The climacteric is an important period of a woman’s life. Understanding the needs of the body and mind at this stage allows you to move through it calmly.
- Menopause: symptoms
- Menopause: age to start preventing
- 7 Ways to Treat Menopausal Symptoms Naturally
- Books about menopause from natural medicine
Menopause is a normal phenomenon in a woman’s life, or at least it should be, but in many cases, it translates into a source of problems, both physical and psychological, since it not only implies an important hormonal change, but these hormones and the process that entails loss of fertility can generate in many women states of anxiety or depression.
Many things can be done to prevent or mitigate its symptoms, but it is important to keep in mind that one of the determining factors that aggravates the symptomatology is the so-called “Western lifestyle”.
If menopause is not contextualized within the framework of a society, it is difficult to understand the changes that occur in a woman and how to prevent the ailments that can manifest during this new journey, which can offer the opportunity to know herself better and live fully, freeing herself from old ties.
Menopause is a turbulent period in a woman’s life but not necessarily associated with illness.
From serenity and with a positive attitude, this life experience can be an opportunity to bring out a new woman, with renewed strength, because she no longer has menstrual losses. and more stable, since it is not subject to the hormonal variations of the menstrual cycle.
In addition, it is important to understand and assume that sexuality, desire and satisfaction do not disappear but change, because the arrival of maturity provides a greater knowledge of oneself.
In short, it is a crucial moment to assess what has been achieved, free ourselves from what can hinder the path and draw new vital horizons.
So that the path does not present obstacles, it is necessary to know this vital period in depth and learn to face it with the serenity it deserves. That is why we collect the issues that are most of concern.
MENOPAUSE: SYMPTOMS
It could be defined as the cessation of menstruation, which hormonally can be observed as a gradual reduction of hormone production by the ovaries and other glands of internal secretion such as the adrenals and fat cells or adipocytes.
This hormonal earthquake, which usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, can generate numerous symptoms such as:
- hot flashes and sweating,
- Cramps
- very irregular cycles,
- character changes (sometimes anxiety, depression),
- reduced sexual appetite,
- Palpitations
- nausea
- hair loss,
- dandruff
- brittle skin,
- vaginal dryness and the rest of the mucous membranes,
- muscle and joint pain, etc.
MENOPAUSE: AGE TO START PREVENTING
Prior to menopause, premenopause is manifested, which is characterized by the incidence of erratic, disordered and more or less frequent menstrual periods than usual, although this does not mean that any menstrual alteration in the 40s is due to premenopause.
In this initial period is when there is more time to prevent the symptoms of established menopause, such as hot flashes or osteoporosis, since dietary or phototherapeutic interventions aimed at regulating the hormonal process are much more effective.
Many people think that the prevention of problems derived from menopause has to start from the age of 30, but this is not the case because in this period you can already notice the errors accumulated throughout life, which can manifest themselves with the appearance of conditions such as osteoporosis, breast cancer or cardiovascular disorders.
Dietary education and awareness must start from adolescence, since eating disorders, increasingly frequent and often associated with psychological problems, often lead to irregular menstrual cycles, which promote hypoestrogenism and premature osteoporosis.
Cases of osteoporosis have been observed in women aged 20 who have made very unbalanced diets, as is the case of anorexic women, and competitive athletes, who follow excessively hyperproteic diets.
Just as lack of menstruation is one of the triggers of osteoporosis, it is known that the more menstrual cycles you have had throughout your fertile life, the greater the degree of osteoporosis.
7 WAYS TO TREAT MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS NATURALLY
For years, hormone therapy seemed to be the panacea for preventing menopausal symptoms.
However, every day there is more evidence that calls into question its suitability, because in the short, medium and long term it can lead to serious health problems.
These include a significant increase in deaths from cerebral and cardiac vascular accidents and a disproportionate incidence of gynecological cancers, especially breast cancer.
A few years ago in the United States, a macro-study on different menopausal treatments had to be suspended when it was found that the group of women who were receiving hormone replacement therapy were subject to an unethical risk.
Also, the list of problems induced by hormone therapy, in addition to the above, is extensive: it increases blood pressure and the risk of gallstones, depression, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, strokes and migraines.
