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Natural Menopause Solutions

When estrogen fades from a woman's system, a decrease in endorphins, which are natural mood elevators and painkillers, occurs as well. Consequently, a woman may experience mood swings and be grouchier and crankier than she was before menopause. Progesterone, which is the other hormone that played a vital role during a woman's reproductive years, also declines during menopause. Progesterone serves as an antidepressant, normalizes blood sugar and helps combat anxiety. When the system is deficient in progesterone, a host of symptoms may result, including depression.

  1. Learn to Cope

    • Join a yoga class to help you release tension and make you feel both physically and mentally better. Yoga teaches the art of relaxation and how to breathe to better benefit your health. Treat yourself to warm baths, aromatherapy and/or learn how to meditate to lower your blood pressure. Listen to soothing music, and engage in self-hypnosis (see Resources).

    Soy and Other Estrogenic Foods

    • Increase your intake of soy products, which contain natural estrogenic properties. Eat whole grains, nuts, pomegranate seeds, rhubarb, pineapple and avocados because they, too, contain components that are estrogenic.

    Herbs

    • Consider taking herbs (such as black cohosh and maca) that have estrogenic effects and may help your body return to its premenopausal state, where hormonal equilibrium existed and you were much calmer as a result. Other herbs that can help include ginseng, hops and licorice, as well as clover sprouts, soy flour and flax seeds.

    Other Beneficial Herbs

    • Consider taking herbs that have a cooling effect on your body and that reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats, according to Project-aware.org. These herbs include elder, violet and chickweed. Those herbs that are beneficial to our oxygen levels--keeping oxygen high--include dong quai, yellow dock, dandelion and ho shou wu (polygonum multiflorum). Anything that you can do to keep your system fit and functioning as it did before the hormones went awry can reduce menopausal symptoms.

    Natural Progesterone Creams

    • There are natural progesterone creams and gels on the market that can be purchased over the counter applied topically. They generally contain 3 percent progesterone, according to Natural-menopause-solutions.com. Progesterone is not to be confused with progestin, which is a chemically altered (synthesized) version of the hormone. An example of progestin is Premarin. Natural progesterone has few known side effects, whereas progestin can cause severe side effects. Progesterone deficiency may result in cancer and up your chances of developing osteoporosis.

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