TREATING MENOPAUSE OR PERIMENOPAUSE NATURALLY
Menopause is the time at “mid-life” when a woman has her last period. It happens when the ovaries stop releasing eggs — usually a gradual process. Sometimes it happens all at once. It can be a stop-start process that may take months or years. “Climacteric” is another word for the time when a woman passes from the reproductive to the non-reproductive years of her life. Most women tend to go through various symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, mood swings and hair loss among other symptoms.
Perimenopause and menopause bring about huge hormonal changes, that are mostly responsible for the symptoms that follow suit. Saliva hormone testing is the best way to figure out how the hormones have changed and what is required next for the treatment for menopause or perimenopause symptoms naturally.
NATUROPATHIC TREATMENTS FOR MENOPAUSE INCLUDE:
- Diet, exercise, lifestyle, stress management and counseling
- Nutritional supplementation
- Herbal Medicine
- Homeopathy
- Traditional Chinese Medicine / Acupuncture
- Natural Hormones
Here are simple diet and lifestyle suggestions for the natural treatment of menopause and perimenopause:
Increase intake of the following foods:
- Cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and halibut
- Flaxseeds
- Soy foods*
- Legumes
- Whole grains and seeds
- Sea vegetables
- Wild yams
ALSO:
- Avoid spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol as can trigger hot flashes
- Decrease animal and saturated fats
- Regular physical activity – stretching, aerobic exercises: walking, jogging, yoga and weight bearing exercises
- Relaxation for stress management. Need more information, please check out our menopause centre
By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.