Balancing Act: Natural Herbs and Supplements to Navigate Menopause with Ease

Menopause does not have to be scary. It’s true. If we have quality information about what to expect, clarity about how different the experience can be from woman to woman, and insight into natural options that may help us move into this life transition with more ease—it can be anticipated as just that, a transition. There is potential for powerful whole-woman experiences that enhance wisdom, grace and beauty.

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Herbs For Sleep Challenges During Menopause
Herbs For Hot Flashes During Menopause
Herbs For Cognitive And Mood Changes During Menopause
Herbs For Libido During Menopause

Every woman’s experience with menopause is unique to her own chemistry and the subject of hormones and hormone therapy may not only be confusing, it may also be a scary starting point for some. The good news is that there are herbs to help with menopause and the journey into this whole-woman experience may be well served and enhanced with that support. That said, it’s a good idea to have your hormone levels tested to see what might need to be addressed. Do your homework and understand what serious concerns might require more targeted intervention with your healthcare provider. For insights on demystifying hormone replacement options, check out this interview with Dr. Sharon Malone, OB-GYN and advocate for menopause awareness. Exploring various herbal pathways to help soften some of the challenges of this life shift is generally best traveled with an experienced, clinical herbalist. Experimentation is required and knowing where to begin, when to shift and how to use herbal remedies effectively can save you time, mental and emotional energy, and expense.

That said, it’s a good idea to have your hormone levels tested to see what might need to be addressed. Do your homework and understand what serious concerns might require more targeted intervention with your healthcare provider. For insights on demystifying hormone replacement options, check out this interview with Dr. Sharon Malone, OB-GYN and advocate for menopause awareness.

Exploring various herbal pathways to help soften some of the challenges of this life shift is generally best traveled with an experienced, clinical herbalist. Experimentation is required and knowing where to begin, when to shift and how to use herbal remedies effectively can save you time, mental and emotional energy, and expense.

Understanding menopause requires knowing that the hormonal system is intimately linked with both the nervous and immune systems. Clinical herbalist, Dr. Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D. says, “The nervous system and hormonal system interact on many levels, stimulating, augmenting and calming the effect of the other to regulate all the body’s myriad internal processes. The activity of the nervous system and hormonal system directly affects the functioning of the immune system, which is collectively our body’s defenses against pathogenic influences–our ability to maintain the integrity of “self.”

This paints an important picture of why, historically, women have been viewed as “going bananas” during menopause. The whole woman is impacted, including our mental and emotional selves, by relatively rapid and significant hormonal changes. From sleep, weight, appetite, decreased libido and sexual pleasure, mood, hot flashes, and bladder control, to brain fog, skin changes, muscle and joint pain, the onset of OCD, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, headaches and migraine, hair thinning or loss, and tinnitus, menopause can rock a woman’s world. And many of us get a lead-up runway experience with perimenopause before full flight into this wild midlife territory.

The best herbs for perimenopause and menopause generally overlap, but it’s useful to note that some herbs may be more effective for specifics in each phase. Additionally, many herbs are reported to have overall and general hormone-balancing qualities. Again, working with an herbalist who can spare us some of the challenges resulting from venturing too far in non-useful directions is valuable.

The extent to which each woman experiences their symptoms varies on a spectrum. For example, hot flashes may be a minor inconvenience for some that rarely disrupt life beyond needing to remove a layer of clothing. For others, these moments of intense heat can be debilitating. The same can be said for every physical expression of hormonal changes.

As we look at some of the most common menopause symptoms and possible herbal support for those symptoms, please remember that herbal remedies may or may not work for every individual and it will be a matter of experimentation. For example, some herbs are more effective when taken in collaboration with one or more other herbs. Also, it’s important to know if an herb is contraindicated. An example of this might be a woman going through breast cancer treatment. She may need to stay clear of stronger hormonal-impacting herbs. Or, someone on blood thinners may not want to take herbs that have blood thinning actions.

The most typical menopause symptoms are listed below with common botanical remedies and natural herb options. IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all herbal remedies are appropriate for pregnant and/or breastfeeding women. Please consult your healthcare provider and herbalist before experimenting.

HERBS FOR 5 COMMON MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS

Sleep Challenges During Menopause

Lack of or poor quality sleep can adversely impact every area of our lives, causing detrimental effects on overall quality of life. Many sleep issues might be solved with lifestyle changes, but when they come from significant hormonal changes, they may need more selective support.

