Traditional natural HRTs involve consuming plants or supplements containing compounds that may alleviate hormonal symptoms. Some plants and supplements that people may take to treat hormonal symptoms include: phytoestrogens, which are dietary estrogens found in legumes, seeds, and whole grains.
Mindfulness, meditation and cognitive training may improve member and thinking. Hypnosis, yoga, or acupuncture may relieve hot flashes and improve memory and sleep quality. Products such as handheld fans and "chillows" that reduce body temperature have been helpful for some women who experience hot flashes.
One of the common treatment options for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), supplementing your hormone levels to rebalance your system. However, you may prefer to move through menopause without using hormone treatments. And, women with previous hormone-dependent cancer shouldn't use HRT.
Stopping HRT
Women who take HRT for more than 1 year have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who never use HRT. The risk is linked to all types of HRT except vaginal oestrogen.
Genes associated with follicle growth were not significantly altered by vitamin D3. However, it increases expression of genes involved in the estrogen-biosynthesis. Further, estrogen concentrations in porcine granulosa cell-cultured media increased in response to vitamin D3.
HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look. In addition to—and, often, as a result of—these physical changes, HRT often changes how you see yourself.
Are there risks to stopping HRT? The most likely risk is that your menopausal symptoms return. Some research also suggests a rise in blood pressure and a slight increase in risk of heart attack or stroke in the year after stopping HRT. But overall, the risks of stopping HRT are low.
When to stop taking HRT. Most women are able to stop taking HRT after their menopausal symptoms finish, which is usually two to five years after they start (but in some cases this can be longer). Gradually decreasing your HRT dose is usually recommended, rather than stopping suddenly.
So, although we do not need the levels of hormones that we had in our fertile life, replacing hormones appropriately for an individual woman can help maintain her health and prevent disease. Genetic factors, diet and lifestyle all also have a role to play towards our health.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.
Taking the right type of oestrogen can really help improve this low mood and other symptoms related to the menopause. Many women find that they feel calmer, have more energy, are more motivated and generally much happier when they take HRT.
Reduced levels of oestrogen after menopause can cause fat to be stored around your waist rather than on your hips and thighs. In postmenopausal women, belly fat accounts for 15 to 20% of their total body weight, compared with 5 to 8% in premenopausal women.
How Do You Get Rid of Menopause Belly? Menopause weight gain can show up without any obvious behavior change and will not go away on its own. Like any other weight loss, losing menopause weight requires you to use more calories than you take in.
Start with a mix of moderate and vigorous exercise to burn off menopausal weight gain. Your routine should include aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, bicycling, and running, as well as resistance or strength training. “What you want to employ now is high-intensity interval training (HIIT),” Dr. Peeke says.
Clonidine. Clonidine is a prescription medicine that can help reduce hot flushes and night sweats in some menopausal women. It's taken as tablets 2 or 3 times a day. It does not affect hormone levels, so unlike HRT it does not carry an increased risk of problems such as breast cancer.