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Most women will experience the symptoms of menopause in one form or another as they progress through this stage of life. A doctor can prescribe medication to make the symptoms easier to handle, such as hormone replacement therapy. Another option is to take the more natural, holistic route and turn to naturopathic treatment. This alternative is preferable for many women who wish to avoid any possible complications associated with pharmaceutical approaches.

Lifestyle modifications should be your first approach. They involve no risk, but require a great deal of discipline, self control and willpower. Work to make the life you lead as healthy as possible in every way. This includes eating as healthy as possible, getting plenty of exercise and finding productive outlets to reduce the stress in your life. If you are a smoker and/or drinker you should think about quitting.

If you don’t get enough exercise then find ways to add more physical activity into your daily routine. This does not mean that you have to start working out at the gym. It may involve taking a longer walk than usual (or walking twice a day instead of once) or the like. It is also important to find ways to calm the body and the mind. Practice yoga, meditation and/or deep breathing in order to accomplish this.

In order to correct hormonal imbalances in your body, eat plenty of estrogenic foods. These include apples, alfalfa, cherries, potatoes, rice, soy, wheat, flax seed and yams. In particular, eating soy foods regularly may help to ease hot flashes, and could improve mental function, help strengthen bones, and even work to prevent breast or uterine cancer. Another alternative is to take red clover supplements. If these various foods and supplements are rotated regularly, you can likely avoid any side effects they might produce.

Certain herbs have also been shown to be effective at reducing the symptoms of menopause. For example, black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is an herb that belongs to the buttercup family which can relieve many symptoms of menopause such as anxiety, mood swings, night sweats, sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety and nervousness. However, the symptom it works the best to relieve is hot flashes. Most women can take black cohosh as side effects are not common with this herb. In rare incidences it can cause nausea and vomiting, as well as stomach upset, headaches and dizziness.

Other naturopathic remedies that can provide relief during menopause are: St. John’s wort for anxiety, depression and mood swings; Damiana for stress, fatigue and mild anxiety; Vitamin B complex for fatigue, depression and mood swings; vitamin E for dry skin, weak and dry hair; iron and a multivitamin for exhaustion and fatigue; essential fatty acids, selenium and zinc for dry skin and dry weakened hair; Saw palmetto for personal dryness; valerian for insomnia, mild anxiety and nervousness; and calcium, vitamin D, copper, magnesium, manganese and zinc to decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Always check with your physician before taking any kind of supplement to be sure it won’t interfere with any medications you’re currently taking.

Menopause is a result of decreased production of estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body. There are a number of different kinds of menopause medication that can help ease your discomfort. Click here to find out about your options in menopause symptom relief.