diploma in holistic stress management with laurel alexander

 

VAGINAL DRYNESS

Vaginal dryness can be uncomfortable, distressing and frustrating and is usually down to the following:

  • Before the menopause, vaginal dryness is mostly a problem during sex. It may mean that you are not sufficiently aroused – which can occur for all sorts of reasons such as inadequate foreplay, feelings of guilt, fear or relationship problems. Also remember that men generally get aroused sooner than women, so your partner may be attempting penetration before you are ready, before good lubrication has occurred.
  • Lack of lubrication is also common in breastfeeding women, because oestrogen levels are low, and in women with diabetes.
  • Vaginal dryness is common during and after menopause due to low oestrogen.

Here are a few possible solutions:

HOMEOPATHY:

  • Belladonna (vagina painfully dry and too sensitive to tolerate touch)
  • Bryonia (dry stools/constipation)
  • Lycopodium (low self confidence, dry skin)
  • Aconite, natrum muriaticum or sepia may also help reduce dryness.

HERBS (taken for three months):

  • Dong quai, black cohosh and slippery elm (heat 2 tablespoons powder in a cup of water stirring until thick, cool before spreading over inside vulva and vagina
  • 25-40 drops of chickweed tincture several times a day for 2-4 weeks.
  • Comfrey ointment rubbed in morning and night and used as a lubricant for love making
  • Aloe gel put directly on the vagina can help soothe dryness and irritation.
  • Ginseng has some limited scientific support for effectiveness in vaginal dryness.
  • Motherwort (start day with 25ml of tincture) and agnus castus, are thought to regulate hormones and may help restore thickness and elasticity to the vagina.

NUTRITION:

  • Some studies have shown that phytooestrogens may improve cells of the vagina. A study published in the British Medical Journal (1993), found that women who ate 45g of phyto-oestrogen rich foods each day (tofu, miso, soya milk, clover sprouts, flaxseed/linseed oil and soya flour) had relief in vaginal dryness after only a few weeks.
  • Boost your water intake.
  • Acidophilus capsules inserted vaginally help prevent yeast infections and create good amounts of lubrication. Insert one or two about 4-6 hours before love making.
  • Foods high in vitamin E may also help reduce dryness or take a 400iu supplement daily. Some women feel that inserting a capsule of vitamin E directly into the vagina every night for a few weeks makes a difference.
  • Follow a hormone-balancing diet.: eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, eat complex carbohydrates e.g. wholegrains like brown rice, oats, wholemeal bread - buy organic foods where possible - eat phytoestrogens, including beans such as lentils, chickpeas and soya products - eat oily foods, including fish, nuts, seeds and oils - reduce your intake of saturated fat from dairy products, etc. drink enough fluids - increase your intake of fibre - avoid additives, preservatives and chemicals such as artificial sweeteners - reduce your intake of caffeine - reduce alcohol - avoid sugar on its own and hidden in foods.
  • Take a good menopause-related supplement. Vitamin C and E are particular good for vaginal dryness.

NATURAL LUBICANTS

Coconut oil Comfrey ointment
Slippery elm gel Vegetable oil
Aloe vera gel Raw egg white
Honey Olive oil
Vitamin E oil

EXERCISE

Do regular pelvic floor exercises, known as Kegel exercises. Designed to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, they also work the vagina and help to keep it healthy. Start by locating the muscles you need to exercise. There are a few different ways to do this:

  1. Place one or two fingers in your vagina and squeeze your muscles until you can feel your vagina tighten around your fingers. These are your pelvic muscles. Imagine you're trying to stop the flow of urine mid-stream. The muscles you tighten (contract) are your pelvic floor muscles.
  2. The other way to identify the correct muscles is to imagine you are trying to stop yourself from passing gas. The muscles you squeeze to do this are your pelvic muscles.
  3. Once you've identified the correct muscles you're ready to begin. The exercises can be done while lying down, sitting or standing, with your knees together or slightly apart.
    Set 1 —lowly tighten your pelvic floor muscles and count to four, then let the muscles relax for a count of four. As your muscles get stronger gradually increase the count to 10. Try to repeat this 10 to 15 times. Check that you're not tightening the muscles in your legs, abdomen or buttocks, as it's important to use only your pelvic muscles. Remember to keep breathing.
    Set 2 — Now tighten and relax your pelvic muscles as quickly as you can, again 10 to 15 times.


NATURAL PROGESTERONE

Progesterone is the hormone produced by the female ovary after ovulation. It supports and maintains pregnancy but has other important functions too. It is the precursor to other vital hormones. It is needed to ‘oppose’ oestrogen, that is to keep it in balance.

It is important to understand that a woman's ovaries only make progesterone when she ovulates. There is growing evidence that many of today's women are failing to ovulate regularly, particularly after the age of thirty-five. A woman may bleed regularly every month but not be ovulating or producing progesterone.

After menopause, the female body makes close to zero progesterone, in fact the male body makes more. On the other hand, women continue to make oestrogen throughout their lives, even if they have had their ovaries removed. Oestrogen is made by the adrenal glands and in the body fat and the muscle cells.

Natural progesterone is the hormone produced by the ovaries (and also by the male body). This hormone can also be made in the laboratory from plant sources such as Mexican yam. The result is identical in every way to the hormone produced by the body and is called natural progesterone because it is identical to the hormone the ovaries make. Because natural progesterone cannot be patented, for financial reasons it is almost impossible for a natural progesterone cream to be licensed as a medicine. Any progesterone creams sold in this country must be sold as ‘unlicensed medicines’ and they are only available on prescription.

Natural progesterone is prescribed for the many symptoms of progesterone deficiency, in particular for menopausal problems and osteoporosis. It can also be used in the treatment of PMS, low libido, fibrocystic breast disease, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, cervical hyperplasia and ovarian cysts and can be helpful in some cases of infertility. For further information see Natural Progesterone, the Multiple Roles of a Remarkable Hormone by John R Lee MD and other books and papers available through the Natural Progesterone Information Service.

The Natural Progesterone Information Service www.npis.info/basicprogesterone.htm
Where you can buy natural progesterone www.progesterone.co.uk