Natural Remedies for the Menopause

Natural remedies, such as herbal remedies, aromatherapy and massage, offer a wide range of healing, rejuvenating and restorative benefits. They can help to relieve many symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes, anxiety and insomnia, and help your body function better, leaving you more able to adapt to the changes menopause brings.

Let’s take a look at how different natural remedies can be used to relieve symptoms of menopause.

How can herbal remedies help during the menopause?

Herbal remedies can help in a range of ways. While they may not be as strong as mono-chemicals (largely used by pharmaceuticals), they contain many beneficial compounds and have a broader therapeutic range, and considerably fewer side effects. 

Certain herbal remedies can help to improve your general health, while others can help with hormone balance, either by encouraging oestrogen-like compounds or improving liver function and digestive health, which plays an important role in hormone manufacture and breakdown. Many herbal remedies help to reduce inflammation, while others help to support mental health and wellbeing, improve sleep, or even soothe your skin.

Here are some examples of menopause symptoms and the herbal treatments that can relieve them:

• Ease hot flushes and night sweats: Black cohosh, red clover and sage
• Reduce anxiety and support mental health: Lemon balm, oat straw and skullcap
• Improve sleep: Lavender and valerian
• Aid digestive system: German chamomile, St John’s wort and sweet fennel
• Boost mood: Rosemary and chaste tree 

How can aromatherapy help during the menopause?

Your sense of smell is very powerful – more so than you might realise. When you smell something, your body’s response is processed in the limbic part of your brain, where emotions and memories are processed. This is why certain smells can evoke emotional and/or physical responses.

When a woman experiences fluctuations in her oestrogen levels, this affects the limbic brain. That’s why many women experience psychological symptoms during the menopause.

The holistic effects of essential oils can help with many menopausal symptoms, including anxiety, depression, mood swings, sleep disturbances, headaches, hot flushes, and loss of libido.

Examples of essential oils for different symptoms include:

• Ease hot flushes and night sweats: Geranium and cypress
• Reduce anxiety and support mental health: Clary sage and bergamot
• Improve sleep: Rose and geranium
• Aid digestive system: Sweet fennel and bergamot
• Boost mood: Clary sage and rose

How can massage help during the menopause?

Therapeutic massage, especially when using essential oils, has many benefits during the menopause. Here are some of the ways massage can help:

• It stimulates blood circulation, so can help to lower blood pressure
• It activates the body’s lymphatic system
• It reduces fluid retention and swelling
• It can reduce pain
• It can help to improve libido 
• It calms the nervous system and can help to reduce stress
• It helps to improve sleep

Natural remedies at The Amara Clinic

At The Amara Clinic, natural remedies are one of our five key pillars of menopause care, as outlined in Anne Henderson’s book, ‘Natural Menopause’. These pillars form the basis of how we support each woman through her personal menopause journey.

As every woman is different, which herbs to take, and for how long, will vary from person to person. Natural remedies are rarely prescribed in isolation, and at The Amara Clinic, we work with you to find a unique blend of herbal supplements and natural therapies to help address your symptoms.
Get in touch today for further information or to book an appointment with one of our specialists.