Natural Changes
- Stock #4106-4 (42 packets)
Natural Changes is designed especially to help women who are entering or already going through menopause. Natural Changes combines important vitamins, minerals, herbs and essential fatty acids that have been shown to help balance a woman’s hormone functions and relieve menopausal discomforts. In addition, many of these vital nutrients play important roles in preventing health problems associated with aging, such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Each packet of Natural Changes contains:
is an herbal formula designed to help relieve menopausal symptoms and support female hormone function. C-X provides a blend of herbs that help the body regulate estrogenic activity and correct hormone imbalances that can occur prior to or at the onset of menopause. C-X also contains herbs that provide uterine tonic effects, help relieve dysmenorrhea (severe uterine pain during menstruation) and edema (fluid retention), and help the body combat the effects of stress. Each capsule of C-X contains: dong quai, blessed thistle, licorice root, eleuthero, sarsaparilla, black cohosh, squaw vine, and false unicorn.1-13
supports the female glandular and reproductive systems with two important herbs that have been shown to help relieve menstrual and menopausal complaints. Wild yam has traditionally been used as an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory, particularly to relieve ovarian and uterine pain and dysmenorrhea, as well as relieve hot flashes. Wild yam contains the steroidal saponin diosgenin, which acts as a weak phytoestrogen, and the phytosterol beta-sitosterol, which exerts both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity. Recent research has also confirmed that wild yam protects against the proliferation of human breast cancer cells in vitro. Chaste Tree is approved for use by the German Commission E for mastalgia (severe breast pain), menstrual irregularities and PMS. Chaste Tree displays a number of medicinal properties, including the ability to normalize hormonal imbalances stemming from an excess of oestrogen and an insufficiency of progesterone. Chaste Tree has been used effectively to restore absent menstruation, relieve PMS and ease the transition into menopause. Wild Yam & Chaste Tree is not recommended during pregnancy.2-5,14-21
– GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) is an omega-6 essential fatty acid that is present in relatively large amounts in the seed oils of the black currant, borage and evening primrose plants. GLA supplementation exerts both anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects and has been used as a first-line treatment for women with cyclic mastalgia. GLA supplementation has also been associated with a beneficial reduction in cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, GLA has been proposed as a valuable breast cancer therapy, due to its selective anti-tumor properties. Black currant oil and borage oil also provide omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids respectively.22-30
is designed to nutritionally support the skeletal system and to help maintain structural integrity. Skeletal Strength contains vitamins, minerals and herbs needed by the body for building healthy bones, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Skeletal Strength also enhances the health and vitality of the hair, nails and skin tissue. Skeletal Strength provides digestive aids to ensure absorption of its vital nutrients.
is a vitamin and herbal supplement designed to help the body combat the physical, mental and emotional effects of stress. Nutri-Calm contains herbs and vitamins, including B-vitamins, that support the nervous system, enhance immune function, reduce anxiety, relieve insomnia, relax nervous tension, and even facilitate memory and brain function. B-vitamins are critical for maintaining healthy nervous system function and reducing the effects of stress upon the body—symptoms of B-vitamin deficiency include tiredness, irritability, nervousness and depression.3-7,15,31,32
References:
1Geller, S.E. & Studee, L. “Botanical and dietary supplements for menopausal symptoms: what works, what does not.” Journal of Womens Health; 2005, 14(7):634-649.
2Liu, J., et. al. “Evaluation of estrogenic activity of plant extracts for the potential treatment of menopausal symptoms.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; 2001, 49(5):2472-2479.
3Fetrow, C. & Avila, J. Professional’s Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. Springhouse, 1999.
4Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Integrative Medicine Communications, 2000.
5Lininger Jr, S., et. al. The Natural Pharmacy, 2nd Ed. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1999.
6Presser PharmD, A. Pharmacist’s Guide to Medicinal Herbs. Petaluma, CA: Smart Publications, 2000.
7Pizzorno, J & Murray, M. A Textbook of Natural Medicine, 2nd ed. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1999.
