If it’s not enough that women are overly targeted in marketing for a wide variety of products and services, many of which use our own insecurities and concerns about our bodies against us. When we cross over the threshold to our Crone years, we are made to feel more anxiety over things such as retaining our looks, maintaining our weight and health.
While it’s important to keep our health in check, we don’t need to be absorbing everything that’s fed us through so-called doctors on popular tv shows, advertising that preys on our fear of aging and fads that talk about the “discovery” of miracle cures.
I think it’s nice to have a balance of common-sense medical advice, which includes medication when needed and an approach that involves a full assessment of ourselves: mind, spirit and body. Exploring natural remedies, revamping our healthy eating, exercise routines and other alternative methods are sure to keep us on an even keel.
If we want to assess ourselves using a holistic approach, we need to review our eating and sleeping habits, the work we do and how it affects our well-being, our relationships with others and what we’re exposed to – both habitually and intermittently.
It’s also wise to explore our past, especially if there was trauma or other events that might’ve resulted in behavioral patterns that continue to ripple throughout our lives.
There are a variety of different healing modalities out there, from counselling and group therapy to meditation and journal keeping, so once we’ve decided to take a deep dive into our physical, emotional and spiritual selves, we are ready to begin the healing process.
During my Herbal Immersion course with the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, I learned how different we are today in comparison to how our ancestors lived. For example, our ancestors:
Began menstruating later in life
Had more children
Breastfed their young for longer
Went through menopause earlier
Ate whole foods without pesticides and chemicals
Lived in a cleaner environment
Back then, women didn’t deal with hormonal issues related to continued ovulation and menstruation like we do, which can include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, painful menstruation and other related conditions.
Since our diets are inundated with overly processed, chemically laden and genetically modified foods, our bodies are often battlefields, trying to manage the influx of foreign materials and the associated health issues that follow. Throw in depression, stress/anxiety and sedentary lifestyles and we have a perfect storm that affects our endocrine systems, especially as we get older.
There are three major types of estrogen that have different functions and effects in the body, which fluctuate depending on our health, our age and how balanced our hormonal ecology is. Many of us have an estrogen dominance or an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone, since we are exposed to endocrine disruptors brought on by the many chemicals in our world and other health factors.
Endogenous Estrogens: these are generated from within our bodies and for women, we produce three main forms – estriol, estrone and estradiol – the latter of which is the most predominant during our reproductive cycles.
Phytoestrogens: produced by plants with the capacity to bind to estrogen receptor sites. These natural compounds have a beneficial effect on the metabolism of hormones, although they generally have a lesser effect on hormone receptor sites than endogenous estrogens.
Xenoestrogens: human made chemicals that have the ability to bind to estrogen receptor sites, resulting in estrogenic effects. Considered a subclass of endocrine (hormone) disruptors, xenoestrogens can cause mayhem on hormonal functioning and development.
Estrogen in Menopause and Post-menopause
In older women, the production of estrogen begins to slow and eventually stops. When menstruation discontinues, the inclusion of phytoestrogens in our diets helps to increase estrogenic effects, along with keeping our arteries elastic, our bones strengthened and helping vaginal mucus production – which addresses the common symptom of dryness.
The fascinating aspect of phytoestrogens involves how they are anti-estrogenic before menopause and pro-estrogenic after menopause sets in!
Plant Estrogens
As discussed earlier, Phytoestrogens come from plants and can be found in many beans, grains and seeds, along with medicinal herbs that are used to treat disorders of the female reproductive system. The molecules that act as phytoestrogens include the following groups:
Phenolic: Isoflavones, Lignans and Coumestans
Flavones: Apigenin and Luteolin
Phytosterols: Beta-sitosterol
Following are the two prevalent classes of phytoestrogens in food and herbs.
Isoflavones
Predominantly found in the bean (Fabaceae) family, these compounds are the most potent sources of phytoestrogens, with Soybeans containing the most concentrated amounts. The following list shows the order of concentrations of isoflavones in Soy foods, from the most potent to less potent.
Miso
Tempeh
Tofu
Soymilk
Edamame
While there is a lot of controversy over soy in our diets, in terms of being considered a harmful substance, it’s important to note that while it’s a common allergen that’s difficult to digest, soy is usually grown as a genetically modified monoculture.
A traditional Asian food, soy can be grown organically, and the fermented forms are easier to digest, such as miso, tamari and tempeh (eaten in moderation.) The industrially produced form of soy is known as soy protein isolate, which is included in processed meats found in many fast foods.
Also listed as soy protein, it’s highly processed and affects our hormones differently than whole food sources, so this form should be avoided wherever possible. In herbal medicine, Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) are also good sources of isoflavones.
Lignans
High concentrations of lignans can be found in seeds, especially sesame and flax (which has approximately 8 times the lignan levels as sesame), but they are also present in other seeds and whole grains, along with beans, vegetables and fruits.
When lignans are ingested, bacteria in the intestines metabolize and convert them into their active forms: enterolactone and enterodiol, however; they produce a weaker estrogenic effect in comparison to isoflavones. Lignans require this conversion in order to act as phytoestrogens, which flows on to benefit intestinal flora health and balancing hormones.
Rather than relying on the oils of sesame and flax, it’s best to eat the ground forms of these seeds for maximum benefit, by using them in smoothies or sprinkling them on food, since the whole seeds pass right through our systems without being assimilated.
Rich in protein and calcium, sesame helps with strengthening bones, teeth and hair. Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds and a delicious addition to smoothies, etc. For a good dose of lignans each day, consider incorporating the seeds of sesame and ground flax in your diet. Other plants/herbs that are phytoestrogenic include:
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemose)
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Hops (Humulus lupulus)
Ginseng (Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius)
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis)
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)
Other Considerations
The liver plays an important role in breaking down circulating estrogen and progesterone in our systems, eventually excreted from the body, so when the liver is not functioning properly, the metabolizing of our hormones can be sluggish. When our hormones circulate in our bodies for longer periods, we have an increase in estrogen levels.
Blood and liver tonics (such as bitters) can support our hormonal processes and the elimination of excess estrogen. Herbs/plants that can be taken as tonics for this purpose include:
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis or Verbena hastata)
Burdock root (Arctium lappa and Arctium minus)
Nettles (Urtica dioica)
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum, G. applanatum, and G. tsugae)
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Artichoke leaf (Cynara scolymus)
Supporting our intestinal flora with prebiotic and probiotic foods is another factor, to help our bile flow, liver function and the absorption of phytoestrogens. Increased dietary fiber (soluble) will nourish our intestinal flora, which also helps with reducing cholesterol levels. Consider foods such as:
Bananas
Barley
Oats
Okra
Beans
Chia and Flax seeds
Peas/Lentils
Ready for some Magic?
Here are some herbal guides I created with some suggested teas that you might find beneficial, based on Crone Goddesses (and others) and associated menopausal issues!
*Note: the recipes here make batches so when making a tea, you only need to use a teaspoon or two of each. As always, talk to your medical practitioner before taking any herbal medicine.
Accepting the Crone Phase
Dehydration
Heart Issues
Vaginitis/Fungal Infections
Menopause/Hormone Imbalance
Hair Thinning/Loss
Mental Health: Depression, Stress and Anxiety
Low Libido/Lack of Sex Drive
Hot Flashes
Fatigue/Lethargy
Insomnia/Poor Sleeping Habits
Foggy Brain/Poor Memory
Ok, we’ve reached the end! Please feel free to comment and share and stay tuned for the next edition!