When I stumbled into perimenopause and menopause, I looked for anything to cool off my hot flashes, turn off my night sweats and unmanageable attitude, and take me as far away from PM&M as I could get. Having heard that some women found solace in acupuncture, I gave it a shot, praying that no needles would be anywhere near my vagina. After a wonderful, relaxing, very smooth experience with acupuncture, I began recommending it as one of many potential options in dealing with menopausal symptoms.

Recently, I was introduced to Dr. Roya Nikzad, Ph.D., L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., who is a California state licensed and nationally certified acupuncturist. She works with Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET) in the  elimination of allergies to help reduce perimenopause and menopause symptoms. NAET® is a non-invasive, drug free, natural solution to alleviate allergies of all types and intensities using a blend of selective energy balancing, testing and treatment procedures from acupuncture/acupressure, allopathy, chiropractic, nutritional, and kinesiological disciplines of medicine. We asked Dr. Nikzad to explain the basic principles and benefits of NAET. Her office is generally flowing with men, women and children of all ages. Of course, the focus of our questions centered around the benefits of these therapies for women in PM&M!

Q: I have heard amazing things about NAET and how, in addition to helping with food allergies for all ages, you have had great success with many physical and emotional symptoms that perimenopausal and menopausal shmirshkies experience, such as hormone imbalance, weight gain, anxiety, joint pain, digestive disorders, depression and headaches, just to name a few. Please explain what allergy elimination is. What are the most common things that folks are sensitive to?
A: The NAET procedure is used to test for allergens and then to clear those allergies. The brain controls the immune system and it’s response to potential allergens or threats. Through NAET, the brain can be trained to stop the immune system from overreacting to those allergens. Patients must hold a vial containing the allergen during the treatments while gentle nerve stimulation through acupuncture and meridian massage is given. (Acupressure is used on children.) The top allergenic items are:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Soy
• Nuts and Peanuts
• Fish and Shell Fish
• Corn
• Yeast
• Sulfa
• Penicillin
• Grass
• Trees
• Dust
• Pollen

Following the treatment, the patient is asked to eliminate that particular allergen from their diet for 25 hours. On their next visit, I will check to see if they have been cleared of this allergen.

Q: I understand that acupuncture is part of the NAET treatment. Many women have never tried it. When I first tried acupuncture, I was a nervous wreck. I knew it involved needles, but I had no idea where the needles went or if they would hurt. Can you give us a quick beginner’s class on acupuncture? What is involved?
A: During the session, the patients receive a gentle acupuncture treatment to balance the body, calm the nervous system and stimulate the immune system. You may feel slight pricking as the needle is inserted into your body, but once the needles are in, you do not feel them much. The acupuncture treatment has a very calming and Zen affect that often puts patients to sleep.

Q: I understand that you do a liver detox incorporating vitamin/mineral supplements with your treatments, too.  Please explain why this is important. How long are your patients on these supplements during the program?
A: Most patients that come to my office suffer from fatigue, headaches and digestive disorders. They have imbalances in the liver, gut and kidneys along with the sensitivities due to current and past medications, stress, poor diet, inflammations and toxins. After they have 30 days of detox, they feel so much better. They have more energy, proper digestion of all the nutrients, and eliminations of toxins. They experience the feeling of overall health.

Q: If someone is on hormone therapy or other medications, can they still consider NAET and acupuncture?
A: Yes, they can. There is no counteraction with NAET and hormone therapy. As a matter of fact, the NAET helps the body absorb the hormones better so the patients get an even bigger benefit by balancing the body.

Q: Is there a place women can go to find a doctor who is licensed to do NAET? If someone just wants to do acupuncture, how do they find a licensed acupuncturist?
A: Women should look for a practitioner who has been practicing for at least 5 years, has completed levels 1, 2 and 3 and has remained current on their trainings. You can find practitioners online by location at NAET.com.

When you enter perimenopause and menoapuse, your body is unbalanced. Hormonal fluctuations can cause emotional and physical symptoms that exhaust your body and mind. NAET is a great way to not only identify food and environmental allergens, but it may be very helpful in  easing symptoms brought on by perimenopause and menopause as well.

If you happen to live in the San Diego area, you can find Dr. Nikzad at The Allergy and Acupuncture Center in La Jolla. Thank you, Dr. Nikzad, for your tremendous expertise and passion in helping ensure that we all lead happy and healthy lives.