8Davydov, M. & Krikorian, A.D. “Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim. (Araliaceae) as an adaptogen: a closer look.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology; 2000, 72(3):345-393.
9“Menopause: Herbs That Can Ease the Transition.” Herbs For Health; 1996, 1(2):29-33.
10Dennehy CE. “The use of herbs and dietary supplements in gynecology: an evidence-based review.” Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health; 2006, 51(6):402-409.
11Low Dog T. “Menopause: a review of botanical dietary supplements.” The American Journal of Medicine; 2005, 118 Suppl 12B:98-108.
12Foster, S. “False Unicorn.“ Herbs For Health; 1999, 3(6):22.
13Alschuler ND, L. “Menopause: Easing The Change.“ Nutrition Science News; August 1997.
14Mills, S. & Bone, K. Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy. London: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.
15PDR for Herbal Medicines, 2nd edition. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, 2000.
16Rosenberg Zand, R.S.,et. al. “Effects of natural products and nutraceuticals on steroid hormone-regulated gene expression.” Clinica Chimica ACTA; 2001, 12(1-2):213-219.
17Carroll, D.G. “Nonhormonal therapies for hot flashes in menopause.” American Family Physician; 2006, 73(3):457-464.
18Park, M.K., et. al. “Estrogen activities and the cellular effects of natural progesterone from wild yam extract in mcf-7 human breast cancer cells.” The American Journal of Chinese Medicine; 2009, 37(1):159-167.
19“Vitex agnus-castus. Monograph.” Alternative Medicine Review; 2009, 14(1):67-71.
20Tsoulogiannis, I.N., Spandidos, D.A. “Endocrinology in ancient Sparta.” Hormones (Athens); 2007, 6(1):80-82.
21Wuttke, W., et. al. “Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)—pharmacology and clinical indications.” Phytomedicine; 2003, 10(4):348-357.
22Ziboh, V.A., et. al. “Suppression of leukotriene B4 generation by ex-vivo neutrophils isolated from asthma patients on dietary supplementation with gammalinolenic acid-containing borage oil: possible implication in asthma.” Clinical & Developmental Immunology; 2004, 11(1):13-21.
23Kapoor, R., Huang, Y.S. “Gamma linolenic acid: an antiinflammatory omega-6 fatty acid.” Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology; 2006, 7(6):531-534.
24Cheung, K.L. “Management of cyclical mastalgia in oriental women: pioneer experience of using gamolenic acid (Efamast) in Asia.” The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery; 1999, 69(7):492-494.
25Holland, P.A., Gateley, C.A. “Drug therapy of mastalgia. What are the options?” Drugs; 1994, 48(5):709-716.
26Tavaf-Motamen, H., et. al. “Clinical evaluation of mastalgia.” Archives of Surgery; 1998, 133(2):211-213.
27Hornych, A., et. al. “The effect of gamma-linolenic acid on plasma and membrane lipids and renal prostaglandin synthesis in older subjects.” Bratislavské Lekárske Listy; 2002, 103(3):101-107.
28Guivernau, M., et. al. “Clinical and experimental study on the long-term effect of dietary gamma-linolenic acid on plasma lipids, platelet aggregation, thromboxane formation, and prostacyclin production.” Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids; 1994, 51(5):311-316.
29Kenny, F.S., et. al. “Gamma linolenic acid with tamoxifen as primary therapy in breast cancer.” International Journal of Cancer; 2000, 85(5):643-648.
30Menendez, J.A., et. al. “Inhibition of fatty acid synthase-dependent neoplastic lipogenesis as the mechanism of gamma-linolenic acid-induced toxicity to tumor cells: an extension to Nwankwo’s hypothesis.” Medical Hypotheses; 2005, 64(2):337-341.
31Kelly ND, G.S. “Nutritional and Botanical Interventions to Assist with the Adaptation to Stress.“ Alternative Medicine Review; 1999, 4(4):249-265.
32Brown, R.P. & Gerbarg, P.L. “Herbs and nutrients in the treatment of depression, anxiety, insomnia, migraine, and obesity.” Journal of Psychiatric Practice; 2001, 7(2):75-91.
