The ‘three amigos’ – 3 approaches to help manage your menopause symptoms (when HRT is not an option)
When HRT is not an option for you, what can you do to manage & ease your menopause symptoms?
The answer is plenty! And here are my three approaches to easing those difficult symptoms of menopause.
1.’Lifestyle’ modification – sleep, movement nutrition
-Enough sleep: Getting sufficient sleep is important for our overall physical health and emotional well-being. Having a regular sleep routine and creating a comfortable sleep environment can help promote better sleep. (See my sleep blog here for tips: https://clarity-kent.co.uk/sleep-tips-during-menopause/)
-Movement: Regular exercise can help reduce menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disturbances. We’re talking regular weight bearing/strength-based resistance exercise, walking & stretching – yoga is good for this. Helps with muscle aches & pains as well as looking after our bone health.
-Nutrition: Eating a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats can help minimise symptoms such as hot flashes, mood changes, and weight gain. (A useful video here with me talking about digestion & gut health related to diet & nutrition: Listsen into my recent video about gut health
- Alternative therapies
-Try meditation, yoga, and Qigong. These can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleep quality.
-Aromatherapy: Lavender and neroli oils appear to provide some relief from menopausal symptoms, contributing to a reduction of stress and enhancing emotional wellbeing.
-Acupuncture: studies showing positive effect on menopausal symptoms & can help with reducing hot flushes/night sweats, improve sleep and reduce anxiety.
-Herbal remedies:
- For hot flushes and night sweats – Black Cohosh, Sage, Red Clover provide symptom management without addressing the cause
- For managing stress, anxiety and low mood – St John’s Wort; Rhodiola, L-theanine; Ashwagandha, Saffron; clinical trials have shown a positive impact on these symptoms.
- For managing sleep problems – Valerian, Chamomile (a cuppa before bedtime)
-Massage therapy can help reduce muscle tension, improve relaxation, and promote better sleep.
- And then there’s CBT Therapy & where I can come in to support you:
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can help us manage symptoms such as anxiety, depression, stress, overwhelm & irritability by teaching coping strategies and cognitive restructuring.
Have a listen in to this video testimonial from Catherine, an ex-client of mine, to hear how menopause therapy & coaching helped her:
I can help you make sense of your menopausal symptoms so that you are able to feel less stressed, manage your anxiety & overwhelm, feel you can cope better, sleep better, rebuild your confidence & reclaim your identity, so you can re-connect with your strong resilient self.
I support in using the Embers step by step therapy plan (https://www.menopausecbtclinic.co.uk/), which looks at introducing a range of behavioural & cognitive strategies to manage the psychological symptoms associated with our peri/menopause transition. This programme supports in looking at restoring the balance in our body & rebalancing the mind with cognitive & behavioural strategies to help manage your stress, anxiety, overwhelm, loss of confidence & self-esteem, so you can reclaim your identity, sense of purpose & rediscover a new ‘you’.
Take a look at my website page here: https://clarity-kent.co.uk/counselling/perimenopause-menopause/
And if you are interested in booking a 30 minutes free on-line informal coffee chat with me, you can do that here: calendly.com/clarity-kent
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