Hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, oh my! Menopause can stir up a bunch of undesirable symptoms such as mood swings, thinning hair, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and vaginal dryness. Not all of these symptoms are destined to happen, and I want to share with you natural remedies and lifestyle changes you can make to live more on the positive side of menopause!
It’s important to reframe this time of every woman’s life to help it become pleasurable and stress-free. It is a highly liberating time, and here are some positives that this transition brings:
- No more periods
- No more PMS
- No more buying tampons, pads, and other feminine hygiene products
- No pregnancy concerns
- Uterine Fibroids shrink
- A catalyst for change – Many post-menopause women report feeling empowered and ready for changes, thinking of changing jobs, or pursuing professional or personal ambitions? It is a great time to focus on you now that you have adult children and the wisdom to take charge of what YOU want.
Here are some lifestyle changes that will help make this hormone change as smooth, healthy, and pleasurable as possible:
- Stay active – Exercise eases symptoms and prevents bone loss, boosts heart and cognitive health, improves sleep, increases endorphins to combat depression, improves sex drive, reduces hot flashes, and helps to prevent weight gain. Aim for 15-30 minutes every day.
- Reduce your stress and support your adrenals – If you are prone to constantly being in fight or flight mode, get poor sleep, get sick frequently, experience headaches, irritability, panic attacks, weight gain, acne, and severe fatigue, you may be experiencing high cortisol. Cortisol (the “stress” hormone) is produced from our adrenal glands, and stress is a massive contributor to menopause symptoms. Reflect on what you truly love doing in life and what are things you don’t want/have to do anymore. Make some changes and nourish things that make you feel at peace.
- Get Massages – Massage helps cause a release of good-feeling endorphins, reduces stress, alleviates headaches, helps regulate the body’s fluid balance, and re-balances hormone levels.
- Cut out processed fake foods – Eat whole foods with an emphasis on healthy fats and fiber! Aim for 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables, eat seafood 2-3 times a week, and have more nuts and seeds in your diet. Make sure to portion control the nuts and seeds as they can be calorically dense, but studies show that 2 tbsp. daily of flaxseeds can support healthy estrogen levels while providing healthy fiber.
Hot flashes are one of the most frequent symptoms of menopause, and I wanted to leave a few tips that will help you or someone you know.
- Wear breathable clothes with layers.
- Sleep with your temperature below 67 degrees and a fan running.
- Try acupuncture!
- Try a breathing technique called “paced breathing.” This can reduce the frequency and severity of flashes by 40%. Inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds, for 15 minutes in the morning and at night.
- Low blood sugar may trigger hot flashes. Avoid this by eating a couple of servings of fruit throughout the day, separate from your meals.
- Aromatherapy includes peppermint, eucalyptus, sage, lavender, lemon, and lemongrass. Creating a mist bottle with lavender or rose water to spray on you or your pillows may also be helpful.
- Avoid spicy foods, hot beverages, and alcohol.
- Make sure you are taking a daily multivitamin.
- Supplement when it is disturbing your daily activities with Black Cohosh, Chaste tree berry, and Valerian root.
If you are experiencing specific symptoms of menopause, Tree of Life provides natural remedies to combat them. Give us a call at 763-321-0025 to ask specific questions or come on into the store for some one-on-one guidance!