Managing Menopause Naturally

What can you do to help yourself through menopause? Firstly, and most importantly, understand and accept what is going on in your body.

As the saying goes: “If you decide to meet age with a smile, you greatly enhance your chance that it will smile back on you”[i].

Previously, research showed that Japanese women experienced very few symptoms of menopause and it was thought that this was due to their diet and lifestyle. However, newer research indicates that these women experience the same physical symptoms as Western women yet they are not so negatively affected by these symptoms. British women, on the other hand, seem to experience the worst menopausal symptoms[ii].

Researchers now put this down to a woman’s status in society and her quality of life – in cultures where age is respected and older women are valued, menopause is not such a negative experience. However, in the youth-obsessed cultures of the West, the emphasis of menopause is on loss, rather than on transition and hence menopause is considered more of a disease than a normal stage of life[iii].

Peri-menopause

For up to 6 years before menopause, oestrogen and progesterone levels start to decline and you experience surges of hormones, never knowing what is going to happen next or how you are going to feel. Your periods become irregular, scanty or heavier, and PMS often becomes more severe and uncontrollable.

During this time it is not only your oestrogen levels that are changing, but your progesterone levels are also declining.

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)

Image source: https://www.gardensoyvey.com/#/

At this stage the herb Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is invaluable as it has an indirect progesteronic action and helps normalise your menstrual cycle and decrease your PMS symptoms[iv].

Please note – it is always best to consult a professional phytotherapist or herbalist before using herbs as they have strong effects and can negatively interact with medication that you might be using.

Menopause

Cimicifuga racemosa, Dioscorea villosa, Salvia officinalis and Tribulus terrestris

Hot flashes, vaginal dryness and decreased energy levels often develop during menopause. If these are your main symptoms, then herbs such as Cimicifuga racemosa, Dioscorea villosa, Salvia officinalis or Tribulus terrestris can help. These herbs all work very deeply and can help your body find its new equilibrium.

Evening primrose oil

In addition to herbs, an Evening Primrose supplement can be beneficial for your hot flashes, dry skin, mood swings and vaginal dryness. If vaginal dryness or itching is particularly bothersome, then pure vitamin E oil or aloe vera gel can also be used to lubricate the area.

Diet & Lifestyle

You should try to avoid alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods during menopause as they are known to trigger hot flushes and aggravate urinary incontinence.

From as early an age as possible, you should also start trying to decrease your risk of osteoporosis by avoiding smoking, doing weight-bearing exercises and eating foods rich in calcium, such as dairy products, tinned fish, sesame seeds and leafy greens.

Menopause & depression

If you develop depression during menopause it is vital that you get some professional help instead of trying to help yourself. In addition to professional help, aromatherapy oils such as rose, bergamot, clary sage, neroli or ylang ylang are very “feminine” and “nurturing” oils that can help calm and relax you.

This blog is adapted from one of my published articles in: The South African Journal of Natural Medicine, May 2017

References:

[i] Natural Menopause Journey, June 2010 (online). http://www.natural-menopause-journey.com/perimenopause-symptoms-and-culture.html.  Accessed: 21 March 2017

[ii] Jane Feinmann, What Makes British Women Have the Worst Menopause, Daily Mail, June 2010 (online). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1286569/British-women-worst-menopause.html. Accessed: 21 March 2017

[iii] Natural Menopause Journey, June 2010 (online). http://www.natural-menopause-journey.com/perimenopause-symptoms-and-culture.html.  Accessed: 21 March 2017

[iv] MediHerb Seminar Notes: Menopause, Endometriosis and Uterine Fibroids, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Premenstrual Syndrome. 2005: 1-29

Hello Menopause

It is easy to say that the symptoms of menopause are merely a state of mind until it actually happens and you feel there is absolutely nothing you can do to help yourself.

It is also easy to say to yourself that all of this is part of the natural process of your life, that you are not alone and that every single woman on earth goes through this at some stage in their life. Yet when these symptoms continue year after year it really is not that easy!

What is menopause?

Menopause is the permanent end of your menstrual periods and it generally occurs in women aged 45-55 years.

