How to Reduce the Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life and is a normal part of aging. While it’s certainly is a time of change, there’s a lot you can do to keep the symptoms from becoming more serious.
So it’s not a time of anxious uncertainty, I wanted to create a guide to address the most common questions and concerns related to menopause.
I’m also going to give you 14 things you can do to naturally reduce the symptoms of menopause.
Now, I’m sure most of you know or at the very least have a good understanding of what menopause is, but before we go any further let’s get really clear about it.
This is your ultimate resource for menopause. And to make it easier to read and use, I’ve broken it down into six sections. You can get to any of the six sections by clicking on one of the section titles below.
What is menopause?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, menopause is a stage in life when you stop having your monthly period. Menopause typically occurs in your late 40s to early 50s. And there are three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.
The three stages of menopause
Perimenopause
For some women, the symptoms of menopause begin earlier and it’s called perimenopause. The average length of perimenopause is about four years. However, it can start as many as ten years before menopause. But for some women, this stage may only last a few months.
So how do you know if you’re starting menopause? You’ll most likely have some of these symptoms:
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Irregular or missed periods
Periods that are heavier or lighter than usual
Trouble sleeping
Flushing (your face gets red)
Vaginal dryness
Incontinence (trouble controlling your urine)
Depression or anxiety
Irritability or mood swings
Spotty memory
Thinning hair
More facial or body hair
Loss of breast mass
Dry skin, mouth, or eyes
Frequent headaches or joint pain
Going through these stages can be concerning at first. So, I encourage you to talk to your doctor if you experience these symptoms, you’re within the age range for menopause, and especially if you’re at an age when other women in your family went through menopause.
If you have these symptoms and it feels a little too early, you can ask to be tested for underactive thyroid because many of these symptoms are the same.
Menopause
At this stage, the ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and producing most of their estrogen. Menopause is diagnosed when a woman has gone without a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.
Postmenopause
This is the name given to the period of time after a woman has not bled for an entire year (i.e. the rest of your life after going through menopause).
During this stage, menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, may ease for many women. However, some women continue to experience menopausal symptoms for a decade or longer after the menopause transition.
Common symptoms associated with menopause
Menopause begins in the late 40s or early 50s for most women. It usually lasts for a few years.
During this time, at least two-thirds of women experience symptoms of menopause.
There are 34 symptoms associated with menopause:
Irregular periods
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Fatigue
Water and gas bloating
Vaginal dryness
Digestive problems
Lower libido
Mood swings
Depression
Headaches
Weight gain
Breast soreness
A hot mouth
Joint issues
Dizzy spells
Muscle tension
Thinner hair
Electric shocks
Gum issues
Pins and needles
Lack of focus
Lapse in memory
Itchy skin
Anxiety
Brittle nails
Poor sleep
Urinary incontinence
Body odor
Hay fever and allergies
Heart palpitations
Irritability
Panic attacks
Osteoporosis
Hormonal change during menopause
Hormonal change is one of the main concerns for women going through perimenopause and menopause. Research shows not all women around the world experience it to the same degree.
The reason American women experience such a sharp drop in estrogen is because of their unnaturally high levels leading into perimenopause. Chinese women, for example, have much lower estrogen levels.
You might think it’s a genetic difference. But no. It’s because of their low meat and dairy consumption. Meat, chicken, and dairy products contain foreign estrogens that are fed to animals to increase weight and production, but they also lead to higher estrogen levels.
But it’s not just the hormones that are added that cause a problem. As one research paper points out, you’re getting more estrogen from the animal itself. “Unlike soy, however, dairy contains mammalian estrogens (even if no hormones are added), which has the same effect as the estrogen produced by our own bodies, and is therefore pro-estrogenic. So if you’re worried about the hormonal effects of your food choices, it may be worth ditching dairy for a healthy plant-milk such as soy.”
What we once thought to be a source of hormone imbalance, soy, actually does the opposite. “This is because the phytoestrogens in soy are 1,000 times weaker and preferentially bind to different receptors in our bodies than true human estrogens do. This allows soy to actually have anti-estrogenic effects in tissues where we don’t want excess estrogen (e.g., breast tissue), which may also be why soy products have been shown to improve menopausal symptoms.”
In fact, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials showed that soybean isoflavones reduce menopausal hot flash frequency and severity.
How do you balance hormones during perimenopause and menopause?
First, you may consider avoiding hormone therapy. The research outcomes have not been favorable. “The results of large clinical trials have led physicians and patients to question the safety of hormone therapy for menopause.”
Second, consider consuming less meat, chicken, and dairy products. And third, consume a diet loaded with vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
Common questions about menopause
There are many questions and concerns about menopause, especially for women in their thirties looking towards menopause. Even women going through menopause have questions.
