Menopause is the natural termination of menstrual cycles in women after a certain age. And since there is cessation of the menstrual cycle, the woman stops being fertile. Menopause is a biological process; it is not a condition, disease or disorder. This post helps you with home remedies that will allow you to control the symptoms associated with menopause, and make the transition easier for you.
When women reach a certain age, their pair of ovaries stop making eggs. Also, hormones like estrogen and progesterone which help regulate menstruation and the fertility of the woman, are produced less. Gradually, the menstrual cycles get irregular eventually stopping for good. If you do not have periods for one whole year, then it is confirmed you have reached menopause.
Suggested read: Suffering From Horrible Menstrual Cramps? Get Relief With These Home Remedies!
The age at which a woman becomes menopausal is between 45 and 55. The average age, therefore, is 51. However, there are exceptions to the case. There are women who have menstrual cycles after 55, and there are women who reach menopause before they turn 40.
Many medical procedures and/or conditions can also cause menopause. These include,
- Hysterectomy
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Primary ovarian insufficiency condition
When a woman is going through the phase of menopause, the levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuates. This, in turn, causes,
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Tired feet
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Vaginal dryness
- Bladder problems
- Thinning hair
- Dry skin
- Breast pain
- Mood swings
- Memory problems
Generally, there is no need for a treatment to cure the symptoms associated with menopause. They usually go away themselves. But if it has become unbearable, then you can try these home remedies for menopause to deal with these signs and symptoms better.
Home remedies for menopause
Here are the top 10 remedies that will help ease the symptoms linked with menopause.
1. Flaxseed
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Flaxseed work wonders on menopause symptoms, especially hot flashes. This is because flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids as well as lignans. Both of these act as phytoestrogens and help against hot flashes.
A study published in the 2007 study that was published in the Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology, shows that ground flaxseed reduces symptoms of menopause by more than 50 per cent.
Flaxseed improves estrogen levels, which in turn lowers the intensity of hot flashes. It also helps control vaginal dryness.
For the remedy, you will need to take two teaspoons of ground flaxseed every day. Follow up with a glass or two of water. Do not take whole flaxseeds as they are difficult to digest, and might create more problem.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
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To beat the symptoms of menopause, try apple cider vinegar. The unfiltered apple cider vinegar reduces the occurrence as well as intensity of hot flashes. It also lowers the incidence of night sweats, which is very common during the phase of menopause.
For the remedy, you need to dilute unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Add a tablespoon of it in a glass of water, and drink this solution once every morning to get rid of the toxins. It will also help regulate your hormone production.
3. Soy
Products made of soy treat menopausal symptoms effectively. This is because soy contains flavones which balance hormone levels. It also helps regulate estrogenic activity.
For the remedy, you need to drink two glasses of soy milk every day. If this does not suit you, then you can try having few slices of soy linseed bread every day for breakfast.
Try to include more soy products in your daily diet to help reduce occurrence and intensity of hot flashes.
Suggested read: 8 Natural Treatments To Effectively Deal With Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
4. Vitamin E
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The next home remedy on our list is vitamin E. This works effectively on the symptoms of menopause because it acts as a substitute for estrogen. This, in turn, controls hot flashes.
According to the NCBI,
“Hot flashes affect as many as 75% of menopausal women. Estrogen reliably reduces the severity of hot flashes and remain the single most effective treatment. Today, however, more and more women are seeking alternatives. Instead of hormonal therapy, women are turning to vitamins, and other over-the-counter products for relief from hot flashes.”
Vitamin E also reduces vaginal dryness. You can topically apply vitamin E to your vaginal area as a lubricant to reduce the dryness.
You can also take a 200 IU capsule of vitamin E regularly with your meals. For the dosage, consult a doctor or your primary health provider.
5. Black Cohosh
Black cohosh is a popular ancient remedy that women have been using to treat symptoms of menopause. According to a pilot study that was conducted on 704 menopausal women, the researchers gave 49 per cent of the women black cohosh, and the rest were not given any remedy. The former group got relief from the symptoms associated with menopause in a week’s time.
Black cohosh flaxseed acts like a phytoestrogen. It also contains salicylic acid. This acid is anti-inflammatory, and so relieves the pain in no time. Usually, women also go through depression when they are menopausal as it is a huge transition for them, biologically and emotionally. Black cohosh is known to treat these feelings of depression.
For the remedy, you can take black cohosh supplements. For the correct dosage, consult a doctor or your primary healthcare provider.
If you have a liver disease, then you should avoid black cohosh.
6. Chasteberry
Another popular natural treatment for menopause symptoms involves chasteberry. The herb is effective on these signs because it balances the release of estrogen and progesterone by providing nutrition and strengthening the endocrine system.
The symptoms that chasteberry helps relieve are hot flashes, sweating, vaginal dryness and depression.
For the remedy, you need to dilute minced chasteberry herb by adding a teaspoon of it in a cup of hot water. Cover the glass so that the herb can steep. After ten minutes, strain and drink the solution. You need to have three cups of this, every day.
7. Cinnamon
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The next remedy is cinnamon, which is commonly used by Chinese herbalists to help lower the occurrence and intensity of anxiety. It treats mood swings, helps with depression, both very common among women who are going through menopause.
You can increase cinnamon in your daily diet by introducing into your cooking. You can also take herbal teas, or baked goods with cinnamon in it.
8. Acupuncture
The last remedy on our list is acupuncture. It is a very ancient therapy that helps rebalance or reorient the body. It is known to help menopausal women by reducing hot flashes and anxiety.
According to the British Acupuncture Council,
“Women seeking acupuncture for relief of symptoms associated with the menopause may suffer from a variety of symptoms that may present in a configuration that is unique to them. One of the strengths of acupuncture is in the tailoring of treatment to that unique individual.”
If you plan to get acupuncture done, then be sure to do it from an experienced therapist, one who is trained in this art.
Additional tips for menopause symptoms
Here are some additional tips that will help you deal with the symptoms associated with menopause.
- You need to observe closely what triggers your hot flashes. Once you have determined what it is, avoid it.
- Drink a glass of cold water whenever you experience an episode hot flashes.
- You can consult with your health care provider and take vitamin B supplements.
- Your body needs vitamin D. Best source? Early morning rays of the sun. Try to expose your body to the rays of the sun during sunrise for at least 10 minutes.
- Obesity can also cause more complications during menopause. You might consider getting fitter.
- Avoid eating a large meal before you hit the bed at night/
- You can instead drink something warm before sleeping, something like a cup of warm milk. This will induce better sleep.
- Sleep is very important to feel well rested.
- To decrease vaginal dryness, try using lubricants that are water-based or moisturizers.
- You need to stay sexually active during this period to enhance the flow of blood to the vagina.
- Avoid caffeinated and/or aerated drinks for a while.
- Also avoid alcohol or nicotine.
If despite trying these home remedies the symptoms of menopause are not controlled, then you need to consult a doctor. Also you can take these natural remedies in addition to the medicines prescribed by the doctor.
Suggested read: Reduce Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks With These Home Remedies
That is all we have on today’s post on home remedies for menopause in women. Was this helpful? Will you be recommending it to others too? If you have some remedies that you would like to share with us, then please do so in the comment section below.
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Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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