Perimenopausal Women Suffering With Menopause Symptoms and Joint Pain

Joint pain is often one of the symptoms of the Menopause process. Sometimes, joint pain is so severe as to cause constant suffering to the point of disability.

If the Menopause cycle is the cause, then it is probably due to low levels of the hormone Estrogen. The hormone Estrogen has an anti-inflammatory effect in your body. When your estrogen level starts falling due to hormonal fluctuations during menopause, the lack of adequate Estrogen will worsen the symptoms of inflammation.

There is a lot you can do to relieve your pain. You must start with solving the underlying cause. A few simple dietary changes, like reducing refined carbohydrates and sugar, can have a dramatic effect in reducing your joint pain. Fruits and vegetables contain natural anti-inflammatory agents, which ease joint pain. Eating more of these foods, and adding a high quality multivitamin, can do wonders. Some professionals even say that hypnosis is good for relieving joint pain.

Pilates can definitely help joint and muscle pain during menopause. Pilates can help you preserve your range of motion, and will also keep your spine well aligned and stretched. This will avoid damaging the spinal nerves from impingement. Pilates and yoga can both help in this way. These programs will definitely help with muscle pain and joint pain during menopause.

Calcium can relieve muscle spasms and pain. Calcium comes in many forms, some more absorbable than others. If you choose to take a supplement you should make sure that the calcium that you take is easily absorbed in your body. Ask your pharmacist. . Probably the most absorbable form comes from eating a diet that includes daily amounts of one or more of the following foods.

• Almonds


• Broccoli


• Cabbage


• Asparagus


• Buttermilk


• Fennel


• Figs


• Oats


• Parsley


• Turnip greens


• Prunes


• Sesame Seeds


• Kale


• Collard Greens


• Salmon


• Seafood


• Yogurt


• Whey

Stay away from extreme temperatures, stressing, overdoing, straining muscles, or being overweight.

Most people take pain relievers to ease the pain in their joints. Most common, are the non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs known as NSAIDS such as:

Generic Names: Aspirin;, Ibuprofen; which comes in the brand name products Motrin; Advil; and Motrin B, Naproxen; which comes is the active product in Naprosyn and Aleve, and Nabumetone: which comes as Relafen.

Studies have found that these popular OTC drugs can help with joint pain, but over the long haul they can do more harm than good. Many women can get great relief from joint pain and arthritis with the following supplements. It is best to also take a good multivitamin which includes:

• Glucosamine Sulfate


• Turmeric


• Omega-3 fats

Pilates can definitely help joint and muscle pain during menopause. You should maintain your range of motion and also keep your spine well aligned and stretched in order to keep the spinal nerves from impingement. Pilates and yoga can both help to do this. If you do not find improvement form these natural therapies, you should go to your doctor for a complete checkup and blood tests to see if your problem might be caused by low estrogen or thyroid problems.

Japanese Medicine Supplements And Menopause

If you were told that Japanese women suffer up to 80% less menopause symptoms than other women in the world would you wonder why? You bet you would! Well, this is true. For thousands of years, Japanese woman have gone through the menopausal years much easier than other women have. They do not have the same degree of symptoms as other women and when faced with symptoms, they know exactly what to do to make them stop. Well, if you have entered the early menopausal years, having monthly periods light, heavy, or infrequent, coupled with things like night sweats, moodiness, and hot sweats, chances are you are eager to learn the secret. In this article, we will address Japanese medicine and supplements, and menopause!

One of the most popular types of Japanese medicine and supplements for menopause is Black Cohosh. In addition to being used in Asian, Black Cohosh is also very widely used in Europe. While this particular herb helps with many menopausal symptoms, it is most beneficial in treating hot flashes and night sweats. Typically, doctors will recommend you not take this herb for longer than six months since some preliminary studies show that Black Cohosh when taken long-term could increase the risk of endometrial cancer.

While Black Cohosh is certainly beneficial, the most popular type of Japanese medicine and supplements for menopause is soy. The reason is that soy contains phytoestrogens, which are estrogen-like substances. When you go through menopause, the body stops producing estrogen. With this, you will start to have irregular menstrual cycles, which could mean heavier or lighter periods, or longer or shorter periods. By taking soy, the body's low estrogen levels can be replaced but naturally.