It occurs when your ovaries stop functioning cyclically and so stop producing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Ovarian function slows and changes over a number of years before menopause and this stage is called peri-menopause. One year after your last period you will be ‘post-menopausal’.

“So many women I’ve talked to see menopause as an ending. But I’ve discovered this is your moment to reinvent yourself after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else. It’s your opportunity to get clear about what matters to you and then to pursue that with all of your energy, time and talent”.
Oprah Winfrey

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Common symptoms of menopause include:

hot flushes
mood swings
insomnia
headaches
weight gain
bloating
vaginal dryness
dryness of skin and hair.

What is happening to your hormones during menopause?

From puberty to menopause, your ovaries produce the majority of oestrogen in your body. This oestrogen is called estradiol. Your ovaries also produce the corpus luteum which secretes the hormone progesterone.

The ovaries are, therefore, vital to the production of your two most important sex hormones – oestrogen and progesterone. As you age your ovaries shrink and there is a rapid decrease in these hormones, especially oestrogen.

Although we curse oestrogen during our menstrual years, it has many protective functions in our bodies and, unfortunately, it is only once we lose it that we appreciate its importance. Once oestrogen levels decline we are more at risk for specific disorders such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, thrush and even depression.

What does oestrogen do?

Oestrogen plays many roles in your body. It:

Is responsible for your female sexual characteristics such as your breasts, widened hips and bodily-hair distribution.
Helps regulate your reproductive cycle, as well as your fluid and electrolyte balance.
Helps lower your blood cholesterol.
Helps build strong bones and muscles through a process known as protein anabolism
Together with progesterone, it prepares your body for pregnancy and breast-feeding.

So when this incredibly valuable hormone decreases significantly it is not surprising that you feel as if your body is going a bit mad:

your bone density declines and your risk of osteoporosis or bone fractures increases
your firm breast tissue is replaced by adipose tissue (fat)
the pH of your urine changes so you become prone to urinary tract infections and symptoms such as frequency, urgency or incontinence even when there is no actual infection
the tissue lining your vagina thins and smooths resulting in vaginal itching, dryness and pain during sex
your pelvic floor muscles weaken resulting in prolapses of pelvic organs or uncomfortable sensations of “heaviness” in your vagina and lower back
and most commonly, you become prone to depression and vasomotor symptoms such as flushing or hot flashes.

Gosh it is quite depressing just writing all that !!!

Menopause & depression

A symptom of menopause that is often overlooked, yet very common, is depression.

Oestrogen affects serotonin receptors and transporters in the brain and it is also thought to be neuroprotective, having positive effects on memory and cognition. When oestrogen levels decline you become more prone to low moods or depression.

Add to these physiological changes the emotional and mental changes that accompany menopause as well as a lack of sleep often brought on by hot flushes at night, and it is not surprising that menopause really is a difficult time.

However, despite the unpleasant physiological changes you experience during menopause, it does help to remember that it is also a liberating time in which you are finally free of your monthly periods and the responsibilities they bring…we need to look on the bright side!

This blog is adapted from one of my published articles in: The South African Journal of Natural Medicine, May 2017

References:

[i] Natural Menopause Journey, June 2010 (online). http://www.natural-menopause-journey.com/perimenopause-symptoms-and-culture.html.  Accessed: 21 March 2017

[iii] Natural Menopause Journey, June 2010 (online). http://www.natural-menopause-journey.com/perimenopause-symptoms-and-culture.html.  Accessed: 21 March 2017

[iv] MediHerb Seminar Notes: Menopause, Endometriosis and Uterine Fibroids, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Premenstrual Syndrome. 2005: 1-29

Oprah Winfrey (online). http://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/relationships/7-quotes-from-awesome-women-thatll-make-you-think-differently-about-menopause. Accessed: 22 March 2017

3 Steps to a good night’s sleep

According to the American Sleep Association, approximately 30% of adult Americans suffer from insomnia. That is nearly 1/3 of adults! Are you one of those statistics? If you are, then you certainly are not alone.

So what can you do about it? The best place to start with getting a good night’s sleep is what we call “sleep hygiene”. Sleep hygiene involves a few simple, easy to follow steps to improve your sleeping environment and routine.

