Menopause herbs

Menopause, although normal in women over 50, can cause unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, headache, and mood swings. Thank God, medicinal herbs can help!

Four older women sitting on a bench — Photo of older women provided by Wiki Media.

Treating menopausal symptoms with herbs, diet, and natural remedies

Medicinal herbs are a menopausal woman's best friend. Evening primrose oil, milk thistle seed, ginseng, wild yam, licorice root, black cohosh, kudzu root, alfalfa, and a variety of essential oils are all excellent choices for overall benefits during menopause.

Ginseng and chasteberry are proven to bring quick and lasting relief from hot flashes.
Skullcap is known to halt mood swings.
Black cohosh and red clover contain natural estrogen-like compounds that ease many menopausal complaints.

A great herbal blend for treating menopausal symptoms is equal parts chasteberry, black cohosh, ginseng, and licorice root. These four herbs balance and complement each other. Combine and use in herbal tea or tincture form.

Woman with different facial expressions — Photo of woman with mood swings provided by Wiki Media.

What is menopause?

Menopause, often called change of life, is a natural condition of the female body that marks the end of childbearing years, usually around the age of fifty.

Menopause occurs after a gradual reduction in the production of estrogen by the ovaries, and results in a final cessation of monthly menstruation cycles. To put it simply – menopausal women do not have monthly periods.

Symptoms range from mildly irritating to life threatening and include hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, decreased libido, poor circulation, irritability, calcium imbalances, mood swings, depression, headaches, heart palpitations, dryness, urine leakage when coughing or sneezing, appearance of male characteristics such as facial hair, and body shape changes.

No wonder we dread aging!

Herbs for vaginal dryness

Vaginal dryness is a problem for many menopausal women and can really hinder our sex lives. Here are some herbal blends that can help!

Blend equal parts distilled witch hazel and pure aloe vera gel. Mix in some slippery elm powder for use as an herbal lubricant.
Rejuvenate the vagina with a mixture of almond oil, ylang-ylang essential oil, cypress essential oil, and lavender essential oil.
Diluted rose essential oil also works wonders, and even though it is expensive, the results are worth the money.

Supplements for menopausal women

Some food supplements offer special benefits to menopausal women. Royal jelly, kelp, iodine and potassium, B complex, flax oil, vitamin E, and vitamin C are excellent choices. Try one at a time for a week or two or until improvements are noticed. Read more about vitamin and minerals here.

Good diet is the best remedy for menopausal symptoms.

The best way to avoid unpleasant menopausal symptoms is with diet. Good nutrition is a key to maintaining youthful vigor and energy.

Foods that contain baron can be especially helpful and include leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, and legumes.

The same goes for calcium. Eat lots of corn, seeds, tofu, broccoli, and low-fat dairy.

Woman keeps cool with fan — Fans were probably invented for menopausal women with hot flashes - photo of woman with fan by Wiki Commons.

Try exercise and massage.

Exercise and stretching are also extremely important to maintaining health and vitality during menopause. Weight training is recommended as the best way to keep tissue and skin from sagging.

Muscle and skin tone can also be greatly improved by gentle massage. Use good carrier like grape seed oil with geranium and ylang-ylang essential oils for best results. See more tips for aging gracefully.

Menopausal symptoms can be relieved with lifestyle changes.

Sometimes menopausal symptoms are aggravated by smoking, pollution, and stress. Get plenty of fresh, clean air, and find ways to relax on a daily basis.

Menopausal women should try aromatherapy and warm herbal baths. Both can work wonders on the female system.

Stages of menopausal osteoporosis — Diagram of menopausal osteoporosis progression by Wiki Commons.

Often, osteoporosis strikes during menopause. See more about avoiding and treating osteoporosis with herbs and natural remedies.

Menopause is a time to enjoy life.

Menopause is NOT a health problem or disease. It is a wonderful stage of life that offers freedom from periods, pregnancies, and child rearing responsibilities.

Menopause is a time for healing, for coming into our own. Women can use this time in life to nurture greater insights into being, to cultivate deeper understanding of life, and to use our talents to make the world a better place.

Hemochromatosis - the opposite of anemia

Menopausal women can also develop an iron overload condition called hemochromatosis. Symptoms include joint pain, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, poor skin color (grayish tint), loss of sex drive, liver problems, pancreas abnormalities, enlarged spleen, and heart palpitations.

If iron overload is suspected, mention it to your healthcare professional. You may need to give blood more often or even have blood removed by a physician.

Science, herbs, and menopausal symptoms

Studies show that medicinal plants are effective in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. The most well known are sage, lemon balm, valerian, black cohosh, fenugreek, black cumin, fennel, evening primrose, ginkgo biloba, alfalfa, anise, ginseng, licorice, passion flower vine, and red clover.

Sage, with estrogen like substances, works to stop hot flashes and night sweats.
Lemon balm works to treat insomnia.
Valerian, with sedative properties, works to treat hot flashes.
Black cohosh, which is full of terpenes, treats all menopausal symptoms by binding estrogen receptors.
Fennel has anti-inflammatory properties that can stop hot flashes and vaginal atrophy.
Evening primrose, with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, reduces hot flashes.
Ginkgo biloba, with strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, works to improve memory in postmenopausal women.
Alfalfa works to stop hot flashes.
Ginseng works to improve energy levels and to improve concentration. Ginseng is effective in the treatment of mood disorders and depression which plague menopausal women.
Licorice, with powerful terpenes, saponins, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and steroids, is shown to be effective in stopping hot flashes, but it should not be used for over 2 weeks.
Passion flower vine, with high levels of flavonoids, works to reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

Other herbs mentioned in studies include soy, flaxseed, garlic, hops, and wild yam. Studies also show that alternative medicines like acupuncture, acupressure, and reflexology can help stop menopausal symptoms.

*Always consult with a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedies especially when pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription medications. Never take any herbal remedies in early pregnancy without consulting your healthcare professional.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5783135/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7491766/

Blessings to you and yours!

Thanks so much for reading my blog. Jan.

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