Japanese women will consume soy or soy products on a daily basis. The interesting thing about this is that only 35% of women in this country complain of menopause symptoms. Because of this, researchers have taken notice and over the years, have been trying to determine first, if there is in fact a connection and two, just how that connection works. While soy is considered a perfectly normal Japanese medicine and supplement for menopause, for women in other countries they should start slowly by incorporating soymilk and/or tofu into the diet. Then over several weeks, increase the amount of soy being consumed until you reach between 40 and 80mg of these isoflavones each day. The result should be a noticeable improvement in the menopausal symptoms.

Okay, so what other Japanese medicines and supplements are for menopause? Japanese arrowroot is another type of isoflavones that includes daidzin, daidzein, genistein, and puerarin. These chemicals are extracted from kudzu and in the past few years, the chemicals have been carefully studies to determine what effect on the body they have. What these studies have shown is that arrowroot helps reduce inflammation and relieving muscle pain. Since women going through menopause often deal with joint and muscle pain, arrowroot is just one more tool in the toolbox so to speak in fighting against these types of symptoms.

Keep in mind that the isoflavones in kudzu is actually a part of a larger group of chemicals - phytoestrogens. Just as with soy, these natural chemicals replace lost estrogen, which provides relief for hot flashes, night sweats, and even helps fight against bone loss associated with menopause that can cause osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. In fact, although not really understood, some experts now believe phytoestrogens can help with mood swings. Just remember that phytoestrogens foods, herbs, and spices have been used for thousands of years, safely. However, this type of Japanese medicine and supplement for menopause should be used only in low doses to prevent further imbalances within the body.

Next on the list of Japanese medicines and supplements for menopause is Dong Quai, which has been shown to be highly beneficial for menopause symptoms. In fact, recent studies show that symptoms are reduced by as much as 30% in women taking Dong Quai. This herb acts like an estrogen but contains B vitamins, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory factors, and even some progesterone-like substances that help with menopausal symptoms. Japanese women commonly use ginseng, which has normal hormonal qualities. Ginseng helps with hot flashes, night sweats, and can even help with mood swings. Finally, if you are having trouble with anxiety, depression, and insomnia, Kava Kava is an excellent solution.

Hot Flash Natural Treatment - Discovered With Good Old Fashion Apple Cider Vinegar

I have to admit in doing my research on Apple Cider Vinegar I am discovering all sorts of outstanding reports and feedback to support its use as a hot flash natural treatment.

After reading various women's testimonials on the health properties of Apple Cider Vinegar, I have gathered nothing but rave reviews and exceptional feedback. Apple Cider Vinegar, a common widespread folk remedy, is produced from fermented apple juice, and contains a wide array of vitamins and minerals that offer numerous health benefits. One of its benefits, which may not be as well known, is for relieving the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.

Apple cider vinegar helps relieve hot flashes, one of the most common symptoms of menopause. According to a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic researchers found that between 75 to 80 percent of all women in America experience hot flashes. Apple cider offers a really great and effective alternative to women who cannot undergo hormonal treatment or simply want the option of using a natural remedy.

In addition, Apple Cider Vinegar aids in the relief of night sweats, another symptom of menopause. Night sweats are occurrences of significant sweating during the night. They characteristically cause perspiration on the upper area of the body, typically the head, face and chest while dampening sleep wear and bedding.

Here's another outstanding benefit of apple cider vinegar, it contains magnesium, manganese, a mineral which supports and maintains bone mass and prevent or lessen the progression of osteoporosis. Wait, there is more to this overall truly awesome health tonic, it supports the body's absorption of calcium from the foods we eat.

Now before you go out and buy the typical supermarket brand you want to head to your local health food store or alternative grocers. The unprocessed Apple Cider Vinegar or unfiltered variety over the processed maximizes the health benefits for menopause discomfort. You want to buy the Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

If you decide you want to give Apple Cider Vinegar a try you should take 2 tablespoons once in the morning and again in the evening. Admittedly, some women complain of the super tangy taste but please don't let that discourage you. If you want you can drink it quickly straight or add it to a glass of water. So women elect to use a chaser, so to speak, after they take it...such as a small amount of honey, a piece of fruit or juice. By the way, apple cider vinegar is great to use in salad dressings.

So there you have it, another hot flash natural treatment that amounts to literally pennies a day for the treatment. Once again we have Mother Nature to thank for the relief!
To your excellent health!

