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Jul 313 min read

The Best Herbs for Menopause


Hello, menopausal queens! Today, we will be talking about some of the best herbs to help with your menopause symptoms. Let's get into it!



What is menopause?


Menopause, by medical dianogsis, is a point in time where you have gone 12 months without a menstrual cycle. This usually happens in a women's late 40s or 50s, but has been happening earlier in the past decade. Either way, menopause is a natural biological process, everyone will eventually go through it.


Symptoms


In the months or years leading up to menopause, you might experience some of the following symptoms


  • Hot flashes

  • Vaginal dryness

  • Irregular periods

  • Sleep problems

  • Chills

  • Night sweats

  • Slowed metabolism


Menopause can also affect your mental state as hormonal changes are taking place. These symptoms may include


  • anger

  • irritability

  • forgetfulness

  • low self esteem

  • depression

  • poor concentration

  • night sweets

  • insomnia


Although the severity of menopause symptoms can vary from women to women, as we all experience biological functions differently, it is without a doubt that we all experience some kind of symptoms. Therefore it is important that you get the best kind of help you can get to manage these symptoms and live your life to the fullest!



Treatment


Since menopause is a natural process, therefore treatments usually focuses on symptom management, and what better way to treat a natural cause with natural herbs!


In medicine, herbs are parts of plants that are used to treat illnesses, prevent diseases, and improve health. They can be sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and plants. Herbal medicines are gentler on the body and results in fewer side effects compared to pharmaceutical medicine. They also have fewer side effects.


Here are a few herbs that can help you manage your menopause symptoms!


Black Cohosh


  • Most commonly used to relieve menopause symptoms such as

    • hot flashes

    • night sweats

    • vagina dryness

    • heart palpitations

    • tinnitus

    • vertigo

    • sleep problems


  • This herb are sold as dietary supplements in forms as powdered whole herbs, liquid extracts, and dried extracts in pill form

  • Not recommended for those with a history of liver disease

  • Side effects include: mild nausea, upset stomach, and skin rashes

    • however, effects are relatively rare

Red Clover


  • Red clover is a rich source of isoflavones, which functions similarly to estrogen and may help alleviate symptoms associated with the decline in estrogen production

    • can relieve hot flashes, night sweats, and bone loss

  • no serious side effects have been reported

    • although mild symptoms such as headache and nausea are possible

  • this plant s not safe for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women. or women with breast cancer, or other hormone sensitive cancers


Maca


  • Maca has been used for centuries in the traditional folk medicine to treat various conditions and diseases

    • This herb can be used to relieved menopause symptoms such as diminished sex drive due to low hormone production, moodiness and vaginal dryness

  • Due to limited data available, it it currently unknown whether maca interferes with other medications

    • If you would like to use this, make sure you purchase it from a trusted source after you get confirmation from your doctor

Soy


  • Soy can help relieve menopause symptoms due to its isoflavones, which are plant-based compounds that have estrogen-like effects.

  • Studies show that high soy intake can reduce hot flash frequency and duration, affect bone health

  • Whole soy foods are generally preferred over soy supplements, as they provide a more balanced nutritional profile and other beneficial nutrients.

  • Foods such has

    • soy milk

    • tofu

    • edamame

    • soy nuts

    • tempeh

    • soy protein

  • contain high amounts of isoflavone content


Flax seeds


  • Flax seeds are known to help relieve menopause symptoms due to their high content of lignans, which are phytoestrogens that can mimic estrogen in the body.

  • Studies show that those who took flax seeds self reported to have significant improvements in various menopause symptoms and overall quality of life


Ginseng


  • Used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, and still extremely popular till this day

  • Different types of Ginsengs exists. however, Korean red ginseng is the most frequently used to relieve menopause symptoms

  • It not only helps with menopause symptoms, but is also beneficial to cardiovascular risk factors in postmenopausal women.


It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any herbal regimen, as herbs can interact with medications and may not be suitable for everyone.



References




MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health. (2015, August 12). Red Ginseng May Help with Menopausal Symptoms But Is It A Good Choice for All Women? MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health - Perinatal & Reproductive Psychiatry at Mass General Hospital. https://womensmentalhealth.org/posts/red-ginseng-may-help-with-menopausal-symptoms-but-is-it-a-good-choice-for-all-women/#:~:text=This%20study%20demonstrates%20that%20red,therefore%20superior%20to%20traditional%20ginseng.


Office of Dietary Supplements - Black Cohosh. (n.d.). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh-HealthProfessional/

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