To address your most common questions and provide solutions to your frustrations, I’m going to tackle the most common questions about menopause.
Can you prevent early menopause?
No treatment can reverse or prevent premature menopause.
Can you trigger menopause?
Menopause can be intentionally induced for medical reasons, such as cancer surgery. Early menopause can also be triggered by radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
How do I know if I'm in perimenopause?
If you have a persistent change of seven days or more in the length of your menstrual cycle, you may be in early perimenopause.
If you have a space of 60 days or more between periods, you're likely in late perimenopause. Hot flashes are also a common sign of perimenopause.
Is it possible to go through menopause without symptoms?
Some women go through menopause without any unpleasant symptoms. But others find menopausal symptoms life-altering even during perimenopause.
Do you have to gain weight during menopause?
One of the most common questions I hear about menopause is in regards to weight gain. Women will often ask, “Is weight gain inevitable during menopause?”
Hormone changes, stress, and the aging process can all lead to weight gain. However, there are steps you can take to make weight loss easier during this time.
Let’s first look at the factors that play a role in weight during menopause:
Hormone fluctuations: Research shows that both elevated and decreased levels of estrogen can lead to increase fat storage (1, 2).
Loss of muscle mass: This occurs for several reasons including age, hormonal changes, and less activity (3, 4).
Poor sleep: Many women experience difficulty sleeping during menopause. Poor sleep is linked to weight gain (5, 6).
Increased insulin resistance: Women often become insulin resistant as they age which can make losing weight more difficult (8, 9).
According to research, a woman’s resting energy expenditure (the number of calories you burn during rest) declines during and after menopause (10).
Adopting a healthy lifestyle that can be maintained long-term can help preserve your metabolic rate and reduce the amount of muscle mass you lose with age.
I’ll address how to combat weight gain during menopause further under the “How to reduce individual menopause symptoms” section.
Is having a hard time concentrating and being forgetful normal parts of menopause?
It’s true; a lack of concentration and minor memory problems can be a normal part of menopause. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but it can happen.
Doctors aren’t sure why this happens. If you’re having memory problems during menopause, call your healthcare provider. Several activities have been shown to stimulate the brain and help rejuvenate your memory. These can include:
Doing mentally stimulating activities like crossword puzzles, reading, or learning a new hobby
Cutting back on passive activities like watching TV
Getting plenty of exercise
Keep in mind that depression and anxiety can also impact your memory. These conditions can be linked to menopause.
Questions about hot flashes
Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. And they’re probably the most common symptom we associate with this stage of life. So, I want to take a little extra time to specifically address your common questions about hot flashes.
What are hot flashes and how long will I have them?
Hot flashes are one of the most frequent symptoms of menopause. They can be explained as a brief sensation of heat. But they aren’t the same for everyone.
Also called vasomotor symptoms, hot flashes may begin in perimenopause or they may not start until after the last menstrual period has occurred. On average, they last three to five years and are usually worse during the year following the last menstrual period.
What triggers a hot flash?
There are quite a few normal things in your daily life that could set off a hot flash. However, there’s no definitive reason that they happen.
Some things that can contribute include:
Caffeine
Smoking
Spicy foods
Alcohol
Tight clothing
Stress and anxiety
Heat, including warm weather, can also trigger a hot flash. So, be careful when working out in hot weather.
How do you reduce hot flashes?
You may want to look at your diet. A 2018 survey found that vegans in perimenopause experienced less severe vasomotor symptoms (such as hot flashes) and physical symptoms than omnivores.
Acupuncture may also be helpful. In one study, it reduced the frequency of hot flashes by 36.7% over 6 months. A review of several studies found that acupuncture may increase estrogen levels, which can help reduce symptoms and promote better sleep (11, 12).
How to reduce individual menopause symptoms
There are many common symptoms associated with menopause such as hot flashes, weight gain, and sleep loss. I’m going to give you a few ways to treat the eight most common menopausal symptoms.
Treating hot flashes
There are several steps you can take to help alleviate hot flashes. The first is to be aware of potential triggers to your hot flashes.
Some possible triggers of hot flashes are:
Hot beverages
Spicy food
Warm air temperatures
Stressful situations
Alcohol
Caffeine
Some medications
Keep a diary to note which of these or other triggers were present before each hot flash. Review it each week to pinpoint the most common ones and see if you can find a pattern.
During the day, dress in layers so that you can take off pieces of clothing when needed. If possible, regulate the air conditioning and heat in your environment to accommodate your temperature changes. If you wake up hot at night, lower the thermostat in your bedroom.
