June 23, 2024

Menopause, The Natural Way

Menopause, the age where we transition, is a natural process that happens to all women.. The perimenopause and menopause period is our bodies shift purposes, changing over from the gift of being able to create and to carry life inside our body, to once again being responsible only for our own body. 


The most important thing to remember is that our body goes through a transition during this period, our ovaries close up shop and our adrenals take over. Estrogen that had been produced in the ovaries will now be produced in the adrenals. 


Our job is to help our bodies smoothly transition from ovarian to adrenally produced estrogen. 


Like any transition period, it can be rocky. 

However, like any period of transition, care and attention to the discomfort will improve the results,  not only for the present but for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!  Because once your adrenals know what to do, they keep on doing it.  


We hope to live a long and healthy life after the shift, so I’m offering here a few tips that will help your body smoothly change gears.


Nutrition: 


NO

  • Alcohol 
  • Sugar, (for some any sweet foods, even fruit)

YES 

  • Whole grains 
  • Omega 3s (flax seed etc.)
  • Legumes and seeds 
  • Berries 

Herbs


I find herbs to be essential for this transition period. I’m listing the most commonly used herbs below. 


While most of the herbs are easily available I do recommend meeting with an herbalist to both address your issues best and to avoid misuse of the medicinal herbs. 


  • St. John’s wort 
  • Black cohosh 
  • Wild yam 
  • Agnus Castus 
  • Red clover 
  • Valerian root 
  • Evening primrose oil 
  • Borage seed oil 
  • Liu wei di huang wan
  • Licorice root 
  • Valerian 
  • Mumio 
  • Equisetum 
  • Red clover 

Some of the herbs listed above are considered to be a natural HRT (hormone replacement therapy). 

Pharma HRT is when these plants are chemically reproduced, patented and sold in a pill, patch or as a spray. 


Meeting with an herbalist who can provide you with the formula that would most benefit you can easily help you from becoming frustrated and switching to the pharma form of HRT 


Exercise 


Exercise is key for a smooth transition for many reasons. 

  • Muscle mass can reduce hot flashes 
  • We tend to lose muscle mass during menopause and it will keep us stronger as we age 
  • Benefits to the heart and cardiovascular system 
  • Keeping our bodies flexible 
  • Help reduce weight gain 

A combination of different types of exercises is a great idea but walking is by far the most important and should be done for a minimum of 15 minutes daily. 


Choose a combination of different exercises as part of your weekly program 

  • Yoga or dance 
  • Aerobic exercise 
  • Weight lifting 

I also recommend doing exercises specifically intended for some body parts you might normally ignore or might not have thought of but these body parts can directly impact our lives and our future health. 

  • Tongue exercises to prevent snoring 
  • Ankles and feet exercises to improve balance and  prevent plantar fasciitis 
  • Finger exercises to keep our handles nimble and arthritis free 
  • Vaginal and perineum exercises to prevent atrophy 

Skincare 


One of the most obvious ways that our transition is happening is differences that we see in our skin. Here are a few tips to keep your skin healthier and to boost your collagen 

  • Red light therapy 3-4 times a week 
  • A gua sha tool for your face to improve circulation
  • A daily lymphatic cleanse (use your gua sha for this as well) 
  • Moisturizing your entire body daily with coconut oil 
  • Moisturizing your labia and vaginal canal daily with coconut oil 

Essential oils

  • Clary sage (anything hormonal) 
  • Rose (any vaginal or skin issue) 
  • Fennel (boosts estrogen) 
  • Coriander (boosts estrogen) 
  • Frankincense (boosts circulation)
  • Sandalwood (relaxing)
  • Patchouli (antidepressant, appetite suppressant) 
  • Rosemary (improves memory) 

Navon Naturals

Navon Naturals has a wide range of products which not only improve the appearance of your skin, they do so while balancing your hormones.  This balance is essentially what helps with perimenopause and menopause symptoms 


Emotional Health

Last but not least is keeping our emotional state healthy. 

Meditation or a creative outlet which relaxes you, enables you to find peace and quiet.  A quiet mind allows your body to figure out what it is meant to be doing. Our bodies naturally know what they are meant to be doing.  Our job is to enable them to do so by giving them the time and space to perform their role.


I hope this condensed list was helpful. 

I love hearing from you so please reach out with any feedback or questions or let me know what is helping you to manage your transition. 








Written by Sima Navon