Menopause symptoms:
the inside the body story
There are 48 acknowledged symptoms of menopause.
Treating menopause symptoms naturally is about identifying the root cause of a symptom rather than just suppressing it with medication. The decline in hormones at this life stage makes women more vulnerable to illnesses such as osteoporosis, heart disease, as well as urinary tract infections due to the thinning of the vaginal tissue. Menopause weight gain also increases a woman’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and depression.
It's important to also understand that managing menopause symptoms is not an either/or decision with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Women can choose whether to take hormone replacement therapy, other estrogen replacement medications or medication recommended by healthcare providers in place of or in addition to natural management solutions. Balancing hormones naturally may eradicate the need for certain medications, however if a woman is taking medication it’s as important to support the body nutritionally and with lifestyle changes rather than solely relying on medication.
Many symptoms of menopause are caused by nutrient deficiencies, which can often be remedied efficiently and naturally. Importantly, the Femmar program provides women with the support and resources needed to empower informed decision making for management of their menopause symptoms.
Learn more about the symptoms of menopause
Hot flashes
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Irregular period
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Night sweats
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Vaginal dryness
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Heavy periods
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Anxiety
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Frequent urination
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Missed period
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Stress incontinence
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Forgetfulness
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Lighter periods
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Depression
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Confidence loss
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Difficulty concentrating
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Difficulty sleeping
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Aches & joint pain
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Heart palpitations
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Panic attacks
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Headaches
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Loss of sex drive
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Increased intercourse pain
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Urinary infections
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Mood swings
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Fatigue
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Weight gain
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Bloating
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Insomnia
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Elevated cholesterol
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Elevated blood pressure
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Hot flashes • Irregular period • Night sweats • Vaginal dryness • Heavy periods • Anxiety • Frequent urination • Missed period • Stress incontinence • Forgetfulness • Lighter periods • Depression • Confidence loss • Difficulty concentrating • Difficulty sleeping • Aches & joint pain • Heart palpitations • Panic attacks • Headaches • Loss of sex drive • Increased intercourse pain • Urinary infections • Mood swings • Fatigue • Weight gain • Bloating • Insomnia • Elevated cholesterol • Elevated blood pressure •
Overcome midlife menopause
Common symptoms that respond to natural menopause treatments
Hot flashes
More than 80% of women are affected by a hot flash at some stage of their menopause journey.
These vasomotor symptoms can often start long before periods cease and can continue for several years afterwards. There are various reasons for hot flashes, and the sensations are still not well understood. The reduction in estrogen levels affects the hypothalamus in the brain, which controls temperature. The adrenal glands, which secrete stress hormones, also come into play for a woman experiencing hot flashes. Many times a woman might feel anxious or have a stressful situation occur and then a hot flash starts. That’s because the hormonal system is all connected.
Taking a holistic approach to menopause is often successful for women who particularly deal with hot flashes. Blood sugar imbalances also play a role in body temperature regulation and can worsen a woman’s hot flashes.
Brain fog
Many women experiencing brain fog or recurring confusion fear this menopausal symptom, believing it to be the beginning of dementia.
Feeling like you’re losing your mind can be unsettling for many, especially if you believe it may be a permanent situation. If you constantly forget what you’re saying mid-sentence, what you went into a room for, or where you put your car keys, you are not alone. This flighty confusion is commonly termed ‘brain fog’.
Brain fog is one of the most common symptoms of the menopause. Feeling fuzzy-headed or light confusion is believed to be related to the hormonal ups and downs associated with menopause. Some parts of the brain particularly involved with verbal memory are rich in estrogen receptors, so many are researching the physiological link between hormonal status and brain function. Studies show that when we increase naturally occurring estrogen in the diet, both long and short-term memory as well as cognitive function can be improved.
Weight gain
While weight gain is not uncommon as women age, primarily due to lower daily activity levels, this is not the only reason women may experience weight gain as they enter the perimenopause years.
Menopause weight gain at this life stage tends to come in the form of fat around the middle, which can often be very resilient to action. Paradoxically, it’s often the time of a woman’s life when she’s running herself ragged with family and work commitments!
New research suggests that hormonal fluctuations make balancing blood sugar levels more difficult. When a woman is on a rollercoaster ride with glucose imbalances, it’s much harder to control weight. Plus, cravings and an increase in appetite are not uncommon as a result of these fluctuating hormones. The good news is that weight gain can more easily be managed by eating the right foods at the right times of day and by adding some strength training exercises, addressing key nutrient and hormonal gaps.
Night sweats
Night sweats are often one of the first symptoms women experience as they enter their menopause years.
