Guinea pig reviews of supplements for menopause relief
I am a guinea pig. Oink oink.
As a self-described “guinea pig,” I enjoy finding supplements that work to make me feel healthier. The only thing I love more than finding products that work for me is telling all my friends what I’ve found.
While I’m fond of saying that not everything works for every body, these items are so simple and effective that I can almost guarantee you’ll notice a difference in the way you feel. As an added benefit, you might like to know they’re also reasonably priced.
As with most natural supplements, take them daily. Give yourself a month to gain the most benefit. Though this series of blogs is meant to help with relief from menopause symptoms, these products apply to women of all ages—and most of them will make the men in your lives feel better, too.
So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite things
- Natural Vitality’s Natural Calm. What is it? A perfectly blended ratio of calcium and magnesium that bubbles like witches’ brew in hot water. In this form, it’s supposed to be more absorbable. What’s it do? A better question might be what doesn’t it do? I almost have a panic attack when I run out of this stuff. It helps you sleep better. It helps with aches and pains (the kind after a hard workout or the daily kind), restless legs, PMS, all sorts of cramps (the PMS-kind, the charley-horse kind). Taken on a daily basis, it will also help keep you regular. Too much of a good thing, though, can upset your tummy and leave your insides a little too loose. But don’t worry, you can’t overdo it. Just back up on the dosage and build as you go. I like to drink this at night, just before bed, with a little Stevia. Or, if you prefer, toss in a splash of cranberry juice. If you have a delicate system, wait for it to cool before you drink it. That way, it won’t upset your tummy. At least, it doesn’t mine. Cost? About $24 for a one-month supply.
- Melatonin and Vitamin B1. What are they? What do they do? You don’t have to take them together, but I like the combo. It’s sort of like Batman and Robin. Alone, they do a decent job. Together, they have each other’s back. Melatonin is a natural sleep aid. You’ll see it in a lot of overpriced products where they try to make you a special sleep cocktail. Problem is I don’t find that those cocktails work any better than straight-up B1 and melatonin. B1 helps keep the racing thoughts out of your head. Ever try to sleep when your brain thinks it’s Car #51 in the Indianapolis 500? Impossible! The great thing about B1 is that you can take it on an empty stomach. If you wake in the middle of the night from a bad dream and can’t get back to sleep, pop a B1 and lay back down. You’ll feel much better. Before you go to bed, follow the directions on the label for melatonin, and take one B1. Then snooze. I hope you have some great dreams. Cost? Less than aspirin.
- Evening Primrose Oil. What is it? What does it do? It’s made from the Evening Primrose flower. EPO is a natural anti-inflammatory. For PMS symptoms and cramps, I’ve never seen anything like it. You can’t just take it when you need it; in order to be effective, you need to take it every day—so keep some in your purse, at your job, in your medicine cabinet. I recommend EPO to every female who sometimes feels debilitated by monthly cramps. Love love love this stuff! Cost? Less than aspirin.
- Stress B Complex. What is it? What does it do? Its name tells the story. My father used to call the B vitamins the “nerve” vitamins. You get most of these from green leafy vegetables. Right, those are the things that a lot of folks rarely eat these days . . . You should eat something prior to taking a B Complex; otherwise, it can make you feel a little sick to your stomach. A side effect to all these B’s is that you’ll pee bright yellow. But if you feel more energetic when you take it, you’ll know that some of it is staying in your system. On a side note, my eyes water in the spring and fall (probably some sort of allergy). Strangely, if I take one B complex daily, it stops the watering and itching. I’m not sure why, but I’m a believer. Cost? Less than aspirin.
- Dr. Schulz Intestinal Cleansing Formula #1. What is it? What does it do? As a naturopath, Dr. Schulze believes all Americans all full of crap. Literally. That idea has never rang more true than when you’re taking this stuff. Dr. Schulz also believes that all disease comes from waste matter that stays in your system too long. I don’t know about all that, but I do know that your tummy will never feel flatter than when you’re taking this stuff. You also won’t spend much time in the bathroom. Kudos to that. Cost? About $30 for a one-month supply.
- BioFreeze (the roll-on kind). What is it? What does it do? BioFreeze stops pain. It should be available at most chiro’s offices. The roll-on kind is best because you can use the ball as a sort of pressure point therapy, which is especially effective for headaches. Just roll, and occasionally press on the tender points. Ahhh . . . Cost? About $12. Lasts forever.
There you have it . . . a few of my favorite things. If you’re taking medications, it’s always a good idea to run it past your healthcare practitioner to avoid any potential issues. I hope you love these products as much as I do.
Dr. Mattingly, D.C. is intensely interested in helping people who need relief from menopause. Please contact him to set an appointment.
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