Publications
Menopause affects women in different ways, with some suffering more than others. It's something females are made aware of, but how realistic are the tales being told? There are some aspects which need to be made clear so they don't come as an unpleasant surprise at the time.
One of the main side effects of the menopause is hot flushes, with females feeling overcome with warmth when they hit. It's estimated that over 75 per cent of women experience them, but of this number, around 33 per cent put up with them for ten years. Yes, ten years! So young ladies who assumed hot flushes were just momentary sensations, you couldn't be more wrong. They can keep a person up at night due to discomfort.
Switching up your diet a bit could help - avoid caffeine, spicy foods and alcohol, as these cause flushes on a general basis, so imagine how bad it must be during menopause? Foods with isoflavones, compounds that give the same effects as oestrogen, also help, like soybeans, tofu and miso soup. Also lowering the temperature in the bedroom can help with a good night's sleep.
Many may not know how an imbalanced body can add to menopause symptoms either. Rather than turning to Western medicines to ease any annoyances, women could try Traditional Chinese Medicine. These methods cater to each female as an individual rather than a whole, which is useful in this area because, as mentioned above, no menopause is the same. The treatment looks at which part of the body is deficient and aims to restore balance.
Acupuncture is sometimes used to get the body back on track, with points targeted according to the problem. A positive aspect of using Chinese Medicine is that there aren't the same side effects as over-the-counter drugs. Everything is natural and can be used on a long-term basis.
And a final tip; a recent study by researchers at Tokyo Medical University found that drinking a glass of tomato juice a day eased menopause symptoms. They discovered 200ml twice a day for eight weeks helped ease cholesterol and anxiety in women. Overall, in the 93 women studied, their symptoms - including hot flushes - had almost halved.
© Cover Media