This type of therapy, therefore, should be restricted to very specific cases and delimited by medical pathology, and not focus on a simple relief of minor symptoms of menopause.
In contrast, it is advisable to adopt a series of habits and follow a natural treatment to prevent your own symptoms during menopause.
1. NATURAL REMEDIES TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS
From a naturopathic perspective, the best prevention is to follow a balanced diet; exercise regularly, adapted to each age and physical condition; and moderate exposure to the sun’s rays because they favor the formation of vitamin D, which helps fix calcium in the bones and, therefore, improve bone mineral density.
The problem of osteoporosis in menopause has focused excessively on a question of calcium deficiency, and although its deficiency is the most notorious in a case of osteoporosis, there may be a broader mineral deficiency that includes magnesium, zinc, copper, boron or manganese.
Therefore, in case of suffering from advanced osteoporosis it may be convenient to take a more complete supplementation.
In parallel, it should be known that soft drinks and cola drinks should be taken with moderation to prevent the risk of osteoporosis due to its richness in phosphoric acid. Phosphorus behaves as a calcium antagonist, so the greater the amount of phosphorus in the plasma, the greater the loss of calcium.
A soft drink does not cause osteoporosis, but its habitual consumption over the years, does. That is why it is advisable to moderate this habit from childhood.
Coffee, alcohol, sugar and salt are also enemies of women in menopause: the first three stimulate the elimination of calcium and magnesium, and salt increases blood pressure and the risk of arteriosclerosis.
2. OVO-LACTO-VEGETARIAN DIET
Following a diet with a predominance of foods of plant origin or better yet if you opt for an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet, helps prevent bone deterioration during menopause.
The ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet is the most appropriate for its moderate protein intake, since its excessive consumption can cause metabolic acidosis and, consequently, the reduction of bone mineral content.
Today nutrition has demonstrated the benefits of a vegetarian diet rich in whole grains, legumes, nuts and vegetables.
It should be remembered that countries that consume a lot of fats, especially saturated fats, are linked to an increase in breast cancer.
The vegetarian diet provides a remarkable amount of fiber that stimulates the excretion of estrogen through the feces.
These contain equal, a progestogen that acts as a kind of biological marker that indicates the risk of osteoporosis: the greater the equal in the feces, the lower the risk of suffering from this ailment.
The hypoestrogenism that occurs in menopause can be rebalanced by increasing the excretion of these hormones or prohormones. Fiber contributes to this, which absorbs them, as if it were a sponge, and expels them from the body.
Phytoestrogens, present mainly in soybeans, legumes, garlic, leeks or onions, prevent cardiovascular disease, and can bind to body estrogen receptors, reducing the action of female estrogens.
There are also some plants and foods especially rich in phytoestrogens: licorice, clover, thyme, turmeric, hops, vervain and yams, among others.
Foods of the cabbage family, such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, broccoli or Chinese cabbage, are good sources of calcium and have preventive elements against cancer, such as indole-3-carbinol, which can deactivate circulating estrogens reducing their harmful effect.
Lignans, found in fiber, have also been linked to a reduction in gynecologic cancer.
Likewise, carotenoids, such as alpha and beta-carotene in carrots or lycopene (abundant in tomato sauce), have antioxidant and preventive properties of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Sweet potato, pumpkin or mango are other good sources of carotenoids.
3. SUPPLEMENT WITH CIDER VINEGAR
Dairy products are rich in calcium but also in proteins and fats that can hinder their absorption.
This was demonstrated in a study conducted in England that determined that osteoporosis levels were higher in regular consumers of meat and dairy products than in vegetarian women, who did not consume milk or animal products.
Apparently, it seems a paradox but the truth is that studies only assess the nutritional content of food, without taking into account the metabolic aspects and nutrient absorption.
In many cases, calcium is a mineral that is difficult to absorb, and this may be one of the main causes of the incidence of osteoporosis. It is important to take foods rich in calcium, but do not forget the magnesium of vegetables, which also benefits bone, circulation and muscle relaxation.
