In regards to such basics as serving sizes and supplementation levels, there are likely to be significant differences since, for example, generally, men are larger than women (and thus may require greater amounts of a particular nutrient), and since men and women have differences in metabolism, and other functional areas.
First, let’s consider some common female health problems and the natural approaches to treatment.Female health concerns,Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS is one of numerous challenges which natural supplementation and therapies can address in order to reduce discomfort and improve indicators of overall health and quality of life. Unwillingness of the male-dominated medical profession to accept the reality of PMS, for example, caused generations of pre-menopausal women to go through untold discomfort and suffering.
Relative to PMS, many women endure one or more of these symptoms: anziety, bloating, breast-swelling, cramps, food cravings (for chocolate, sweets, or salty foods), crying spells, depression, fluid retention, headaches, irritability, and, among others, inability to sleep properly.
A nationally-recognized authority on PMS, Vicki Georges Hufnagel, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist, warns: against strict dieting, which steals essential nutrients, or eating junk foods, a stressor of body and mind which increases the need for B-vitamins.
Hufnagel urges women to eat a minimum 50 g of protein daily — a couple of ounces — and increase their intake complex carbohydrates: cereals, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains. Her secret weapon against PMS is a cup of unsweetened yogurt with a small amount of brewer’s yeast, which contains glutamic acid, a brain fool which raises depressed spirits.
She also recommends a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to keep blood sugar levels stable and advises against alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate. Various PMS experts suggest nutritional supplements, regular exercise, and improved stress management as a multi-faceted approach to managing this condition.
Andrew Weil, M.D., best-selling health writer and a believer in integrated medicine, recommends the herb dong quad for PMS and other female disorders: “Dong quad is commonly available in this country in the form of encapsulated extracts. I prescribe it frequently for such problems as irregular or difficult menstruation, PMS, menopausal symptoms, and weakness in childbirth.”
Another promising supplement that helps prevent or ease PMS is evening primrose oil. At St. Thomas Hospital in London, one of the world’s largest clinics for PMS, M.G. Brush, M.D., administered two capsules of evening primrose oil three times daily to 70 women who could gain no relief from one to two other kinds of treatment. Sixty-seven percent of the participants gained full relief, while twenty-two percent derived partial relief.
Two homeopathic remedies have a good track record for helping women cope with PMS: belladonna and magnesia phosphorica.Another treatment that specifically helps to lessen cramps is a combination of zinc and vitamin E. Several studies show that magnesium with 50 mg of vitamin B-6 serves as a diuretic to relieve bloating and kills a craving for chocolate.Oral contraceptives. Many individuals who take contraceptive pills are unaware of the possible negative complications.Noted for depleting B-complex vitamins — particularly B-6 and folic acid — “the pill” may cause an elevation of low-density lipoproteins (the harmful cholesterol) and triglycerides.
Menopause. Furthermore, in oral contraceptives, or taken on its own, the extra estrogen to relieve symptoms of menopause presents the dangers of breast or cervical cancer. There appears to be a divided vote in favor of and against estrogen replacement therapy.