I have been reading a book by Susun Weed called Menopausal Years, the Wise Woman Way and she suggests drinking a tea made from Oat Straw for hot flashes and insomnia.   Our local health food store carries the tea bags and was wondering if anyone has tried this remedy?

ThanksKS

So pleased to see someone mention Susun Weed's book.  It has been my "bible" for over 5 years.  She's a bit unorthodox, but I connect.  Yes, I have tried oatstraw.  I no longer use it.  It was difficult to drink enough tea.  I use evening primrose and motherwort.  Motherwort is great for heart palps., anxiety, flashes.  I also agree with her attitude that menopause is a natural stage of life.  She's interesting.  Her herbal book, "Healing Wise" is good too.  She talks about oatstraw.  Use whole oats along with tea.  Very good for you.

Susun Weed has been Dearest's guest in a Power Surge Chat.  Read her transcript in the Power Surge Transcript Library.

She was interesting during the chat, too!

I think Susan Weed has a lot of interesting perspectives, but I have to say some of the things she believes really go against science in a big way. Like if you've been a vegetarian for ten years, you no longer absorb non-heme iron and must eat meat. That's just basically absurd. Then all vegetarians would die after ten years. The fact is, vegetarians live longer than the average life expectancy. Oh well, no one is right all of the time, I guess.

I agree that Susun Weed's works are interesting and challenging. However, the more I meditate on them, the more odd and contradictory information I too find.

I'll note only a tiny instance: On page 30 of the 1992 edition of her "Menopausal Years" book, she writes: "Limit fluids if you tend to bloat. The more fluids you drink, the harder the kidneys have to work, and the more tired they get. When they get very tired, fluid builds up in the cells. Optimally, drink at least a quart/liter of fluids daily."  (What does this mean? Limit fluids or drink abundantly of fluids?)

I have come to believe that Ms. Weed advocates many remedies that she herself has no direct knowledge of. (Of course, this is clearly a generalized problem with advice to midlife women.) Her advocacy of increased meat and butter consumption for perimenopausal women is another suggestion that does not seem to be echoed by other writers on the subject.

Well, no doubt oat straw will not increase your risk of breast cancer, stroke, heart disease or blood clots. . . . So Susan Weed is still besting the American medical establishment on advice to powersurging women!