There are many symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Different women experience different mixes of symptoms, depending mostly on hormonal makeup and lifestyle, and most women report the experience of hot flashes. Research shows eighty-five percent of American women experience them within the first year or two of menopause. Sadly, up to half of women continue to have them regularly for years following the onset of menopause. Below are some helpful natural remedies for balancing the body and mind during “the change.” Black Cohosh is a plant used widely in Europe for treating menopause and hot flashes. Studies show Black Cohosh to be just as effective as pharmaceutical estrogen in providing hot flash relief and one study showed Black Cohosh was effective at preventing excessive sweating [1]. Fatty acids, such as those found in flaxseed oil, have been thought to be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms. Flax contains plant lignans which are similar to estrogen, possibly causing estrogen levels to stabilize in menopausal women.
A general tonic for women’s reproductive health, evening primrose has a cooling effect on the skin and regulates the production of estrogen. It can act as a sleep aid due to its high gamma linolenic acid count, and increased prostaglandin production. Daily servings of this herb have been reported to lower both the number and severity of hot flashes. A plant containing high amounts of phyto-estrogens known as isoflavones has been shown to help reduce the intensity and frequency of hot flashes. Homeopathic treatment options such as Ferrum phosphoricum (good for reducing redness), Belladonna (an excellent herb for sporadic, rapid hot flashes), Sanguinarina (counteracts hot flashes on the face, neck and ears) and Kali Phosphoricum. Other similar-acting plants include sarsaparilla, spearmint, licorice root, damiana, chasteberry, wild yams, motherwort, and red raspberry leaf. Try drinking a few cups of organic sage tea daily. Sage tea can be found at your local grocery store or online.
Besides providing hot flash relief, sage helps with digestion, infant diarrhea and headaches. Some women have found that bioflavanoids found in Vitamin C can help reduce the frequency of hot flashes. In order to get hot flash relief, I would recommend eating more foods with Vitamin C. Studies have shown that antioxidants in Vitamin E play a significant role in reducing the symptoms of hot flashes [2]. In order to get hot flash relief, take the recommended serving of a Vitamin E supplement or eat more foods with Vitamin E. Most women are actually estrogen dominant due to the amount of soy in foods. In most cases of menopause doctors actually prescribe more estrogen. I highly recommend using a cream to help balance menopausal hormone levels and to reduce hot flashes. Besides from the list of natural remedies above, you can also practice these natural life-style tips to help get relief from hot flashes. Avoid Synthetic Bedding and Clothing Synthetic bedding and clothing can contribute to over-heating the body, especially while sleeping.
Unlike natural cottons and linens, synthetic fibers cause us to perspire more often at night, a time when women most-often experience over-heating. Also, if you wear tight-fitting clothing, such as turtle-necks, that are made from synthetic fibers, this can also aggravate hot flashes. Avoid long periods in direct sunlight. Reduce the use of hot tubs, saunas and even hot showers. Drink cool water with cucumber and stay in well-ventilated, cool areas of your home. Small room fans can help provide temporary relief for hot flashes. Smoking has been linked to increased occurrence of hot flashes in menopausal women. Many women report an increase occurrence of hot flashes during times of stress. Make sure to make time for yoga, breathing exercises, visualization, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, biofeedback techniques, meditation or other forms of stress relief during the day. This will help ease heat in your body and mind. Alcohol, fried foods, spicy foods, caffeine, diet pills and very hot (temperature-wise) foods can create increased acid and heat in the body.
It is best to avoid these substances, especially foods that cause acid reflux. Engaging in daily exercise keeps you in shape and feeling young and healthy. Without a healthy body, it is harder to balance the necessary hormones to prevent hot flashes. Try going for more walks throughout the day. Simple cardio exercise is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health. By cleansing your body on a regular basis you can help balance your organs and hormone levels. I recommend performing a colon cleanse and liver detox at least 1-2 times yearly, these cleanses will help promote optimal health.Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.
Oxy-Powder® is the top quality colon cleanser. Promotes optimal colon health and regular bowel activity. This complete liver cleansing kit is a comprehensive approach to cleansing your liver. Subscribe to ePublications email updates. This information in Spanish (en español) Print this fact sheet Menopause and menopause treatments fact sheet (PDF, 408 KB) Heart disease fact sheet Heart health and stroke Menopause symptom tracker (PDF, 165 KB) Physical activity fact sheet Menopause is the point in time when a woman's menstrual periods stop. Some people call the years leading up to a woman's last period "menopause," but that time actually is perimenopause (PER-ee-MEN-oh-pawz). Periods can stop for a while and then start again, so a woman is considered to have been through menopause only after a full year without periods. (There also can't be some other reason for the periods stopping like being sick or pregnant.) After menopause, a woman no longer can get pregnant.