Hot Flashes During Menopause

Speaking of hot flashes, it’s important to note that they come in varieties and may literally flash or stick around for longer periods. There is still uncertainty around what causes them, but it’s widely accepted in simplistic terms that they come from a drop in estrogen. One of the regularly used herbs for this is Black Cohosh simply because it is one of the most widely studied herbs for menopausal symptoms. However, Black Cohosh is only effective when used properly. There are several other herbs that have historically been used for hot flashes and night sweats like red clover, evening primrose, passion flower, wild yam, sage, blue vervain, blessed thistle, and borage. Additionally, studies can be found that show foods rich in phytoestrogens such as soy, red clover sprouts, flax seeds, dates and pomegranates, can provide some of the estrogen required to alleviate hot flashes. Yet, these also require some experimentation as not all foods work for all digestive systems.

Menopause Weight Gain

We all want to live in bodies that feel good. However, it’s important to consider that we may need to shift our perspective on how we view a happy, healthy body. When our ovaries stop producing estrogen, our fat cells kick in to take over the majority of the job. According to Dr. James R. Woods, Jr., M.D., professor and past chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the

No doubt an unpopular view is that some weight shifts are natural and can be embraced as the body is adjusting to its new phase; this is, of course, if happening alongside a clean and healthy lifestyle. Excessive weight gain and obesity can lead to serious health risks and complications, including heart disease which is still a leading cause of death for women in the United States.

Cognitive And Mood Changes During Menopause

This category of symptoms can be peculiar and confusing. Naturopathic Doctor, Katrina Bogdin has experiential insights to add clarity around some of that mysterious brain fog during this time of life. “Numerous women worry in silence during perimenopause, wondering if they are developing early-onset Alzheimer disease. They begin calling objects “thingy”, “whatcha-macall-it”, and “you

“Studies have shown that saffron (Crocus sativus L.) helps to increase dopamine levels and may improve mood. Saffron is a favorite consideration for cognitive health and emotional well-being during menopause. In my own practice, I have found combinations of ginkgo, gotu kola, and rosemary to help with cognitive health. Women report it works great, when they can remember to take it.

Lack of sleep can greatly impact cognition and mood. In these instances, I turn to GABA-supporting herbs such as passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) and skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to quiet and relax a busy mind. I consider herbal GABA support those 3 or 4 a.m. racing thoughts which prevent sleep. Sometimes stress and overwhelm can lead perimenopausal women to the emergency room with heart palpitations and a racing heartbeat. They fear they might be having a heart attack only to be told “it’s just anxiety.” Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) can help ease nervous palpitations and tension. However, motherwort should not be combined with heart medications and blood pressure medications unless under the supervision of a qualified health-care practitioner.”

Menopause And Libido

Low libido is another result of decreased estrogen, but other factors contribute to this like vaginal dryness and atrophy, inflammation, painful intercourse, and less pleasure. Registered Herbalist Glinda Rhodes says, “This is an issue to approach holistically. All aspects of the individual’s life need to be examined because all of this goes into libido. Anxiety, physical health, pharmaceutical drugs, extended abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases, stress, and emotional difficulties are a few examples of life events that can affect libido. Diet plays a role: Vegetarians have lower levels of estrogen. Damiana is probably the most well-known of the herbs that people associate with libido, but I would caution anyone from expecting a drug like effect from Damiana. It will raise the energy in the reproductive system; kind of like a botanical WD-40 to get the rust out after prolonged abstinence. You can work through the endocrine system to bring about balance: with wild yam, saw palmetto, ginger, motherwort, but none of these will have direct action on the libido. They act gradually to restore balance. Gossypium (cotton root) is synergistic with oxytocin and will increase the strength of orgasm.”

Conclusion

Knowing where to start with what combinations of herbs, in what doses, and what might be right for your body, is knowledge hard to come by without initial guidance from an experienced herbal practitioner. If you are developing a product using herbs, an herbalist can help you formulate something useful for your customers. Many herbs have general actions of naturally balancing hormones. One example of this is Vitex, also known as chaste tree. This herb is often used to address multiple menopausal symptoms as studies continue to show meaningful positive results for overall menopausal symptom relief. Additional herbs to explore for help with menopause symptoms include cramp bark, lemon balm, licorice root, macca, milk thistle, mugwort, shatavari, St. John’s Wort, and valerian root.

Primarily remember, there are many ways to find and/or share support during the menopausal journey!

Disclaimer: Information and statements about the products on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease or for prescribing any medication. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.