Menopause is a natural part of aging, with around 75% to 80% of women experiencing vasomotor symptoms, such as night sweats, hot flashes, migraines, and palpitations. However, just because menopause is normal doesn’t mean women should have to suffer through the symptoms.
While there are many treatment options available to help manage menopause, conventional medicine approaches tend to focus solely on alleviating or masking symptoms. Holistic approaches, on the other hand, take a more thorough and natural approach by treating the mind and the body to prevent and reduce symptoms from occurring in the first place.
The Effects of Menopause on the Mind and Body
For most women, menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 when menstruation ends, and the ovaries stop releasing eggs for fertilization. As a result, lower levels of estrogen and progesterone are produced, which can lead to changes in the body as well as a myriad of symptoms.
As a result of reproductive changes marked by the end of menstruation, many women can experience vaginal dryness and a lack of libido. The endocrine is also affected, resulting in hot flashes.
The nervous system is another function impacted by menopause, leading to mood swings that can cause irritability, anxiety, and depression. Changes to the nervous system can also make it more difficult to get good sleep.
When estrogen levels drop, women have been known to experience bladder leakage or incontinence. As estrogen also plays a role in protecting the cardiovascular system, the risk of heart disease can increase during this time.
Loss in bone density and muscle mass occurs during menopause as well, which can lead to joint pain and a higher risk of osteoporosis. Finally, menopausal skin changes also occur due to reduced collagen, which can lead to sagging, wrinkling, dryness, discoloration, and age spots.
Tips For Managing Menopause Holistically
While many symptoms of menopause eventually go away on their own, the body can continue to experience changes as you age. While you can’t prevent aging, you can take a more holistic approach to managing your health, which can help mitigate menopausal symptoms, reduce some of the more negative impacts of aging, and help you lead an all-around healthier lifestyle.
1. Practice Emotional Self-Care
To help prevent and reduce mood swings during menopause, focus on giving your mind and body what it needs to regulate your emotions better. Some emotional self-care practices include spending more time outdoors in nature, practicing mindfulness, gratitude, and self-compassion, spending quality time with loved ones and friends, and engaging in creative hobbies.
Activities that help relax the mind are also beneficial as they not only help regulate emotions but can decrease stress and help combat depression during menopause. Try practicing yoga and meditation, and use aromatherapy to create a more calming environment.
2. Take Care of Your Mental Health
It’s also important to protect your mental health through menopause, as the changes your body experiences can lead to psychological issues, such as increased anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor concentration, low mood, and depression.
While the emotional self-care practices above can help, if you are having a tough time with your mental health, you can seek more advanced mind-body therapies such as hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), biofeedback and relaxation training, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).
3. Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise is essential no matter what stage of life you are in, but it can be particularly helpful during menopause. Exercise conditions the body and releases endorphins, which can help relieve and even mitigate numerous menopause symptoms, including irritability, low energy, joint pain, poor sleep, and stress. Exercise can also help prevent heart disease, which you are at higher risk of experiencing during menopause due to low estrogen levels. Consider trying cardio exercises as well as weightlifting to boost your mental health and take care of your body.
4. Try Herbal Remedies
Many herbal remedies and complementary medicines have been shown to help manage menopause symptoms. Some of the most popular natural remedies and supplements include:
- Black cohosh;
- Dong Quai;
- Maca;
- Evening primrose;
- Ginseng;
- Red clover;
- St. John’s wort;
- Pollen extract;
- Vitamin E;
- Bioidentical hormones.
Before taking any of these supplements, consult your doctor for guidance to avoid any adverse side effects or contraindications.
5. Mind Your Diet
What you put into your body can significantly affect how you feel during menopause and your ability to manage your symptoms. Eat plenty of foods rich in calcium and vitamin D to mitigate the loss of bone density. Eating more foods rich in magnesium, zinc, fatty acids, and vitamin B can also improve hormone function and boost brain chemistry.
Foods that are high in phytoestrogens can also help mimic the effects of estrogen, which you lose during menopause. Such foods include tofu, tempeh, soybeans, flaxseeds, beans, and sesame seeds. It’s also important to avoid triggering foods that can worsen menopause symptoms, like refined sugars, processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol.
– Final Thoughts –
Dealing with menopause can be stressful, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone. Many holistic menopause approaches recognize the importance of community and emotional support. If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to others who are having similar experiences. Plenty of online forums and in-person support groups can help you find connections with others, which can offer reassurance and help make menopause more manageable.
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