Treat Menopause Naturally

Menopause affects most women between the ages of 45 and 55, but symptoms can begin even before your menstrual cycle ceases. Symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and decreased metabolism. Hormone therapy helps some women, but others wish to avoid it or cannot take estrogen safely. Whether the severity of your symptoms causes temporary difficulties or significant impairment to your quality of life, there are many ways to alleviate or lesson symptoms without taking hormonal drugs.

Steps

Moderating Diet

1. Avoid stimulants, especially before bed. Stimulants like coffee, alcohol, spicy foods and chocolate can trigger hot flashes and night sweats. Caffeine and alcohol are also diuretics that may hasten dehydration and contribute to these symptoms.
2. Make sure you are getting enough calcium. You need 1,200 mg of calcium a day, which you will get from eating/drinking 2-4 servings of calcium rich foods, like dairy products, sardines, canned salmon, broccoli and legumes.
3. Eat iron-rich foods daily. Older women need 8 mg of iron a day. It can be found in lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, and leafy green vegetables.
4. Eat at least 5 servings of fresh produce daily. Fresh fruits and vegetables have lots of fiber, contributing to the 21 g of fiber you need every day. Many also have plant-based estrogens that are more gentle than estrogen in the body or synthetic estrogens. Eat a wide variety of produce to get the most vitamins and minerals possible.
   • A small piece of fruit, or large slice of melon or pineapple, is one serving.
   • Three heaping Tbsps of cooked vegetables counts as one serving.
   • Other good sources of fiber include whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, and rice.
5. Eat some soy. Soy contains plant estrogens, called isoflavones, that may reduce symptoms of menopause. It is preferable to get soy from foods in your diet rather than use supplements, since research on the safety and efficacy of supplemental soy is ongoing.
   • Try adding tofu or tempeh to your meals instead of meat some nights.
   • Roasted soy nuts make a great snack and are healthier than peanuts.
   • Other foods with phytoestrogens include pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds, and certain vegetables, like celery, green beans and rhubarb.
6. Include foods with tryptophan if your moods are unstable. Protein rich foods containing this amino acid include turkey, cottage cheese, oat and legumes. Tryptophan helps the brain make serotonin, which can moderate your mood through the day and help you control ability to sleep and your appetite.
   • Other ways of controlling mood swings are to avoid skipping meals, especially breakfast, and limit your sugar intake.
7. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. Also, drinking a glass of cool water at the onset of hot flashes might lessen their strength by cooling down body temperature. The aging process itself, of which menopause is a part, reduces the body’s ability to conserve water, and hot flashes and night sweats increase water loss more. Dehydration prevents nutrients and oxygen from circulating through your body properly.
   • Women who drink more water typically have less frequent and severe hot flashes overall.
   • Staying hydrated also eases moodiness and anxiety.
   • Keep a glass of water near your bed so you can drink it if the onset of night sweating wakes you up.

Making Lifestyle Changes

1. Exercise regularly. Daily exercise is crucial to maintaining good health, especially as you get older. Not only will it help you lose excess weight, which reduces your risk of several cancers, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes, but it is a great stress reliever and mood booster. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals in the body, which boost your mood and act like pain-killers.
   • Aim for 150 min or more per week of moderate aerobic activity, or at least 75 min of vigorous aerobic activity. Spread it throughout the week as much as possible.
   • Also include strength training exercises twice a week, whether weights or resistance bands. Pick the weight or resistance that tires the targeted muscles after 12 reps, and don’t forget to stretch before and after.
   • Consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen.
   • Some evidence suggests being overweight may contribute to symptoms like hot flashes, but more research is needed. When you first start, the increase in body temperature when you exert yourself may increase hot flashes, but as you lose body fat, they will become less frequent.
2. Quit smoking. It’s a bad idea for anyone to smoke, of course, but smoking contributes to earlier signs of menopause. Heavy smoking can cause onset of menopause 1-2 years early in all women, and for Caucasians, menopause can start as many as 9 years earlier, due to contributing genetic factors. Smoking also increases the severity of symptoms while going through menopause.
   • Women who smoke tend to gain belly fat more easily than non-smokers during menopause.
   • Smoking reduced already falling levels of estrogen in the body.
   • Smoking exacerbates already increasing risks of several diseases for menopausal women, including heart disease, stroke, breast cancer and diabetes.
   • Quitting by age 40 erases almost all risk of early death. Quitting by 50 will increase your life expectancy by 6 years. No matter what your age, quitting will make menopause easier to get through.
3. Get more sleep. Up to 61% of menopausal women report insomnia due to different symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, mood swings and anxiety from shifting hormones, and having to urinate more frequently as you age. Not getting enough sleep sends your body into stress even more, making symptoms of menopause harder to cope with and even more intense. Hormone replacement will help you sleep better, but there are many things you can do to help you sleep better.
   • Keep the temperature in your bedroom at 65°F. This is the “ideal” sleeping temperature.
   • Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. and don’t drink alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime.
   • Wear an eye mask to bed to block out as light. Even LED lights from your clock and phone can disturb sleep patterns.
   • Wear loose-fitting pajamas, or nothing, to bed so your body can breathe. Also make sure your sheets are lightweight, preferably cotton.
   • Daily exercise helps you sleep better, but don’t exercise within 3 hours of bedtime.

