Читать книгу Manage Your Menopause Naturally - Maryon Stewart - Страница 11
ОглавлениеJump-Starting Your Menopause Solution
We each have our own journey through menopause. Some women sail through and honestly wonder what all the fuss was about. But for many others, the hormonal ups and downs result in bodily changes and unwanted symptoms that disrupt their lives and result in utter misery.
Constant hot flashes during the day and sweats at night can leave you exhausted, disoriented, and despondent. Vaginal dryness and reduced libido can wreck your sex life, while headaches, chronic insomnia, and woolly-headedness can make you wonder if life will ever be the same again.
The good news is that these are menopausal moments — and like all moments, they will pass. My goal is to help you fast-track the process naturally with simple diet and lifestyle adjustments. The only side effect will be that you feel more like yourself, or possibly a whole lot better!
Though some of the symptoms of menopause can take weeks or even months to ease, in week 1 of the Six-Week Natural Menopause Solution we start by alleviating the symptoms you can do something about right away, from reducing hot flashes and night sweats to easing achy joints and painful sex. (Check out the cheat sheet listing symptoms, possible causes, and recommended solutions on page 35.) I want you to start feeling better immediately, and I know from experience that once women get a taste of how good their bodies and minds can feel, it motivates them to keep going.
Quiz: Assess Your Symptoms
This quiz will help you identify your main problems. Based on your responses, I will show you how to tailor your plan based on your own individual needs. Check all of the symptoms below that you’re currently experiencing. Give honest, spontaneous answers.
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Vaginal dryness
Anxiety
Irregular or heavy periods
Frequent need to urinate
Stress incontinence (bladder leakage when laughing, coughing, or sneezing)
Forgetfulness
Depression
Loss of confidence
Trouble concentrating
Difficulty sleeping
Aches and joint pain
Heart palpitations
Panic attacks
Headaches
Loss of sex drive
Painful sex
Mood swings
Fatigue
Weight gain
Bloating
If you checked more than three items, then my Six-Week Natural Menopause Solution can help you manage your particular perimenopause or menopause symptoms and, if necessary, provide you with a tried-and-tested way to wean yourself off hormone replacement therapy (HRT) without any side effects. You will restore your self-esteem, rekindle your libido, resurrect your memory, recharge your batteries, and regain your zest for life, all in the space of a few short weeks, by following a program that has helped literally hundreds of thousands of women worldwide over the past twenty-seven years.
My approach offers a simple, workable, and enjoyable way of alleviating symptoms during perimenopause and beyond. It is based on sound, published scientific research (see the medical references at the back of the book). Its effectiveness astounds most clients.
During my years at the Natural Health Advisory Service (NHAS), we conducted several research projects measuring levels of nutrients in women at different stages of their lives. The results suggested that falling levels of estrogen are not the only trigger of menopausal symptoms. Diet and lifestyle also play an important part. Levels of some nutrients drop naturally as we age. By the time many women reach menopause, they are running on two cylinders instead of four. Women who are not in a good nutritional or physiological state are likely to suffer more severe menopause symptoms and face poorer long-term health prospects.
My Six-Week Natural Menopause Solution includes five approaches to overcoming perimenopause and menopause symptoms:
• Getting nutrient levels back into an optimum range
• Using natural plant-based estrogen compounds that bind to the estrogen receptors in our cells to fool the brain into believing we once again have normal circulating levels of estrogen
• Taking standardized nutritional supplements that have been proven both safe and effective
• Exercising regularly to keep our metabolism ticking over and release endorphins, our feel-good hormones
• Doing a session of relaxation daily to keep cool, calm, and relaxed
My six-week plan includes explanations of why common symptoms occur, nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to symptoms, and action plans to address specific symptoms. Chapter 4 includes a list of supplements that have been medically proven to soothe menopause symptoms and help boost your overall health and well-being. Combine these recommendations with the meal plans and delicious recipes in part 3 to make sure you meet your body’s nutritional needs. Also included is information on the nutritional content of many foods.
