Up until recently, hormone replacement therapy, in particular estrogen replacement therapy, was the cornerstone of menopause treatment. Estrogen reduces symptoms such as hot flashes, helps maintain bone strength to delay the onset of osteoporosis, and can reduce urinary incontinence. Sufficient estrogen levels in the body are also needed to keep cholesterol levels lower. However, despite these beneficial effects, recent research has shown that long-term hormone replacement therapy may actually be harmful, increasing the chance of serious complications such as heart attacks, strokes, certain types of breast cancer, dementia and gallstones.

Revised US Food and Drug Administration guidelines recommend that most women receive only short-term hormone replacement therapy. This short-term therapy is usually beneficial in reducing symptoms, without the attendant health risks long-term therapy poses. Only women who are considered to be at high risk for osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become progressively weaker, may benefit from long-term hormone replacement therapy. Before starting any hormone replacement therapy, a woman should have a breast examination, and if thought necessary by her physician, a mammogram to rule out breast cancer.

Women with osteoporosis may be prescribed drugs such as biphosphonates to reduce bone loss. There are also a number of lifestyle changes a woman can make that may greatly improve her symptoms. These include stopping smoking, controlling alcohol intake, getting regular exercise, and eating a healthy diet, which become especially important as a woman gets older. These changes help maintain weight and reduce the risk of heart disease. Soy products are rich in plant estrogens, and are reported to reduce the intensity of hot flashes. Menopausal women have tried various forms of meditation with varying levels of success.

Although hormone replacement therapy is effective against distressing symptoms of menopause, recent research shows that it has serious side-effects. Therefore, alternative menopausal therapies are being developed, including new drugs to fight osteoporosis, changes in diet and lifestyle, and meditation.

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However,today we have other treatments available to us. These alternative treatments have been making headlines in regards to menopause and post menopause. We’re talking about treatments that are a little more natural and are often very effective. Women have been using alternative treatments for menopause since the beginning of time. You may not be familiar with them so read on!

Here are some of the alternative treatments that are available to you. Take a look and see if any of these alternative treatments for menopause and post menopausal symptoms would possibly work for you.

-Your Diet When you eat a lot of junk food do you ever feel really horrible? Physically? You guessed it, YES, your diet plays a huge part in why some people feel good and why others don’t. It’s best to stick with as many vegetables, fruits, and grains as you possibly can during this difficult time. Try to stay away from fats and red meat if at all possible. Your body needs proper nutrition during menopause. For women who would like to stay as natural as possible, alternative treatments can be wonderful. However, you need to remember that there will be some women that will still need hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It’s always recommended that you make this decision with the help of your doctor. Between the two of you, you can come up with a treatment plan.

-Extra Vitamin Supplements

During different stages of our lives, our bodies will naturally lack different vitamins at different times. Vitamins used in higher doses than usual can help ease the symptoms of menopause. Women using alternative medicine to help with menopause will tell you that this is helpful. While you may be getting the nutrients you need from the foods you eat, you should talk to your doctor about taking extra supplements to help you through menopause.

-What About Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a form of medicine that uses homeopathy, herbs, and other treatments such as acupuncture for illness and/or troublesome symptoms. More and more women experiencing symptoms of menopause are using this method as well. Be aware: Health care experts have warned women who are at high risk for developing heart disease or other serious illnesses correlated with menopause should consider traditional treatments for menopausal symptoms like hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Women in the low risk category however can choose to go with a completely natural method such as the ones described here. By combining some of the natural treatments available, you’ll find the best solution for you, this is what alternative treatment is all about!

-Herbs For Menopause Symptoms

Herbs have been used for centuries by different groups of people, they are still widely used in the non-Western world. Herbs are quickly becoming more and more common in the West as well. Numerous studies have shown there to be many herbs that are very effective in controlling the symptoms of menopause. One herb to note is Black cohosh. Black cohosh has been widely used for symptoms of hot flashes while the herb St. John’s Wart has been a very popular herb for symptoms of moodiness or anxiety.

-Benefits Of Soy

Soy has been shown to help lower blood pressure. It also helps to stimulate our bodies disease preventing antibodies. Women who suffer with hot flashes may want to use soy to help prevent these symptoms that occur while going through menopause. Studies have shown Soy to be very effective in preventing hot flashes. Soy truly has many benefits for the body. If you don’t get enough soy, you can always supplement by taking soy tablets, soy milk or even try soy butter and other soy products readily available in our grocery stores.