Using Herbs to Fight Symptoms

1. Consult with your doctor first. Like medications, different herbs can have various possible side effects and interact with medications you are taking or exacerbate certain medical conditions. Always discuss using herbs or herbal supplements with your doctor first to make sure the possible benefits outweigh any possible risks.
2. Consider taking black cohosh. This herb is derived from a type of buttercup plant and is used to treat hot flashes and night sweats. It is the most studied herb used for these purposes, although results are inconsistent. Some women find relief using it. It can be taken as capsules, tablets, or a powder mixed with water.
   • Research results are mixed as to effectiveness, but this herb has fewer side effects than others.
   • Don’t use it if you have or have had liver problems.
3. Add some flaxseed to your food. Flax has lignans, substances that moderate hormone metabolism and are similar to plant estrogens. Some women find relief from hot flashes. Grind seeds in a coffee grinder and add 1-2 tablespoons to food each day.
   • If you are avoiding taking estrogen for medical reasons, consult your doctor about whether phytoestrogens are safe for you to take.
   • Do not ingest whole flaxseeds because they are hard to digest.
4. Try evening primrose oil. This oil includes an essential fatty acid (gamma-linolenic acid) that may help level out some symptoms of menopause. While some women have positive results, no wide-spread studies have been able to back up its effectiveness. It is available in oil form and capsules, and should be taken for at least 6-8 weeks before results are likely.
   • There is at least one respected study that does not show positive effects for menopausal users.
   • Look for primrose oil that is certified as organic and packaged in dark containers or one that resists light.
5. Increase your intake of Vitamin E. For some women, taking a supplement has reduced occurrence of hot flashes. On average they had one less hot flash a day. A topical treatment with this vitamin as an ingredient can help alleviate vaginal dryness.
   • Take 400 IUs a day. Choose natural vitamin E, which is mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols).
   • Do not take vitamin E supplements if you are taking blood-thinning medications. Higher doses found in supplements may increase risk of bleeding internally.
6. Try dong quai. Used in traditional Chinese medicine, this herb is used often to alleviate symptoms of menopause. It is thought to help regulate female hormones without any estrogenic activity. It can be taken in the form of tablets, capsules, powders and tinctures.
   • Since little research has been completed on the herb for these purposes, medical professionals cannot say for certain that it is effective.
   • Do not take if you are on blood-thinning medications or if you are experiencing heavy bleeding.
7. Look at wild yam topical creams. Dioscorea villosa, or extract of wild yam, is a type of phytoestrogen, and some creams have synthetic progesterone added to them. There is little evidence that applying these creams eases menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, but some women had found relief from them.
   • Wild yam does not contain natural progesterone. It must be converted to progesterone in a lab.

Reducing Stress

1. Start a daily meditation practice. Meditate for at least 20 minutes a day. There are different ways to meditate, but the objective is to calm your mind and slow down your autonomic processes, like breathing and your heartbeat. You can just sit quietly and try not to think about anything, or use guided imagery to focus your attention on positive ideas.
   • Lie or sit comfortably and pay attention to your breathing. Don’t try to control it, just notice the pattern and sensation of air going through your body. When thoughts or pain surfaces, think of them like a cloud passing over the sky quickly, acknowledge them, and watch them fade into the distance.
   • For guided imagery, imagine blocking off the pain physically, like putting it behind glass. Or, sit and breathe deeply for at least 10 minutes a day while imagining a tranquil scene. Picture it as completely as you can, with sounds, sights, smells, etc., so you can imagine you are actually there.
2. Try yoga. Yoga is a great tool for both maintaining fitness and relieving stress. It involves stretching and rhythmic breathing and teaches you to pay attention to your body over external stimuli. Learn yoga and practice it daily to increase your activity level and decrease overall stress.
   • Find a yoga class at your gym or a local yoga center to try it out. Having a schedule of classes can help motivate you to keep doing it regularly.
   • Find tutorial videos online at home. Make sure to choose one for beginners at first. Then, pick a theme. Some are specifically for morning practice and others for before bed, for example.
3. Learn breathing exercises for dealing with stressful symptoms. Doing an activity like meditation or yoga everyday will help lower your overall stress, but no doubt you will still have moments of intense stress caused or exacerbated by symptoms of menopause. Relaxing decreases your heart rate, drops your blood pressure, and allows your muscles to relax. There are several breathing techniques you can use in those moments to calm your mind and body.
   • Try “equal breathing.” Breathe in and out through your nose, each for a count of four. When you master this, increase to a rate of six. It’s also a great exercise to do when you get in bed because it stops your mind from racing.
   • Roll breathing, or abdominal breathing, is best done lying down with knees bent, but can be done in any position. The object is to full your lungs with each breath while placing your hands to feel the lungs and abdomen rising and falling.
   • Couple focused breathing with progressive muscle relaxation if you have a quiet place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes, and inhale deeply and slowly through the nose while tensing one muscle group at a time. Exhale through the mouth and release all tension in those muscles. Start at your feet and work your way up through the body.
4. Get a regular massage. Along with other lifestyle changes aiming to reduce stress, adding weekly massages can help calm your mental state and relax your body. Therapists can focus attention on the lower back and abdomen to ease symptoms of menopause, and even include aromatherapy during your sessions to increase relaxation.
   • In general, the more stress a woman feels, the worse her symptoms tend to be. Therefore, using multiple techniques to reduce stress is the best approach.
   • Getting regular massages feels luxurious, and can improve your overall mood by being a way of treating yourself kindly and taking care of your needs first.
5. Try acupuncture. Some women report significant relief from symptoms of menopause with acupuncture, but more large-scale studies may be needed to prove a direct correlation. However, there is little doubt that acupuncture is useful for pain management, including low back pain and menstrual cramps, as well as for sleep problems.

Warnings

• Consult your physician before making any significant lifestyle or supplementation changes.
• Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program.

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Sources and Citations

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