As soon as you start addressing your body’s needs, symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, depression, headaches, aches and pains, insomnia, mood swings, and anxiety will begin to subside. You will also start lowering your risk for many life-disrupting (and often life-threatening) conditions, including heart disease, osteoporosis, estrogen-related cancers (such as breast cancer), kidney problems, memory loss, and dementia.
Barbara’s Story
Barbara is a fifty-three-year-old multimedia expert and award-winning film-maker from Austin, Texas. When she first approached me for help, she was unable to sleep and suffering with anxiety and brain fog.
I was so afraid that I was getting dementia, because my short-term memory was shot. I hated the aging process — and myself, at times. I dreaded getting up in the morning, and at night my brain would go a hundred miles a minute, so I never felt rested.
I suffered with menopause symptoms for five years. I felt desperately anxious, especially because of the brain fog. It made me feel scared and totally incompetent. Despite the fact that I was always yo-yo dieting, I was grossed out about my weight gain so I distanced myself from my husband. I felt moody, I couldn’t sleep either, and all of this gave me very low self-esteem, and I certainly didn’t feel like having any physical contact.
Loss of concentration was another disconcerting symptom. This left me feeling even more anxious, as I couldn’t maintain my train of thought while I was working, and that’s crucial to the success of my work. My doctor thought I had ADD (attention deficit disorder) and prescribed a high dose of Adderall, which was unsustainable as it gave me extreme headaches.
I hadn’t realized I was going through perimenopause.
Within the first few weeks of being on the Six-Week Menopause Solution I began losing weight. My brain fog disappeared a bit later, and sleep got gradually better. The difference for me is like the difference between night and day. I am now probably my most creative in years and can write with ease and actually enjoy my work. Falling asleep is not a problem, which is great considering my work schedule. I can also think clearly without scary brain fog. I feel like I am in charge and have a more positive body image.
I look forward to the future and actually like myself again. I have only begun this next chapter in my life, and from what I can see it’s going to be a doozy. My dreams and aspirations are taking shape. Now, instead of being scared, I can’t wait for the next adventure.
Having worked with hundreds of thousands of women over the years, I have witnessed wonderful transformations as women regain their quality of health, confidence, and self- esteem. The women who share their experiences for this book are just a few typical examples.
Their stories show you that you are not suffering alone and that the end of your symptoms is in sight. This is your chance for a happy and healthy new beginning!
Joscelyn’s Story
Joscelyn was a dynamic professional woman who was struggling to cope with the disruptions to her life caused by her menopause symptoms.
When I reached approximately forty-five, I started to notice that I was increasingly experiencing dark moods (I am naturally a cheerful person) and would often have (as I now call them) “black” days. At the time, I had a busy career running a print and design company with my husband, and my responsibility was to pull work in. Naturally this meant a lot of contact with customers, both on the phone and face to face. On black days, I could not cope with talking to anyone and would often find myself at home on the sofa, comfort eating, watching TV, or sleeping.
Eventually, after about two years of trying to cope, I found Maryon Stewart on a Health TV channel. By this time I was desperate for help. I was putting on weight and becoming obsessed with food, experiencing increased mood swings, and feeling very run down and constantly tired.
I decided to get in touch with Maryon. At first I thought following the recommendations would be really tough (especially the alcohol side of things!), but I was so desperate to pick myself up, I knew I had to stick with it. My system was very low, and it took a few weeks before I started to see results, but following Maryon’s advice and increasing my intake of isoflavones and phytoestrogens, I soon found that I was not craving food as I had previously. I have since introduced many of the foods that I’d eliminated back into my diet. However, I have learned to manage my diet in accordance with my menopause and ensure I focus on the isoflavones and phytoestrogens to stay on track.
It has literally been one of the best things I have ever done, and I will always be grateful for the sound advice and support.
A Quick-Start Guide to Managing Common Symptoms
Let’s look at what causes menopause symptoms and how you can help yourself in the short term. Because some symptoms are interrelated, you may find that as you treat one, the others also improve. This is not an exhaustive list of symptoms; see the cheat sheet on page 35 for information on other common symptoms and advice on how to manage them.
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes and night sweats can be debilitating. More than 80 percent of women are affected by hot flashes at some point. They may start long before you stop menstruating and continue for several years afterward. Experts don’t know for sure what causes them, but it’s thought that a lack of estrogen may affect the hypothalamus — the region of the brain that controls body temperature.
