Yeah!!! I am so happy!  I had posted before how I was taking 400mg of Sam-e with a B complex vitamin every morning.  Well besides making me feel happy, hopeful and more like myself, I am losing weight!

I had tried absolutely everything to take off the weight I had gained on Zoloft, coupled with a thyroid imbalance AND perimenopause symptoms!!!   Nothing worked.  Well, I’ve been taking Sam-e every morning on an empty stomach for about 3 months now and I’ve lost 12 lbs. without changing anything else! I do always try to eat right though, and stick to my low calorie foods list.   Although recently, I’ve allowed myself to live it up a little since it’s my birthday!  And I still lost weight.  This hasn’t happened since my twenties!

My theory is since Sam-e is so good for your liver, this is an indirect benefit of a better functioning liver!  My body is metabolizing more efficiently because my liver isn’t so congested.  I just feel so much better in every way.  My husband has been taking it too now, but for only a week and he said he’s noticed a great improvement in his well-being.

Sam-e is a naturally occurring substance found in our body and tends to decline as we get older.  It promotes the balance and availability of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which makes you feel happy.  It’s great for depression.  It’s also great for the liver because it normalizes liver enzymes. My girlfriend’s accupuncturist put her on Sam-e to bring her out of the woods from hepatitis -and it did!  She’s the same woman who told me to start taking it when I was detoxing from prescription antidepressants -and I felt better in 48 hours!  It’s worked for us and I encourage  anyone to try Sam-e first before going on anti-depressants.  It’s a great supplement for the symptoms of menopause or pre menopause symptoms.  I have read that a good liver contributes to virtually zero menopause symptoms!  Since using Sam-e I have alleviated my menopausal symptoms.  For me, that’s certainly worth it!

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For many women during their perimenopause and menopause years, insomnia is very common.  From having trouble falling asleep to waking up throughout the night,  insomnia strikes many women leaving them tired and miserable the next day.  You may also be one of those women who wakes in a pool of sweat during the night.  Pre menopause symptoms of night sweats  is caused by the body’s hormonal fluctuations and inconsistent body temperature .  Instead of relying on sleeping pills, try some natural remedies first.  Many times that’s all you need.
Magnesium   works wonders for anyone having trouble falling asleep.  It is great for menopausal symptoms  and perimenopause symptoms because it help balance hormones, calms nerves and promotes deep restful sleep.  Magnesium oil also relieves aches, spasms and pains, elevates mood and supports a healthy immune system.  Many people suffer menopause symptoms like  pms, fibromyalgia, cramps and migraines needlessly because they don’t have enough magnesium!

If you have magnesium deficiency you may experience fatigue, leg cramps, loss of appetite, depression, or high blood pressure.  The recommended RDA of magnesium is 320mg a day for women.  Up to 90% of Americans do not get enough!  It is often called the forgotten mineral.  If you overlook it your body will pay a price.   You can find magnesium in dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grain foods. Pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, avocados, bananas, potatoes, spinach and legumes are all great sources of magnesium.

You can also take a supplement if you feel you are lacking.  Many come with calcium and vitamin D in the mix.  That is because magnesium helps the body absorb calcium and potassium.  Calcium and magnesium work synergistically in hundreds of reactions in the body and must be taken in balance.  The contraction-relaxation phase of muscle function cannot operate without magnesium.  Bones also need a healthy balance of both.  Calcium is essential for healthy blood and regulates heartbeat, assists in blood clotting and iron absorption, eases insomnia and regulates the passage of nutrients in and out of our cells.

Magnesium helps keep your heart and bones strong and healthy.  It helps regulate body temperature and activates the enzymes necessary for metabolism.

Soaking in magnesium is great too!  Taking a bath with magnesium oil flakes or Espom salts is very relaxing and promotes sound sleep.  Don’t take my work for it. Build up your magnesium reserves and see if you don’t get a better night’s sleep and relief from your symptoms of menopause.

Black Cohosh is an alternative therapy for pre menopause symptoms and menopausal symptoms.  But just what is it and is it safe to take?  Black Cohosh, also known as squaw root, rattleweed or black snake root, is an herb in the buttercup family. It is a shrub that grows 5-7 feet tall and produces little white flowers.  The root has been used by Native American for over 200 years in relieving symptoms of menstrual cramps and for the  symptoms of menopause.   The early American settlers used it to for malaria, kidney aliments, arthritis, rattle snake bites and also for perimenopause symptoms.  Early physicians also used black cohosh for serious infectious diseases, including scarlet fever, smallpox  and whooping cough. Today it is used for hot flashes, irritability, sleep disturbances, mood swings, pms, uterine spasms and in reducing inflammation associated with arthritis. Today, herbalists use it as an emmenagogue; an agent that relaxes the uterus and  promotes uterine bleeding when your flow is hindered by stress and anxiety  It is also used in small doses in women with difficult labors in their last trimester.  It reduces labor pain and promotes more efficient contractions in order to prepare the uterus for full term delivery.

Exactly why it helps menopause symptoms is unknown exactly, but some think it’s because it mimics the effects of estrogen.  In fact many believe it is as effective as an estrogen supplement in relieving the menopause symptoms of night sweats, insomnia and moodiness among others.  In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists support the use of black cohosh for a limited amount of time to relieve symptoms.  There have been no studies past the use of 6 months in regards to this form of treatment, so that is why only 6 months is recommended.  There are no known side effects or contraindications at all.  Black cohosh is considered to be a safe and effective supplement.

Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, has come under scrutiny because it has been linked to causing certain cancer.  Because Black Cohosh has an estrogen like effect it is not to be used by pregnant or lactating women.  It can cause miscarriages, abdominal pain, nausea and dizziness if taken incorrectly.

Other supplements beneficial in reducing menopause symptoms include:  Evening Primrose oil, Vitamin E, Dong Quai, and Wild Yam.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.