Get Natural Menopause Relief: Top Menopause Supplements and Diet (+What To Avoid!)
The transition into menopause can be an extremely difficult time for many women. Between the hot flashes, night sweats, sleeplessness, and unpredictable mood swings, this period can range from feeling anywhere from mildly unpleasant to completely debilitating. It’s no wonder many of us are searching for natural menopause relief, including menopause supplements.
But in order to find menopause relief, we must first consider why this is happening. At the root of our most troubling symptoms is the fact that dropping estrogen levels impacts many areas of our bodies. So, let’s take a look at these effects in-depth and then review real-world, scientifically-proven, all-natural approaches you can take toward resolving your most troublesome symptoms and providing some much-deserved menopause relief.
The Signs of Menopause: 5 Ways Menopause Impacts Your Body
One common question about menopause is this: At what age does menopause start? Women typically begin menopause sometime between the ages of 45 and 55, though this does vary. If you’re specifically wondering when do women go through menopause, its official beginning is marked by going 12 months without a period.
While every woman’s body is different, there are certain common signs of menopause that affect most women. So, before we discuss things such as what helps hot flashes naturally or how to know if you need menopause supplements, let’s look at five ways menopause affects your body.
1. Skin health and hair strength
One of the first menopause symptoms that you may visibly notice is a change in your skin. During and after menopause, a woman produces much less estrogen and stops going through a monthly cycle. And, as a result, she sees changes in her skin—sometimes dramatic changes.
Estrogen helps skin to plump and feel full, so with less of this beauty hormone, the signs of aging can catch up with us. Instead of the supple, plump skin we’re used to seeing in the mirror, we’re left with dry, thin, sagging skin. It can even cause dark spots and acne. Plus, the loss of estrogen is known to cause hair thinning and even some hair loss!
When it comes to supporting skin and hair health after menopause and aging with radiance, I wholeheartedly believe in an outside-meets-inside approach. And I do this by following a high fiber keto diet, which I’ll discuss more below.
2. Weight and body shape
Interestingly, research has shown that, on average, women gain about 5 to 8 percent of their baseline body weight during the first two years of menopause. And this weight gain doesn’t present as it typically does.
Before menopause, it’s common for women to gain weight around their hips and thighs. But with the hormonal shift and drop in estrogen, one of the major menopause symptoms women see is an accumulation of fat around the midsection. When menopause begins, women are often faced with experiencing belly fat for the first time. And this type of fat is considered the most dangerous kind, as it surrounds the organs and increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, liver problems, and more.
3. Mental focus and concentration
One of the most concerning menopause symptoms presents in the way you focus and concentrate. The very same dips in estrogen levels that cause the other more recognized symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, and fatigue are also known to cause brain fog.
Additionally, this drop in estrogen is also known to impact sleep, which can further exacerbate forgetfulness and your ability to focus and concentrate. Some women even experience delayed verbal memory, reduced processing speed, and even impaired learning. This can become so prevalent that research has shown that some women even begin to question whether they’re showing early signs of dementia.
But if you’re between 45 and 55 years of age and experience these symptoms along with other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, skin changes, or weight gain, it’s much more likely to be the first signs of menopause.
4. Bone density and healthy muscle mass
Unfortunately, the effects of menopause don’t end with skin, weight gain, and loss of focus and concentration. Substantial research has confirmed that the transition into menopause is also associated with a decrease in both bone density and muscle mass.
In fact, studies have shown that the hormonal changes associated with menopause actually predispose women to developing osteoporosis and sarcopenia along with an increased risk of fall-related fractures later in life.
But not all hope is lost: That very same research has also confirmed that remaining physically active is beneficial in helping to reduce the loss in both bone density and muscle mass.
5. Heart and cardiovascular health
While menopause doesn’t directly cause heart disease, several of the changes that are associated with menopause are linked to an increased risk of experiencing a cardiovascular-related event.
