In some cultures around the world synthetic hormone replacement is utilized very little and large populations depend on the natural plant estrogen sources for hormone replacement. This could explain a lot about the popularity of a bouquet of fresh roses in courtship! Some women prefer rose oil which is considered more of a female aphrodisiac. There's no doubt a massage by a willing partner with body oils and baths containing one of the following aromatic oils may greatly reduce anxiety: newli, ylang-ylang, jasmine and rose oil. Several topical oils have been touted as aphrodisi acs in the past, but probably achieve their benefit by promoting relax ation and reducing anxiety.

The usual dose is one capsule or one teaspoon of tincture up to three times a day. However, in researching this guide, it became obvious to me that many people rely on and have had some success with various herbs and plants for some of the symptoms and problems of sexual dysfunction. Agnus castus, sarsaparilla root, wild yam root, and yarrow flowers and leaves are rich in plant progesterones. The usual dosage is one capsule or one-half to one teaspoon of a tincture up to three times a day.

Herbal specialists recommend: Black cohosh, licorice, and red clover are rich in plant estrogens. However, several herbal preparations are available which contain a significant amount of plant hormone that may help improve libido. Reputable herbalists avoid the traditional claims that astragalus, burdock, damiana, dong quai, false unicorn, ginseng, and kava are natural aphrodisiacs.

In this group of women who are searching for more specific natural approaches, the following natural remedies may be helpful in addition to synthetic estrogens as hormone replacement therapy. As we have seen earlier, hysterectomy and the hormonal changes associated with menopause, with the loss of production of estrogen and progesterone, as well as testosterone, contribute to a lack of sexual desire or arousal difficulties. In addition, poor nutrition, fatigue, and stress can affect hormone levels and further reduce sexual desire. These underlying problems need to be addressed first when there is a clearcut cause for decreased libido due to depression or anxiety. As we have seen earlier, some psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety have a negative impact on sexual desire. Some of the summary material I have included in this chapter is explained in much greater detail in their excellent book.

One of the best resources that I found on this subject is the book, Natural Medicine for Menopause and Beyondby Paula Maas, Susan Brown, and Nancy Bruning (Dell, 1997).