Every woman experiences menopause — the time in a woman’s life when she stops menstruating and her hormones begin to shift. But not every woman suffers from life-altering symptoms like hot flashes, irritability, vaginal dryness, and trouble sleeping, to name just a few. For those who do, however, trying to manage daily life can sometimes feel like an impossible goal. Fortunately, you can take steps to alleviate or even eliminate menopause symptoms.
One thing doctors and scientists have been able to pinpoint about menopause symptoms is that they probably come from the hormonal shift more than anything else. So, to manage the menopause symptoms, do everything you can to balance your hormones and take care of your body.
1. Get the Right Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements
Vitamins and minerals play a large role in your body’s chemical makeup. An absence of certain vitamins like B, C, and D can affect your estrogen production. Throughout your life, this can show itself as recurring UTIs, an irregular period, or regular headaches — many of the same symptoms seen during menopause. However, you might not make the connection until those problems become even more severe later in life.
You can combat the natural decrease of estrogen levels during menopause with a balanced diet rich in the essential vitamins listed above. Add cruciferous vegetables, lentils and legumes, peaches and apricots, and nuts to your daily meals. Soy and iodine are two minerals that also contribute to estrogen production, so snack on seaweed and edamame. Consider adding a daily multivitamin or switching to one specifically for menopausal and postmenopausal women. If you’re suffering from UTIs due to low estrogen, consider a UTI supplement to get help ahead of future UTIs.
2. Experiment With Herbs
Many people in the United States turn to pharmaceuticals, which can have nasty side effects, before trying natural remedies. This is likely due to the availability of drugs and the lack of education and information about diet and herbs. While some women may certainly need treatment as serious as hormone replacement therapy, millions of others can avoid the potential complications involved by turning to holistic healthcare options like herbs.
You can mix herbs into your daily meals, take supplements, or drink herbal tea throughout the day to help ease the stresses associated with “the change.” Black cohosh is well-known for mimicking the effects of estrogen on the body. Maca is used as a mood booster and to increase the female libido. Ashwagandha, passion flower, and lemon balm can help you relax and sleep. Of course, herbs come with their side effects, so consult your physician first.
3. Cut Drinking and Smoking
OK, you already know that smoking is bad for you. You may have also heard of recent studies that show that no amount of alcohol is actually “good” for you. Still, you may be a social smoker or a wine lover and might not have seen any negative outcomes. Sadly, as menopause kicks in, you might start seeing the consequences rear their ugly heads in the worst possible way. Smoking and drinking can intensify symptoms like hot flashes and poor sleep.
You know what they say: there’s no time like the present. If you’ve been planning to quit, now’s the time. If you’re a casual smoker, go cold turkey and be grateful you’re not addicted. If you’re used to a pack-a-day, get help quitting through a program. You may use nicotine gum, patches, or even hypnotism. It’s worth it to ease the struggle through menopause. As for alcohol, cut down or eliminate it as you notice how it affects your body.
4. Exercise Daily
Enough cannot be said for the health benefits of daily exercise. A sedentary lifestyle can cause myriad health problems, among them more challenging menopause symptoms. A sedentary lifestyle can be more dangerous to your health as you age. Issues like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes can take a greater toll on your body and your hormones as you enter this stage of life, making the experience worse than it has to be.
In contrast, introducing a daily exercise routine into your life has the potential to solve many, if not all, of those problems. Maintaining a healthy weight can keep your hormones well-balanced and regulate estrogen levels. Exercise also increases dopamine, which decreases stress, and serotonin, which can help you sleep better. Finally, 30 minutes of cardio (getting your heart pumping) will help your estrogen levels rise, which can moderate menopause symptoms.
5. Meditate
Last but certainly not least, managing your stress levels can help you move through these shifting times more smoothly. If menopause causes irritability, anxiety, and a lack of sleep, think how much worse those issues are when you’re stressed to the max by life and work. To add insult to injury, hormonal imbalances like these can make symptoms feel like they feed on each other — the more stressed you are, the harder it is to sleep, the more hot flashes you get, etc.
One much-lauded option for managing stress is meditation. Sitting still and in silence for 10 to 15 minutes a day can help calm down your nervous system, which can help regulate your hormone levels. You can try a guided meditation on your favorite app, sit in nature with your bare feet in the dirt, or even lie on your yoga mat and listen to soft music. If you enjoy yoga, tack meditation onto the end of your routine as a kind of two-for-one wwomen’shealth bonus.
In the end, there are many changes you can make to ensure your hormones stay regulated as you go through this big change in life. You ddon’thave to make them all today. Start small with gentle shifts you enjoy the most. You may be surprised by how willing you are to continue to make healthy decisions as you start to feel better over time.