Melatonin: The Hormone of Sleep

Our bodies love routines and rhythms and many of our hormones are secreted according to very specific physiological rhythms.

One such hormone is melatonin. It is the hormone that makes us sleepy and helps us sleep. Ideally, it is released at night in darkness and its release is stopped or inhibited when the eyes are exposed to light in the morning.

The Circadian Cycle

Produced by the pineal gland, melatonin helps set the timing of our body’s biological clock. This timing is known as the circadian cycle or rhythm and is a 24-hour cycle of physiological processes associated with periods of light and darkness.

So the first step in getting a good night’s sleep and overcoming insomnia is to ensure your body’s biological clock is ticking correctly – that melatonin is being released at the right time of the day .

When our eyes are exposed to light then melatonin is NOT released. So what does this mean? Simple……expose your eyes to too much light at night and you will be awake at night. Think….televisions, cell phones, laptops….bright lights of any kind inhibit melatonin release and keep you awake.

Now that you understand the basic physiology of sleep, follow these three steps to get yourself sleeping at NIGHT and being awake during the day.

Falling asleep during the day? — Can’t keep awake?

I must warn you, following these three steps is not as easy as I make it sound. This is because you have to stick to the same time and same routine every single night for about three weeks. So before you begin, take a look at your work and social schedules and really think of a routine that will fit in with those.

Step 1: Reset Your Body Clock

As I mentioned earlier, the first step to getting a good night’s sleep is to establish a routine. It is really important that you decide on what time you want to go to sleep at night (i.e. when you want to encourage the release of melatonin) and what time you want to wake up in the morning (i.e. when you want to stop the release of melatonin). Then stick to these times no matter what!

Remember, you are re-setting your circadian rhythm. Your body needs to get into a 24-hour routine of having light and dark exposure at the same times every 24-hours. You want to feel sleepy at night and awake in the morning and not the other way around.

So here is what you need to do to reset your body clock:

Get into bed at the same time every night.
Set your alarm for the same time every morning.
As soon as your alarm rings expose your eyes to bright light for a few minutes – it is very important that you do this at the same time every day.

Step 2: Have a Bed-time Routine

Again, it is all about that routine. Create a little ‘ritual’ that signals to your body and brain that it is time to slow down, wind down and relax. Try to start your routine about an hour before you want to go to sleep and stick to the same time and the same routine every single night.

Do not eat a heavy meal for 3 hours before you go to bed.
Have a warm milky drink (click here for our Cardamon Milk Recipe).
Warm up your body – have a warm bath/shower or do some gentle stretching.
Get into bed and relax for at least 30 minutes – read, chat to a partner or simply daydream!

Most important – absolutely NO technology, cell phones, laptops, television etcetera in this last hour before bedtime. If you really struggle with insomnia then no technology for at least two hours before sleep.

Step 3: Clear Out Your Bedroom

Your bedroom is for sleep, relaxation and sex only! There must be no TV, cellphones, ipads, laptops, flashing digital clocks etcetera in your room. It needs to be a quiet, peaceful place that you can retreat to and switch off in.

I suggest that the first thing you do when you get home today (or if you are at home take a break and do this right now) is go into your bedroom and spend ten minutes turning it into a peaceful retreat. It is quick and easy to do and will make a difference to your sleep.

Get rid of all the clutter in your room. Start with your bedside table and work around your room. Take out all bills, papers, work, things you “are meant to do when you eventually get the time to do them” and put them into a different room. These are not the things for a bedroom!
Now that you have taken out all the clutter sit on your bed and look around your room. You should love everything in your room – everything you look at should be calm, peaceful and remind you of who or what you love. Your bedroom is your sanctuary, your refuge, your escape – your quiet place to relax and switch off.
Now look at the light in your room. You need to have a bright light for early in the mornings when you wake up and a calm, gentle light for your last hour before you go to sleep. In addition, when you turn out the lights your room needs to be as dark as you can possibly get it.

Basic sleep hygiene makes a huge difference to most people’s sleep and it should improve yours too. Follow these three steps for three weeks and then let me know how you are doing. If, after three weeks of strictly adhering to the above, you still have had no change in your sleep then we need to take a deeper look at what is going on.

References:

American Sleep Association https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/sleep-statistics/