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For many years, the most highly recommended menopause treatment was hormone replacement therapy. However, a large study known as the Women?s Health Initiative found that long-term estrogen only or progesterone, estrogen combination therapies resulted in an increased risk of blood clots and stroke. Since, the first symptoms of menopause may appear years before actual menopause (which is when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months) alternative treatments may be the best choice.

Menopause signs, symptoms and conditions that may appear up to ten years before actual menopause include:

Irregular periods

The first symptoms of menopause that usually appear are changes in menstrual periods. These may be normal, but it is important to see your doctor regularly and report things like; heavy bleeding, periods that last several days longer or are more frequent than what you are accustomed to, and spotting between periods or after sex. Herbs that help to correct hormonal imbalances, including black cohosh, red clover and sarsaparilla, may help regulate and normalize periods. Black cohosh is one highly recommended alternative menopause treatment.

Mood swings, Depression, Anxiety

These emotional difficulties may be menopause signs/symptoms related to changing hormonal levels. They could be symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome if they occur in the last two weeks before a period. They can be caused by changing life situations or life events that cause cumulative stress. When mood swings, depression or anxiety affect your quality of life or your relationships, you should see your doctor, counselor or psychologist. If you have had suicidal thoughts, do not delay. An alternative menopause treatment that addresses emotional difficulties is 5-HTP. Used by the body to create serotonin, which regulates sleep, mood and sexuality, small amounts of 5-HTP are found in turkey and other foods and is an ingredient in some health supplements. Because, the action of 5-HTP is similar to prescription antidepressants, they should not be taken together, without consulting your doctor.

Increased symptoms of PMS, fatigue, breast tenderness

Fatigue and breast tenderness are some of the first symptoms of menopause, but are also symptoms of PMS, which (not to be repetitive) can be one of the first symptoms of menopause. Women who have never suffered from PMS sometimes start to see symptoms in their thirties. As with all of the other menopause signs/symptoms, other conditions should be ruled out, before assuming that you are suffering from PMS. The symptoms of PMS are believed to be caused by decreased levels of estrogen. Sometimes recommended as an alternative menopause treatment, phytoestrogens found in soy and red clover can help relieve the symptoms of PMS. Phytoestrogens are plant components that have an estrogen-like effect on the body.

Decreased sex drive, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse

The majority of women report a decreased sex drive as one of the first symptoms of menopause, but some women notice an increase in sex drive. Depending largely on whether or not vaginal dryness causes pain during intercourse. Other changes in a woman?s body can cause discomfort during sex at this time and normal monthly changes of the cervix can cause pain in certain positions. Painful intercourse should always be reported to your doctor to rule out other causes. Tribulus terrestris is among the herbs recommended to increase sex drive, by regulating hormonal levels. Vaginal dryness can be relieved by using K-Y jelly or lotions. Among the newest varieties are ones that ?heat up? when applied and ones with pleasant fragrances. Changing positions can be more comfortable and more fun.

Urine leakage or urgency

Most women consider it a part of getting older, but this is one of the more embarrassing first symptoms of menopause. It can be related to other conditions, but is usually caused by decreased levels of estrogen in the body. An alternative menopause treatment that addresses this symptom is Kegel exercise, which strengthens the pelvic muscles. Other things that you can do include; losing weight if you are heavy, limiting caffeinated beverages, avoiding artificial sweeteners and train the bladder to gradually hold more urine (waiting longer before you go).

Hot flashes

You feel hot, for no reason. You may sweat more than usual. You may have red blotches on your face, neck and chest. Caused by changing estrogen levels (isn?t everything), these may not be the first symptoms of menopause that you notice, but they are some of the more easily recognizable ones. Black cohosh is an alternative menopause treatment that has been shown in numerous studies to effectively relieve these symptoms.

Night sweats

These are the same as hot flashes only that happen in bed at night and may wake you up, interrupting your sleep and possibly leading to the next symptom.

Insomnia

Difficulty sleeping may be caused by night sweats or many of the other menopause signs/symptoms. Though not recognized by many health care professionals as such, an alternative menopause treatment that addresses this symptom is 5-HTP, previously mentioned, it can improve the quality of sleep.

