The word menopause means the end of the monthly cycles, it indicated the end of the reproductive cycles in a woman’s life. In the western world, the menopause starts at the average age of 51. Before the menstruation stops there is a period of a few years in which your period becomes irregular. Menopause technically refer to the period between the start of the irregular phase and the day the last menstruation was 1 year ago. After this ‘period free year’ you are official post menopausal. this article will write about some natural remedies for menopause that you could apply.

During the fertile period in a woman’s life, the ovaries produce the sex hormones progesterone and estrogen. Every month an oocyt, or egg, is evolving and is followed by ovulation. Without fertilization, 2 weeks after the ovulation, the menstruation starts. The menstruation cycle takes generally about 28 days. When a woman is in her forties, her period tends to get longer and becomes irregular. The cycle is caused by the hormone production of the ovaries, menopause is caused by a lack of hormone production in the ovaries.

During the menopause woman often have symptoms like hot flushes, night sweating, mood disturbance, fatigue, skin thinning, decreased libido, joint pain, insomnia and memory loss. Some of these symptoms can be explained by the hormonal changes. For example, a lower level of estrogen makes the skin thin, drie and decreases your libido. For other symptoms there is no good explanation yet.

In some cases it is possible to treat these symptoms with for example hormone replacement therapy. However, if you want to support this natural transition in your life with natural remedies for menopause, here are some options.

Acupressure can be helpful against hot flushes, night sweating and insomnia. A herb that is used during the menopause is Agnus castus, a berry that crows in the Mediterranean area. It is known for it’s stabilizing effect on hormonal balance, therefore it is also used for pms and acne. Direct effects are often seen, but it is recommended to use for at least 3 months in a row.

Another useful herb is actaea racemosa or black cohosh. A plant with large leaves that grows at the east of north America. It is known for a long time as an effective herb against all kind of gynecological problems. Because of it effects, it was thought that this plant contains some form of estrogen. Nevertheless, none was found during research. In a research study black cohosh was effective to prevent osteoporosis. The last herb we will discuss is milk thistle,  which grows in Mediterranean areas and north Africa. The leaves contain a milky substance that is used for a centuries to protect the liver from toxins. However, it is also used for it’s beneficial effects on the menopause.

So if you consider to use natural remedies for menopause, there are many options. Don’t hesitate to discuss them with your own doctor and make sure to always inform him or her about your symptoms.