#1 Eat More Cooling, Moistening Foods
When it comes to natural remedies for menopause, you want to create a cool, anti-inflammatory, not to acidic environment in your body - and lots of fruit & veg is a great way to set this foundation
Fruits and Veggies are cooling. I say try make fruits and veggies 50% of your total diet.
Dr Mariza Snyder recommends eating 12-15 servings of fruits and veggies a day for optimal hormonal health, and I agree with her.
But - IT'S REALLY HARD to get in this much fruit and veg daily - without smoothies or juicing. So, to start, try ONE GREEN SMOOTHIE every day. Pack it full of veggies, put it some fruit, a little liquid - and you're blend.
Here is an easy smoothie recipe - feel free to substitute any fruit and lots of different veggies. Let me know how you like this blend and your favorite variation.
Here's a list of foods that are particularly moistening and great for balancing menopausal hormones - I recommend eating 3 things off this list every day.
- Cucumber
- Pear
- Flax Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Oats
- Kidney Beans
- Black Beans
- Fermented Soy
- Fennel
- Hazelnuts & Walnuts
- Goji Berries
- Yams
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#2 Get Enough Vitamin D
Folks who live near me in the Pacific Northwest - or anywhere north of the Mason Dixon Line - AREN'T GETTING ANY VITAMIN D FROM THE SUN ALL WINTER LONG! This is one of my favorite natural remedies for menopause, as it not only helps with menopausal symptoms (especially sleep!!) it also protects your health in SO many ways.
Why Does Vitamin D Matter?
1. Having enough Vitamin D decreases your risk for all cancers by 50% (a quote from Dr. Christiane Northrup.)
2. 70-80% of people in America are deficient in Vitamin D.
3. Vitamin D is as much a hormone as it is a vitamin - so it affects ALL THE OTHER HORMONES - and I'm all about keeping hormones happy.
Why Vitamin D Matters During Menopause:
During menopause the body is trying to keep hormones in balance while they are changing - QUITE A CHALLENGE. It helps to make it as easy for the body as possible. Vitamin D is a hormone, and the hormones all work together - VERY CLOSELY - we're talking Charlie's Angels close here... So if Vitamin D levels are really low - none of the other hormones can do what they need to do. (Vitamin D is also key for good sleep.)
Learn why Vitamin D matters during menopause.
How Much Vitamin D Is Enough?
You can use the handy D-Minder App to find out how much Vitamin D you're getting from the sun each day - then you'll know if you need to supplement.
Dr Christiane Northrup says women over 30 should be getting at least 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day
Dr Sarah Gottfried says adults can safely supplement with 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 for every 25 lbs of total body weight without getting tested - and if you DO get your Vitamin D levels tested - aim for 50-60, which is higher than what is considered adequate - but is where you'll likely feel your best. (from this article.)
One last note about Vitamin D.. We need Vitamin K2 to be able to absorb Vitamin D! Happily Vitamin K2 is easy to get. A teaspoon of grass-fed Ghee or grass-fed butter daily should do the trick. Egg yolks, gouda, and Brie all contain a lot of Vitamin K2! Go Dairy!
CLICK HERE to read my full article on EVERYTHING you need to know about Vitamin D for Women
#3 Eat Less Hot, Drying Food
When it comes to natural remedies for menopause, I love to look at Asian medicine's dietary therpay... Here is a list of some of the hottest, most drying foods. If you avoid eating these too often (or avoid them completely), you can help your body reduce hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
- Alchohol
- Caffeine
- Sugar
- Processed Foods (especially trans-fats)
- Spicy Food
- Refined Carbs (white flour & Sugar)
#4 Get A Handle On Stress
Simple Stress Relief - Even 5 minutes a day makes a big difference.
- Exercise - start slow but steady - walk for 5-10 minutes a day.
- Breathe Deeply - or try some breathing exercises with this great app.
- Get some acupuncture or massage - or learn some acupressure and ear massage to do at home. See the video below to get you started with a simple, stress-relieving acupressure ear massage.
- Meditate - Start with 3 minutes a day - sit comfortably and count your breaths - 1-10 then start at 1 again, repeat.
Managing stress is truly one of the most effective natural remedies for menopause and peri-menopause. And the short acupressure ear massage below makes it super quick and easy to do!
#5 Avoid Hormone Disruptors
Avoid some of the most common - and most disruptive - hormone disruptors.
BPA - found in the plastics used for many water bottles and food packaging - including the plastic that lines cans of soup! Use a metal or glass water bottle and look for BPA-free cans.
Triclosan: Check labels - this is VERY common in anti-bacterial hand and dish soaps as well as toothpaste and as a preservative in many personal care products.
Phthalates: Avoid these by staying away from plastic food containers, plastic wrap made with PVC, and personal care products (like makeup, sunscreen, and skin care) with the ingredient "Fragrance."
PFCs - Avoid these by staying away from non-stick cookware and stain-resistant coatings on clothing, furniture, and carpet.
Relaxing Acupressure Ear Massage Video
Now that you've got the basics in place...
When you want to take natural remedies for menopause to the next level, add in customized Chinese Herbal Remedies to support your hormones at the deepest level.
But Chinese herbs aren't one-size-fits-all when it comes to your hormones.
Click Here to learn more about getting started learning how to find customized combinations of herbs that change with your hormones over time.
Thank you so much for visiting me here on the blog. I would LOVE to hear from you in the comments below... Have you tried any of these natural remedies for menopause? What is your question about menopause??
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