Natural Herbs & Products for Menopause

Menopause is a natural part of aging. It's not a disease that needs to be cured. However, some women experience symptoms ranging from somewhat uncomfortable (like hot flashes) to quite severe (such as excessive menstrual bleeding and cramping). If you are looking for alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), there are many natural herbs and products that you can obtain fairly easily from drugstores or herbal retailers that may bring relief for your specific symptoms.

How to Cool Those Hot Flashes

• Calling them "power surges" or "personal summers" doesn't make you feel any less uncomfortable when you find yourself dripping with sweat in the office or on the subway. Many women report great success with the herb black cohosh, which appears to reduce the hormone in your body that causes temperature fluctuations. You can take black cohosh in a tablet or a tincture.

  Another herb that might relieve your hot flashes is sage, which contains plant estrogens that may help to reduce sweating. You can make your own sage tea by boiling the dried leaves of the sage plant.

How to Stimulate that Limp Libido

• Many women report that their sexual drive is greatly reduced during menopause, due in part to an increasingly dry vagina, which makes intercourse painful. Damiana has long been touted as an aphrodisiac, and it is well-known in Central and South America, where the natives drink damiana tea to boost sexual potency.

  For vaginal dryness, there are also many lubricating products on the market (available without a prescription), including K-Y jelly and creams containing vitamin E.

How to Remember Where You Put Your Car Keys

• Short-term memory lapses occur fairly often in menopausal women. While most of these gaps in thinking are of minor concern, there are nevertheless some alternative treatments that may help you remember what it was you didn't want to forget. Ginko biloba extract (GBE) is one of the most frequently used herbal supplements in the US and Europe. Some studies suggest that GBE works by increasing blood flow to the brain. Asian ginseng root users also report increased mental acuity.

How to Control Excessive Menstrual Bleeding and Cramping

• For some women, menopause is a time of unpredictable, often uncontrollable menstrual bleeding, a condition sometimes so drastic that you cannot safely take a trip away from home or expect to have enough energy to perform your job duties. Dong quai is a natural herb that has been used for centuries by Chinese women to create harmony and balance in their menstrual cycles. Since the 18th century, wild yam extract has also been used to treat severe menstrual pain, although today researchers agree that the positive effects of wild yam may be mostly mental, not physical.