While not as feared as it once was, menopause is still a major period of transition in a woman’s life, and with it comes a flood of physical and emotional side effects.

Emotionally, it marks the end of the childbearing years. Physically, all women experience some changes, but the severity of the symptoms can vary.

Because individual reactions are different, there are different ways to help treat the symptoms of menopause, but let’s first take a look at what those symptoms are.

Symptoms of Menopause

Menopause does not begin at a set age, although the average age in the United States is 51. It also doesn’t start when you miss your first period, or even your first several missed months in a row.

Menopause is not officially achieved until you’ve gone 12 months without a period. Some of the menopause symptoms you can expect are:

Hot flashes and chills: Your period has stopped but you’re still feeling your skin flush and then a raging hot flash rolls through. Often this is followed by a chill. One of the most dreaded symptoms of menopause and it tends to be the one women report sticking around the longest.

Night sweats: Those hot flashes don’t just happen in the daytime, when they happen at night they can cause pretty heavy sweating and restless sleep.

Mood swings: The swing of emotions don’t stop when your period does, in fact you may find that you feel anxious or depressed more. This is just your body adapting to the change in hormones. If you feel this way for more than a few weeks, it’s best to speak with your doctor to see if they can help.

Sex drive changes: It’s not uncommon for your feelings about sex to change during and after menopause. Some people report a decrease in interest and arousal and others find that they enjoy sex more.

Physical changes: As those hormones change your body inside, the outside responds. Vaginal dryness is a common complaint, but the dryness actually tends to extend throughout the body with dry skin and hair.

 Weight gain and more weight around the middle is also common. This period of life is not a time to sit back and relax, you’re going to need to work harder to maintain your strength, shape, and fitness levels.

Perimenopause and Its Symptoms

The time before menopause, when a woman may be missing periods here and there and typically experiencing the worst of the symptoms, is called perimenopause.

Until you’ve gone an entire 12 months without a period, you may have some of the following symptoms as your body adjusts to hormonal changes:

♦ Irregular periods

♦ Vaginal dryness

♦ Hot flashes, chills, and night sweats

♦ Mood swings

♦ Slowed metabolism and weight gain

Natural Remedies for Perimenopause and Menopause Symptoms

While your healthcare provider can help you come up with a medical solution, such as hormone replacement therapy, you can also try the natural route to treat menopause and see if there’s something you can do or if Mother Nature has a cure for you.

| Related: The Truth on Estrogen Therapy—HRT for Menopause |

The following treatments have long been known to provide some relief for women in perimenopause and menopause.

Black Cohosh

This herb has often been touted as a friend for women dealing with mood swings and restless nights. It has also been great help to some women who are fighting hot flashes, but not all women have reported this benefit.

Dong Quai

This herb has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than a thousand years to treat women at this stage in life. It should be noted that it’s not recommended for women with fibroids or blood clotting problems.

Magnesium

It’s been determined that most people in the United States aren’t getting the recommended amounts of magnesium in their diets. By adding foods that contain magnesium or a supplement to your routine you may find some natural easing of your menopause symptoms.

Exercise

It’s been mentioned above, but exercise during menopause is beneficial in many ways. It helps you fight weight gain, it boosts your mood naturally, and it strengthens your body and your bones.

| Related: 8 Easy Exercises Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Do Weekly |

Controlled Breathing

There is evidence that controlled breathing can help manage hot flashes. Part of the breathing is learning to do it correctly and practicing regularly at home, then rolling it out when a hot flash hits. The best news is that this is absolutely risk-free, so it’s worth a shot.

Acupuncture

Some cultures see acupuncture as a part of any healthy lifestyle, other cultures are less likely to include it in their healthcare routine. But if you’re willing to try, acupuncture has long been used to help women achieve relief from a host of symptoms related to their natural cycles.

The Bottom Line

The good news here is that there are alternative methods for controlling both your perimenopause and your menopause symptoms.

Whether you’re looking for something other than hormone replacement therapy or you want to get even more relief than you’re getting from prescribed treatments, the options above give you choices. Find the one or maybe a combination of tips to give you the natural menopause relief you want.

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