First, estrogen is known to help keep your blood vessels relaxed and open. But as estrogen drops, cholesterol may begin to accumulate on your artery walls, which can increase your risk of heart disease or even stroke. Additionally, the hot flashes and increase in belly fat that accompany menopause are also known to increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Natural Remedies for Menopause
Now that you know more about how menopause impacts your body, let’s take a look at some of the natural remedies that provide menopause support.
High Fiber Keto Diet
Following a high fiber keto diet is an incredible autophagy-promoting tool. And this is important because research shows that your body’s natural ability to induce autophagy is hindered as you enter menopause.
Remember, autophagy is your body’s own cellular cleanup crew that repairs, restores, and rejuvenates cells in the body. And when your body is in ketosis, the dial on autophagy cranks up. This state is incredible for your skin and overall metabolic health, meaning it can help to reduce your risk factors of certain menopause-related effects.
Specifically, if you’re noticing major skin changes stemming from menopause, adopting a high fiber keto diet is my top recommendation for approaching skin health from the inside—at the nutritional level. Plus, this diet can also aid in stabilizing hormones and even fight menopause symptoms. Research has shown that consuming healthy omega-3 fatty acids is one of the top natural remedies for hot flashes because it helped to decrease their frequency and also reduced night sweats!
So, whether your concerns are related to changes in your metabolic state, symptom severity, or the condition of your skin, hair, and nails, utilizing a keto diet plan for women and using top menopause supplements, which is my next piece of advice, greatly assist inside and out.
Now, before we jump into menopause supplements, I want to answer one question that’s likely lingering for you: What foods make menopause worse?
Research has shown that eating both spicy foods and a diet high in carbs and sugar can cause your hot flashes and night sweats to worsen, so stick to whole foods high in fiber and healthy fats.
Menopause Supplements
In addition to following a high fiber keto diet, taking menopause supplements can serve as a great aid to provide menopause relief. Here are some of my most recommended menopause relief supplements.
1. Harmony
Featuring the roots of Phlomis umbrosa, Cynanchum wilfordii, and Angelica giga Nakai, I recommend Harmony as the top menopause supplement you can take. In clinical trials, it was shown to work in as little as a week, and women who used the product reported improvements in hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood, fatigue, sleep, and more!
2. Mighty Mg
In regards to complementary menopause supplements, taking a high-quality magnesium such as Mighty Mg is always something to consider. While we often hear about the importance of calcium for strong bones, the truth is that because magnesium is stored in our bones, it’s also incredibly important for maintaining bone integrity. Plus, research has shown that this powerful mineral can help promote quality sleep, aid in relaxing muscles and reducing tension, and support improved mood and even cardiovascular health!
When you couple this with the fact that magnesium is among the most common of all mineral deficiencies, it’s easy to see why supplementing with a high-quality magnesium product is recommended.
3. SleepAdapt
Fortunately, placebo-controlled studies have shown that supplementing with melatonin not only promoted better sleep for menopausal women but also improved hot flashes and even overall mood.
SleepAdapt features something I call dual-action melatonin (both regular plus delayed-release melatonin) as well as a natural form of GABA to aid calmness and promote quality sleep, making it one of the best menopause supplements if you’re suffering from menopause-related sleep issues. And if you find that you’re in need of both sleep support and overall menopausal symptom relief, you may benefit most from my Menopause Day & Night Duo.
4. High-quality multivitamin
In Summary:
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The transition into menopause can be an extremely difficult time for many women, impacting everything from your skin and hair to your weight and even your cardiovascular health.
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Fortunately, natural menopause relief is available in the forms of a following a high fiber keto diet, steering clear of high sugar and process foods, and using certain menopause supplements.
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My top-recommended menopause supplements, depending on your specific symptoms, include: Harmony, Mighty Mg, SleepAdapt, and a high-quality multivitamin to help fill in any nutritional gaps that could occur during menopause.