When you enter your 40s, many things change with your hormones. The one that triggers peri-menopause is your ovaries stop producing estrogen. This disruption of your normal hormonal cycle can cause unwanted and uncomfortable symptoms, including irritability, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and even depression and high anxiety.
Menopause doesn’t have to be a hot, horrible mess. There are a number of ways to deal with menopausal symptoms, but, what’s a better way than handling a natural occurrence with a natural method?
Here are some of my best tips for natural, yet proven effective ways to relieve Menopausal Symptoms:
Avoid trigger foods
Food and diet play a huge role in menopausal symptoms. Remember, not all food affects everyone the same way. You may find that limiting intake works for you or you may have to eliminate all consumption of some foods and drinks that never seemed to bother you in the past. Menopause is like that. You have to throw out everything you used to do and come up with a new plan.
Caffeine and alcohol are common sleep disruptors and heat causers, so avoid drinking any of them especially near bedtime.
High blood sugar and insulin resistance are linked to a higher incidence of hot flashes as well as increased cholesterol. That is why, you should minimize, or avoid processed food and limit refined carbs and grains altogether.
Instead, I highly recommend a whole-foods diet, as well as healthy fats, such as omega-3. A simple change to your diet can support an easier transition into menopause.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Easier said than done! I know first hand this struggle in menopause. Weight gain is the number one complaint of all my menopausal patients. It’s frustrating as they old ways of reducing weight just no longer work. Excess weight, especially in the midsection is a sign of insulin resistance and visceral fat. That’s fat around the organs, which is not healthy at all. It can cause breathing problems and is an indicator of possible heart and blood vessel problems, as well as diabetes.
Achieving a weight goal and maintaining it is not an easy task, but not impossible. Make sure you have a daily physical activity to help you shed extra pounds and stress. Strength training exercises are also recommended at least twice a week to not only help with weight, but also aid in bone density.
A mentioned earlier, mind what you eat. Avoid anything that is high in sugar and salt. I have found the biggest change you can make in your diet is eating nutrient dense foods and eating less. Chew slowly and put your fork down between bites. Set a timer and eat for 10 minutes, then stop for 5, and then check in to see if you are full or need a little bit more. We need less food in menopause to feel full.
Do Yoga
I’m a huge fan of yoga and have been doing it for many years now. Without a doubt, Yoga relieves stress. Its key component is called pranayama, the Sanskrit word for “controlled breathing,” and it quiets the mind, thus eases anxiety.
The other benefits of yoga, are flexibility, strength, and balance. These are all needed for optimal health as you age. People break bones when they lose their balance and fall.
Another effect of low estrogen is joint pain, associated with both osteoporosis and arthritis. A consistent practice of yoga strengthens joints and increases flexibility. You may also want to add collagen daily to help with joint health.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
Chinese herbal medicines are one of the natural product treatments with fewer side effects. With a history of practice exceeding 2000 years, it offers a clear systematic approach to each symptom including mood swings, anxiety, and tiredness, and also physical symptoms like poor memory, dry mouth, insomnia, and more.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture goes along with Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is an ancient Chinese method where fine needles are inserted at certain points in the body. It’s been shown to reduce stress hormones like cortisol and increase relaxation hormones like endorphins.
A study conducted by Danish researchers divided two groups of 70 women with moderate-to-severe hot flushes, ages 40 to 60. The group who received 5 weekly sessions of acupuncture showed a significant reduction in their day-and-night sweats, as well as sleeping and emotional symptoms.
It’s a realistic option for those who do not wish to use Hormonal Replacement Treatment.
Hire a Health Coach
While all the tips mentioned above are proven effective, it takes a lot of self-discipline and motivation to keep yourself reaching toward your health goals. Moreover, it is important that you understand that even though the menopausal stage is a natural occurrence, not everyone experiences the same symptoms. That is why it is important to find an approach that works best for you, and a health coach can help you with that.
A health coach will guide you so that you can easily navigate this natural biological change, and most importantly, apply the best method according to your individual needs, to achieve a positive result.
The main point that I share with all my patients is that everyone’s experience is different. Try some of these suggestions and see what works best for you.
If you’d like a free consultation, send me an email at, Donna@donnaAcupuncture.com and let’s talk.
