of vasomotor symptoms can last 1 to 5 minutes & can be associated with perspiration, flushing, chills, anxiety, & even heart palpitations.

• Vaginal dryness, atrophy & tissue fragility, including possible labia minora resorption, leading to:

  • Sexual dysfunction: painful sexual intercourse, possibly post-coital bleeding

  • Irritation, burning or itching of the vulva or vagina

  • Urinary incontinence: frequency, urgency, or dysuria (painful or difficult urination)

  • Recurrent urinary tract infections

• Loss of libido

• Aching joints

• Memory problems

• Cognitive impairment: “brain fog”

• Emotional symptoms such as anger flashes, increased anxiety & loss of confidence

• Loss of skin elasticity (aging appearance)

• Insomnia

 

The extensive range of symptoms experienced during this time can have profound impact on quality of life, self confidence, relationships, general health and ability to work. Despite the high number of the population dealing with the issue (7,8), menopause is not a common topic of discussion, symptoms are under-acknowledged by society and workplaces (1), and tend to be inadequately addressed by Western medicine, which has few treatments other than Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)(9), which supplements estrogen, typically progesterone and sometimes testosterone levels. 

 

Traditional Oriental Medicine (TOM)

In many non-Western cultures, menopause is not managed medically. In Asian cultures, food (such as soy) may be used as medicine and botanicals used to ease symptoms and balance hormonal shifts. 

 

TOM recognizes menopause as part of the natural aging process. The kidneys house the jing and manage the body’s vital energy in the aspect of yin and yang. As we age, jing, yin and yang naturally begin to decline. TOM uses modalities such as herbal medicine to mitigate the symptoms of this process, supporting the body’s balance…easing symptoms like joint pain, insomnia, depression, hot flashes and night sweats.

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In addition to Flash! tea for menopause, you may also find our MilkiTea deeply relaxing, and beneficial because it contains fenugreek, which has been found to have a positive effect during menopause due to its estrogenic effects (8-10). Fenugreek should not be taken by women with risk of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.