Natural Remedies for the Symptoms of Menopause

The transitional time of menopause can produce symptoms that range from mildly irritating to health-threatening. But there's no need to suffer unnecessarily. Here are a few suggestions for remedies to help you deal with some of these issues.

Bladder infections
Bladder infections can start to occur, or occur more frequently, during menopause. Supplements like vitamin C and flaxseed oil may help. You can also try herbs like echinacea, marshmallow, uva ursi, and yarrow.

Constipation
As the body ages the ability of the intestinal muscles to move food decreases. Many people deal with this problem by taking laxatives, but this isn't such a good idea. Laxatives can make the intestinal muscles even weaker, and all of them-including the herbal ones-can be habit-forming. Instead, try adding fiber (in the form of whole grains) to your diet to add bulk to stools, or use herbs like black cohosh, fenugreek, or especially slippery elm bark or psyllium seed.

Emotional issues
For anxiety, you can try kava or lemon balm, and for depression, St. John's Wort, nettle, or oatstraw. If you're having crying spells (with or without a reason), motherwort is the best choice. And for general stress, try vitamin B complex or the herb ginseng, which helps the body adapt more easily to changing circumstances.

Fatigue
You may feel physically as well as emotionally tired. For physical fatigue you can try vitamin B complex, vitamin E, potassium, or iron supplements. Or you may want to consider herbs like ginseng, nettle, or St. John's Wort.

Headaches
B complex vitamins and the mineral magnesium may help ease headaches, as may herbs like willow bark, black cohosh, and vervain.

Heart palpitations
A high percentage of the population has a prolapsed mitral valve, which can cause this symptom, but some women also experience palpitations with hot flashes. It's possible that supplements like vitamin E and magnesium may help, or you can try herbs like black haw, ginger, and motherwort.

Hot flashes
Many women find hot flashes such a problem that they resort to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for relief. If you'd rather not go that route, or at least try less drastic ones first, check out supplements like vitamins B and E, spirulina, bee pollen, and royal jelly. Herbal remedies, especially black cohosh (which is a plant estrogen), dandelion, and elder may also help.

Incontinence
This problem results mainly from thinning of the wall of the bladder due to decreased estrogen. Herbal remedies that may help include black cohosh, catnip, ginger, and natural progesterone cream.

Osteoporosis
Many aging people don't take this seriously-until they're laid up by one or more broken bones. There are prescription drugs available for this condition, but if you'd rather prevent it than treat it, try that old standby, calcium. The best way to obtain it, of course, is in food; dairy products, vegetables like broccoli and mustard or collard greens, and dried fruits are all high in calcium. If you need to take supplements, consider adding magnesium and vitamin D to help the calcium absorb more efficiently.

Sleeping problems
Women who have never had insomnia before may suddenly find themselves unable to fall asleep-or stay asleep-when they reach menopause. Calcium supplements may help here as well, or you can try herbs like hops, oatstraw, passionflower, and skullcap. You might also want to consider changing your evening routine by cutting out stimulants like caffeine and allowing time to "wind down" before you go to bed.

Vaginal dryness and itching
It's possible to add "internal" moisture with supplements like vitamin E and especially essential fatty acids. Herbal remedies like dong quai and motherwort may also help. If you'd like to apply something directly to the area, try mixing slippery elm bark and water to the desired consistency, or use a natural progesterone cream.

Some of the symptoms of menopause may be unavoidable, but that doesn't mean you have to put up with them. Check out some of the remedies mentioned above to see if you can make this time of your life more comfortable.

Please note: Research on the medicinal uses of herbs, alone and in combination with synthetic drugs, is new and not yet definitive. If you have a serious or chronic medical condition, or are just unsure if herbal remedies are appropriate for you, please consult with your physician before using them.