The frequency, duration, and intensity of hot flashes vary from one person to another. You may get several a day or be plagued constantly, day and night. They may last from a few seconds to several minutes. (The average is four minutes.) As well as the sudden rush of heat, you may experience a racing heart, dizziness, anxiety, and irritability.
Night sweats are severe versions of hot flashes that can cause you to wake up drenched in perspiration. You may even have to change your pajamas and sheets.
If you’re woken up this way, night after night, you’re bound to feel exhausted. Worse, because physical contact with a partner can trigger a hot flash, many women avoid it, which can lead to feelings of rejection and relationship problems. Here are some ways to feel better fast.
Cooling Your Hot Flashes
• Don’t be embarrassed by a hot flash.
• The moment you feel one coming on, stop what you’re doing. Take several slow, deep breaths and try to relax. This may help reduce the severity of the hot flash.
• If possible, drink a glass of cold water and sit calmly until it passes.
• Wear layers that you can easily take off when you feel yourself getting hot. Clothes made of natural fibers, such as cotton, help your skin breathe.
• Keep your bedroom cool at night and put a fan, wet wipes, and a cold drink by your bed.
• Use cotton bedlinens and pajamas.
• Eat small, frequent meals. The heat generated by digesting a large meal can sometimes bring on a hot flash.
• Exercise regularly. Being in good shape reduces your propensity to sweat and reduces hot flashes.
• Don’t smoke. Research shows it increases the risk of overheating.
• Include plenty of phytoestrogens in your diet. (See the list of phytoestrogen- rich foods on page 60.)
• Try scientifically based supplements, like Promensil and Femmenessence MacaPause, which have been shown to reduce or even eliminate hot flashes and night sweats.
Did You Know?
It’s likely the hot surges you experience are the result of your brain trying to kick-start your ovaries into producing estrogen. Ovarian function does not decline in a straight line, which means that estrogen levels — and the severity of hot flashes — can fluctuate.
Headaches
Headaches and migraines are common during menopause and may be caused in part by changing body temperature, tiredness due to hot flashes, sleeplessness, or general stress and anxiety. Migraines can also be affected by falling estrogen levels and may either diminish or worsen during menopause.
Managing Headaches
• Practice relaxation techniques, like deep breathing.
• Exercise regularly. It helps increase blood flow to the brain, which may alleviate headaches.
• Headaches are sometimes caused by low blood sugar. Eating a wholesome snack before bed can help keep your blood sugar level balanced and prevent you from waking up with a headache.
• Try complementary therapies, such as massage and acupuncture.
• Practice tapping exercises (see page 147), an acupressure technique that can eliminate pain.
Painful Sex
Lack of estrogen causes a decrease in the mucus-producing cells in the lining of the vagina, making it thin and dry. As a result, sex can become uncomfortable, and in some cases painful. A decrease in muscle tone and a resulting reduction in the blood supply to the urogenital area may also be a factor. The good news is that this is reversible through diet, supplements, and other approaches.
Jump-Starting Your Sex Life
• Try Membrasin® SBA24® capsules (known as Omega 7 SBA24 in the UK) to help alleviate vaginal dryness and discomfort (see page 82).
• Try products like Membrasin® Vaginal Vitality Cream and other personal lubricants, which can make sex much more comfortable and pleasurable.
• Have regular sex. As counterintuitive as it sounds, it can help with vaginal lubrication. And spend plenty of time on foreplay!
• Do pelvic floor exercises (also known as Kegel exercises) to strengthen the muscles and increase blood flow. In addition to doing the simple exercise described below, look for Michele Kenway’s instructive videos on YouTube, which range from basic to more advanced pelvic floor exercises.
