When a woman reaches menopause in her life, treating menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes and mood swings are troubling problems that she may experience. Menopause is a natural occurence in every woman’s reproductive life.
Many women are consulting their healthcare professionals about traditional hormone therapy. Since these treatments could be a significant budget and emotional issue, turning to natural remedies for treating symptoms of menopause can be a reasonable option.
Symptoms of menopause can vary from women to women. The most common symptoms are the following: sudden behavioral changes (from feeling hyper to feeling depressed), frequent mood swings, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, memory problems and hot flashes all throughout the day.
More and more women today are looking for the best and most effective alternative natural remedy that may alleviate the frustrating symptoms that menopause may cause. You may wish to consider some of the following natural remedies to ease your symptoms:
- Your diet
Your daily diet is a vital factor in helping control your symptoms. To treat menopause symptoms naturally, you should try avoiding foods and drinks that contain a high level of caffeine and sugar and also carbonated drinks that could worsen bone loss. Limit spicy and hot foods and also foods that are commercially prepared because they contain saturated fats which decrease your body’s process in metabolizing estrogen.
- Exercise
Exercising at least 3x a week is always the healthy way to go. Women who exercise regularly are found to have fewer menopausal symptoms/problems in comparison to women who live sedentary lifestyles. Besides treating menopausal symptoms, working up a sweat could also improve our overall health and well-being. - Soy
Start including soy into your diet because scientific studies show if bone density is increased, then the symptoms may possibly lessen. Keep in mind that large amounts of soy should be included in your diet before it could show maximum results. In a study done, women who consumed at least 60 grams of soy per day in a 12 week span, had reduced their hot flashes at least 45%. Good source of soy are tofu, soy milk and roasted soy nuts.
- Vitamins and minerals
Try a daily intake of Vitamin E (400 to 800 IU) to help reduce those nasty symptoms that menopause may cause. Also try the daily intake of Vitamin C (1,000mg to 2,000mg daily) to help in the absorption of Vitamin E. Calcium (1,500mg daily) and Magnesium (500mg to 750mg daily) could be taken together because Magnesium is vital in the absorption of calcium. - Black cohosh
This herb has been known to reduce hot flashes and their duration and intensity. Try taking 20mg to 60mg at least 3x a day to get the maximum results. You can purchase black cohosh on the market as a supplement called “Remifemin”. - Natural progesterone
This can provide natural menopausal relief and are extracted from plant sources. You can also purchase this over-the-counter (Pro-Gest and Prometrium).
- Yoga
Besides yoga being beneficial in our lives in general, it is great in naturally treating menopause. There are specific yoga poses that can help treat stress, mood swings, depression and hot flashes. - St john’s wort, red clover, licorise root, ginkgo biloba and valerian root
These herbs are said to reduce irritability, depression, insomnia, anxiety, memory problems and the general menopausal symptoms in women. Consult with your doctor before using these herbs to ensure safely in their use. - Fish oils
Increase your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce symptoms and also decrease the risk of menopausal women for cardiovascular diseases. Fish oils can be found in a certain type of fish or capsules that are available in pharmacies and/or health stores.
- Evening primrose oil
This oil can really help out in treating hot flashes and depression associated to menopause. - Deep breathing
Take at least 5 to 10 minutes out of your busy daily schedule to do some deep breathing exercises. Take in deep and focused breaths for 5 to 10 minutes at least twice a day to prevent hot flashes. - Sleep
Get at least 6 to 8 hours of quality sleep daily to prevent those nasty menopausal symptoms. If you‘re sleep deprived, those symptoms can worsen as the time passes.
With the many tips and suggestions offered to help treat symptoms of menopause, it is best to keep in mind that every woman is different. Some of these alternative remedies may be effective for some women while for others they may not work. It could take time for some of these remedies to work so patience is a must. Inform your healthcare professional about your interest in menopause symptoms treatment using alternative remedies to get the maximum and most effective results.