A natural approach to dealing with menopause symptoms is on the minds of many women these days. After all the bad press regarding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) many women now fear using HRT. When the results of the Women’s Health Initiative were released relaying the many serious health consequences of use, many women on HRT decided to go off the hormones that they had been using for years. Many decided that they would never go on them.
The symptoms of menopause and perimenopause can vary from woman to woman, from mild to severe and life disrupting. One woman may have mild occasional hot flashes, another may experience severe hot flashes every fifteen minutes accompanied by heart palpitations and feelings of severe anxiety.
Some of the symptoms of menopause are:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Irritability and mood swings
- Heart palpitations
- Feverish feelings (hot then cold)
- Dryness
- Headaches and migraine
- And many more
With a large number of women currently entering menopause years and the years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, what can be done if hormone replacement is not their choice?
How can we help these women?
Changes in lifestyle can be helpful. One thing to do is make sure that exercise is a regular part or your weekly schedule. Exercising for an hour 4 or more times a week can greatly reduce hot flashes, anxiety, depression and mood swings.
Women in menopause should limit or eliminate alcohol and spicy foods as both can increase the incidence of hot flashes and night sweats. Alcohol can also contribute to depression, anxiety, headaches and insomnia.
Eating a diet filled with plants containing phytoestrogens can also be helpful. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant based substances that are related to our body’s own natural hormones. Some of those helpful plants are beans, seaweed, pomegranate, berries, flaxseed (must be ground, or oil is ok), root vegetables.
For some serious help with menopause symptoms you may want to try herbal support. Herbs can be especially effective at reducing hot flashes and night sweats. Many women find relief with black cohosh or false unicorn root. Red clover is also a very good herb and is also helpful for keeping bones strong, another concern in menopausal women.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are also two proven natural remedies for menopause symptoms. In Traditional Chinese Medicine each person is considered as a unique individual with a unique set of symptoms and constitution. The herbs and acupuncture treatments given for one woman will differ from the next, as each person’s symptoms and constitution will not be the same. Herbal formulas are often created specifically for an individual and contain herbs that are chosen to work synergistically with one another to enhance the overall treatment success.
In the hands of a skilled acupuncturist and herbalist many women can achieve success and relief from menopause symptoms.
It is advised that before you start on any herbal regimen that you seek the advice of a medical professional or licensed or professional herbalist as many herbs can interact with medications.
Article Source by Bethany Muhl
