How to Treat Menopause

This article will show you some menopause remedies and how to reduce some of the symptoms of menopause

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• exercise weights
• bioidenticals
• fan
• ice bucket
• black cohosh

1. STOP SMOKING. The risk of osteoporosis and heart disease increases during menopause especially when combined with smoking.

2. EXERCISE. Physical activity is good for the body and helps to relieve some of the symptoms of menopause. Exercises like stretching, cardiovascular, muscle building, weight bearing exercises significantly improves symptoms and effective in relieving somatic and psychological symptoms including depression and anxiety.

3. BREATHING METHODS. Pace breathing reduces hot flashes and relaxes the body. Take deep breath and exhale slowly five seconds out and five seconds in and making sure you use your diaphragm. (Move your diaphragm by contracting and expanding the stomach muscles and not the chest). Do this several times. Do it in a quiet, comfortable place. Best to do two fifteen minute sessions per day.

4. Reduce Hot flashes with these methods. Dress in layers so you can remove the layers accordingly to help dissipate the heat faster. keep a fan and or ice bucket available. Lower the room temperature especially at night. Lower the thermostat a few degrees.

5. Avoid binge drinking. Alcohol induces hot flashes and is also not good for the bones and the heart.

6. Add extra calcium and Vitamin D to the diet. This helps to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis which are significant health risks for menopausal females. Eating leafy green vegetables, milk , and calcium supplements should be added to the daily diet. It is recommended to take 1,000 and 1,500 milligrams per day. calcium supplements are absorbed best when taken with food. Vitamin D is important to help the absorption of calcium. it is suggested to take 1,000 international units per day.

7. Herbal remedies like black cohosh and St John's Wort have been known to have properties in reducing the severity and frequency of hot flashes. Other herbal remedies are red clover, licorice, dong quai, alfalfa, chaste tree, and Siberian ginseng are reportedly to have the same properties.

8. Try bioidenticals hormone replacement therapy. Provide a saliva sample to a pharmacist who analyzes it and then blends up a customs mix of estrogen and progesterone from natural sources such as yam, red clover, and soy beans. Because bioidentical hormones are made from natural sources similar to the body makes the risks of side effects, ie stroke, breast cancer and heart disease, from conventional hormonal replacement treatment are reduced.

9. Change diet. Since menopause causes women to gain weight especially in the form of fat in the body it is recommended to eat less fatty foods, carbohydrates, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeinated beverages.

10. Prevent bone loss by increasing the calcium and vitamin D intake in the diet. Eat plenty of calcium rich foods such as canned fish, leafy green vegetables, salmon, walnuts, flaxseed meal, mackerel and supplements.

11. Eat foods rich in phytoestrogens which are natural compounds which are similar to human female hormone estrogen. Soy and some plants are rich sources of phytoestrogens.

12. Acupuncture can also help reduce symptoms of menopause. This is a form of Chinese medicine where fine needles are inserted at strategic areas on the body like the shoulders, legs, and arms. The needles are intended to affect biochemical and physiological changes that can restore the balance the flow of the body' s energy flow called "Qi"

13. Use lubricant to help alleviate dryness and decrease sexual desire caused by low estrogen-induced physical changes in the vagina. Doctors can prescribe estrogen creams, tablets, or rings.

14. Sleep aids can help sleep problems. Try drinking warm milk, taking a warm bath and relaxation techniques like meditation to reduce stress.

15. Emotional changes during early menopause can be a difficult transitional period for women. It is important to try and look at the positive outcomes of menopause and to try ways to get support from family, friends and colleagues to help one adjust to the changes. Getting professional help form counselor and writing a daily log in a diary can help. Remember menopause is not a disease and some of the symptoms, like hot flashes, eventually becomes less frequent and go away with time. Joining menopause support group or volunteer for a charitable organization can help build friendships and share experiences and share life stresses. These methods will help ease many psychological and emotional symptoms.

16. Kava is a herb of choice for women who wants to mellow out when life gets stressful during menopause. It helps to reduce severity of depression and anxiety. Standard dose is 70 milligrams of standardized kava extract, two or three times a day. kava have some sedative effects so it is recommended to only take it for a short term anxiety situation.

Tips & Warnings

• Soy proteins contain phystoestrogen and can be obtain in various forms like tofu, soy products and are available in many grocers stores and supermarkets.
• It is recommended to take 45 to 60 milligrams of isoflavones per day. One cup of tofu or a glass of soy milk each day are great sources.

Resources

• Jewell Productions TV

[my52cents]

on 4/3/2009 I am an expert in dressing in layers at this point! Thanks for the information on herbs.

[Blackbear]

on 12/15/2007 Your articles are very interesting and well done!