Menopause is a huge life change in a woman’s life. For some, it can be a breeze and they don’t even notice a change besides not menstruating anymore (bonus!). However, many others experience unpleasant symptoms for a period before, during and after menopause.
The word menopause comes from the Greek language where “men” means month and “pause” means an end or cessation. So, menopause is the end of the monthly cycle or menstruation.
Menopause is not a disease state but a natural progression from menstruating and being fertile to moving into a different phase of life without that. This usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 50 years old, however, there are certain things that can push the body into an earlier menopause. These are:
· Surgery – removal of the ovaries
· Chemotherapy and radiation
· Autoimmune disease
· A serious infection
· Endometriosis
· Genetic disorders
In these cases, menopause may occur earlier because the ovaries have been damaged so there are too few or no remaining follicles (eggs). The symptoms experienced in early ‘unnatural’ menopause may be more severe than in natural progressive menopause.
Some common symptoms leading up to menopause are:
· Hot flushes (suddenly feeling extremely hot at different times of the day)
· Sweating at night
· Irregular periods
· Loss of libido
· Vaginal dryness
· Mood swings
· Fatigue
· Hair loss
· Sleep disorders
Common symptoms in menopause (including the previous mentioned symptoms):
· Brain fog and poor memory
· Dizziness
· Weight gain and fat redistribution around the hips and abdomen
· Bloating
· Brittle nails and hair
· Heart palpitation (irregular beating)
· Anxiety and depression
· Headaches
· Joint pain
· Osteoporosis
· Digestive issues
There are many pharmaceutical medications available that assist with menopause such as HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) and synthetic progesterone, as well as medications for specific symptoms and risk factors like high cholesterol and depression, etc. It is important to do your own research and choose what is best for you. Many of these medications have unpleasant side effects.
I will focus on the natural and alternative therapeutics that can be used to support the body during this phase and prevent any future complications.
1. Homeopathy
Homeopathy is always a recommendation I make. It is a holistic therapy that takes into account a person’s physical, mental and emotional states and treats everyone uniquely based on what they are presenting with. It is natural and safe and helps to support and balance the body from the inside out. Homeopaths have great treatments available for females which have no side effects.
2. Herbal medication
Herbs such as Chasteberry, Angelica sinensis, Black cohosh, Wild yam and Sage are great herbs that increase oestrogen and help relieve the symptoms experienced in menopause. Some of these are useful in preventing osteoporosis and joint diseases too.
Always ask a professional for assistance when taking herbal supplements and follow the recommended dosages because some herbs can be strong and have side effects if taken too much. They may also have interactions with pharmaceutical medications.
There are many other herbal medicines that can assist with sleep, stress, digestive issues and weight gain that can be taken according to the particular symptoms being experienced.
3. Supplements
It is important to support healthy bones because as oestrogen decreases, so does bone formation and repair, which is why osteoporosis is so common in menopausal women.
Vitamin D3, Calcium and Magnesium are some good supplements to start taking even from early adulthood to keep your bones healthy.
Collagen together with Vitamin C can also be useful for joint and skin health.
There are also great natural brands that offer a menopausal complex with different useful ingredients and supplements all in one.
4. Diet and lifestyle
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol and coffee, not exercising or stretching and a poor diet put a woman at risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, liver disease and heart disease, especially during menopause. Cutting these out and making healthier choices should be a priority.
Dietary factors such as processed foods, high sugar, high fats (bad fats), red meat and simple carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta, bread) need to be removed and replaced with better ingredients such as: complex carbohydrates (brown wheat, barley, rye); as well as healthy oils like olive oil, avocadoes and coconut oil; seeds; nuts; vegetables; and high fibre foods.
Support your body with the nutrients and supplements that it needs in order to balance the system and have lasting health.