Not all women experience all of these menopause signs/symptoms and there are others that are not mentioned here, including headaches, body aches, joint pain and migraines. If you seek help when you notice the first symptoms of menopause, then you may be more comfortable throughout these years.

If conventional menopause treatment does not appeal to you, you are not alone. Many women, me included, seek alternative solutions. For more information about natural products that can help, please visit www.menopause-and-pms-guide.com.

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Herbal Menopause Remedy Products we recommend include:

Menocore - Menocore is a botanical alternative medicine formulation which contains a blend of all natural herbal extracts developed to ease the transition and provide effective Menopause Symptoms Relief from the onset and duration of typical menopausal symptoms. Menocore has been developed as a natural alternative support product, formulated with the best-known combination of high-potency phytoestrogen botanicals which have a long empirical history of relieving menopausal symptoms, and supporting the body’s hormonal balance.

Triatone – The ingredients of Triatone: Black Cohosh, Dong Quai, Licorice Root, Chasleberry, and Isoflavones – Have all been proven to help reduce hot flashes associated with menopause. Soy ingredients such as these, help produce isoflavones which have similar properties to human estrogen. Isoflavones can bind to the body’s estrogen receptors and help offset the drop in estrogen that occurs during menopause.

MellowPause - While soy has been shown to have positive effect on hormone balancing, MellowPause’s combination of ingredients make it effective for not only hormone balancing, but helps with other menopausal symptoms such as irritability, mood swings and insomnia.

Menopause is the point at which a woman stops ovulating and menstruation ceases, indicating the end of fertility. Menopause is as natural a progression in life as puberty. For most women, natural hormone production begins to slow down when they reach their thirties, and continues to diminish as they age. Many women experience few if any symptoms during this time but others may suffer from some or all of the following; anxiety, dry skin, fatigue, feelings of bloating, headaches, heart palpitations, hot flashes, insomnia, irritability decreases interest in sex, loss of concentration, mood swings, night sweats, reduces stamina, urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness and itching and weight gain.

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Menopause can happen in one of two ways ?naturally or medically. When it occurs naturally, the ovaries gradually slow their production of eggs that were necessary for reproduction. When egg production eventually ceases altogether, the production of estrogen also ceases. While natural menopause happens gradually, medically-induced menopause occurs after a radical surgery that requires the removal of the ovaries. In either instance, the elimination of estrogen causes a host of symptoms. When a woman has a particularly difficult time managing menopause symptoms they look for menopause treatment to bring relief.

Some of the more common side effects of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, loss of sexual desire, vaginal dryness, memory loss, distractibility, forgetfulness, irritation, melancholy, and mood swings. While many symptoms are of a physical nature, there are just as many of an emotional nature. Menopause can bring about a host of emotions regarding this significant change of life.

It must be said, however, that not every woman experiences every symptom of menopause. And when symptoms are experienced, the length of time, frequency, and severity with which they are experienced varies woman to woman. Many women may find that menopause treatment is unnecessary as they are hardly bothered at all by symptoms. Other, who experience ongoing or severe symptoms, will seek out natural menopause treatment. Researchers have confirmed that the adoption of a healthy lifestyle goes a long way to minimizing the effects of menopause; this includes a diet of whole, natural foods, a program of consistent exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy means of stress management. Many women find that this is the best menopause treatment of all ? helping them to manage ? and sometimes eliminate ? the symptoms of menopause.

Other women, however, may continue to struggle with the symptoms of menopause. When it comes to point when symptoms are interfering with daily activities, many women choose to see a doctor who can intervene with the use of particular hormone therapies. Hormone therapy, however, should be a last resort as a menopause treatment, as the long term side effects of such pharmaceuticals continue to be debated.

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Most women start to experience symptoms associated with perimenopause or menopause while they are in their thirties or forties – symptoms that may continue into their fifties and sixties. Those who don’t notice menopausal symptoms either went through early menopause when they were young or are, well, dead. So, if you take a serious look at your alternatives with regard to menopause, you’ll see that even though you’re noticing some uncomfortable symptoms, you’re actually quite fortunate. Menopause is only natural and is not at all an indication of the end of being young, sexual, energetic, healthy and beautiful. You can still have it all.