WORKING YOUR PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLES
1. Sit with your eyes closed and think about the muscles you’d use to stop urine flow.
2. Contract those muscles as tightly as possible.
3. Hold for several seconds. It should feel like the muscles are lifting in and up.
4. Relax for several seconds, then repeat once. Do the exercise 10 to 15 times a day.
Mood Swings
Depression, irritability, and anxiety are common menopausal symptoms that are probably caused by the hormonal and physical changes you are going through (just as teenagers get moody when they experience the hormonal roller coaster of puberty). You may find yourself weeping for no obvious reason, being unable to make up your mind about the smallest things, or feeling panicky at the thought of tackling something you’d normally take in stride. It is important to realize that these feelings are normal and will pass, although it may take time. If you are experiencing deep depression and even suicidal thoughts, though, it’s important to check in with your medical team.
Evening Out Mood Swings
• Don’t keep your feelings bottled up — talk about them with a friend, a family member, or your partner.
• Follow a phytoestrogen-rich diet. (You’ll find a list of convenience foods that contain good doses of them on page 217.)
• Exercise regularly. There’s good evidence that being active elevates mood.
• Try doing a yoga session each day, maybe using online videos for guidance if you haven’t done yoga before. Yoga with Adriene, on YouTube, offers a free thirty-day course that is a great place to begin.
• Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, or try a using a guided meditation app.
• Keep a list of things you’re grateful for. Looking over it can lift your spirits and help you keep things in perspective.
• Watch a fun movie.
• Dance to your favorite music.
• Practice mindfulness and mindful breathing to keep yourself grounded and in the moment (see page 91).
Insomnia
A succession of sleepless nights can be severely debilitating, so it’s important to address insomnia as soon as you can. Common causes include night sweats, anxiety, and having to get up in the night to go to the bathroom. Poor or disturbed sleep can trigger many other symptoms, such as depression and irritability, so sleeping better may also help improve your mood.
Getting a Better Night’s Sleep
• Try relaxation techniques, especially right before bed (see page 90).
• Exercise regularly. It’s been shown to improve the quality of sleep.
• Have a cup of chamomile or valerian tea or warm soy milk before bed.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks completely, as the caffeine can act as a stimulant and keep you awake. These include, tea, coffee, cola drinks, and hot chocolate.
• Listen to soothing music. It can help you relax and sleep more soundly.
• Try not to take worries to bed with you. Jot down anything that’s bothering you to get it off your mind, and then consciously distance yourself from any troubles by focusing on something you find soothing.
• Avoid watching, reading, or listening to anything too stimulating in the evening, and avoid electronic screens (laptops, tablets, and smartphones) at least an hour before bed. Research shows that the blue light they emit can disrupt sleep.
• If you frequently wake during the night, taking the herb valerian can help you get back to sleep. If you find it hard to get to sleep, try taking valerian half an hour before you go to bed.
• Try the Pzizz Sleep app (see chapter 4).
Dry Skin
Many women start to notice their skin becoming drier around the time of menopause. You may also see an increase in wrinkles. Both are due to the effect of lowered estrogen levels on collagen, the structural protein in skin that keeps it firm and elastic. Keeping your skin well hydrated and eating plenty of foods rich in phytoestrogens can counteract dryness and fine lines.
Treating Dry Skin
• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Look for plant-based products with no artificial chemicals. There are many lovely brands to choose from.
• Protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays by applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 — particularly on your face, neck, and hands.
• Drink at least eight glasses of water daily to hydrate skin from the inside out.
• Regularly exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and help your moisturizer penetrate skin more readily.
• Eat plenty of oily fish rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs), such as salmon and sardines. These healthy fats help keep skin soft and smooth.
• Consider taking an omega-3 supplement.
• Try taking the natural supplement Equelle, containing S-Equol. In a study of 101 postmenopausal women, this soy-based product was shown to significantly reduce the depth of wrinkles after twelve weeks.
Panic Attacks and Palpitations
Women often experience panic attacks and even heart palpitations during menopause, even if they’ve never really been bothered by them before. These symptoms may come on suddenly, sometimes just prior to a hot flash, and be very frightening. One of the participants in my program reported that she had been taken to hospital five times in four weeks by ambulance while on holiday in Australia, as she thought she was having a heart attack. Doctors found no irregularities, and it turned out that her symptoms were related to menopause. After a few weeks on the Six-Week Natural Menopause Solution, once her “midlife refuel” was under way, her symptoms disappeared and never returned.