Note-

Please remember that it is always important to consult your health practitioner before beginning any remedies to assure they won't harm your health nor have any adverse effects. The information provided is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Menopause Relief in Easy Steps

How we life our lives can affect our experience of menopause. There are things that are within our powers to manage or change completely, that will have a very dramatic effect on both our overall health and the menopause symptoms we ultimately experience.

Alcohol is one of those areas where we have total control in managing how it affects our health and the symptoms of menopause.

Effects of Alcohol on the Brain

Alcohol acts on the brain to reduce anxiety and inhibitions. In moderate amounts it helps with relaxation as well as increasing confidence in social situations. However, as a sedative it can also slow down reactions and affect coordination and concentration. Even small amounts can impair an individual's ability to operate machinery and to drive.

Larger amounts of alcohol can lead to loss of control, drowsiness and eventually to loss of consciousness. Continued excessive alcohol consumption may be associated with anxiety and depression as well as increasing the risk of developing dementia.

Effects on the Body

Alcohol acts as a diuretic and stimulates the appetite. It causes dilatation (widening) of the blood vessels in the skin, which can be associated with excessive sweating, flushing and loss of heat from the body.

Bouts of heavy drinking lead to hangovers with headaches, nausea and a dry mouth. Hangovers are due to the effects of alcohol and other chemicals in alcoholic drinks. Drinking large amounts can lead to loss of memory and loss of consciousness. Many regular drinkers find they put on weight.

Long-term excessive consumption may be associated with many disorders, including stomach ulcers, certain heart and liver diseases, high blood pressure and strokes. It also increases the risk of certain cancers, such as cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus, particularly in those who also smoke. Brain function may be affected and related and ongoing vitamin deficiencies may result in nerve damage.

Alcohol can also lead to various other problems; it can interfere with an individual's social life as well as affecting work and relationships. Dependence is a common and serious problem; affected individuals find they need to drink, and they keep drinking even though they know it will harm them. Their bodies can tolerate increasing levels of alcohol and they experience symptoms if alcohol is stopped.

It can be difficult to keep track of alcohol consumption. It may be worth trying to keep an alcohol diary for a couple of weeks to give you an idea of how much you're drinking. You should also use a shot glass or drink measure when pouring drinks at home to avoid overgenerous portions. If your level of alcohol consumption is above the recommended limit, it is time to cut down.

Ways To Rut Down On Alcohol

• Make sure you have at least two alcohol-free days each week.
• Avoid drinking during the day at work.
• When socializing, make sure every other drink is non-alcoholic.
• Decide in advance how much you want to drink and stick to it.
• Finish your drink before refilling your glass so you know how much alcohol you have had.
• Put your glass down between sips to help you drink more slowly

Spice Up Your Social Life

Rethink your socializing. Take up a sport or other pastime that will help to replace drinking in your social life. Instead of meeting your friends in the bar, go to the gym for an exercise class or make the cinema or theatre a regular date.

Menopause Symptoms

Menopause symptoms begin at about the time that menopause starts, calculated following an uninterrupted 12-month time interval when a woman displays no signs of a menstruation. In general terms and for American women, this is at age 51.

However, a woman may also display menopause-like symptoms if she is diagnosed as perimenopausal, pre-menopausal or early menopausal. Women who have been established to be early menopausal may (in rare cases) display menopause type symptoms as early as their mid-20s.

In all cases, menopause symptoms are directly related to decreased estrogen levels and hormone imbalance.

There are more menopause symptoms than one might suspect. Fortunately, not all women display all symptoms all the time. Unfortunately, once menopause symptoms start they may persist for ten years or longer.

Among the most noted symptoms are:

Hot Flashes (hot flushes) - One of the very most common menopause symptom complaints are hot flashes. Milder hot flashes are frequently referred to as hot flushes. Hot flashes can be very intense and last for upward to 20 minutes. In extreme cases a woman may experience a hot flash, hourly.

Hot flashes have been described as extreme internal heat that rises quickly and then levels off at various degrees of discomfort. The areas of the body most affected are the face, neck, and chest area but any part of the body may be too warm during a hot flash. A woman may experience an escalating severity of hot flashes as she ages due to continuing reduced estrogen levels and/or hormone imbalance.

