Herbal brews help weight loss and hot flashes

There are many safe herbal preparations or single herbs that can be of benefit when trying to navigate through menopause.

Here is a list of favorites and some of their benefits:

• Chamomile- relaxing, digestive, great drunk last thing before bed

• Green tea:-antioxidant and anti aging

• Sage- one of the best helps for hot flashes, try some with your ordinary black tea.

• Artichoke--supports liver function

• Dong quai- this herb is high in plant estrogen and is known to ease many of the symptoms associated with menopause including hot flashes.

• Dandelion-this herb is great as a liver cleanser and tonifier, try it mixed with roasted chicory

• Damiana- is noted for its aphrodisiac qualities,it could be of great benefit for women experiencing low libido or other sexual disfunctions. It also helps to regulate the pituitary gland.

How moods can affect weight

When I am down all I want to do is eat.

Not so good if what you want to eat is all the heavy duty foo like pasta, cream cakes, chocolate and ice cream.
It is down to habit, we have become used to associating the rich starchy calories packed food with comfort.

How to change that?

Here is what to do:

1.First acknowledge you are having a blue day, this means allowing yourself to feel sad and decideto have a nice time at feeling blue.

2.Make a large pot of your favorite tea.

3.Put on your favorite music

4.Get ready to feel better

5.Time for a nice, very long walk.

When you get back home you are probably feeling a lot better and whatever it was that got you down has lifted or you made a decision about changing the situation.

This is only what works for me, but I found that when I decide to let myself have a quiet day or a sad day, without blaming myself for feeling the way I do i don't have to turn to food as comfort.

It has been established that people who are overweight are more likely to suffer depression, what came first, the overeating or the depression?
When our hormone play havoc we often feel we need that chocolate or ice cream, I used to go through this once a month before menstruating, this just carries on now, hormones still fluctuate and I get the sugar cravings. However the less I indulge in those carb binges the less frequent they become.

After menopause keep walking

I am really a couch potato, I like nothing better than sitting on my confi sofa with a good book and a cup of tea. Luckily I get quickly bored and I move to the garden or go for a walk.
I must confess that seeing my own mother unable to walk to the bus unaided is enough to put the fear into me. I must clarify, she has osteoarthritis arthritis, has had a difficult life and I don't think that in my mother's day there was much worry about eating right and exercising, folks worked hard, ate meat twice a day and smoke cigarettes. We know better, and we have a chance to live longer and healthier, there is no excuse for us.
As we get older it is easy to get lazy, driving everywhere, I am also a bit guilty of that one, until I moved to the city. I decided to explore my city [Brisbane, Australia] on foot and using buses and the river cat only when I got too tired. It was a blast, I found lovely suburbs and the best little coffee shops this way, coffee being one of my great pleasures, i would walk several k's a day this way, just to find another coffee house.
All this walking had a great bonus: I got quite fit and lost a lot of weight as well!
I have since got the walking bug, when ever I can I put on my day pack, don my walking shoes and off I go. There are walking groups in most cities the world over, it is easy enough to join if you dont like the idea of walking on your own, alternatively start your own group.
There are many other ways to get outdoor exercise, try cycling or running or swimming. Most of those activities can be very social and there are many groups in the cities and bigger towns.
The main thing is to keep moving.