Nikki Hawkes

Medical Herbalist & IBS specialist

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Women's health and hormones

 

 

Take control of your menopause with acupuncture

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If you struggle with symptoms of the menopause such as hot flashes you are not alone. Symptoms due to changes in women’s hormone levels can make you feel like you’re going crazy. Most women have at least some symptoms at this time. But, for up to 20% of women these symptoms are very distressing.

Symptoms during menopause

  • night sweats and/or day sweats
  • tiredness and problems sleeping
  • emotional changes such as feeling more anxious
  • cognitive changes such as brain fog
  • joint pain
  • vaginal dryness and loss of libido

And all this, lasting on average for four or five years. [Read more…] about Take control of your menopause with acupuncture

Safe alternatives for morning sickness

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In the UK news this week is a story about morning sickness costing the NHS £60 million per year.

The article suggests that four out of five women in the UK suffer from nausea and many of them will seek medical advice. In fact, there may be as many as 80 ambulance callouts per day, related to nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

Of course as the article suggests many women are reluctant to take medicines during pregnancy, including anti-sickness medication. But, as the article goes on it suggests that reluctance to seek help in the early stages may be a factor in becoming so poorly that it may be too hard to get symptoms under control even with medication.

[Read more…] about Safe alternatives for morning sickness

Is it safe to take probiotics in pregnancy?

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I’ve written about the many health benefits of probiotics before, but are they beneficial in pregnancy? More importantly, do we know if it is safe to take probiotics in pregnancy? Probiotics are the beneficial microorganisms, usually bacteria, that are found in fermented foods and dietary supplements. The World Health Organisation suggests that probiotics taken in adequate amounts confer a health benefit. They are generally considered safe and are usually well tolerated. However, since probiotics are living bacteria there has been some suggestion of a potential for causing infection. In fact, it is estimated that the risk of consumed probiotics entering the bloodstream is less than 1 per 1 million users. Though the risk is likely to be higher in people that are critically ill, have a compromised gut lining or those that have a suppressed immune system. [Read more…] about Is it safe to take probiotics in pregnancy?

How to prevent migraines during pregnancy

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The good news is that more than half of women report improvements in their migraines during pregnancy. Unfortunately, you won’t know if you are one of the lucky ones until you’re pregnant. Since migraine medication can be harmful to an unborn child, ideally it should be avoided in pregnancy. Yet, being without your migraine medications might be a scary prospect. Thank goodness there are several safe, non-pharmaceutical options that help prevent migraines during pregnancy.

Many migraine medications are most dangerous in the first trimester, a time when a woman can be pregnant without knowing. So, if you suffer from migraines and you’re planning to have a baby, you might also want to consider tapering off your migraine preventers before your pregnancy begins.

Non-drug treatment options are considered safer during pregnancy and can be started before the pregnancy. It is a good idea to get started early since some may take a few weeks or months to establish their benefits. [Read more…] about How to prevent migraines during pregnancy

Herbal remedies to reduce menopausal hot flashes

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Hot flashes are one of the most common problems of menopause. That periodic, sudden rush of heat and resultant drenching sweat can be most troublesome. Though many ladies turn to hormone therapy to help them through this time, there are concerns about how safe these medications are in the longer term. Which is why complementary therapies such as herbal medicines are a popular choice. A recent review of scientific studies shows that there are plenty of herbs with the ability to reduce the physical and psychological effects of menopause, including hot flashes.

The changes that occur prior to menopause, a time called perimenopause, occur in relation to a reduction in the number of ovarian follicles. This period can last for several years and usually starts in a woman’s 40s. It is a time of dramatic change in hormonal balance. Once the follicles are gone, the menses cease and menopause begins. This usually happens around the age of 50, but again there is quite a bit of variation, based on a woman’s genetics, nutrition and lifestyle factors such as smoking. [Read more…] about Herbal remedies to reduce menopausal hot flashes

Processed meat and breast cancer risk

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The journal Nutrition recently published a study on the effect of eating processed meat with respect to the risk of developing breast cancer and other hormone-related cancers.

We know from previous studies that eating more processed meat is associated with a higher risk of developing bowel cancer. Plus, these foods may be linked to cancers in other parts of the body, such as the stomach, oesophagus and lung. This new study focused on the hormone-related cancers of the breast, ovary, endometrium and prostate. [Read more…] about Processed meat and breast cancer risk

Why its best to talk to a professional herbalist about your menopause

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Some women sail through their menopause and barely have any symptoms. Their monthly period diminishes and stops and that’s it. For the majority of women though, this is not the case and symptoms can be numerous and severe. Leading many to look at their options. These options might include hormone replacement therapy, bioidentical hormones, or herbal and nutritional support. This post is about herbal support for the perimenopause and why it is better to talk to a professional herbalist rather than buying an off the shelf product.

There is no doubt that herbal remedies are popular with the general public. Across the globe the sale of herbal dietary supplements amounts to a multi-billion pound industry. Yet, in many cases herbal remedies are used much like a natural version of conventional drugs. As in X herbal remedy treats Y condition, disease or symptom. Or for a more relevant example, using sage leaf to treat menopausal symptoms. In my experience this approach is not the best way to use herbal remedies. [Read more…] about Why its best to talk to a professional herbalist about your menopause

Why you should consider DUTCH hormone testing

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Since I work with people with complex heath issues, I sometimes suggest appropriate lab testing. This can include hormone testing. The test results can really help to identify underlying causes of chronic illness. When it comes to formulating a treatment protocol for you I believe it is better to test, than to guess.

Hormone testing can be useful for men and women. I’m talking here about the reproductive and adrenal hormones. The hormone testing I use in my practice is the DUTCH test. DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones. This unique testing was developed by the lab Precision Analytical, in the US. It is simply the best hormone testing available. Providing a complete assessment of sex and adrenal hormones and their metabolites.

Why are these hormones important?

Hormones are chemical messengers in the body. They are present in tiny amounts. Yet they co-ordinate and regulate the important body processes such as reproduction, sleep and immune function. [Read more…] about Why you should consider DUTCH hormone testing

Natural topical treatments to ease painful periods

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Painful periods can mean anything from mild pelvic discomfort to disabling pain. Most women that suffer with this pain on a monthly basis just accept this as normal. Yet periods should not be painful.

Knowing what might be causing your painful periods is important. If you know what causes your pain this helps you to find ways to prevent it from happening. There are two main types of painful periods. Primary dysmenorrhoea is the medical name for painful periods with no pelvic disease. Whilst painful periods due to an underlying disease is secondary dysmenorrhoea. [Read more…] about Natural topical treatments to ease painful periods

What is endometriosis?

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Endometriosis is a chronic and usually very painful disease. Affecting around 20% of women of menstruating age. Doctors don’t know why some women get this condition but there are several theories. This lack of knowledge means at present there is no medical cure for endometriosis. Yet, if we understand what is endometriosis, we can find ways to relieve the pain without drugs or surgery. 

Specialised cells form the lining of the uterus, the endometrium. During the menstrual cycle these endometrial cells respond to changes in reproductive hormones. Under the influence of oestrogen the endometrium thickens and prepares for implantation of an embryo. If the woman does not become pregnant, menstruation begins and the endometrium is shed.  [Read more…] about What is endometriosis?