Now that you have a different perspective on the subject of menopause we can continue on and focus on menopause symptoms, treatments, lifestyle and diet to help you get through this transition with ease, confidence and overall good health. Menopause symptoms include:

Weight Gain – Often one of the first signs of menopause that women notice, weight gain is associated with declining hormone levels. It’s not unusual to gain an average of about five pounds in the area of your mid-section or abdomen.

Hot Flashes – As your levels of estrogen drop, there’s a good possibility that your blood vessels may expand, causing your skin temperature to rise. You’ll notice a feeling of warmth moving from your chest, up toward your shoulders, neck and head. Hot flashes can occur several times each day or only occasionally. As with all menopausal symptoms, hot flashes will vary from woman to woman.

Irregular Periods – Your periods may become heavier or lighter than normal and may not be as predictable as they once were (i.e. every 28 days or so).

Irregular Sleep Patterns – You may suddenly wake up in the middle of the night soaking with sweat due to night sweats, and then have a difficult time falling back to sleep. It’s also quite common for women to suddenly wake up during the night for no reason at all. No matter how you’re awakened, a lack of sleep is likely to affect your mood and can also have an impact on your overall health.

Emotional Changes – Many women find that they’re more irritable and moody as they approach menopause. Also, it’s not uncommon to feel fatigued, have a decreased memory and experience difficulty concentrating. These symptoms may or may not be attributed to menopause. Yes, fluctuations in your hormone levels can result in some emotional changes, but it’s important to factor in life events, as well – perhaps problems with your grown children or caring for an elderly parent.

While there are several symptoms of menopause, there are even more solutions to reduce or eliminate menopausal discomforts. Many women choose to make lifestyle changes that have been proven to effectively reduce the severity of symptoms associated with menopause. For instance, it’s a good idea to avoid triggers that have been known to cause hot flashes, such as hot beverages, spicy foods, alcohol, hot weather and warm rooms.

Obviously, if sleep is a problem you’ll want to avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine. Also, try reading or taking a hot bath right before bed so that you’re relaxed and more likely to fall into a nice sound sleep.

Eating a healthy and well balanced diet can do wonders to help ease the symptoms of menopause. Include fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet, and avoid saturated fats, oils and sugars. You’ll want to consume approximately 1,500 milligrams of calcium, plus 400 to 800 international units of vitamin D each day. You may need supplements to reach these amounts. If necessary, discuss this with your doctor.

You’ll be amazed by what a regular exercise program can do to reduce and even eliminate many menopause symptoms. If performed correctly, exercise will protect you from many conditions that are common as you get older, such as heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Exercise and fitness will also eliminate the weight gain associated with menopause, give you more energy and reduce the occurrence of hot flashes.

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “hormone therapy” (HT), which can help to reduce and eliminate many symptoms experienced by women. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that the risks of hormone therapy, which include heart attack, stroke and breast cancer, may outweigh the benefits. While these studies may have changed the course of hormone therapy, estrogen therapy remains the most effective treatment for many menopausal symptoms. If you’d like to learn more about estrogen therapy, talk with your doctor to find out if a very low dose will provide you symptom relief.

There are also several prescription drugs that have been proven to decrease the occurrence of hot flashes. These include some antidepressants related to the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Effexor, Prozac, Sarafem, Paxil, Celaxa and Zoloft. Another drug that has been shown to reduce hot flashes is Neurontin, which is approved to treat seizures. Neurontin is also commonly used to manage chronic nerve-related pain. Additionally, Catapres, which is typically used to treat high blood pressure, may also significantly reduce the frequency of hot flashes. Of course, some of these drugs may cause side effects, which include dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, sexual dysfunction and other symptoms. If, however, your hot flashes are severe and natural remedies haven’t seemed to help, discuss these options with your doctor.

Finally, it’s so very important for you to understand that menopause is very natural. As you experience these symptoms remind yourself that your body is acting and reacting just as it was meant to act and react. While there may be periods of discomfort, remember that you’re a healthy woman and, as such, menopause is simply inevitable. As stated earlier, this transition does not mark the end of your youth and all that comes with it. With a healthy lifestyle, this can be a very active and beautiful new beginning.

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