Night Sweats (warm flushes, cold flushes) - Night sweats are the evil twin of hot flashes. Many women are awakened with hot flashes during menopause. The areas of the body affected are nearly identical to those associated with hot flashes. Warm flushes are thought to be a milder form of night sweats. During a night sweat episode a woman may kick off the covers in an attempt to get cool quickly. Following the night sweat episode a woman may experience a cold or cool flush nearly as severe as the previous night sweat episode. In this instance, all of the bed coverings may not (at least initially) appear to be enough to get warm. These cold flushes are just part of the night sweat cycle and one of the reasons why women who experience night sweats complain of sleep deprivation. In severe cases, women experiencing night sweats may never actually go into REM sleep and so, never get a restful night's sleep. In this way, night sweats can lead to more concerning health issues including depression, mental fatigue, mood swings, irritability, and weakened immunity to disease.

Mood Swings - Mood swings like the other menopause symptoms noted previously, are among the more common symptoms associated with menopause. Not a lot is known about mood swings as they vary by the individual, in intensity and frequency. Like other symptoms, mood swings have a connection with reduced estrogen levels and imbalanced hormones. Mood swings can be problematic as they can be disruptive to personal and professional relationships. From a professional standpoint, mood suppressing drugs may affect job performance. Stress and other outside catalysts have been noted to affect mood swings.

Cravings - Food cravings have been noted as one of the very most common of menopause symptoms. During menopause, a heighten awareness of favorite or preferred foods and beverages is frequently noted. While these foods may have been attractive prior to menopause, menopausal women often engage in binge consumption of these food and beverage favorites. Previous will-power, discretion, and moderation seem to have gone out the window with the excessive consumption of chocolates, carbohydrate laden pasta, wine, beer, pizza, pickles, etc. Cravings for typical comfort foods are also common. A Thanksgiving Dinner might be considered by many to be the ultimate comfort food indulgence.

Menopause Belly Fat Weight Gain - Menopause belly fat weight gain is one of the more common menopause symptoms. Prior to menopause, most women are concerned with weight gain in the hips, thighs, and buttocks, especially following pregnancy. However and following menopause, the weight gain problem area shifts to the waist. Menopause belly fat weight gain is closely associated with reduced estrogen levels and hormone imbalance. Men typically gain weight above the hips. Excessive weight gain above the hips puts excessive strain on all body organs, especially the heart. Heart and artery disease are the number killers of American males. Menopausal women who gain weight above the hips are put at the same risk levels as their male counterparts. Older women are at the same risk of heart and advanced coronary artery disease as men.

Osteoporosis and Bone Loss - Osteoporosis and bone loss are among the most insidious of menopause symptoms. Osteoporosis causes bone loss, frailty and fragility. Those individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis are at elevated risk of bone breakage. Even large bones (like the hip) are easily broken with a simple fall. One out of three individuals older than 65 experience falls. Osteoporosis and bone loss can be offset (to a degree) with the implementation and/or augmentation of specific drugs, vitamins and minerals, as well as limited load-bearing exercises.

Additional Symptoms - In addition to the previously noted symptoms, the following menopause symptoms should also be noted: Irregular periods, loss of or decreased libido, vaginal dryness, fatigue, hair loss (or gain), sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, memory loss or lapses, dizziness, incontinence, bloating, increased allergy sensitivity, brittle or easily broken fingernails, changes in body odor, racing heart beat, depression, anxiety, irritability, panic attacks, breast tenderness, migraines, aching joints, burning sensation in mouth or tongue or bad taste in the mouth, electric shocks, digestive irregularities, gum problems, bleeding gums, muscle tensions, itchy skin, and tingling extremities.

The Best Herbs For Menopause

The symptoms of menopause are no joke at all. They can really trigger the overall well being of a person. Menopause happens to women around the age of 50 and up. This is the stage when the ovaries will end its process of producing hormones. It will also end the menstrual cycle. This is actually related to aging, and all women will get to this stage. There can be a lot of symptoms that is associated with menopause. Lucky for us, there are cures for these symptoms and one of them is by using herbal medicines.

Listed are the best herbs for menopause:

繚 Dong Quai - this is a type of herb that can be found in China. For thousands of years, ancient Chinese have been using this for the treatment of menopause symptoms for women. Perhaps it is a friendly herb for women because it can cure any illnesses that they have. Menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disorders can be cured by the Dong Quai.

繚 Sage - this herb offers estrogen-like affects. There are lots of symptoms that the sage can treat. It is an herb that we can use for overall woman health.

繚 St. John's Wort - this is a known herb for treating mild depression that is associated with menopause. This can offer best results when combined with black cohosh. Together, they will improve the mood to avoid mood swings and even hot flashes and insomnia.

