Menopause—the time in a woman’s life when fertility ends, periods stop, and the ovaries stop producing estrogen—is a topic that many women avoid. But it shouldn’t be! Fortunately, there are options, including menopause hormone therapy, that are natural and work well with your body.
Menopause is a natural part of aging, and there are things you can do to help ease its symptoms and reduce some of the discomfort associated with them. Here’s what you need to know about menopause and how to deal with its symptoms naturally:
What is Menopause?
Menopause, or the cessation of menstruation, is a natural part of aging. It occurs when your ovaries stop releasing eggs and the hormone estrogen decreases. This typically happens between the ages of 45 and 55.
On average, it takes about 4 years after menopause for a woman to experience its full effects—meaning that a woman may experience side effects for several years before her body has fully adjusted to the change.
The symptoms can be different for women depending on their age and health conditions at the time they begin experiencing menopause. They can also vary from woman to woman depending on their bodies’ reactions to hormone changes; some symptoms are more common than others. Whether you’re just entering or nearing middle age (or somewhere in between), there are ways you can manage your symptoms so that they don’t interfere with daily life during this important transition period in your life!
When Does Menopause Start?
Menopause is the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It happens when she stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant. Menopause happens when a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs, and they stop producing estrogen.
The average age at which women start to experience symptoms of menopause is 51 years old, but it can start as early as 40 or as late as 55 years old. The most common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, sleeping problems, and vaginal dryness (or burning).
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?
Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, but here are some of the most common ones: Hot flashes (also called hot flushes) are sudden feelings of warmth that can strike many women while they’re asleep or relaxing. These may be frequent and/or severe at first, but they often lessen over time. Hot flashes can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.
They’re not dangerous, but they can be uncomfortable and embarrassing if you’re not prepared for them. Many women don’t have these symptoms until later in life; this is known as perimenopause, which is the stage before menopause begins when your body makes less estrogen than normal (this typically begins between ages 40-55).
If you start having hot flashes or other unusual symptoms during this phase, it isn’t necessarily a sign that menopause is coming soon! It could just mean that something else is going on in your body—but if you’re worried about it being related to perimenopause or menopause itself…read on!
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common symptoms of menopause. Hot flashes are sudden feelings of heat and sweating, often accompanied by a red face. Night sweats are also common during menopause and happen when you sweat while sleeping – they can wake you up at night because they cause your sheets and clothes to be damp. These two symptoms usually occur together more than once per day with hot flashes being less intense than night sweats.
Mood Changes and Irritability
As you transition through menopause, it’s normal to experience mood changes and irritability. Irritability is a common symptom of menopause—but it’s not one that should be ignored or treated as depression.
If you find yourself feeling increasingly angry, sad, or anxious at inopportune moments (like while driving), then it could be that your body chemistry is out of whack. These feelings are a normal part of the hormonal fluctuations that come with menopause. However, stress can make them worse by releasing additional hormones into your system.
It’s important to talk about these feelings with someone close to you so they don’t get lost in translation—you might have been having a conversation about an incident at work when all of a sudden your thoughts turn into “I hate my coworkers! And my boss! It was probably one of them who stole my stapler! And I bet he/she even took my lunch out of the fridge too…” The more often these thoughts occur during conversations with others (or within your own head), the more likely they’re actually there because something else happened earlier in the day that raised your stress levels enough for you to react negatively towards those around you.
Vaginal dryness and Irritation
Vaginal dryness during menopause is a common problem. It can be caused by a drop in estrogen, which causes vaginal tissues to thin and become less elastic.
Vaginal dryness is more common in women who have not had children. It’s also more likely to occur as early as age 35, although it may not be severe until later. Women who’ve had several children are less likely to experience vaginal dryness than those who haven’t had any.
Incontinence
Incontinence is when you have trouble holding in your urine. This can happen because of an imbalance in the bladder muscles, or from changes in your hormones.
The symptoms of incontinence include:
- Urine leakage while sneezing, coughing, laughing, exercising, and so on
- Loss of bladder control during sleep (nocturia)
- A feeling that you need to urinate frequently even though you’re not actually releasing any urine
Natural remedies for menopause symptoms
- Add hormone-balancing foods to your diet. A healthy diet rich in protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and B vitamins can help with symptoms of menopause.
- Find a natural cure for hot flashes and night sweats. Try peppermint oil, or try taking a hot bath with the herb sage to relax your nervous system and ease the discomfort of these symptoms.
Menopause Hormone Therapy
Natural menopause hormone therapy is a safe and effective alternative to prescription menopause hormone therapy. It can help you alleviate the symptoms of menopause, improve your quality of life, and reduce your risk of developing serious health conditions.
Menopause hormone therapy uses bioidentical hormones to help balance your body’s hormone levels—not only helping you feel better but also reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.
If you’re experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, dryness or vaginal dryness, trouble sleeping, or muscle aches and pains—and you’re not ready to start taking prescription hormones—natural menopause hormone therapy may be the right choice for you.
Menopause can bring on many symptoms, but you can use natural remedies to lessen them.
Menopause is a natural process that occurs as women age. It can bring on many symptoms, but you can use natural remedies to lessen them. Natural remedies are safe and non-addictive, so they are a great way to manage menopause symptoms alongside traditional medicine if you feel comfortable doing so.
Talk to Your Doctor
As you can see, there are many ways to help with menopause symptoms and natural menopause hormone therapy is one of your options. If you’re ready to make a change, talk to your doctor or naturopathic practitioner about natural remedies for menopause symptoms. They may be able to recommend an herbal supplement or a lifestyle change that could help you feel better faster.
Read more:
Menopausal Hormone Therapy Information | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopause – PMC
Bioidentical hormones: Are they safer? – Mayo Clinic