Another possible cause of deficiency is that the hydrochloric acid present in gastric secretion tends to reduce as we age and this hinders the absorption of nutrients and minerals such as calcium, even if enough foods rich in it are consumed (cereals, legumes and nuts, seaweed, nettles), emphasizing again that it does not feed what is eaten, but what is digested and metabolized.
To solve this problem of gastric secretion some authors recommend supplementing meals with cider vinegar because acetic acid can improve mineral absorption.
4. INCREASE YOUR INTAKE OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Essential fatty acids are essential to maintain a good hormonal level. There are foods quite rich in them, such as nuts and avocado. However, flaxseed grains, better known as laxatives, are an excellent food to provide linolenic acid.
Sunflower seeds and their oil (virgin, first cold pressed), olive oil, oily fish (best consumed with its spine, rich in calcium) or evening primrose or borage seeds (as a dietary supplement) are also rich in essential fatty acids, necessary to preserve the hormones that begin to deplete and to maintain, as far as possible, smooth and beautiful skin, at a time when wrinkles become noticeable.
5. DO MODERATE EXERCISE
Sedentary lifestyle is the main enemy of osteoporosis. Exercising from the age of 40 is an excellent measure but it is not always enough to increase bone mineral density.
It is important to note in this regard that at age 35 women have already established their bone mineral density. From that age the density decreases and the bones deteriorate. That is why if mineral density is not built from puberty, the loss from 35 increases excessively.
To understand this process, it is important to know that bone is a living tissue formed by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The former help bone formation and the latter use bone minerals to offer them to the different processes of metabolism, and literally break it down.
While bone-forming osteoblasts respond to the hormone progesterone, of which they have numerous receptors, osteoclasts respond primarily to estradiol or estrogen, also having various receptors.
You should not fall into the error of thinking that estrogen is bad and that progesterone is good, because both processes are vital and necessary. In the balance between the construction and resorption or destruction of bone is where the metabolic problem of osteoporosis is located.
It is known that moderate exercise produces a stimulus of osteoblasts and literally makes them “hungry for calcium”, so the mechanisms are activated to increase their digestive absorption and accumulation in the bone, while sedentary lifestyle causes the opposite effect, stimulating osteoclasts.
But beware: excessive exercise also has a stimulating effect of osteoporosis, so it can be concluded that all excesses can be harmful.
- Walking or sunbathing between 15 and 20 minutes a day improves bone density, because the sun helps synthesize vitamin D, which is essential to strengthen bone.
6. CREAMS OR LUBRICANTS AGAINST VAGINAL DRYNESS
It is not true that the arrival of menopause should be related to a decrease in sexual appetite. However, aspects such as depression and, above all, vaginal dryness, can hinder the development of sexual relations.
Vaginal dryness can be solved using lubricating or dermatological oil creams (such as petroleum jelly, olive or sunflower oil). Another problem is to treat the intrinsic factor of dryness, as dryness depends on irreversible hormonal factors. Soy-based vaginal creams have proven effective in stimulating the tropism and development of the vaginal mucosa, when applied regularly and for periods of time longer than three months, if not permanently. But they don’t solve dryness.
The risk of pregnancy is another important aspect at this stage, as it only disappears when menstruation definitively ceases. It should not be forgotten that the number of unwanted pregnancies is very high at this stage, only surpassed by adolescent women. Therefore, sex in menopause must be safe.
7. SOCIALIZE AND STAY ACTIVE
One of the most important aspects of menopause is how women assume this physiological and vital stage, since it means the loss of fertility… and youth understood as such.
From a medical point of view, menopause can be associated with anxiety and depression, but this does not indicate much about certain processes such as lack of self-esteem, fear of losing the interest of the partner, panic of wrinkles or lack of smoothness of the skin.
These aspects are important for many women who do not feel understood by their partner or children in this period. It is not uncommon, then, that menopause is also a time of crying, insomnia, night fears and some hopelessness for life.
Social interaction, psychological support from a professional (if necessary) and maintaining an active life help especially during this period. A positive attitude is essential to face this stage. Menopause is not a disease but a new life experience and, as such, can mean personal enrichment.
On the other hand, learning to relax is essential, because low blood sugar and adrenaline levels sensitize the body and, consequently, exacerbate the symptoms of menopause.
