This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Menopause Relief? Turn Off the TV.

A look at menopause symptoms and natural remedies for them.

Mattingly Chiropractic is happy to continue our series regarding menopause, written by local author, Carolyn Carter.

Even as the public starts to become more aware of natural remedies for what ails you—including menopause—the advertisers are taking longer to catch up. I believe this stems from the fact that they can’t make as much money off natural products (nor can they patent them). So, to make the big bucks, companies have to combine several natural substances together to create a unique product they can then advertise and sell.

Or, they can just come up with some manufactured chemical concoction.

Find out what's happening in Affton-Shrewsburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

With that in mind, I’ve been paying closer attention to TV ads. Have you noticed how wacky they are? For one, there are a lot more than there were even ten years ago. The more I watch, the more I think advertisers believe we’re all brain-dead. As if anything they say will flow like liquid goo directly into our brains without question.

Think you’re immune? Here are some of the ads we’re bombarded with on a daily basis:

Find out what's happening in Affton-Shrewsburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  1. Over-the-counter Medications . . . Headache remedies, diabetes products, arthritis remedies, stuff for your bowels, your sinuses, your allergies, your everything.
  2. Vague Prescription Medications . . . A transcendently happy woman prances through a field of daisies as a pleasant voice says, “Ask your doctor about Sephorama!” Then there’s a bit at the end where we’re told about possible horrific side effects, but they’re stated really fast. (Does anyone actually pay attention to these?) “Some users experience nausea, headaches, joint pain, lightheadedness upon standing, constipation and incontinence. Occasional severe side effects include brain tumors, rare cancers, internal bleeding, and possible death.” (Oh, how I wish I were kidding!)

And #3 . . . Class Action Law Suits for the previously advertised Prescription Meds!

This continual barrage has to affect us. I’ll bet there’s even some sort of science behind it where even folks who wouldn’t instantly turn to meds start to think of it as normal. That would, of course, make anything else, abnormal. Also, if it’s on TV, it must be true, right? No one really believes the side effects are that harmful. If they were, these folks couldn’t sell them to us, right? (Um . . . Hello. Remember the Class Action Law Suits?) Even the healthiest skeptics must begin to question their beliefs with this continual, and seemingly harmless, form of brainwashing.

Because my father raised me with a healthy distrust of medications and M.D.’s, my tendency is to reach first for natural remedies rather than prescriptions or OTC medications. Not to say that there aren’t times when you really need a doc, say . . . your arm falls off, you get in a bad car wreck, you’re in the midst of a heart attack. But I decided long ago that as issues cropped up, including the Big Scary Menopause, I would tackle it on several levels:

  1. Move an hour a day—to keep my weight down and my head screwed-on straight (happy endorphins)
  2. Think of food as fuel—feed my body, not my cravings
  3. Reduce my symptoms—add whole food supplements, vitamins, herbs, minerals, etc.
  4. Read some good books on the subject—do research online, talk to people
  5. Communicate with a professional—a naturopathic, chiropractor, or possibly (gulp) a trusted M.D. who is somewhat open to natural remedies
  6. Keep up with regular chiropractic adjustments—they’re particularly beneficial for my headaches and other aches and pains that occasionally crop up

This multi-level approach continues to work for me. And when it comes to the Big Scary Menopause, it’s taken only a short while to get back on track. Do I ever veer off the rails? Sure. But I handle new symptoms as they come along so I don’t reach a state of overwhelm. Handling things one or two at a time is always easier than a dozen at a time. Then again, I believe a dozen symptoms is also fixable. It might take a while to break them down and figure out what’s causing the problem, but totally fixable. More times than not, the symptoms are interrelated. If you’re unsure of where to start, a naturopath or chiropractor can have you take a health care assessment to pinpoint the underlying issues and get you out of that state of overwhelm.

Oh, and while you’re at it, turn off that silly television and go for a lovely walk.

Dr. Mattingly is available for advice and consultations regarding natural solutions for menopause symptoms. He may be contacted at (314) 963-9050.  His website is drdusty.com.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Affton-Shrewsbury