Menopause is a point in time 12 months after a woman's last period. This change, from the stage of childbearing to a state of greater maturity, is directly related to the decline of reproductive hormones, leading to the end of the menstrual period. Menopause is a natural transition of womanhood. It is a gradual process that takes place over several years. Most women experience menopausal symptoms in their forties and fifties, while some women may experience earlier. Menopause does not need to be the beginning of an inevitable decline. Natural sources can help relieve these uncomfortable issues.
Common Issues
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are sudden heat rushes that create havoc, often at inconvenient times. Triggers of hot flashes may include
stress, alcohol, caffeine and spicy food. Knowing these triggers may help you avoid embarrassing moments.
When you do get hot flashes, inhaling peppermint essential will help you cool off and get refreshed. In addition, diffusing or inhaling clary sage essential oil may also help ease the discomfort.
Night sweat
To ease night sweats and as an aid in preventing them, essential oil of cypress, lemongrass, petitgrain, grapefruit, and lime are useful. Layering your clothing also helps.
Sleep Problems
Lack of sleep may be attributed to hot flashes and night sweats. Irritability can be triggered by not getting a restful sleep. For a restful sleep, you can diffuse these kinds of essential oil: basil, chamomile, lavender, mandarin, marjoram, neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang.
For ease of use, azendea’s Sleepy Moon bed and linen mist is made of neroli, lavender, and sandalwood essential oil. Simply spray it around your pillow and bedding before tucking in. For more ideas on how to get a restful sleep, see our other article.
Bloating
Bloating is a symptom caused by water retention. Essential oil that is diuretic in nature may be useful for this. Try cypress, fennel, geranium, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, mandarin orange, and rosemary. Add the oil to your body lotion or in your bath.
You can also tackle this problem with proper diet. Cutting down on processed food and sodium intake and eating more potassium-rich food such as spinach and bananas will help.
Psycho-emotional changes, mood swings, anxiety, depression
There are many kinds of essential oil that can lift up your spirits. Fight against depression and anxiety with up-lifting, cheerful aroma such as bergamot, orange, and grapefruit. Others include basil, clary sage, jasmine, lavender, neroli, rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations are feelings of having a fast-beating or pounding heart. They can be triggered by stress, exercise, medication, or a medical condition. Many women reported having heart palpitations and high blood pressure symptoms during menopause. Cardiovascular Wellness, a natural supplement for heart health, can be beneficial. This formula helps with heart issues triggered by menopause due the excess heat in the heart channel. The excess heat is the cause for hot flashes, insomnia, agitation, and high blood pressure or discomfort and stuffiness in the chest.
Taking Care of Yourself During the Transition
Good Nutrition
Maintaining a nutritious diet will help you ease into the transition. Keep a high-protein, low-fat diet. Eat more vegetables; eat more fish than meat. Soy products such as soybeans, tofu, soy milk contain phytoestrogens (or phytohormones) to help balance your hormones.
Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugar, which contribute to mood swings. Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine, which can trigger hot flashes. Lower your sodium intake to reduce water retention. It is also a good idea to have food rich in vitamin D and calcium to prevent osteoporosis.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver and kidney are the two main organs that support the female system. So enjoy food that benefits the liver such as green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach etc), pears, tomatoes, and food that benefits the kidney such as black sesame, black fungus (Mu Ir), and black beans.
Regular Exercise
Exercise at a minimum of 5 days a week can help relieve the discomfort that menopause brings. It can also be an outlet for relieving emotional tension. Harvard Health Publications reported that walking for 2.5 hours a week, can cut your risk of heart disease by 30%. What’s more, walking has also been shown to “reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and keep you mentally sharp.”
Yin Yoga is one of the exercises that are known to help lower the cortisol level and bring circulation to the endocrine system. Yin Yoga is a slow and pausing yoga movement targeting the fascia that supports the muscle and skeletal structure, and soothing the nervous system.
Here is a video of Yin Yoga for hormonal balance you can try anywhere!
Menopause is not a disease, and it does not have to be the beginning of an inevitable decline. Seek help when you need it, whether it be medical advice or emotional help from friends. azendea's Certified Herbalist and Certified Aromatherapist are just an email away. Feel free to contact us via email at info@azendea.com, or DM us at @azendea on Instagram for more tips and ideas!
References:
Laurel Vukovic (2008) 1001 Natural Remedies
Linda Ojeda, Ph.D. (2003) “Menopause Without Medicine”
Valerie Ann Worwood (1991) “The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy”
Valerie Gennari Cooksley (2002) “Aromatherapy – Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate, and Heal”