Menopause: Women cannot go through life without it. It is unavoidable and whether we like it or not, sometime between the ages of 45 to 55, we will experience it. Sure menstruation will cease giving us savings on our part without those monthly sanitary paraphernalia, but it also triggers bodily changes that need serious adjusting. With menopause, our body’s estrogen level significantly decreases. It means the downside (or upside to some) of sex drive, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, increase in heart pace, sweating, nausea or headaches. It is not going to be forever, but women have to deal with it. Some resulted to hormone therapy to bring the levels back while others find recourse in natural remedies, such as black cohosh for hot flashes.
You have heard your mother or auntie talk about it: it is sudden and an intense rush of hot feeling all over the face and sometimes the entire upper body. Heartbeat usually increases before or during the flash. It may come with profuse sweating, anxiety, headaches, dizziness and/ or nausea. Women feel weak and seemingly unable to breathe. They look like they are blushing and perspiring at the same time. Next thing they know, they are soaking wet but feels a chill at the same time. It can happen unannounced: anytime and anywhere and no one really knows how long it can last. It is a different experience from one woman to another. Hot flashes are simply is worst than your worse constipation.
Natural remedies for hot flashes have been around for ages. Back when there were no pharmaceuticals, there were apothecaries by homeopathic doctors. A famous botanical used was black cohosh for hot flashes relief. This used to be infused or brewed into tea. Later on, they were able to get solid and liquid extracts from the roots and underground stems of the plant. This natural remedy has helped not only menopausal women but also women with irregular menstrual cycles and premenstrual syndromes. It has also been used to induce labor in child birth.
However, one should not underestimate natural treatments. It doesn’t mean that when a little worked, more of it would be better. There are still some safe dosage limits one has to consider. And depending on your condition, these remedies have medication durations as well. It is best to speak with health care provider on treatments like this.
Health practitioners suggest the following to augment menopause treatments:
• Exercising regularly
• Eating soy-rich foods and switching to a low-fat diet
• Avoiding hot flashes triggers such as caffeine, alcohol, hot showers, smoking, stress
• Staying cool at all times
• Having a fan or a cup of ice nearby
• Staying away from warm clothing like wool and turtle necks if you don’t have to. Use cotton garments instead
Every woman has to go through menopause like they go through menstruation. There is no escaping it. Women do not have to suffer, though. There are dietary supplements like Menozac that contain botanicals. It contains black cohosh for hot flashes relief. Talk to a health expert about it.