If the temperature is a problem at night, you can also try sleeping with an ice pack under your pillow.
Some women find deep-breathing exercises helpful. Research suggests that a technique called paced respiration can cut the frequency of hot flashes in half. To try paced respiration, start by taking slow, deep, full breaths — expanding and contracting the abdomen gently while inhaling and exhaling — at a rate of about six to eight breaths per minute.
Practice this technique twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also use paced respiration whenever you feel a hot flash coming on.
Remember most hot flashes improve over time on their own.
Treating mood swings
Many women choose to make lifestyle changes before turning to medications. Taking care of yourself by getting more sleep, exercising regularly, and using stress-control methods can all help even out your mood.
Others choose an herbal approach. If you’re going this route, you may want to try St. John’s Wort. St. John's Wort may have some mood-elevating effects, although there have been conflicting studies.
Treating memory and concentration problems
While there isn’t a clear cause for memory and concentration problems, there are some things you can do to help prevent them. Staying physically active and scheduling at least 150 minutes per week of dedicated exercise may be the best way to maintain brain health.
Brain and memory experts also recommend that people work to keep their brain functioning at its peak by taking on new and interesting challenges.
Do crossword puzzles. Learn a new musical instrument or sport. Play chess. Read more books. Learn a new language. The idea is to find something that challenges your brain in new ways.
Treating insomnia
Of course, there are medications available for temporarily treating insomnia. But the best treatment for insomnia is exercise and a healthy diet. You can also try drinking magnesium for a safe, non-addictive, and healthy alternative to sleep medications.
I’d also recommend checking out my article, 6 Habits for Better sleep. You can read it here.
Treating low sexual desire
Many things may contribute to a woman’s lower sexual drive.
Talking with your spouse about each of your needs and expectations can go a long way toward helping solve this problem.
Treating weight gain
Developing and maintaining a healthy diet is the best way to avoid weight gain and develop healthy weight management at any age. Adding exercise is a good way to burn a few extra calories and build muscle.
If you’re unable to exercise, I strongly encourage you to read my post, My Top 8 Hacks to lose weight without exercise. You can read it here.
Maintaining a healthy metabolism can seem like a losing battle. But you can actually boost your metabolism even as you age! Take a few minutes and read How to Boost Your Metabolism Even as You Age. You can read the blog post here.
Treating incontinence
Bladder training may be useful to treat urge incontinence. Hold your urine for five minutes after feeling the urge and increase that by five minutes each week. Eliminating diuretic beverages such as coffee, tea, and alcohol as well as citrus juice and other bladder irritants can also help.
Pelvic floor exercises, known as Kegel exercises, can be effective as well. They involve repeatedly contracting and releasing the pelvic floor muscles used ordinarily to stop urination.
Treating dry skin and hair
Dry skin and hair are common. And because of it, there are a lot of remedies available.
Your first line of defense is to protect your skin from sun exposure with sunblocks and hats. Use moisturizers and hair conditioners, especially in the dry winter months. There are plenty of effective moisturizers that won’t break the bank.
How to thrive during menopause: 14 ways to naturally manage your symptoms
There are different solutions including diet changes that have been shown to help with menopausal symptoms. If your symptoms are severe, you may consider speaking with your doctor. But if that’s not the case, here are fifteen ways you can manage them naturally:
1. Eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D
Hormonal changes during menopause can cause bones to weaken, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D are linked to good bone health, so it’s important to get enough of these nutrients in your diet.
Adequate vitamin D intake in postmenopausal women is also associated with a lower risk of hip fractures due to weak bones (13).
Paying attention to your diet is also important. Green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, and spinach have lots of calcium. You can also find calcium in tofu, beans, sardines, and other foods. Calcium-fortified foods are also good sources, including certain cereals, fruit juice, or milk alternatives.
And don’t forget sunlight. Sunlight is your main source of vitamin D since your skin produces it when exposed to the sun. However, as you get older, your skin gets less efficient at making it.
How does vitamin D affect bone density? Vitamin D is a hormone essential for calcium absorption and bone mineralization. This is linked to bone mineral density [BMD]. It is well-known that prolonged and severe vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
2. Maintain a healthy weight
It’s common to gain weight during menopause. This can be due to a combination of changing hormones, aging, lifestyle, and genetics. Gaining excess body fat, especially around the waist, increases your risk of developing diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Here’s something else to consider when it comes to weight and menopause. One study of 17,473 postmenopausal women found that those who lost at least 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or 10% of their body weight over a year were more likely to eliminate hot flashes and night sweats.
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help prevent several menopause symptoms.
Fruits and veggies are low in calories and can help you feel full, so they’re great for losing weight and keeping it off. They may also help prevent many diseases such as heart disease (14).
