Weight Gain and Menopause - A Simple Herbal Treatment

Gaining weight during menopause is typical, but it can most definitely be helped. You don't have to start working out for an hour every day, and you don't have to eat nothing but salads. In fact, there are herbal cures that can actually help with weight gain and menopause. These herbal supplements can make it easier to lose weight quickly and safely.

We aren't talking about supplements that will boost your metabolism, and we aren't claiming that these herbs will be the magical remedy to losing weight. You still need to eat sensibly and exercise in moderation. What these herbs actually do is relieve stress. You may be wondering how stress relief is linked to weight loss, and you are about to find out.

Weight Loss and Stress during Menopause

More and more research is being done today on cortisol, a hormone that causes weight gain. On a normal basis, your body will create certain amounts of cortisol, which helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. When you are psychologically stressed, though, your body will have physiological reactions, one of which is creating more cortisol.
When your body creates more cortisol than it actually needs, it can cause your body to retain more fat, especially around your middle, where fat retention is most dangerous to your health, especially during menopause. Over time, high levels of cortisol can cause you to retain a large amount of fat, and reducing your levels of stress can actually cause you to shed fat.

Herbal Cures for Stress To Control Weight

Knowing this, then, it's pretty obvious that using herbs to reduce your stress levels can also help you lose weight. There are a few different types of herbs that you can use to reduce stress, including chamomile and lavender, both of which can be brewed into teas. These herbs are mild, though, and there are two herbs that can affect your stress levels more strongly: valerian and hops.

Valerian is a very strong herb that can be brewed as a tea or taken in pill form. While scientists are unsure exactly how valerian affects the body, it's certain that it does affect the nervous system in a way that calms you down. Some studies have shown that valerian acts like GABA, a hormone that reacts with certain neurotransmitters that are linked to stress and sleep. Valerian, when used once or on a regular basis, can help calm nervous energy, insomnia, and stress-related anxiety.

Another herb for stress relief is hops, which can be used in tea or in a pill form. Again, no one is quite sure how hops affects the body, but it has a sedative effect. Hops can be used to relieve nervousness, tension, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.

Although you can use either valerian or hops on its own to help you calm down and relieve stress, they may be even more effective when used in combination. However, when combined they are more potent, so consult with an herbalist or a doctor who specializes in complementary medicine before you use them together on a regular basis to avoid any possible side effects.

You may immediately feel the stress relieving effects of valerian and hops, but the stress relief may not immediately cause you to lose weight. Over time, though, the lowered levels of cortisol in your blood will help you burn off fat more effectively and keep it off over time. This safe, natural solution is one of the best ways to prevent weight gain during menopause.