Your family may get the occasional chuckle when your glasses fog up or they catch you in front of the open refrigerator fanning yourself. You might even concede that you're quite a sight stripping like Gypsy Rose Lee with a wasp down her blouse when a bad hot flash hits, but hot flashes and night sweats aren’t very funny if you're the one suffering through them. To make matters worse, current scientific evidence of the startling negative effects of prolonged use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is making more and more women throw their hands up in frustration. The search for safe, reliable relief is more confusing than ever before and comes at a time when a record number of women are entering the dreaded change of life.
Your Body is Changing
If you are experiencing perimenopausal or postmenopausal symptoms, the hormones that helped you get a good, restful sleep in the past, sustained your sexual arousal, kept your skin vibrant, your hair shiny, and your teeth and gums healthy are no longer created by your body in the same quantities. This chemical imbalance has repercussions that can be downright frightening to you, and an unwelcome surprise for your family.
These are the facts: people are living longer, and for women this means that menopause is probably in your future or waiting for you somewhere down the road. Since current treatment methods suggest very limited use of hormone replacement therapy, this opens the door for the exploration of other alternatives. The good news is that there is relief out there, but you will have to do some experimentation to find what works for you.
You Aren’t Alone
You aren’t going crazy, but sometimes it might feel that way. Anxiety, memory loss, irritability, and mood changes are all part of the mental landscape of menopause, just as osteoporosis, sexual changes like vaginal dryness, and increased risk of heart disease are some of the physical concerns. Symptoms like hot flashes will stop eventually, but surviving the transition will require patience, a quality you may have in short supply at the moment.
Learn From History
There is a rich history of anecdotal evidence suggesting a number of natural treatments that can help you. These natural alternatives are coming under increased medical scrutiny, and many of them are bearing out the solid science behind what your grandmother might have recommended.
Herbal teas, vitamin supplements, and aromatherapy can all help reduce the symptoms of menopause, if you give them a chance. Taken regularly and used in conjunction with meditative techniques and exercises like yoga, they can help put you back in control of your body, and give you the weapons you need to battle back to feeling like yourself again.
Natural plant estrogens like soy, flax, black cohosh, and sage are showing promise in clinical tests, and are safe and readily available. Most of these remedies can either be taken as teas, or in pill or gelcap form.
Aromatherapy scents like geranium, clary sage, and jasmine have had success in reducing the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats. They can be used as essential oils and blended, or purchased as scented candles, bath salts, or potpourri.
Herbs, vitamin supplements, essential oils, exercise, and meditation can work in concert to bring your menopausal symptoms under control. These techniques and remedies require experimentation to find the best combination for you, but there are some great resources out there to help get you started.
Remember, you aren’t alone in your struggle to understand and deal with the changes your body is going through. With a little research and experimentation, you can find lasting relief from menopausal symptoms and gain greater control over your body, mind, and spirit.
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