If you do experience cardiac symptoms, it’s best to get them checked out by your doctor, for peace of mind if nothing else.
What is it about menopause that can cause or aggravate these symptoms? When hormone levels fluctuate, the brain sends a message to the hormone-producing adrenal glands, which can cause an adrenaline surge, part of the body’s flight-or-fight response. A survey by the NHAS of one thousand clients found that 91 percent of women had suffered anxiety before their periods, and in severe cases had panic attacks and palpitations leading up to their periods. These symptoms can get worse as we age, because falling nutrient levels can impede normal hormone function. Once your nutrient levels and hormones are back in balance, your sense of well-being will likely return.
Easing Palpitations and Panicky Feelings
• Eliminate caffeine from your diet. Even teas, coffee, or soft drinks labeled as decaffeinated may contain enough residual caffeine to cause anxiety.
• Eat regular, wholesome meals and snacks to provide your brain and nervous system with a constant supply of nutrients.
• Minimize your consumption of alcohol, as it impedes the absorption of many important nutrients and can leave you feeling anxious.
• Don’t smoke. Nicotine may seem to have a calming effect, but it is also a stimulant that should be avoided.
• When you begin feeling anxious, take a few slow, deep breaths and mindfully bring your attention to the moment. Repeating calming affirmations can be helpful at this point, as can focusing on something beautiful, like a flower or one of your favorite pictures.
• Practice formal relaxation or meditation each day.
• Use the Pzizz app to help you calm down when you feel anxiety building (see chapter 4).
• Take a good broad-spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement each day, like Gynovite Plus or Fema 45+ (in the UK), which has been shown to boost nutrient levels and calm anxiety.
• Try taking valerian supplements to help you feel calmer, and rhodiola to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. These adaptogenic herbs help your body deal with an elevated stress response (seepage 82).
Fiona’s Story
When Fiona first approached me for help she was forty-seven. She was scared by her extreme brain fog, especially as she had consulted several doctors who suggested she might have dementia.
I started to lose myself at the age of thirty-seven. For ten years I felt progressively worse before I realized it was due to menopause. My memory went blank, and I couldn’t sleep. I had terrible aches and pains and body stiffness. I suffered palpitations, sometimes up to five episodes in an hour, and the heat permeating from my body made me feel unattractive and claustrophobic. My periods suddenly became a major disruption to my life, and I felt anxious and irritable most of the time. My confidence was very low, and I felt confused and afraid when my mind failed me, as it did on many occasions. Plus, I had severe constipation and bloating. My doctor, who rolled his eyes when I suggested it might be menopause, put me on Microgynon [oral contraceptives] to manage my periods, gave me some sleeping tablets, and referred me for a sleep apnea test and an ECG before diagnosing stress and advising I adjust my work-life balance.
Towards the end of it all I felt so ill, it was as if my brain had died. The brain fog was so severe, there was no point writing myself a note, because I wouldn’t remember where I’d put it. Inevitably, I cut down on work and eventually left the workplace because I couldn’t cope. If I had stayed, I know I would have cracked and had an incredibly public meltdown, as I was so overwhelmed. I can understand why women feel there is no point to living at this stage in their lives.
It was a sleep apnea nurse who was the first person to agree that my symptoms might be related to menopause, so I plucked up the courage and insisted my doctor measure my follicle-stimulating hormone, which had never been measured during my ten-year-long nightmare. I wasn’t too surprised to find out it was elevated beyond belief. It confirmed I was in the middle of menopause. I was put on HRT, which I thought would be the answer, but I had unbearable side effects. Although it controlled the heat and palpitations, I put on masses of weight, still felt bloated, had chronic indigestion, vaginal bleeding, and headaches. Even though I began to sleep through the night, I was overcome with exhaustion. HRT also did nothing for the brain fog. On the advice of my doctor, after five months of nonstop bleeding, I stopped taking HRT. The effect was catastrophic: every symptom returned, and I hit rock bottom.
