Women's Health Issues with Aging
By Alex Strande, Ph.D. 

About 1 in 3 U.S. women has a pelvic problem by age of 60. National Women's Health Center indicates that pelvic problems mainly relate to the following areas: Abnormal heavy menstrual periods (menorrhagia). Uterine fibroids (benign tumors made of muscle and connective tissue in the uterus). Urinary incontinence (urine leakage during physical acts such as coughing or sneezing). Pelvic organ prolapsed (the drooping of pelvic floor organs including the bladder, uterus, vagina, small bowel, and rectum.

It is suspected that many women don't report these conditions or seek treatment, perhaps out of embarrassment; perhaps conventional medicine does not offer safe easy solutions. Herbal medicine does offer rapid results provided the practitioner knows how to mix and concentrate the herbs to produce results in a timely manner.

These conditions become even more common with age, and with the baby-boomer generation getting older. It is predicted that pelvic health conditions will rise in American women. Here are some examples of herbs traditionally used in women's pelvic health:
Helonias luteum - utherine tonic and strengthener, estrogenic; Discorea villosa - utherine tonic, liver tonic, anti-spasmolytic; Beth root - similar action as Helonias but it is more astringent; Vitex - weakens FSH, therefore weakens excess estrogen and strengthens LH, this way promoting progesterone. It is more of a hormonal regulator. Viburnum - any pelvic inflammatory condition with pain; Blue Cohosh - useful for mastalgia, increases progesterone; Wild Yam - a specific for utherine pain; Silybum marianum - liver restorative (remember liver downgrades old estrogens); Evening Primrose -increases anti-inflammatory prostaglandins; Ginger - the most specific circulatory tonic and stimulant for reproductive organs; Dong Quai - circulatory and blood tonic as well as hormonal balancer; Cramp Bark and Black Haw - excellent remedies for cramps and pain; Pulsatilla - an organ pain killer; Black Cohosh - uterine pain killer with estrogenic action; Shark cartilage - shrinks tumors and growths; Raspberry leaf, Shepherds Purse - an astringent, indicated in excessive bleeding.

Here are few exercises indicated in weak or prolapsed pelvis organs:

1. Place the body on the floor. Elevate and support the heaps. Tense and relax the muscles of the pelvic wall. Do 100 of them twice each day.

2. Lying in your bed on the back. Relax every part of your body completely. Hands beside the body. Bend the knees and draw the heals close to the buttocks. Lift your heaps off the bed while using shoulders and feet for support. You do it while inhaling. Lower the heaps while exhaling. Constrict the anus when breathing in (pulling the action on the uterus). Relax the anus and entire body while breathing out. Do it 10-30 times daily.

Alex Strande, N.D., Ph.D., is a naturopath and a microbiologist. His office is in Santa Monica, California. He can be contacted for questions and appointments at
310-907-4424.