Menopause represents a natural transition in life. To learn about the causes of menopause and the nature of menopausal symptoms, see our Q&A called Menopause.
There are many options available for managing and treating symptoms of menopause. If you allow yourself a "time-out" (i.e., time for thinking about what is happening to you) to do a self-analysis, instead of considering menopause to be a medical mystery, your "inner doctor" (i.e., inside yourself) will give you wise advice, including:
Answering, "What is my body saying to me?"
Enjoying getting in touch with this chapter in my life
Allowing my own wisdom to prevail, instead of immediately deciding to take a pill
Going slower
Being nice to myself
Also, a support network of other women in menopause encourages you to talk with each other to discuss helpful approaches.
To help ease many menopausal symptoms caused by insufficient levels of sex hormones, the following integrative and alternative medical approaches may be used:
Avoid smoking cigarettes.
Allow your diet to be evaluated.
Reduce your intake of pro-inflammatory foods (i.e., foods that increase inflammation), such as alcohol, caffeine, and red meat.
Reduce your intake of sugar.
Eat foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D.
Take multivitamin/mineral supplements containing vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium, and magnesium.
Increase your dietary intake of grains and vegetables (e.g., soybeans and soy-based foods) rich in phytoestrogens (i.e., substances that mimic some of the effects of estrogen). Enjoy eating delicious tofu, cooked soy beans, edaname, and soy milk.
Take ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil.
Take herbal supplements (e.g., soy isoflavones, black cohosh, and red clover) containing phytoestrogens. Be sure to talk with your integrative medical physician and gynecologist regarding the proper amount for you.
Take herbal supplements containing soy isoflavones or ipriflavone to help prevent osteoporosis.
Take herbal supplements such as chasteberry, dong quai, evening primrose, and Panax ginseng
Eat fish (such as halibut, herring, mackarel, salmon, sardines, and tuna) that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Take fish oil supplements rich in omega-3-fatty acids.
To help improve memory, take supplements containing gingko
For treatment of hot flashes, take a homeopathic remedy (typically, a dilute extract of a substance from botanical, mineral, or animal sources), such as arsenicum album, calcarea carbonica, lachesis mutus, phosphorus, pulsatilla, sepia, sanguinaria, or sulfur. See a homeopath, a healthcare professional experienced in the use of homeopathy, for guidance on selection of the proper remedy and appropriate dose for you.
Apply intravaginal suppositories containing botanical extracts (Discorea, also called Chinese yam)
Apply vaginal creams containing bio-identical progesterone made from soy or yams. Talk with your integrative medical physician for guidance.
Apply lubricants (e.g., Astroglide gel) during intercourse if you are experiencing dryness of your vagina.
Some post-menopausal women experience loss of libido. Before considering hormone therapy or other medications to treat loss of libido, try introducing more romance and fun into your romantic relationship. If you and your partner have been together for a long time, think of each other as lovers during a new stage of life. Dont allow vaginal dryness or physical discomfort during intercourse to lower your desire for sexual activity. The integrative and alternative medical remedies for vaginal dryness and discomfort are too easy to deny yourselves sexual pleasure.
For treatment of loss of libido, take an herbal supplement and/or a homeopathic remedy. See your integrative medical physician for guidance on use of the following herbal supplements for treatment of loss of libido during menopause:
Black cohosh
Dong quai
Vitex
For guidance on selection of the proper homeopathic remedy for loss of libido during menopause and choice of the appropriate dose for you, talk with a homeopath, a healthcare provider experienced in the use of homeopathy.
Examples of homeopathic remedies for loss of libido during menopause are:
Arsenicum album
Lycopodium
Kali phosphoricum
Natrum muriaticum
Nux vomica
Pulsatilla
Sarcode
Sepia
If these integrative and alternative medical remedies do not restore your libido, talk with your integrative medical physician about topical application of:
Small amounts of progesterone cream
Tiny amounts of testosterone cream
If some of your menopausal symptoms due to insufficient levels of sex hormones do not respond to the approaches discussed above, your medical options include:
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)
HRT, involving a combination of the hormones, estrogen and progesterone, may be used if you have not undergone a hysterecomy (i.e., surgical removal of the uterus). Bio-identical forms of estrogen and progesterone are available. In HRT, progesterone is used to reduce the risk of cancer of the uterus.
Benefits of the estrogen in HRT include reduction in hot flashes and aiding in prevention of osteoporosis.
Based on the findings of clinical studies, the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (ACGO) state that HRT should be restricted to use of the lowest effective dosage for the shortest period of time for relief of menopausal symptoms that do not respond to other types of therapy. Moreover, if HRT is to be used, initiation of therapy at the beginning of menopausal symptoms (i.e., when a woman is relatively younger) may have less side effects than when therapy is initiated later in life.
Be informed about possible side effects (e.g., increased risk of breast cancer, blood clots, heart attacks, stroke, and dementia) of HRT. If you are considering HRT, consult your healthcare professionals.
ERT may be used if you have undergone a hysterectomy (i.e., surgical removal of the uterus). Options for ERT include applying an estrogen cream to the vagina, wearing an E-string in the vagina, wearing an estrogen patch on the skin, and taking estrogen (pills) orally. Benefits of ERT include reduction in hot flashes and aiding in prevention of osteoporosis.
Based on the findings of clinical studies, the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (ACGO) state that ERT should be restricted to use of the lowest effective dosage for the shortest period of time for relief of menopausal symptoms that do not respond to other types of therapy. Moreover, if ERT is to be used, initiation of therapy at the beginning of menopausal symptoms (i.e., when a woman is relatively younger) may have less side effects than when therapy is initiated later in life.
Be informed about possible side effects (i.e., increased risk of breast cancer, blood clots, heart attacks, stroke, and dementia) of ERT. If you are considering ERT, consult with your healthcare professionals.
To strengthen bones and help prevent osteoporosis after menopause, you can:
Lead an active life, including exercising regularly. Aerobic exercise and weight training help to build and strengthen bones.
Eat foods that are rich in calcium and vitamin D.
Take supplements containing calcium, magnesium, boron, and vitamin D. Each day, at least 1500 mg of calcium in divided doses and 400 mg of vitamin D are recommended.
Eat vegetables and grains that are rich in phytoestrogens
Take herbal supplements containing phytoestrogens
Consider taking bisphosphonate medications, such as Fosomax, if you experience significant loss of bone density. Consult with your healthcare professionals regarding bisphosphonate therapy.
Consider taking HRT, if you experience significant loss of bone density and have not undergone a hysterectomy. Be informed about possible side effects of HRT. If you are considering HRT, consult with your healthcare professionals.
Consider taking ERT, if you have undergone a hysterectomy and experienced significant loss of bone density. Be informed about possible side effects of ERT. If you are considering ERT, consult with your healthcare professionals.
For a frank discussion of your options for treating menopausal symptoms, consult your integrative medicine physician, gynecologist, nutritionist, and your other healthcare professionals. When seeking medical advice regarding treatment options, make sure that your physician and other healthcare professionals know about your lifestyle preferences, beliefs, and desires.
During menopause, among the keys in being happy and healthy are to:
View this as a new phase in your life, not as a medical condition
Enjoy this time in your life
The wide range of lifestyle choices, alternative medical approaches, and integrative medical options available can help this new phase of your life to be active, pleasurable, and full.
REFERENCE
1. S. Boyles. Is hormone therapy helpful after all? WebMD Medical News. 02/13/06. Accessed at www.webmd.com.
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