Menopause is a natural part of growing older.   You don’t need treatment for it unless you are really bothered by your symptoms.  If your symptoms become too uncomfortable or upsetting, you don’t have to suffer with them, there are treatments available that can help.

The first thing you can do to help reduce your symptoms is have a healthy lifestyle.  This will not only reduce your menopause symptoms, but will also lower you risk of heart disease and other problems relating to age.  Best of all, a healthy lifestyle will make you feel like you’re on top of the world!

Here are a few helpful tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Choose a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat. Include plenty of fish, fruits, vegetable, whole grains, beans and high fiber breads.

Get regular exercise.  This will help manage your weight, lift your mood and keep your heart strong.

Limit stress, caffeine and alcohol.  All of these things can make your menopause symptoms worse.  By avoiding them you may sleep better.

If you’re a smoker, quit. This will not only reduce your risk of lung cancer and other long term illnesses, but may also reduce hot flashes.

Try lowering your stress with yoga or meditation.  High stress levels may make your menopause symptoms worse.

Include plenty of calcium in your diet, or take a calcium supplement

If changing to a healthy lifestyle is not enough to relieve your symptoms, you may want to look at some of these suggestions:

Eat a diet rich in Soy (isoflavones).  Some women feel this helps balance out their fluctuating hormones.

The herb, Black Cohosh may help to relieve symptoms.  Experts don’t know if this herb is safe to use for extended periods of time, so be sure and talk to your doctor, before starting any new herbal supplements, to make sure they are safe for you.

If your symptoms are severe, talk to your doctor about prescription treatments like:

Low dose birth control pills, to help you with your fluctuating estrogen levels.

Low dose HRT (hormone replacement therapy)

Antidepressants for mood changes

Prescription medicines for menopause are not without side effects and risks.  Be sure and talk with your doctor about these risks before you start any treatment for menopause symptoms.