The climacteric causes a hormonal change in the female body. The timing is not clearly specified, but menopause can cause some discomfort. The impairments, physical as well as mental, can be well controlled and treated with natural measures. Fortunately, two thirds of women only suffer from mild to moderate impairments that can be alleviated with natural methods. With a little patience and mindfulness, women can get through menopause well.
Menopause: when the body takes you by surprise
Female sex hormones are primarily necessary for reproduction, but they also perform other important tasks in the body. With the onset of menopause, there is a lack of estrogen and progesterone, which not only means the end of fertility, but at the same time throws other bodily functions out of balance. The sex hormones affect the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine in the brain. The drop in hormones during menopause affects mood. Mood swings up to depression are triggered by the deficiency. In addition, there are sometimes very severe physical complaints, such as sweating, flushes, sleep disturbances, weight gain, figure changes, dry skin, chest pain and loss of libido. With all these unpleasant impairments, it is not surprising that many women feel blindsided by their own bodies and view the menopause period negatively. However, the opposite is true. With support, women around 50 can really get going. There are different natural and side-effect-free measures to alleviate the discomfort of menopause.
Hormonal yoga, qigong and Thai chi as gentle support.
For a long time, taking synthetic hormone preparations to treat menopausal symptoms was quite natural and obligatory. Even before the first signs of menopausal symptoms became apparent, women used hormones to stay fit, youthful and healthy. A major study about ten years ago, which strongly criticized hormone therapy and even classified it as dangerous, has caused a rethink. More and more women are deciding to relieve menopausal symptoms naturally. To get through menopause with less discomfort, a healthy and positive lifestyle helps. Women who are well informed about the menopause have fewer physical and psychological problems accepting the life change. It makes perfect sense to look for ways to keep symptoms to a minimum for a long time before the change begins. In almost all women, the desire to intervene in a natural way and to alleviate or eliminate the impairments without hormones dominates. Menopausal symptoms can be treated with Qigong, Yoga or Tai-Chi without hormones. Exercise is good for the body and increases the quality of life. Women who choose Qigong, Yoga or Tai-Chi complain much less about anxiety, irritability or depressive moods during menopause. Exercise and sport not only help through menopause, but have another important side effect: the risk of developing diabetes mellitus or heart disease is considerably reduced by regular exercise.
Medicinal herbal teas – enjoy only in moderation
Many women suffer only mild to moderate symptoms during menopause, as already mentioned. Therefore, the use of herbal substances in the form of dietary supplements or teas is usually sufficient. Important plants used for medicinal herbal teas for menopausal symptoms are: Red clover, soy, black cohosh, sage, St. John’s wort, yam hops, night-root and monk’s pepper. Isoflavones are extracted from soy and red clover, which belong to the so-called secondary plant substances. These are those substances produced by plants for their own protection against damage and diseases. By consuming these plants, the woman also absorbs their protective substances. Medicinal herbal teas used in moderation can relieve menopausal symptoms, but caution is still advised. Some plants are not approved as medicinal plants, and there are insufficient long-term scientific studies on which plants actually produce the desired results and which plants may cause side effects.
Acupuncture against hot flashes and Co.
If the complaints make everyday life a torment, women want to do something about it. Some do not want or are not allowed to use hormonal therapy and consciously decide against products with hormonal or phytoestrogenic effects. A good and effective alternative to medicinal plants is acupuncture. There is a significant improvement in hot flashes. The naturopathic form of therapy can even outperform drug therapy. The good thing is that acupuncture helps effectively and without side effects. Absolute contraindications for hormone treatment are previous thromboses or embolisms, severe heart, kidney or liver diseases and hormone-dependent cancers. These women are enabled by acupuncture to relieve menopausal symptoms.
Patience and mindfulness ease the time of transition
Thanks to innovative treatment methods, the changes in women’s bodies that menopause brings are no longer an unavoidable evil today. The individuality of each woman is also reflected in the individuality of the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Every change holds the chance for a positive new beginning. Patience and attentiveness facilitate the change. Distressing menopausal symptoms should not impair the quality of life. Different forms of treatment make it possible to power through the menopause and to really enjoy life during and after the change. It is important that every woman develops a positive body image and accepts her body during and after the change.