Natural remedies for menopause
Hot flashes, irritability, vaginal dryness… these are the symptoms that women encounter when the time comes for menopause . While there are hormonal treatments available, some women prefer alternative solutions , such as plants in different forms. Your pharmacy offers you its latest range of food supplements to treat sleep , hot flashes , water retention , etc...
What is menopause?
Menopause is a normal physiological process that results in the cessation of ovulatory cycles due to a decrease in ovarian function.
Postmenopause is the period that occurs after menopause (on average around 55 years old) in women. It is characterized by a number of more or less annoying events: hot flushes, sleep disorders , among others, which result from significant hormonal changes , due to the cessation of ovarian function.
Physiological menopause is established by the absence of periods for one year , around the age of 50, however, being menopausal between the ages of 41 and 58 is a normal situation.
Before the age of 40, when this phenomenon occurs, it is called “early menopause”, most often due to non-iatrogenic ovarian failure , it requires hormone replacement therapy to prevent cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis .
Note that smoking tends to advance the age of menopause by one or two years. Conversely, obesity can set it back.
A certain number of symptoms can begin before the complete cessation of menstruation in the so-called “pre-menopausal” period:
- Altered menstrual flow and cycle length
- Hot flashes, night sweats
- Vaginal dryness, painful intercourse
- skin aging
- Urinary disorders with frequent cystitis
- Constipation, diarrhea
- Arthralgia, myalgia
- Weight gain
- Possible osteoporosis
- Character and/or mood disorders
However, it is important to approach this new cycle of life with serenity and see no loss of femininity.
Some advice from Naturopathy to relieve menopausal disorders:
To fight hot flashes:
- Avoiding triggers (spicy foods, bright lights, comforters, predictable emotional reactions)
- Cool the environment (lower the thermostat, use fans)
- Wearing clothing in layers that can be removed as needed can be helpful
- Exercise to lose weight
- Eat more soy. Indeed, the secret of its benefit is in the equol (isoflavone) it contains. Isoflavones are plant polyphenols having the biological effect of weak estrogens whose action in the post-menopausal period is very interesting. Soy has been shown to effectively relieve hot flashes.
To combat vaginal dryness:
- Regularly take vitamin B9 cures. Folic acid promotes cell renewal and prevents damage to the mucous membranes
- Rebalance fatty acids with an omega cure to promote hydration in the mucous membranes, including the vaginal mucosa
To fight against skin aging:
- Make a cure of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant that fights against skin aging. It especially helps in the formation of collagen.
- To drink a lot of water
- Avoid tobacco
- Protect yourself from the sun's rays
To fight against weight gain during menopause:
- Consume fruits and vegetables daily (remember to consume fruits outside meals)
- Choose the right sources of fats and proteins
- Practice regular physical activity
- Maintain a good level of hydration
- Avoid sugar, alcohol and trans fats
- Avoid low-fat, light or 0% products (these products are not low-calorie, the sugar is simply replaced by sweeteners whose safety for the body has not been demonstrated, or they are low in fat. However, we do not deceive the brain; studies have shown that consumers of low-fat products eat 30 to 50% more than conventional products)
- Eat smaller meals and split the diet to avoid cravings
- Never skip meals
- Eat small protein and fiber snacks between meals to avoid snacking
To prevent osteoporosis:
- Make a cure of vitamin D (for the fixation of calcium and phosphorus in the bones and teeth, also prevents osteoporosis among other things, action in the mineralization and repair of bone tissue and joints), vitamin C (intervenes in building and repairing bones),Calcium (promotes bone health) and Silicon (promotes bone balance)
