Menopausal relief

Q. I have started taking MenoHerb recently. I am not sure how long I need to take it for. As it contains black cohosh, which I understand can cause liver damage, I am concerned about long-term use. What do you think?

A. When it comes to taking nourishing herbs long term, such as the MenoHerb combination, I recommend that people use them for a minimum of three months to effect positive change, and then take regular breaks from that point forward. This is my personal opinion on what works for me, and also what I have found to be effective for my clients over the years.

How herbal preparations act in the body tends to vary slightly between individuals, so it helps to have a certain awareness of any changes occurring before, during, and after making dietary changes, so that you are able to make adjustments.

So, you can take this supplement indefinitely, but I would suggest that you take short breaks along the way. Some people do very well when taking herbs long-term if they work on the principle of using the herbs for six out of every seven days — in this case I often recommend taking Sunday ‘off ’ to make it easy to remember where you are in terms of this rotation. I recommend that every six months it is important to take a break for a week or two, even up to a month, to give the body a rest.

Black cohosh has not been proven to cause liver damage. A review published in the journal, Menopause, last year confirmed that black cohosh is indeed a safe natural alternative to conventional HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). The 2011 study looked at the results of 1,100 women using either black cohosh, HRT, or a placebo, and found that it was effective in helping to alleviate symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweating, and mood changes.

Interestingly, this same study found that of the women taking the black cohosh, six in ten with indications of liver issues before the trial showed normalised liver function results after taking the black cohosh. There are a number of trials and studies backing up the use of black cohosh as being effective and safe, particularly when it comes to relieving hot flushes.

I hope this goes at least some way towards putting your mind at ease when it comes to taking MenoHerbs, since this is a fantastic herbal combination for menopausal relief.

Q. Would you please let me know where I can get a copy of Dr Caldwell B Esselstyn Jr’s popular book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease?

A. If you are unable to find this book locally, then I would suggest that you try The Book Depository online at www.bookdepository.co.uk. At the time of writing, they have a copy listed for €12.94 including free worldwide delivery. Dr Esselstyn recommends a low-fat plant based diet for optimal health, and in particular to help with the prevention and reversal of heart disease (as the title clearly suggests). He has followed this diet himself for more than 26 years, and works with patients through the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.

In fact many people have had great success with this diet, and not just those in the Hollywood celebrity set.

This is more of a lifestyle change rather than a fad diet, and is similar to the guidelines suggested by popular health authors and researchers such as Dr Neal Barnard, who has written many books on how to reverse diabetes, survive cancer, and lose weight for health, and Colin T. Campbell, author of the China Study — which looks at the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.