Interesting fact: Did you know only about 20% of Asian women experience menopausal symptoms vs. 75% of American women?
So many people are interested in relieving symptoms and finding natural ways for whatever issues ail them at any given time.
Many women are looking for alternatives to such procedures as hormone replacement therapy, which can actually increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
Menopausal symptoms range from hot flashes, weight gain, and insomnia to mood changes and night sweats.
There are certain things you can eat, drink, and do to help relieve menopausal symptoms. You’ll have to experiment with them to see which ones work for you.
Here are 6 to get you started:
1. Black cohosh
Black cohosh is an herb and a phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are substances from a plant that may act like the estrogen your body makes. You can find black cohosh as a dietary supplement in most health food and even grocery stores. Although evidence has been mixed, black cohosh is used primarily for hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Because it’s an herb you don’t want to use it for a long period of time (studies have suggested less than six months) and you want to read the label carefully to make sure you don’t fit any of the criteria of the individuals who need to avoid it.
2. Fruit
According to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who regularly ate certain fruits, including strawberries, pineapple, melon, and mango were less likely to report hot flashes and night sweats than those who didn’t. Overall, diets rich in fruits, have been shown to decrease the number of hot flashes, of course this is compared to those women that still maintained a diet high in fat and sugar.
3. Blackstrap molasses
Blackstrap molasses comes from sugar cane. It gets its dark color due to a three step heating process. Because sulfur dioxide is commonly used to lighten the color or to extend the shelf life, it’s recommended to get the unsulphured version. Blackstrap molasses is rich in many, many nutrients, but especially calcium. Calcium will keep your bones strong as some women can experience osteoporosis as a menopausal symptom.
4. Evening primrose oil
Evening primrose oil contains linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which are omega 6 fatty acids. Although evidence is also mixed, evening primrose oil has been used for a long list of conditions, including menopausal symptoms, specifically hot flashes.
5. Yoga & exercise
Regular physical activity helps reduce your stress levels, keeps your weight down, improve your sleep, strengthen your bones, and elevate your mood. Yoga, in particular, has been found to decrease menopausal symptoms and is often recommended as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy.
6. Stop smoking
Smokers tend to start menopause 1 – 2 years earlier than nonsmokers. Smoking may also trigger hot flashes, weaken bones, and can irritate your bladder, which may become more sensitive during menopause.
A Natural Approach to Menopause
Leave a Reply