NATURAL APPROACH TO MENOPAUSE

Menopause may cause women to feel some hormonal changes in their body since their estrogen levels decline. The sudden change in hormones may result in any of the following symptoms: hot flushes, depression, irritability, mood swings, irregular menses, disturbed sleep patterns, night sweats, decreased sexual desire, vaginal dryness and nausea. Many women are reluctant when it comes to the notion of menopause. 

It is of great importance that women should have a positive outlook when it comes to menopause in order to successfully cope up with the changes that goes with it. Women should try to see that menopause is simply a new phase in their life that they have to go through. Aside from that, women should try to see menopause as an opportunity to see life in a new perspective wherein menopause is a means of renewing oneself with emphasis on prevention as well as maintaining quality way of life. 

During menopause period, it is very important for women to have the proper nutrition since it is fundamental for a healthy living. Proper nutrition entails regular consumption of fruits, vegetables, beans as well as healthy oils such fish oils. Sweets, animal fats and caffeine should be minimized or if possible avoided. There are food groups that provides excellent hormonal support such as soy products that are known to contain phytoestrogens that act like estrogen in the body but to a lesser degree. There have been studies conducted to know and understand the effects of phytoestrogens in women who are undergoing menopause and according to the results of the study am average of 40 to 80 mg per day of soy products may actually reduce hot flushes, vaginal dryness and also reduces cholesterol. 

Aside from a healthy diet, it is also important for women who are undergoing the menopausal stage to have a regular exercise that can help them in preventing heart related diseases. Most menopausal women are at a risk for having heart disease since estrogen in menopausal women diminishes thus lowering their defense against bad cholesterol. 

Herbal medicines were found to have great effects in lowering down the effect of menopausal symptoms to women. Studies have found that the herb black cohosh (cimicifuga racemosa) is excellent in relieving perimenopausal symptoms that includes depression and hot flushes. Aside from herb black cohosh, there are still some other herbs that were found to have significant effect in reducing menopausal symptoms and these are as follows: red clover, chasteberry and dong quai. Again, before using or drinking herbal medicines it is a good idea to have a complete checkup first and to seek doctor’s advice.