I found Maryon Stewart on Facebook and was interested in her years of experience helping women overcome menopause naturally. I enrolled in her Six-Week Natural Meno-pause Solution in June and made the changes she suggested to my diet and lifestyle, and I took some supplements that have been shown in clinical trials to help. I now feel like a different person. I feel like me again. I sleep. I wake up feeling refreshed. I’m clear-headed and no longer have brain fog. I no longer have bloating or constipation. I am able to work, and I’m even managing a house move now, which I couldn’t have even thought about before.
I find it outrageous that my symptoms were so easily controlled by natural measures that are based on published research and don’t have any side effects, yet most doctors are not familiar with them. It’s beyond sad that women are left to suffer in this way. So many relationships are wrecked by menopause symptoms, and it’s such a waste of talent in the workplace.
Aching Joints
Falling estrogen levels result in reduced lubrication in our joints. In addition, a lack of essential nutrients can cause degeneration and result in creaking bones and aching joints, especially first thing in the morning. Here are some tips for reducing pain and increasing mobility.
Soothing Aching Joints
• Eat two to three servings a week of fish rich in omega-3 EFAs, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines. These substances have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and may help ease aches and pains.
• Unless you have respiratory or heart problems, exercise vigorously enough to raise your heart rate a little for at least thirty minutes several days a week. Retaining flexibility really helps the body to stay comfortable and keep moving.
• Do some gentle wake-up stretches in the morning.
• Try taking EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) and krill oil supplements, which have been shown to alleviate arthritis pain, possibly by helping the body create anti-inflammatory prostaglandins that reduce joint swelling. (Avoid cod liver oil, which contains high levels of vita-mins A and D that can be harmful in excess.)
• Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can also help to relubricate cartilage and regenerate the cushioning in stiff joints.
Lisa’s Story
Lisa is a sixty-two-year-old woman who lives in Maryland. She had a number of unwanted postmenopause symptoms and had been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
When I met Maryon I hadn’t had a period for four years, but I was still experiencing hot flashes and night sweats. My worst symptoms were insomnia and almost nonexistent sex drive. Even though I have a wonderful and gorgeous husband, I couldn’t face sex, as it was so painful due to vaginal dryness. I’ve had lifelong aches and pains, as I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was fourteen years old. I felt forgetful, overweight, irritable, nervous, bloated to the point of looking six months pregnant, and my skin was uncharacteristically dry.
I didn’t have high hopes, as I had tried most things to feel better, but I followed Maryon’s tailor-made recommendations completely, as I was so desperate. I thoroughly enjoyed the diet she suggested, took a number of supplements that she thought would help me, and made time for exercise and formal relaxation. Amazingly, within weeks I had no bloating, and my husband’s bloating is greatly reduced too, as he’s been following my new way of eating.
Even after a month my dry vagina is wet again, and both my husband and I are delighted to say that sex is back on the menu. The hot flashes and night sweats are already greatly reduced, and unbelievably, 80 percent of the joint pain that I have lived with practically my whole life has gone! I’m sleeping better and no longer need a sleeping pill, and if I do wake in the night, I get straight back to sleep now. I’ve lost weight, I’m able to concentrate and listen, and I am no longer forgetful. This program has truly been a life changer for me.
Hot flashes are thought to be partly caused by the brain’s response to fluctuating hormones. An Italian study suggests that supplementing the diet with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids can significantly reduce the number of hot flashes. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial found that these supplements led to a significant decrease in severe hot flashes in twenty-nine women over twenty-four weeks. EFAs may help attenuate hormonal ups and downs by acting on nerve membranes and neurotransmitters.
Omega-3 EFAs also have a positive effect on blood triglycerides and HDL, the “good” cholesterol, according to Australian researchers who conducted a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial on fifty-three perimenopausal women who took 1 gram per day of omega-3 EFAs.
Another Italian study of 66,500 women attending menopause clinics showed that those suffering severe hot flashes and night sweats were less active than other participants.
Data from the Melbourne Women’s Midlife Health Project traced thirty-five women over eight years. Daily exercisers were less likely to be bothered with hot flashes.
I’m happier, sleeping well, and more contented. I don’t lose my memory anymore, I’m very on the ball and young again in my mind.
