Relief From Menopause Symptom.

Read below for full menopause symptom and how to get relief from menopause symptoms. No wonder it's called The Change. Every month since puberty, your body has ripened some of the half-million or so eggs stored in your ovaries. But now (usually around the age of 50), there are only a few eggs left. And the entire monthly cycle the swelling and bursting of the egg sac, its release of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, the hormone-triggered thickening of the uterus with blood as it prepares to harbor and nourish a newly fertilized egg, and the menstrual shedding of uterine cells and blood if an egg isn't fertilized is slowly coming to a halt.

Starting a few years before your final period (a time called perimenopause), as your supply of eggs dwindles and reproductive hormones decline, you may begin to feel that The Change should be the title of a horror movie—with you as the unwilling star.There can be hot flashes and night sweats. Fatigue and insomnia. Vaginal dryness and loss of sex drive. Depression, memory loss, or sudden mood swings.

What's more, your intermittent periods may be the heaviest and most uncomfortable that you've ever experienced.Of course, you can opt for hormone replacement therapy (HKT), and many women dealing with the symptoms of menopause can benefit from this type of medication. But it's likely that your doctor has told you that using HRT or enduring the symptoms are your only two choices."Few women learn about alternative therapies to reduce menopausal symptoms," says Susan Lark, M.D., a physician in Los Altos, California. As a result, she says, "many women do not get the treatment that's best suited to their needs." With the alternative home remedies offered here, however, which are recommended by doctors and healers who specialize in treating menopause, you don't have to be one of them.

Cooling Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
In America, 75 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes, and many seek medical care. It's not hard to understand why. The "flash" usually begins in the chest, neck, or face and spreads to other parts of your body. You sweat—sometimes mildly, sometimes profusely. (If you have hot flashes at night, called night sweats, you may sweat so much that you have to change the sheets.) After you sweat, you shiver. Because you feel so uncomfortable first hoi, then cold you may shed and then add clothes throughout the day.
Hot flashes typically last from 30 seconds lo 5 minutes, and they can happen as infrequently as a few times a year or as often as 30 to 40 times a clay. Here's how to get relief.

VITAMIN E: As Effective as Estrogen
This nutrient can help control and even eliminate hoi flashes, says Brenda Beeley, a licensed acupuncturist and director of Menopause and PMS Options for Women on Bainbridge Island, Washington. She recommends 400 to 1,200 international units (IU) daily Start with 400 IU and gradually increase the dosage over 2 weeks until you obtain relief.
The best way to take the vitamin is in divided doses four or five times a day. (If you were taking 1,000 IU, for example, you would take 200 IU five times a day.) If you have night sweats, take one close before bed and another during the night if you wake up.
"Once you're feeling well, you can gradually start reducing the dosage back to 400 IU," Beeley says.

Vitamin E may also help ease other symptoms of menopause, such as vaginal dryness, says Dr. Lark. "Various studies show that vitamin E can be an effective substitute for estrogen in the majority of women," she says.

FOOD: Add E to Your Diet
Foods that are good sources of vitamin E include avocado, ilaxseed, and wheat germ, says Amanda McQuacle Crawtord, a medical herbalist and nutritionist in Ojai, California. She also urges women to regularly eat small quantities of E-rich seeds and nuts. "Sprinkle sunflower seeds over a salad, or chop a few Brazil nuts on a casserole or grain dish," she suggests.

B-COMPLEX VITAMINS: To Reduce Stress
The effects of stress on menopausal women can be reduced by being sure that the multivitamins they take contain adequate closes of 13 vitamins, says Joseph E. Mayo, M.D., cofounder of A Woman's Place Medical Center in I lealdsburg, California. Take daily multivitamins that contain 25 to 100 milligrams of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and Bn as well as 50 to 100 micrograms of B12.

BLACK COHOSH: For Hormonal Balance
This herb attaches to estrogen receptor sites in the body, helping to correct hormone imbalances and reducing many of the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats, says Crawford.
She recommends using high-quality products such as standardized tinctures or tablets. If you want to make a tea, which is also helpful, buy some dried root at a health food store. Cut \'i to 1 tablespoon of root, place it in a pan with 2 cups of water, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Strain the tea, let it cool to room temperature, and drink 1/2 to 1 cup three times a day.

For tablets, she suggests taking 20 milligrams twice a day. If you use a tincture or liquid form of the herb, take 1/2 teaspoon as is or diluted in a small amount of water twice a day.
"Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you'll need to take the herb daily for anywhere from 5 days to 5 or 6 weeks before you feel better," Crawford says.

MOTHERWORT: The "Cool" Herb
If you don't see results from black cohosh, look for another "plant ally," says Crawford. Try motherwort, which can not only help stop hot flashes but also alleviate irritability, a common problem during menopause.
To make motherwort tea, pour 1 pint of boiling water into a pot containing I ounce of the leaves, steep for 10 minutes, strain, and drink at room temperature. Drink 1-2 to 1 cup of tea three times a day as needed.
As a tincture, take two droppers every 10 minutes until your symptoms go away, which usually happens after two or three doses. If you can't take it that often, take two droppers once an hour, either straight or with a small amount of water. "A tincture of this herb at these doses is quite safe," says Crawford.

SAGE: For Profuse Sweating
"This herb works well for a woman who is having hot flashes throughout the clay—taking her sweater off, putting it on, waking with night sweats, and driving everybody crazy, including herself," Crawford says. Make a sage tea, following the directions for motherwort tea, above.

