Beat Menopausal Blues with Placenta

As a PBi-Certified Placenta Encapsulator I get to witness how much a new mother benefits from taking her placenta capsules made with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) method.

Why would a woman eat her placenta? Because during pregnancy, this is the organ that regulates and stores hormones. Once it is expelled after a baby’s birth, we can find that placental tissue is rich in specific hormones that can bring balance to a new mother’s wide open, vulnerable system.

In good time, most mothers find that their pituitary gland kicks back into gear to resume hormone regulation. This process can take longer for some women depending on a women’s general make-up but typically most will feel that the first 6-8 weeks after birth to be a time of great fluctuation.

If this is true during postpartum, then what about during menopause? After doing a fair amount of research, I found that:

Similar to how a new mom can experience ‘baby blues’, an older woman can experience ‘menopausal blues’. The symptoms range from insomnia to night sweats to hot flashes to mood swings (angry, sad, irritable).

One common factor in menopause is change in hormonal production. Estrogen and progesterone levels as a natural part of the aging process and this can upset neurotransmitter levels (i.e. serotonin affects mood, sleep, appetite).

Hormonal Shifts

This sort of hormonal change is what effects a new mom when her body goes through the tremendous hormonal shifts in the days after giving birth. These changes last until her hypothalamus kicks back in to regulate hormones at about 2-3 weeks postpartum.

Many moms I encapsulate for ask about sharing their placenta capsules with a menopausal mother, aunt, or female friend. Who can blame them for asking? The placenta has many health benefits and not just for new moms!

Placenta contains…

• Hormones  (i.e. oxytocin, prolactin)
• Trace elements (i.e. iron, zinc)
• B Vitamins (i.e. B6, B12)
• Protein
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
• Immunoglobulin G (IgG)
• Placental Opiod-Enhancing Factor

Benefits of placenta…

• Hormonal regulator
• Lower risk of anemia
• Iron-rich
• Immune booster
• Calms rattled nerves and irritable feelings
• Energizing
• Revitalize skin
• Lower risk of “baby blues” or “menopausal blues”
• Anti-depressant and pain reliever
• Regulate thyroid
• Anti-Aging

In the eyes of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) placenta is rich in Qi (life force energy). Scientific research shows the placenta contains B12, iron, zinc, and natural hormones (i.e. estrogen, oxytocin, cortisone, interferon).

Personal Opinion

In my opinion, a new mom’s capsules are best taken by her alone in the weeks after birth. Then she can save any remaining capsules for her own menopause. Because her body made the placenta that made her capsules, she will be the most receptive to the hormones in that placenta. They are a perfect lock ‘n key match 😉 

Still, I have clients who share their capsules (or tincture) with someone who is having a tough time in menopause and I hear they have good results. If you didn’t encapsulate your placenta (not all of us do!) and want hormonal support during menopause, check out the following ideas.

Sheep Placenta

Women with menopausal blues have reaped the hormonal benefits of sheep placenta. These capsules are imported from New Zealand, where sheep graze on pasture and are much healthier than sheep from other countries. Sheep placenta capsules here.

Other Types of Hormonal Support

1) Acupuncture and motherwort (herbal tincture).

2) Find a hormone specialist to perform a Urine Test for hormones. This test allows women (men too) to be tested for 30+ hormones and receive a customized cream stick.

3) Maca is a booster food known to balance, re-mineralize and energize the body. Rich in calcium and magnesium, maca can boost energy levels and normalize mood swings to get the hormonal system back on track.

4) Katie at Wellness Mama wrote 9 Steps to Balance Hormones Naturally, full of nutritional/lifestyle suggestions for those going through hormonal changes.

5) Embracing Menopause Naturally by Gabriele Kushi, a holistic health practitioner and macrobiotic counselor.

6) Holistic Squid wrote ditching soy during menopause.

I FEEL AMAZING! If you have PMS or menopause symptoms, get off prescriptions and experience bliss of placenta. In a million years, I’d never consider this but now a believer. I no longer struggle with irritability or discomfort. Thank you New Zealand sheep for placenta and PBi! ~ Amy, (used capsules for hysterectomy recovery)

Placenta Encapsulation in VT & NH

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References

https://shop.placentabenefits.info/placenta_capsules.asp https://wellnessmama.com/

https://www.naturalmenopausenow.com/2012/03/23/how-to-use-maca-to-get-rid-of-menopause-problems/

Photo credit to htp://.org/product/placenta-encapsulation

May all bellies be happy!