繚 Ginseng - you might have used ginseng for your daily health maintenance. Experts have just been recently found out that the ginseng can also be used to cure symptoms that are associated with menopause. Taking ginseng tea and supplements can help cure hot flashes and night sweats.

繚 Wild Yam - the wild yam herb is known to be a good alternative for hormone therapy. This can replace the hormones that are stopped being produced. That way, the hormonal factors of the body will still be stabilized.

繚 Red Clover - this can be found in supplements for menopause relief. It has been proven to be effective in relieving menopausal symptoms. It also helps stabilize the estrogen levels in body to prevent confusion of the hormones.

繚 Black Cohosh - this is one of the best herbs for menopause. People have been using this for many years in the treatment of different symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and itching, insomnia and many others. It can provide overall relief which makes it very useful.

繚 Agnus Castus - this is one major herb for the relief of menopausal symptoms. Women have been using this herb for centuries which helps balance the hormonal activity inside the body.

Those are all the best herbs for menopause that we can use at home or can even get from supplements and products that will help ease menopausal problems.

Hot Flash Natural Remedy - The Amazing Benefits of a European Herb is Confirmed by Clinical Studies

What is the best hot flash natural remedy?

The extract of a specific subspecies of rhubarb root, called Siberian rhubarb root has been used in Germany to provide effective relief of hot flashes, sweats and other menopausal related complaints since 1993.

Four different clinical studies published in recognized medical journals (Menopause (2006, 2007 and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 2008, 2009) have now been published on the herbal extract. These studies confirm the benefits of Siberian rhubarb root extract (called ERr 731 by researchers). The herb has only recently become available in the United States (2009).

Here are summaries of the four clinical studies, all showing Siberian rhubarb root extract to be very effective in the relief of hot flushes and night sweats.

Clinical study #1 (reported in Menopause, 2006):

109 symptomatic perimenopausal women received either ERr731 or placebo. After 4 weeks the group receiving ERr731 showed significant improvement in the 11 common menopausal complaints on the Menopause Rating Scale.

• at four weeks there was a significant lessening of the severity and number of hot flashes


• women taking ERr731 reported significantly less anxiety and improved moods


• at 12 weeks the group taking ERr731 showed significant improvement in vasomotor [hot flushes], psychosocial [anxiety, mood, depression], physical and sexual scores on the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life assessment.

Clinical Study #2 (reported in Menopause(2), 2009):

This study continued to follow the results experienced by subjects in Clinical Study #1 above. 80 of the subjects in study #1 were followed for an additional 108 weeks (for more than two years). The study showed that long term use of ERr731 resulted in sustained relief of menopausal complaints. By the end of the study women taking ERr731 reported an average of not more than 2 slight hot flushes per day.

Clinical Study #3 (reported in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine(3), 2008):

In this study 252 perimenopausal and menopausal women being seen through 70 gynecological practices were given ERr731 for 6 months. Women received varied doses of ERr731, most receiving one tablet daily. The study found that most of the women in the study experienced significant relief of menopausal symptoms taking just one tablet daily. Symptoms were evaluated using the Menopause Rating Scale. The average total score dropped from 14.5 points to 6.5 points, or more than 50%.

Clinical Study #4 (reported in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine(4), 2009):

In this study 112 perimenopausal women with symptomatic complaints were given one tablet of ERr731 daily. After 12 weeks the women experienced a significant drop in the number of hot flushes, from a median of 12 to 2. Women with more severe hot flushes tended to experience the greatest benefit from ERr731. This drop in the number of hot flashes is comparable to that reported for women taking an ultra low dose of hormone replacement therapy. The women taking ERr731 in this study also experienced improvement in the 10 other categories of the Menopause Rating Scale as well. The 11 categories of the Menopause Rating Scale are:

• hot flushes and sweating


• heart complaints


• sleep disturbances


• depressive mood


• irritability


• anxiety


• physical and mental exhaustion


• sexual problems


• urinary tract complaints


• vaginal dryness


• joint and muscle problems

Recent studies of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have raised even more questions about the safety of traditional hormone prescriptions. HRT is now associated with increased risk for breast cancer and heart disease.

Siberian rhubarb root extract to the rescue. Fortunately clinical studies are confirming the benefits of a natural herbal remedy for hot flashes, sweats and other menopausal symptoms that is safe.