PROGESTERONE: To Halt Hot Flashes
In one study, 80 percent of women who used the hormone progesterone for 1 year reported improvement of their hot flashes, compared to only 20 percent who took a placebo (inactive substance). Crawford recommends Pro-Gest, a natural progesterone cream. Apply '/i to 12 teaspoon of the cream twice daily right after getting up in the morning and right before going to bed. You can rub it into any area of your skin.

HYDROTHERAPY: Sweat More to Sweat Less
The body expels toxins during menstruation. When menstrual cycles decrease or stop, the body needs another outlet for the toxins, so it sweats or has hot flashes. By sweating intentionally in a sauna or steam bath, you provide an outlet for the toxins and can eliminate hot flashes.
That's the theory of Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, medical anthropologists and codirectors of the Institute for the Study of Culturogenic Disease in Hilo, Hawaii.

To test their theory, they asked 10 women who had hot flashes and had gotten no relief with HRT or any other therapy to take a 20-minute sauna or steam bath at a local YWCA 6 out of 7 days for a month.
The five women who completed the regimen experienced "significant or complete relief" from their hot flashes, while the five who didn't take daily sweats had no change in their symptoms, say Singer and Gris-maijer. "If a sauna or steam room is not convenient, take a hot bath for 20 minutes a day," they say.

Steps to More Energy and Better Sleep
Fatigue and insomnia are major problems for menopausal women, says Beeley Here are some effective ways to solve them.

SIBERIAN GINSENG: An Herbal Energy Booster
This herb helps restore energy and cool hot flashes, says Beeley. She recommends taking 200 to 1,000 milligrams in three divided doses throughout the day. Determine the size of the dose according to the severity of your hot flashes.
For some menopausal women, Siberian ginseng can cause increased menstrual bleeding, so if you experience this effect, discontinue the herb

SUPPLEMENTS: Three for the Adrenals
Worn-out adrenal glands are a common cause of fatigue in menopausal women, says Carolyn Dean, M.D., a physician in New York City.
To regenerate your adrenals, she recommends three adrenal-building supplements: 2,000 milligrams a day of vitamin C, 500 milligrams a day of pantothenic acid (a B vitamin), and 80 milligrams two to four times a day of desiccated adrenal extract. Take the extract for 2 to 3 months, then take a break tor 1 to 2 months before restarting.

LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL: Give It the Nod
Dabbing a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow can help you sleep, says Dr. Mayo.

VALERIAN: For a Good Night's Sleep
Taking 300 to 500 milligrams of valerian extract 1 hour before bedtime is a safe, non addictive herbal option for better sleep, Dr. Mayo says.

ACUPRESSURE: Resting Points
Stimulating two acupressure points on your feet once a day can help relieve insomnia and anxiety in menopausal women, says Dr. Lark. To do the exercise, sit comfortably and press firmly but gently on each point for I to 3 minutes with your middle and index fingers.

• KI6: Using your left hand, press the indentation on the inside of your right ankle, directly below the ankle bone. Repeat, using your right hand on your left ankle.
• BL62: Using your right hand, press the indentation on the outside of your right ankle, directly below the ankle bone. Repeat with your left hand on your left ankle.

Dealing with Vaginal Changes and Lowered Libido
As perimenopause changes to menopause, early symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings tend to go away.
Changes in the vagina increase, however. The tissues become thinner, drier, and less elastic, causing painful intercourse and reduced sexual desire. Sexuality itself is also estrogen-dependent, so after menopause, orgasms are less frequent and intense and ditoral sensitivity is lessened.
Don't think that you have to take a vow of celibacy, though. You can stay sexually active and enjoy it after menopause. there are a couple of suggestions from alternative healers that will help.

KEGELS: Squeeze More Pleasure into Your Life
This repetitive squeezing of the pelvic muscles improves vaginal elasticity and increases sexual pleasure. Kegel exercises can be done anywhere, while standing, sitting, or lying down. Ideally, you should practice them five times a day for the rest of your life. I lere are instructions from Dr. Lark for performing these simple exercises.
Slowly draw up the vaginal muscles and hold for 3 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times. Next, squeeze the vaginal muscles firmly, then alternately contract and relax them as rapidly as you can. Repeal 10 times.

CHASTEBERRY: Chases Away Symptoms
This herb is believed to have a profound effect hormonally, not only helping to reverse vaginal changes and lowered libido but also relieving many of the symptoms of menopause, says Jason Llias, a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine in New Paltz, New York. It takes about 3 months of daily use to see results.
He recommends using the herb in tincture form, following the dosage recommendations on the label. Chasteberry is often available in health food stores under the name vitex.

Slowing Heavy Bleeding
As hormones shift, periods can become less frequent and lighter. For some, however, periods become longer and heavier before ceasing, says Dr. Lark. Fortunately, there are a number of nutrients that can help solve the problem.

VITAMIN A: Helps Stem the Flow
Dr. Lark says a study shows that women with excessive bleeding have lower-than-normal levels of vitamin A and that supplementing with the nutrient stops bleeding in almost 90 percent of women with the problem. She recommends eating plenty of sweet potatoes or drinking carrot juice, both of which supply beta-carotene, the most beneficial form of vitamin A.

B-COMPLEX VITAMINS: Maintain Estrogen Levels
Take 50 to 100 milligrams a day of B-complex vitamins, which can help stabilize estrogen levels, says Dr. Lark.

VITAMIN C WITH BIOFLAVONOIDS: Reduce Bleeding
Dozens of scientific studies show that these nutrients can reduce heavy bleeding, says Dr. Lark. She recommends 1,000 to 4,000 milligrams a day of vitamin C in combination with 500 to 2,000 milligrams of bioflavonoids.