If you haven’t felt like yourself lately because of menopause, it could help to
take a closer look at your symptoms. Even if you’re still getting your period, significant
hormonal changes may have already started to interfere with your life. In fact,
you may be well into perimenopause or menopause and not even realize it.
After talking with thousands of women about how they’re feeling, we’ve confirmed
that these are the “top 5” menopause symptoms that disrupt these women’s lives:
1. Fatigue
2. Weight gain
3. Hot flashes
4. Low libido
5. Hair loss
These are all common symptoms, as well as many other menopausal issues, that are
caused by fluctuations and imbalances in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
And while your menopause symptoms can seem overwhelming especially as time goes
by, you do have natural options for immediate relief. When you resolve the sex hormone
imbalances that are causing your symptoms in the first place, you can start to feel
like yourself again.
5 instant relief tips for menopause symptoms
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1. Fatigue
Why it happens: Interruption of normal sleep patterns
is one of the most widespread issues women face during perimenopause and menopause.
However, keeping your hormones in balance is dependent on getting enough rest. This
starts a vicious circle leading to more symptoms and further insomnia — all caused
by hormonal imbalance in menopause.
Instant relief tip: Take two minutes a day to simply
breathe. Find a quiet place where you can stop and notice your breathing — each
individual inhale and exhale — and reflect. You may find tuning into yourself helps
restore your energy.
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2. Weight gain
Why it happens: Shifting hormones can change how
women store weight. When the body experiences ongoing stress (as in menopause) it
stores away fats as part of its “survival mode.” Plus, many of the comfort foods
we turn to when we are stressed don’t help.
Instant relief tip: Choose foods and snacks with
high quality protein and good fats. This helps your body maintain stable blood sugar
levels, which makes you far less likely to store fat. It also makes you less hungry.
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3. Hot flashes
Why they happen: During a hot flash, your heat regulation
center in the brain receives a signal that your body needs to dispel heat. Triggers
for hot flashes include perceived stress, and certain foods and drinks, such as
sugar, caffeine and alcohol.
Instant relief tip: Sip an ice-cold drink to help
lower your body's temperature. Wear removable layers but make sure the first one
is a sleeveless shirt you’re not embarrassed to be seen in. Skip hot and spicy dishes
and follow these
hot flash food rules.
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4. Low libido
Why it happens: Often, low libido is a result of
physical changes to the body. For example, vaginal dryness is extremely common and
may make sexual activity very uncomfortable or painful. It’s no wonder many women
aren’t interested in sex!
Instant relief tip: Many women use lubrication
to provide immediate help for vaginal dryness (organic coconut oil is a great option),
while also adding a new element to foreplay and intercourse. Vitamin E suppositories
can also help replenish thin vaginal tissue. Adding omega-3 essential fatty acids
to your diet helps support healthy cell membranes. The important thing to remember
is that you have options to
increase your libido in menopause.
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5. Hair loss
Why it happens: Our hormones are closely involved
in our hair’s growth and shedding cycle. Sometimes an imbalance between estrogen
and testosterone can cause thinning hair. Many women only start to notice this during
menopause or perimenopause.
Instant relief tip: Scalp massages can help stimulate
blood flow and support proper hair follicle function plus they feel great! Vitamins
and minerals are very important for healthy hair growth. Every day, be sure you’re
getting vitamins B, C, D and E, along with calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and
iron.
Fish oil with quality essential fatty acids can help with hair and menopausal
skin issues.
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Extra tips for long-term symptom relief
In addition to the instant relief tips, you may also want to add these simple steps
to help bring your hormones back into balance and reduce almost every kind of symptom.
Most only take a maximum of 10 minutes to get started.
1. Eat to support your hormones. Eat some healthy
fat with every meal. Foods like salmon, walnuts, olive oil and avocado contain good
oils that give your body the building blocks it needs to make hormones. Plus, studies
show that people eat less overall if they have a little fat at the beginning of
meals.
2. Take 10 minutes to find calm. Just 10 minutes
a day spent meditating has numerous proven physical and mental benefits. Taking
time to quiet your mind and body helps reduce the levels of the stress hormone,
cortisol. Sustained high cortisol has destructive effects on the body, including
unwanted weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and accelerated aging.
3. Add key herbs and well-formulated supplements.
Herbs and supplemental nutrients can provide relief for symptoms of estrogen, testosterone
and progesterone fluctuations, especially when they are used in combinations. Black
cohosh, red clover, and kudzu help diminish symptoms associated with changes in
estrogen levels, such as hot flashes. Passionflower, chasteberry and wild yam are
often used for progesterone imbalances. We’ve formulated
Herbal Equilibrium with all of these herbs to promote hormonal balance and
provide symptom relief.
4. Move a little bit more. What’s important is just
starting to move your body every day — not what you can do or how fast you
can do it. Just move a little bit more and then keep at it. Over time you can gradually
increase the frequency, intensity and/or time of whatever activities you decide
to do. One easy way to get started is to walk whenever and wherever you can —
avoid the elevator and use the stairs.
Talk about your symptoms with a woman who can relate
Every day at Women’s Health Network, we help women make decisions that are right
for their individual health. We’ve often been asked, “Where do I start?” when women
find their symptoms are starting to become overwhelming. One good thing you can
do right now is take our Hormonal Imbalance Symptom
Quiz. You’ll get instant results that will show how many symptoms you have
and specifics about what you can do to find relief. Or, call us toll-free at 1-800-448-4919
to talk with a real woman in Maine about
solutions for menopause symptoms — we’re here to listen and help.