Menopausal Natural Remedies and Weight Loss
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Menopause is a challenging time of transition from the reproductive years to the post-childbearing years for many women. A woman's body stops causing egg follicles to mature every month and female hormones naturally decline when menopause occurs.
Sadly, menopause may be hard for certain females since it frequently produces unpleasant side effects. These can include hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, loss of interest in sex, and irritability. Weight gain can be another common, but unexpected, symptom of menopause.
Sometimes women who gain weight during menopause haven't made any changes in their eating habits or exercise routine. This can be frustrating, prompting women to wonder what caused this sudden and unexpected weight gain. Other times, weight gain is a result of hormonally triggered overeating. Another cause of weight gain is the natural metabolic slow-down that happens as people age. This slower metabolism means excess calories or an unbalanced diet will have a far greater effect on menopausal women.
Body fat and estrogen also have a unique complementary role. Body fat helps regulate the production of estrogen, the female hormone that declines dramatically in menopause. Sometimes, the body will fight to hold on to fat in an effort to stabilize estrogen levels. Hormones and body fat also interact with each other in complex was that affect weight gain through changes in appetite, digestion, and metabolism.
Try using a more natural antidote to increased weight and other the negative symptoms of menopause, instead of turning to hormone therapy that is now linked to problems such as breast and reproductive cancers. Some of these remedies include black cohosh and sage, to regulate hot flashes; St. John's Wort, a natural anti-depressant and stress alleviator; and chasteberry, for moodiness and general hormonal imbalance.
The issue is that the majority of women feel they need nothing but these remedies in order to stop gaining weight and stave off the symptoms of menopause. Truthfully, maintaining a healthy diet and excercising regularly is the best way to reverse weight gain during menopause.
Regulating hormone balance naturally by eating a nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet is a far more effective approach than herbal remedies. While herbal remedies can help supplement a good diet and exercise plan, many women find that a healthy lifestyle will alleviate symptoms without the need to spend money on these supplements and herbal preparations.
Eating a nutritious diet involves avoiding bad fats, and instead eating heart-healthy fats in moderation. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables should form the bulk of the diet, supplemented by lean protein and dairy foods (or non-dairy foods that contain calcium). Avoid food alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine if these exacerbate your menopause symptoms, and of course, avoid fried or fatty foods, excess sugar, and junk in general.
Add eight glasses of water per day and about half-hour of exercise as many days per week as possible, and you could be on your way to significant weight loss, even in the face of the hormonal hurdles of menopause. You're also likely to see an improvement in other menopause symptoms as a healthy diet and exercise program begins to stabilize hormone levels.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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