Night sweats tend to be more severe versions of hot flashes, which can cause women to wake up drenched, causing some to have to change their nightwear and sheets constantly. Night sweats are often one of the first symptoms women experience as they enter their menopause years and can be very distressing. The constant waking up, having to get out of bed, and inconsistent sleep cycles take their toll and may also negatively impact a woman’s sex life.
Turning to nature and science is incredibly effective when dealing with night sweats and the benefits will be transformational. Phytoestrogens, for example, are naturally occurring in many types of produce. By consuming natural phytoestrogens women can trick their body into thinking that it has higher levels of natural occurring estrogen.
Vaginal dryness and itching
Many women find that their desire for sex starts to wane as they enter menopause, which isn’t surprising when 70% suffer from vaginal dryness and itching.
Though partners may still be keen, sex may well be the last thing on a menopausal or perimenopausal woman’s mind. Before you start thinking this is something peculiar or off with you, rest assured you’re not alone. Many women find that their desire for sex starts to wane as they enter menopause, which isn’t surprising when 70% suffer from vaginal dryness and itching. Often these symptoms take intercourse or other sexual activity off the menu entirely.
Loss of estrogen causes vaginal tissue to thin and become inflamed, hence sexual activity may even cause bleeding. The good news is that by balancing estrogen levels naturally and improving overall nutrient levels, many menopausal women’s sexual desire returns.
Joint aches and pains
Falling estrogen levels also result in reduced lubrication injoints. Women in this phase of life often say they feel old before their time.
In addition, a lack of essential nutrients caused by an unbalanced diet or digestive health changes can cause bone or muscle degeneration, which results in creaking bones and aching joints, especially first thing in the morning. Women describe that it feels like everything needs some oil.
Keeping active, even when you don’t feel like it, together with fixing nutrient deficiencies via diet can typically improve womens’ menopause joint aches and pains. A lack of vitamin D is often a factor with these aches and pains and can be addressed nutritionally or with dietary supplements.
Headaches
Fluctuating estrogen levels can often be the cause of these menopausal headaches.
If women have always suffered from migraines, these can often worsen during perimenopause and may be the result of changing or fluctuating body temperature, tiredness due to hot flashes, sleeplessness, or general stress and anxiety. Fluctuating estrogen levels can often be the cause of these menopausal headaches, although some women do find improvements in headache symptom severity or frequency as estrogen levels drop.
Unfortunately, many women begin to suffer from headaches and migraines for the first time in their lives as they enter menopause. By balancing hormones naturally and meeting their nutritional needs, women who experience menopausal headaches or migraines can return to their normal, everyday lives.
Heart palpitations
As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, the heart rate can often speed up and become more erratic as time goes by.
Many women don’t realise that heart palpitations and a feeling of a racing or irregular heartbeat are not uncommon during menopause. As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, the heart rate can often speed up and become more erratic as time goes by. The latest research indicates that estrogen may influence not only heart rate, but also the central nervous system. It’s also not uncommon for any kind of stress to bring on heart palpitations.
As women go through menopause they often become more sensitive to situations outside of their bodies as well, leading to a chain reaction of inside/outside triggers of stress which may impact their heart rate. Overall a woman’s hormone disregulation can have a detrimental effect on many of the body’s physiological and emotional systems.
Mood swings
Mood swings are commonly experienced by women in various stages of menopause.
Many members of the Midlife Refuel Community express feeling as if they’re on an emotional pendulum: up one minute and down the next. Just as things seem to be going well, their mood can come crashing down again. Mood swings affect every woman differently, although there are many consistencies in the symptoms’ presentation.
Incorporating mindfulness practices as well as nutritional and emotional regulation techniques can help women in menopause who are experiencing mood swings without medication. There is a fine balance for every woman to understand and manage how these symptoms present for them. Reestablishing and maintaining that healthier hormonal range naturally is one way women may begin to see the world through a clearer, less menopause-fogged lens.
Insomnia
Although insomnia is a common symptom of menopause, it’s not always recognised as such.
Sleep problems affect a very large percentage of the population at some stage of their lives. Sleep patterns often change through menopause, reported difficulty getting to sleep, falling asleep quickly, only waking up several times a night, or waking at regular intervals throughout the evening . Night sweats can often cause a woman to wake many times during the night, and getting back to sleep may be challenging.
Women often report that once their body gets into good hormonal, nutritional, and physical balance then better sleep naturally follows. Natural sleep aids such as sound therapy, herbs, botanicals, and environment organisation can also provide plenty of help from menopause insomnia.
While these are just some of the many symptoms of menopause, it is important to remember that a woman’s specific symptoms can vary. Her journey to menopause management will be a highly personal one that may require some trial and error, but symptom relief, and even elimination, is possible.
