Natural Herbs for Menopause Symptoms

During menopause your body must deal with changing hormones and irritating symptoms like hot flashes. There are strategies to deal with this like hormone replacement, but many women want to combat the problem with more natural methods. Here are some herbs and vitamins that can help. Consult your physician before adding new supplements to your diet.

Hormonal Balance

• The first step in combating your menopause symptoms is to get your hormones as balanced as possible in order to get some of the other symptoms under control. Chaste tree is an herb that helps to regulate the balance of hormonal function by stimulating the pituitary gland. The herb can be taken in its berry, powder or liquid form early in the morning. It should be taken over the course of five months for best results.

  False unicorn root can increase the function of ovarian hormones as its structure resembles a hormone. Take it as a tea by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons in a boiling cup of water and drink it three times a day.

  Licorice can increase the amount of estrogen that is produced by the body. Try it as a 200-milligram tablet in its deglycyrrhizinated form (DGL) three times a day. Nutrients that may add to the effects of these herbs include selenium and primrose oil.

  Try these herbs and nutrients out for at least a few weeks and monitor any changes in your symptoms.

Emotional Symptoms

• It is a good idea to tackle the emotional aspects of menopause if your herbal hormonal treatment has had little effect. Motherwort is both a uterine stimulant and a treatment for hormone-related anxiety. Take 8 fluid ounces of the infusion or, if it's in its Chinese form, take 9 grams of the herb three times daily.

  Ginseng can both contribute to the relief of depression and the production of estrogen. This herb, which has a laundry list of other health effects, can be taken raw or as a tea several times per day.

  The homeopathic remedy Cimicifuga can aid gloomy feelings that are connected with menopause. Try a low-potency version several times per day on your heavily emotional days.

  Try taking one or all of these herbs for a month along with the hormonal herbs and see if your symptoms take a turn for the better.

Physical Symptoms

• He Shou Wu is a Chinese herb that has been used in early menopause to treat physical symptoms. Create a tea for the herb by boiling 3 to 5 grams in a cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes.

  Black cohosh can be both a nerve tonic and stimulator of estrogen. Take it in its dry root form--one 300 milligram dose per day.

  Dong quai, when taken alongside gotu kola, can relieve vaginal dryness and depression. And when taken with damiana and chaparral, it can limit your hot flashes. Take 3 to 4 grams per day of dong quai, 60 milligrams of gotu kola extract, a gram of damiana steeped in tea, and 2 to 3 cups a day of chaparral tea made from 7 to 8 grams of dried leaves per quart of water.