Missing your HRT?
Are you having problems sourcing your prescription HRT? Some women have such severe menopausal symptoms that they simply can’t function without HRT and a conversation with your GP is essential to see if there is anything else they can offer.
However, there are some natural alternatives to HRT that can really help with the typical symptoms of hot flushes, night sweats, irritability, fatigue, weight gain. Perhaps now is a good time to give them a try?
Hot Flushes:
First of all, look at your diet. Chinese Medicine practitioners will talk about “heat in the liver”. Foods that put a strain on the liver, such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar will create heat in the body, so it is important to keep them to a minimum as you’re going through menopause. Spicy foods, hot drinks and stressful situations can also cause flushing and heat.
Foods that you’re intolerant too can also cause or worsen hot flushes (Dietary Intolerance Testing available at Homefield)
Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) such as chickpeas, lentils and soya can be helpful.
Herbs such as sage, black cohosh, agnus castus, and red clover have traditionally been used to alleviate hot flushes. They can also help with insomnia, irritability, fatigue and brain fog, and Hops are also good for sleep and night sweats.
Mood Swings and Irritability
Blood sugar balance is particularly important as you go through the menopause. Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates which will spike and crash your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling tired, shaky, irritable and craving more sugar. To stop these spikes and crashes happening, ensure that you eat some lean protein, healthy fats and a small amount of complex carb at each meal. It can also be a good idea to start each meal by eating a few mouthfuls of protein before you tackle the carbs.
Essential Fatty Acids, especially Omega 3 are important for hormone regulation, nerves, mood, energy, brain, heart, joints, skin and metabolism, so eat oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, pilchards, herring trout, or take a good quality fish oil supplement. Also include nuts (unsalted!) and seeds plus extra virgin olive oil, hemp, flax (but don’t cook with these) and avocado oil which is stable at high temperatures so great for cooking with.
Weight/Shape Change
It in normal for shape to start to change during or after menopause. Typically women will be become somewhat thicker around the middle. It seems unfair, but it does seem that to maintain weight/shape you need to eat less and exercise more. Keeping active is really important. Many studies have shown improvements in menopausal symptoms such as mood, energy, hot flushes, night sweats etc. Of course, exercise is also important for strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis.
Detoxification
Many menopausal women coming to Homefield are amazed that a couple of days into the detox, their night sweats/hot flushes have really reduced. Lightening the toxic load on the body and avoiding those key toxins of sugar, alcohol, caffeine can really make a difference.
Give these natural recommendations a try. You may find that you can live without the HRT after all!
