6 Natural Menopause Remedies That’ll Help You Enjoy the Holidays
Wouldn’t it be great to sail through the holidays without hot flashes, anxiety, and other symptoms of lowering estrogen? You can, thanks to these study-backed natural menopause remedies!
Dizzy when you stand? Try ginkgo biloba.
You’re twice as likely to have dizzy spells after age 45, since estrogen dips make the balance center in your inner ear sluggish and slower to respond as you move.
Thankfully, research published in the International Journal of Otolaryngology suggests taking 240 mg. of ginkgo biloba daily can increase balance and stability by 60 percent. Explains study co-author Rob Hoerr, MD, this herb boosts the flow of nutrient-rich blood to your ear’s balance center. Note: Check with a doctor before supplementing.
Can’t stop the worry wheel? Sip red clover tea.
Feel like you’re more easily rattled these days? Blame the anxiety center (amygdala) in your brain. This cluster of nerves is calmed by estrogen, so as hormone levels dip, even day-to-day hassles can heighten anxiety.
The soothing Rx: sweet, earthy red clover tea! Australian researchers say the gentle plant estrogens in this brew can cut anxiety by as much as 77 percent if you sip two mugs daily.
Heart skipping beats? Take a magnesium.
It’s not just you — 40 percent of us notice our heart skipping beats or speeding up briefly after age 45. The reason? You need 325 mg. to 400 mg. of magnesium daily to keep your heart in perfect rhythm — yet hormone shortfalls tinker with your ability to absorb this mineral from food.
Luckily, Italian researchers say opting for an easily absorbed magnesium powder, like Natural Vitality Calm (Buy at CVS, $13.79) can quickly rebuild magnesium stores, cutting your risk of irregular heartbeats by as much as 56 percent.
Hot flashes? Count to 10 while you putter.
Hot flashes are one of the peskiest parts of menopause, and if they’ve been bothering you, try this: Inhale slowly through your nose and hold that breath for about 5 seconds, then slowly exhale.
British researchers say regularly breathing this way as you move through your day can cut hot flash frequency (and intensity) in half. Explains gynecologist Sara Gottfried, MD, relaxed, controlled breathing slashes stress, a proven hot flash trigger.
Menopot? Sip this holiday favorite.
An egg a day can block belly-fat formation, report University of Connecticut researchers, thanks to fat-burning nutrients (choline, lutein, and amino acids). So, sipping on some eggnog this holiday season will also double as one of the best natural menopause remedies you can find!
Night sweats? Try milk thistle.
Taking 400 mg. of milk thistle daily cuts night sweats and severity by 69 percent, suggests a study in Phytotherapy Research. How does it work? The herb’s active ingredient (silymarin) helps flush symptom-triggering hormones.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