This is important since heart disease risk tends to increase after menopause. This could be due to factors such as age, weight gain, or possibly reduced estrogen levels.
Fruits and vegetables may also help prevent bone loss. One observational study of 3,236 women aged 50–59 found that diets high in fruit and vegetables may lead to less bone breakdown (15).
4. Consume fewer refined sugar and processed foods
A diet high in refined carbs and sugar can cause sharp rises and dips in blood sugar, making you feel tired and irritable. In fact, one study found that diets high in refined carbs could increase the risk of depression in postmenopausal women (16).
Diets high in processed foods may also affect bone health. A large observational study found that among women aged 50–59 years, diets high in processed and snack foods were associated with poor bone quality (17).
5. Don’t skip meals
Irregular eating can make certain symptoms of menopause worse and can impact your efforts to lose weight.
Some women may think skipping meals can help them lose weight, but that’s not always the case. A year-long weight management program for postmenopausal women found that skipping meals was associated with 4.3% less weight loss (18).
6. Quit smoking (if you haven’t already)
Smoking can make your menopause symptoms worse besides impacting your overall health. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to quit, it’s now.
7. Get plenty of quality sleep
Getting plenty of rest is always important, but issues with memory, moods, depression and anxiety all improve when you’re not sleep-deprived.
8. Reduce caffeine consumption
Cutting back on caffeine helps with sleeplessness, but it also reduces stress on your bladder. Caffeine can also trigger hot flashes.
9. Exercise regularly
Just three hours of light exercise every week has benefits for menopausal women. Exercise can help with moods and body aches and reduce the risk of osteoporosis which increases for women as they go into menopause.
Exercise can also improve energy and metabolism as well as promote healthier joints and bones. It can also help you to de-stress and get a better night’s sleep (19, 20).
One study of menopausal women found that exercising three hours per week for one year improved physical and mental health and overall quality of life (21). Regular exercise is also linked to better health and protection against diseases and conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis (22, 23, 24).
10. Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated can help calm hot flashes. Try to drink 8–12 glasses of water each day. But if you want to know exactly how much water you should be drinking, head over to my Daily Water Intake Calculator here.
Water can help prevent weight gain and aid in weight loss by helping you feel full and increasing metabolism slightly (25). Drinking 17 ounces (500 ml) of water, 30 minutes before a meal may lead you to consume 13% fewer calories during the meal (26).
11. Control the temperature
It’s okay to adjust your space to help your body temperature. Lower the thermostat; layer your blankets for easy on and off, keep cold packs in the freezer, and dress in lighter clothes or layers to make hot flashes more manageable.
12. Avoid trigger foods
You might notice that some spicy or acidic foods seem to bring on night sweats or hot flashes. Cut those out of your diet for now.
Also, acidic foods like citrus can irritate the bladder lining and make incontinence worse.
13. Seek support
Many women struggle with facing menopause and the idea of getting older. If your depression seems like it’s related to your feelings about menopause, look for a therapist, support network, or even women in your friend groups or family members who have gone through or are going through it.
It helps to talk it out with people who understand what you’re going through.
14. Eat phytoestrogens (plant estrogens)
Some people believe that eating plant estrogens can help with menopause symptoms.
Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that occur naturally in certain foods. There are two main types of phytoestrogens — isoflavones and lignans. Isoflavones are found in soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes. Lignans are in flaxseed, whole grains, and some fruits and vegetables.
The high intake of phytoestrogens in Asian countries such as Japan is thought to be the reason why menopausal women in these places rarely experience hot flashes.
Foods rich in phytoestrogens include soybeans and soy products, tofu, tempeh, flaxseeds, linseeds, sesame seeds, and beans. However, the phytoestrogen content in foods varies depending on processing methods.
One study found that diets high in soy were associated with reduced cholesterol levels, blood pressure and reduced severity of hot flashes and night sweats among women who were starting to enter menopause (27).
Whether the estrogens in these foods can relieve hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms still remains to be proven. While most studies have found them ineffective, some people believe they can help. Isoflavones have some weak estrogen-like effects, so if you've had breast cancer, talk to your doctor before supplementing your diet with isoflavone pills.
Thriving before, during, and after menopause
Menopause is not an illness. It’s a natural part of life. Though its symptoms can be difficult to deal with, eating the right diet and exercising regularly can go a long way to help alleviate and prevent them.
Experiment with the tips above to make your time during menopause and beyond easier and more enjoyable.
Additional resources:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0099776
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/757461
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hot-flashes-what-can-i-do
https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/dealing-with-the-symptoms-of-menopause
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19496976/