Menopause and Chinese Herbs

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Menopause And Chinese Herbs Linda Lloyd, L.Ac.


Menopause & Herbal Medicine The bulk of our practice here at the Acupuncture Center of Northern Virginia consists of middle-aged women experiencing menopausal symptoms. The important thing that we try to stress to these patients is that menopause is not a disease; it is a normal cycle of life.

You don’t have to ta ke drugs to relieve the symptoms of m enopause. try acupuncture and C hinese herbs

As many women are shying away from hormone replacement therapy because of the negative findings published in the Womens’ Health Initiative Study, they are experiencing many of the signs and symptoms which hormone replacement was able to mask such as poor memory, joint pain, insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, and irritability. From a Chinese medical perspective, these signs and syndromes are indications that there is an underlying imbalance within the body that can be corrected by using herbal formulas and acupuncture which address the root cause of the imbalance. These imbalances are commonly attributed to a depletion of Jing Qi or in common terms, a depletion of our battery system; a yin deficiency,

or inefficiency in our cooling system; or, a decline in our Yang energy responsible for our body’s metabolic processes. Jing qi provides us with the life force that powers all of our life functions. It is in abundant supply when we are young and we can therefore adapt to life stressors. As we age, our Jing Qi naturally drains from our battery which impairs our ability to adapt. This may manifest as loss of libido, weakness of knees, urinary difficulty, poor memory, backache and fatigue. The aging process also reduces the efficiency of our cooling system resulting in a yin deficiency. Just as an inefficient air conditioner cannot cool a house, a yin deficiency causes the body to overheat resulting in hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, and heart palpitations.


About the Author: Linda Lloyd, L.Ac.

Menopause & Herbal Medicine Just as a decline in yin will cause an imbalance resulting in heat signs and symptoms, a decline in yang will cause an imbalance resulting in signs and symptoms associated with cold. These signs and symptoms may include cold limbs, edema, water retention, weight gain, indigestion, hypertension or raised cholesterol levels.

The Acupuncture Center of Northern Virginia is one of the oldest

Here at the Acupuncture Center of Northern Virginia, we conduct a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of the underlying imbalance. Usually acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal formulas are necessary to help regain balance. As every patient is unique, we design the treatment protocol to specifically target the underlying cause of the imbalance. Often, the cause is not only one factor, but a combination of factors such as Jing Qi depletion combined with yin deficiency.

acupuncture practices in Virginia and has been in a since 1997. It is

If you are interested in pursuing a safe and natural way to address your menopausal symptoms or would like to discuss your symptoms with us, please call us at 703-370-1077 or visit our website at

maintain optimal health. It is her passion to encourage patients to do

www.acupuncturenova.com.

owned by Linda Lloyd. Ms. Lloyd believes that acupuncture is a safe and natural way for patients to help heal themselves by bringing their bodies into balance.

Lloyd is also a strong advocate of informing patients of the practice about all the daily activities that they can do for themselves to

as much as they can for themselves as their daily activities has a far greater impact on their health than periodic visits to a health professional. She is a Diplomate in Acupuncture from the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She is licensed to practice acupuncture by the Virginia Board of Medicine.


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