What About the Rain Forest and Herbal Remedies?

Are the rain forests safe?
With all the attention in the news these days concerning the depletion of the Amazon rain forest, you might be concerned about the supply of herbal remedies from South America. What happens to all those amazing plants that are used everyday by millions of women to get menopause relief by using herbal remedies?

This is a huge problem, and getting worse all the time. Not only are the rain forests being depleted and plants disappearing at an alarming rate, but other sources of wild herbal remedies are under attack as well.

Harvesting wild plants
It is surprising that many wild plants are nearing extinction or being severely depleted by wild harvesting. Just take a look at this quote from the Botanic Gardens Conservation International:

On January 18, 2008, the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (representing botanic gardens in 120 countries) stated that "400 medicinal plants are at risk of extinction, from over-collection and deforestation, threatening the discovery of future cures for disease." These included Yew trees (the bark is used for cancer drugs, paclitaxel); Hoodia (from Namibia, source of weight loss drugs); half of Magnolias (used as Chinese medicine for 5,000 years to fight cancer, dementia and heart disease); and Autumn crocus (for gout). The group also found that 5 billion people benefit from traditional plant-based medicine for health care.

It is not hard to imagine all the small group of well-meaning harvesters of wild herbs and plants gathering their natural products and feeling happy in what they are doing. On the other hand, by over-harvesting they are actually doing incredible damage to their own livelihood.

South America has so many herbal remedies!
There are literally thousands of plants used in South America for treating the night sweats and other symptoms of menopause. One of the best and non-endangered is maca. Maca is well known and safe to use. It has no known health risks, but many wonderful benefits.

In Peru, where maca is common, there are government agencies that regulate the it's production and exportation. While it is readily available at any village market in the regions in which it is grown, exporting is a different story, especially if you are certified to be organic.

Maca is a wonderful food and is called an herbal remedy, though it really is not an herb. It is a bit like a potato, and is eaten by the locals, as it has been for thousands of years. It is well known that maca acts as a balancing agent in the body to help maintain health and well-being. It is also widely recognized as having no ill side effects. It is a safe way to get menopause relief.

As an added plus, maca often helps increase libido in men and women. This is obviously a wonderful benefit because the libido can dwindle down to near zero during menopause. Not only do you feel better, your hot flashes diminish or disappear, but you can feel aroused again and ready for some loving! See what your gypsy queen has to say about this!