Most women dread the "M" word - menopause. It is synonymous with ageing and signals the end of a woman's reproductive capacity. Menopause is a natural life process that every woman must go through. Its most common symptom is the total cessation of a woman's menstrual cycle.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is a natural process that occurs when a woman's ovaries stop producing eggs and her body stops releasing female hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. This usually happens around age 51 but can vary from woman to woman. The menopause transition can last for up to four years, and it is characterised by a range of symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause does not happen overnight. A woman gradually experiences some symptoms for a period of time before her menstrual cycle eventually stops. During menopause and the years leading to menopause, or perimenopause, a woman may have some or all of the following symptoms:
- Weight gain
- Irregular periods
- Abdominal pain
- Insomnia
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Itchy skin
- Urinary tract infection
- Low sex drive
- Urinary incontinence
Treatment Options for Menopause
While it is not a disease or sickness, menopause is accompanied by uncomfortable signs or symptoms that may require some treatment to alleviate the discomfort. The method that works for you without affecting your overall health is the best one.
Menopausal hormone therapy is typically recommended by a conventional health professional to women whose hormone levels have begun to drop in order to alleviate unpleasant menopause symptoms. Unfortunately, the effects of hormone therapy may not be beneficial for everyone, particularly women with breast cancer or other hormone-sensitive cancers such as ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.
Another common medical treatment for hot flushes is to take prescription medicine, specifically a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Other common treatments that can aid in the management of menopause include antidepressants, medications to stimulate wakefulness, and lubricating vaginal cream. Their long-term use, however, has been linked to a slew of adverse events. Prescription drugs for excessive sleepiness can result in dry skin, rashes, shortness of breath, jaundice, chest pain and suicidal ideation. Antidepressants can cause headaches, constipation, insomnia and nausea, while a skin cream for the vagina may lead to a dark skin patch or melasma, mood swings, nausea, bloating, vaginal bleeding or spotting, and breast cysts.
Natural Therapies for Menopause
Although Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is effective for some women and is often prescribed by medical practitioners, it should never be a woman's first choice for relief of menopause symptoms. HRT is not for everyone because of its serious side effects (documented cases of blood clots and heart disease); besides, natural remedies work extremely well for many women, especially when prescribed by a qualified natural health therapist.
Each woman is different, and her symptoms and the degree to which they impact her daily life will vary as well. Individual assessment will enable her to be advised on the best combination of natural therapies for the relief of her symptoms.
Herbal Medicines
Herbal medicines have been used for centuries to treat various health problems, including menopausal symptoms. Various herbal therapies can help with menopause, including traditional herbs like black cohosh, red clover, dong quai and ginseng. Black cohosh and ginseng are known to reduce hot flashes. Dong quai can be used for treating migraines, improving blood circulation and alleviating most symptoms of menopause, while red clover contains isoflavones, a phyto-oestrogen or plant oestrogen used in bioidentical hormones to mimic the effects of the hormone oestrogen in the body. Before using any herbal remedy, consult with a certified herbalist to avoid potential interactions with medications you may be taking.
Diet
Diet plays an important role in the absence or severity of menopausal symptoms. This may explain why symptoms vary across cultures. Japanese women, for example, hardly complain of hot flashes, perhaps owing to their soy-based diet.
Symptoms of menopause may also be addressed by changing one's diet. To prevent frequent migraines, for instance, it is best to avoid foods that are high in sodium such as cheese and cured meats. Ideally, a good diet for menopause consists of good amounts of unsaturated fat, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins and phyto-oestrogens.
Unsaturated fat contains essential fatty acids that help the body adjust to hormonal changes during menopause. Examples are nuts, seeds and fatty fish. Phyto-oestrogens or plant-based oestrogens found in soy-based products like tofu, miso and soy milk, may lessen the incidence of hot flashes. Calcium is also important during menopause because declining oestrogen levels increase the risk of osteoporosis. Some good sources of calcium are yoghurt, sardines, green leafy vegetables, and non-fat milk.
Dietary Supplements
In addition to eating a healthy diet, menopausal women should supplement their diet with the appropriate vitamins and minerals. Taking vitamin C supplements is critical for bone health and lowering your risk of osteoporosis. Increasing your Vitamin D levels should go hand in hand with calcium supplementation because vitamin D supplementation helps with calcium absorption and heart health.
Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is a great way to help manage hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. It can prevent weight gain and improve your overall health and wellbeing, and it can help to reduce the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis, which are both associated with menopause. As well as keeping your body strong and flexible, which is especially important during this time in your life, exercise also reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke as it lowers your blood pressure.
Weight-bearing exercises promote bone formation while preventing bone loss, which is essential for lowering the risk of osteoporosis. Walking, jogging, hiking, stair climbing and weightlifting are some weight-bearing exercises that can be beneficial during the menopausal transition. Before beginning any new exercise routine, consult with your doctor or an exercise physiologist to ensure that it is safe for you.
Source: National Institute on Aging
Quit Smoking
If smoking can cause premature ageing and increase the risk of breast cancer in younger women, imagine what it can do to older, menopausal women. Smoking has been linked to increased night flashes in women. Moreover, studies have shown that healthy women experience menopausal symptoms later in life, whereas smokers are more likely to experience menopausal symptoms before the age of 50.
Stress-relieving Techniques
Many women find that practising yoga and meditation can help with menopause symptoms. These techniques can help you to relax and de-stress, which can help to relieve some of the tension and anxiety that often accompany menopause. Yoga can also help to improve your balance and reduce the risk of fractures, which is common in postmenopausal women. If you're interested in trying one of these techniques, talk to your doctor or a yoga instructor for advice on getting started.
Menopause heralds a new and exciting phase in a woman's life, one that should be approached with positivity and good health decisions. Your natural health practitioner and dietitian are best placed to advise you on managing menopause naturally and effectively.
Originally published on May 19, 2009
