Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND
The answer is short but clear: yes, you can almost certainly get rid of your menopause symptoms, naturally and without drugs. In fact, you can feel the best you’ve felt in years.
(Why do we say “almost certainly”? Because there are a few women — in our experience, less than 10% overall — who need hormone supplementation to get rid of their symptoms.)
So the question is: how? How do I do get rid of my symptoms? We’ll answer that in just a moment. First it’s important to understand what your symptoms really mean.
How imbalances in your hormones cause symptoms
The symptoms you suffer in perimenopause or menopause are caused by extreme shifts in the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. While these hormones have been fluctuating throughout your life, your body has been able to adjust for the most part. If not, you may have suffered from PMS symptoms, another form of hormonal imbalance.
But in perimenopause, your body becomes overwhelmed with these ups and downs, and struggles to produce more sex hormones or balance their levels and ratios. This effort can influence your entire endocrine system, the system of glands that sends hormonal messages throughout our body. It’s also the root source for wide-ranging symptoms including fatigue, thinning hair, sleep difficulties and joint discomfort.
The three most common hormonal imbalances for women are:
- Estrogen deficiency, which can lead to symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
- Progesterone deficiency, leading to irritability, anxiety and insomnia.
- Testosterone deficiency, which can lead to mood swings and a lack of desire for sex.
Each of us has a different hormonal profile that defines how we’re able to respond to hormonal fluctuations. The key to balancing your hormones is giving your body the extra support it needs.
The natural approach to balancing your hormones begins with phytotherapy
The most effective relief for perimenopause and menopause symptoms is to ensure your body has the raw materials it needs to make, regulate and use all three hormones, not just estrogen, which has often been the focus of the conventional approach.
Not only do we know that progesterone and testosterone also play critical roles in hormonal imbalance, but we also understand that balance is more than having “enough” of a certain hormone. True hormonal balance creates optimal levels of all sex hormones, with clear pathways for their use throughout the body, and the ability to manage hormone fluctuations to eliminate symptoms.
We’ve learned the use of phytotherapy for menopause — or herbal solutions — can resolve even severe symptoms for most women. Certain herbs known as phytocrines share important features with our own hormones which allow them to provide symptom relief, as well as to bolster your body’s own ability to make and use hormones:
- Phytocrines can act like the body’s own hormones. By binding to our hormone receptors, they allow cells to get the information they need to function.
- Phytocrines can imitate hormone functions. One example is the phytoestrogens found in red clover which closely resemble human estrogen and can help normalize estrogen activity in our bodies.
- Phytocrines encourage hormone production. Plants can gently stimulate the body’s tissues to make more natural hormones.
Phytotherapy is especially effective when the herbs are adaptogenic, meaning they have the power to adapt to the specific needs of your body. This is very different from the “one-size-fits-all” approach in most conventional settings.
In addition to phytotherapy, a natural approach includes these key steps for menopause symptoms relief:
- Key vitamins and minerals your body needs for a healthy metabolism, hormonal balance and symptom relief. For example, vitamins B, C, D and E are important for healthy hair growth, while omega-3 fatty acids help stabilize cholesterol levels for greater hormonal balance.
- Lifestyle choices that keep symptoms from worsening or help you avoid new symptoms. Here are the most common stressors and factors:
- Diets high in processed foods, sugar and simple starches can lead to higher blood sugar and an increase in the hormone insulin, which has a powerful effect on estrogen and progesterone.
- Ignoring the negative effects of stress can have greater consequences in menopause.
- Not getting enough sleep, relaxation, or regular detoxification.
The Women’s Health Network natural solution
We know that once you understand the causes of menopause symptoms and all of your options, you’ll be able to trust your inner guidance to make the best choice for you.
Together, phytotherapy, nutrition and lifestyle changes create our unique natural approach that’s effective, simple and proven. Of the tens of thousands of women we’ve worked with who suffer from hormonal imbalance, an incredible 85% of the women report feeling better, looking great in menopause, and living better — free of the symptoms that used to interfere with their lives and happiness.
Our Hormonal Health Package comes in six versions to match your level of symptoms. To learn more about your individual symptoms, take our FREE on-line Hormonal Health Profile.