— Sharyn McLaughlin
Several studies show that isoflavones — naturally occurring estrogen-like substances found in soy and some other plants — help reduce hot flashes and night sweats, improve cognitive function and memory, and lessen the appearance of wrinkles.
Researchers in Turkey studying a group of 303 women found that higher vitamin D levels are associated with fewer menopausal symptoms and better sexual function. They therefore recommend that vitamin D status should be evaluated in all menopausal women.
Following a healthy lifestyle and finding time to relax also seems to help with hot flashes and night sweats. Consuming a diet rich in isoflavones (see page 60) and omega-3 and omega-6 oils, getting regular exercise, cutting down on alcohol, and taking time to relax can all help alleviate these symptoms.
The table below offers a quick guide to remedies for troubling menopause symptoms. You can use it now to get a flying start on your personal Six-Week Natural Menopause Solution, but don’t stop here! The following chapters offer in-depth explanations of how these approaches, used in combination, can help you eliminate your symptoms in the long term and feel better than ever.
Since many symptoms can be relieved by simple dietary changes, I suggest you also refer to the list of nutritional content of foods (page 222) and the meal plans in chapter 11 to identify nutritious foods and easy ways to incorporate them into your diet.
| Symptoms | Possible Causes | How To Feel Better |
| Hot flashes and night sweats | Deficiencies of estrogen, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D | Eat plenty of foods that contain naturally occurring phytoestrogens, such as soy-based products and flaxseed.Take red clover supplements.Consider taking magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D supplements.Avoid hot drinks, spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine, which can increase your body temperature and trigger these symptoms. |
| Headaches and migraines | Deficiencies of vitamin E, B vitamins, and magnesium | Eat regular, wholesome meals and snacks to keep blood sugar in check.Avoid caffeine.Take a multivitamin and a magnesium supplement.Try incorporating ginger into your diet; it is a known relaxant and has anti-inflammatory properties that can ease headaches. |
| Vaginal dryness and loss of libido | Deficiencies of estrogen, essential fatty acids, vitamins D and E, zinc, and magnesium | Eat plant-based foods that contain phytoestrogens.Consider taking sea buckthorn oil, vitamins D and E, zinc, and magnesium supplements. |
| Mood swings and depression | Deficiencies of vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, C, and D; folate; biotin; and possibly essential fatty acids | Avoid processed foods, which are low in nutrients.Include plenty of greens, nuts, seeds, and berries in your diet.Exercise regularly.Consider taking supplements of vitamin B complex, vitamins C and D, and fish oils. |
| Insomnia | Deficiency of B vitamins (in particular vitamin B12), magnesium, and calcium | Avoid caffeine.Eat lean meat and seafood, which contain B vitamins.Avoid going hungry, to keep blood sugar from dropping.Take B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium supplements. |
| Panic attacks and palpitations | Deficiencies of potassium, magnesium, and iron | Avoid caffeine.Eat potassium-rich foods, like bananas.Consider taking iron and magnesium supplements, as well as herbs including maca, valerian, or St. John’s wort. |
| Joint and muscle aches | Deficiencies of magnesium, potassium, sodium, vitamin B1, and vitamin D | Consume 2–3 servings of omega-3-rich fish per week.Eat bananas.Consider taking vitamin D and omega-3 supplements. |
| Fatigue | Deficiencies of protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, and vitamins C and D | Eat unprocessed foods.Include nuts, seeds, omega-3-rich fish, and fresh fruit and vegetables in your regular diet.Consume plenty of protein.Consider taking a multivitamin and supplementing with vitamins C and D and magnesium. |
| Memory loss and poor concentration | Deficiencies of iron, vitamins B1, B12, and D, folate, and possibly essential fatty acids | Eat wholesome foods that include soy.Consider taking multivitamins and supplements containing minerals, vitamin D, and fish oils. |
| Thinning hair | Deficiencies of estrogen, iron, and vitamin C | Eat a phytoestrogen-rich diet.Get your iron levels checked and take a supplement if necessary.Consider taking a multivitamin and additional vitamin C. |
| Restless legs | Deficiencies of iron and folate | Avoid caffeine.Get your iron and folate levels checked and take supplements if necessary. |