It is common to experience symptoms such as hot flashes in the time around menopause. The average age of menopause is 51, but for some women it happens in their 40s or later in their 50s. Sometimes called "the change of life," menopause is a normal part of life. Perimenopause (PER-ee-MEN-oh-pawz), which is sometimes called "the menopausal transition," is the time leading up to a woman's last period. During this time a woman will have changes in her levels of the hormones estrogen (ES-truh-jin) and progesterone (proh-JES-tuh-RONE). These changes may cause symptoms like hot flashes. Some symptoms can last for months or years after a woman's period stops. After menopause, a woman is in postmenopause, which lasts the rest of her life. When to see a doctor The hormone changes that happen around menopause affect every woman differently. Also, symptoms sometimes are not caused by menopause but by other aspects of aging instead. Some changes that might start in the years around menopause include:
Symptoms, a physical exam, and your medical history can provide clues that you are in perimenopause. Your doctor also could test the amount of hormones in your blood. But hormones go up and down during your menstrual cycle, so these tests alone can't tell for sure that you have gone through menopause or are getting close to it. It is not necessary to get treatment for your symptoms unless they are bothering you. You can learn about simple lifestyle changes that may help with symptoms, and some symptoms will go away on their own. If you're interested in medical treatments like menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), ask your doctor about the possible risks and benefits. Here are some ways to deal with symptoms: Lower estrogen around the time of menopause leads to bone loss in women. Bone loss can cause bones to weaken, which can cause bones to break more easily. When bones weaken a lot, the condition is called osteoporosis (OSS-tee-oh-puh-ROH-suhss). To keep your bones strong, women need weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, climbing stairs, or using weights.
You can also protect bone health by eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, or if needed, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. Not smoking also helps protect your bones. Ask your doctor if you need a bone density test. Your doctor can also suggest ways to prevent or treat osteoporosis.After menopause, women are more likely to have cardiovascular (kar-dee-oh-VAS-kuh-lur) problems, like heart attacks and strokes. Changes in estrogen levels may be part of the cause, but so is getting older. That's because as you get older, you may gain weight and develop other health problems that increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Ask your doctor about important tests like those for cholesterol and high blood pressure. Discuss ways to prevent CVD. The following lifestyle changes also can help prevent CVD: MHT, which used to be called hormone replacement therapy (HRT), involves taking the hormones estrogen and progesterone. (Women who don't have a uterus anymore take just estrogen).
MHT can be very good at relieving moderate to severe menopausal symptoms and preventing bone loss. But MHT also has some risks, especially if used for a long time. MHT can help with menopause by: For some women, MHT may increase their chance of: Research into the risks and benefits of MHT continues. For example, a recent study suggests that the low-dose patch form of MHT may not have the possible risk of stroke that other forms can have. Talk with your doctor about the positives and negatives of MHT based on your medical history and age. Keep in mind, too, that you may have symptoms when you stop MHT. You can also ask about other treatment options. Lower-dose estrogen products (vaginal creams, rings, and tablets) are a good choice if you are bothered only by vaginal symptoms, for example. And other drugs may help with bone loss. If you choose MHT, experts recommend that you: If you take MHT, call your doctor if you develop any of the following side effects: A major study called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) has looked at the effects of MHT on heart disease and other health concerns.
It has explored many questions relating to MHT, including whether MHT's effects are different depending on when a woman starts it. Learn more about MHT research results. Future research may tell experts even more about MHT. For now, MHT should not be used to prevent heart disease, memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer's disease. MHT sometimes is used to treat bone loss and menopausal symptoms. Learn more in Can menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) help my symptoms? Some women try herbs or other products that come from plants to help relieve hot flashes. Make sure to discuss any natural or herbal products with your doctor before taking them. It's also important to tell your doctor about all medicines you are taking. Some plant products or foods can be harmful when combined with certain medications. Bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT) means manmade hormones that are the same as the hormones the body makes. There are several prescription BHT products that are well-tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Often, people use the term "BHT" to mean medications that are custom-made by a pharmacist for a specific patient based on a doctor's order. These custom-made products are also sometimes called bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Despite claims, there is no proof that these products are better or safer than drugs approved by the FDA. Also, many insurance and prescription programs do not pay for these drugs because they are viewed as experimental. Physical activity helps many areas of your life, including mood, sleep, and heart health. If you are not able to follow these guidelines, be as physically active as you can. Your doctor can help you decide what's right for you. A balanced diet will give you most of what your body needs to stay healthy. Here are a few special points to consider: A woman who has a hysterectomy (his-tur-EK-tuh-mee) but keeps her ovaries does not have menopause right away. Because your uterus is removed, you no longer have periods and cannot get pregnant.
But your ovaries might still make hormones, so you might not have other signs of menopause. You may have hot flashes because the surgery may affect the blood supply to the ovaries. Later on, you might have natural menopause a year or two earlier than usually expected. A woman who has both ovaries removed at the same time that the hysterectomy is done has menopause right away. Having both ovaries removed is called a bilateral oophorectomy (OH-uh-fuh-REK-tuh-mee). Women who have this operation no longer have periods and may have menopausal symptoms right away. Because your hormones drop quickly, your symptoms may be stronger than with natural menopause. If you are having this surgery, ask your doctor about how to manage your symptoms. Menopause that is caused by surgery also puts you at risk for certain conditions, such as bone loss and heart disease. Ask your doctor about possible steps, including MHT, to help prevent these problems. Some women have symptoms of menopause and stop having their periods much earlier than expected.
This can happen for no clear reason, or it can be caused by: When menopause comes early on its own, it sometimes has been called "premature menopause" or "premature ovarian failure." A better term is "primary ovarian insufficiency," which describes the decreased activity in the ovaries. In some cases, women have ovaries that still make hormones from time to time, and their menstrual periods return. Some women can even become pregnant after the diagnosis. For women who want to have children and can't, early menopause can be a source of great distress. Women who want to become mothers can talk with their doctors about other options, such as donor egg programs or adoption. Early menopause raises your risk of certain health problems, such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor about ways to protect your health. You might ask about menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). Some researchers think the risks of MHT for younger women might be smaller and the benefits greater than for women who begin MHT at or after the typical age of menopause.