Treating Menopause in a Natural Manner

There are a variety of symptoms of menopause and no two women experience all of the same ones. Some may suffer one or two while others may have to cope with a host of symptoms. Some symptoms may occur only once while others may reoccur time and time again. Here we look at some ways to treat menopause in a natural manner.

If the symptoms of menopause are causing you some pain, discomfort or general grief in your life then be aware that there are options beyond Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) and HRT (which is a therapy that combines estrogen and progesterone into one).

Before you look to chemical means to deal with your symptoms, consider other options that are less risky to your health, such as making modifications to your lifestyle, and/or alternative forms of medicine. Drugs and/or surgery should always be your last resort when it comes to menopause symptoms.

Alter Your Lifestyle:

Lifestyle modifications involve no risk whatsoever but instead a great deal of discipline, self control and willpower. It is also easier to make modifications to the way you live your life if you possess a good attitude about life and think in a positive and hopeful manner. Believe in your ability to make your life as good as you want it to be.

Put effort and energy into your life to support yourself in being as healthy as possible. This includes eating as nutritious as can be, getting plenty of exercise and finding productive outlets to reduce the stress in your life. If you are a smoker and/or drinker then quitting is a good idea.

In order to correct hormonal imbalances in your body, eat plenty of estrogenic foods. These include apples, alfalfa, cherries, potatoes, rice, soy, wheat and yams.

If you do not get enough exercise then find ways to add more physical activity into your daily routine. This does not mean that you have to start working out at the gym if that does not suit you. It may involve taking a long walk and then doing something else such as participating in a team sport or taking an exercise class.

It is also important to find ways to calm your body and your mind. This can do wonders for hormones that are fluctuating like crazy. Practice yoga, meditation and/or deep breathing in order to accomplish this.

Look to Natural and Alternative Means:

One of the most effective and safest methods for coping with the symptoms of menopause is to turn to alternative and natural medicine. Herbs can help to correct the imbalance of hormones that is common when a female is premenopausal or menopausal.

The two kinds of herbs that are most appropriate for treating menopause symptoms include phytoestrogen herbs and non-estrogenic herbs. The former are herbs such as black cohosh and dong quai that are made up of components that are estrogen-like in nature. These herbs come from plants and are effective at replacing a portion of the estrogen that has been depleted from the body.

The non-estrogenic herbs are not composed of any estrogen and they help to encourage the hormone glands to produce more of their own natural hormones. A woman’s hormone production is stimulated because these herbs act on the endocrine glands as well as the pituitary gland. Think alternative options before you decide to try something that may have its share of adverse side effects.

Samantha