Support for Hot Flashes - And Transitioning into The Next Season
Looking for natural support for the symptoms of perimenopause or menopause? Read on - this article is for you! Natural, wholistic, and without side effects, homeopathy often shines where there's not a great solution from western medicine, and I believe it's without peer when it comes to hormonal support and the symptoms of menopause.
Hormones are the powerful chemical messengers in our bodies that regulate just about everything that happens. They're regulated by the hypothalamus gland and the pituitary gland, and the start of their importance goes all the way back to when a blastocyst implants into the uterine wall. From that moment on, hormones guide and regulate just about everything that happens in our bodies including the three largest hormonal shifts of a female's lifetime: puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Our bodies are brilliant and know just what to do during the menopausal transition, but modern living and stress can take a toll on a body's ability to do its work, which can lead a body to get "stuck" or "congested" in various ways. This can lead to symptoms.
Menopause is the phase of life when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months and, at that time, she's no longer capable of reproduction. Perimenopause is the transitional period leading up to the menopausal state. A woman can experience hormonally-driven symptoms during both phases. Perimenopause can last 4-10 years and typically occurs between 42-55 years of age. The most important thing to know about perimenopause is that it's a natural and seismic transformation for the body with rapid and significant hormonal shifts. If you're experiencing symptoms due to that shift, homeopathy can help.
Every woman's experience of perimenopause and menopause is different. Some symptoms that are experienced include mood swings, loss of sex drive, insomnia, hot flashes, incontinence, vaginal and mucous membrane dryness, increased susceptibility to UTI, and dry skin and hair.
Here are a few remedies that can be particularly supportive to rebalance the body with these symptoms:
Sepia - "depleted" - emotionally, for those characteristically feeling edgy or snappy, with an aversion to their husband and children. Physically, Sepia is indicated for incontinence with a feeling of heaviness in the bladder, hot flashes with night sweats, heavy bleeding, constipation, and vaginal dryness. Overall, there is an overwhelming lack of movement, interest, and stimulation,which is counter-balanced by a desire to move, dance, do aerobics, or exercise.
Lachesis - "intense" - indicated for intense physical symptoms along with extreme emotions. Emotionally, that may look like being talkative with intense mood swings including rage and jealousy. There can be a sensation of wanting to jump out of one's skin or as though one is about to explode. Physically, symptoms of intense, relentless hot flashes with perspiration, and possibly heart palpitations, are common. May experience an increased libido. May wake with a splintering headache, unable to tolerate anything tight around the neck, and often have left sided complaints.
Pulsatilla - "sensitive" - indicated for a person that is emotionally gentle and physically sensitive, weepy, with a desire for comfort. Also indicated when there is great variability in symptoms. A person that could benefit from Pulsatilla is likely very reactive to their environment. Hot flashes may alternate with chills, there may be an irregular menstrual flow, etc. Also indicated when there's vaginal dryness. Symptoms are often worse with heat and one may desire or feel better in open air. There can be great congestion of the circulation or headaches.
Cimicifuga - "black cloud" - emotionally a person that would do well on Cimicifuga may feel despondent, fearful, and overwhelmed by emotions. There may be mood swings from extreme happiness to deep sadness without cause and a feeling of losing one's mind. May be accompanied by an oppressive trapped sensation. Physically, there may be hot flashes with night sweats characterized by flushing in the face. Neck pain, back pain, and muscle cramps that may be radiating down the thighs. Often, there is a history of painful menses with the heavier the flow, the more the pain.
Sulphur - "hot and itchy" - hot flashes in the face with the sensation of burning heat, night sweats, overheated overnight, no covers on the feet. Significant fatigue and weakness especially in the morning. Itching and skin issues, itching, dryness, rashes, scratching may lead to infections. Emotionally she may be brimming with ideas and strong opinions, and also have aspects of being lazy or seem scattered.
Natrum muriaticum - "reserved" - emotionally a person that would do well on Nat mur is reserved but with strong emotions she keeps inside, she may be sad yet unable to cry. Physical symptoms include insomnia with a grief of the day or past disagreeable events. Irregular periods accompanied by backaches or migraines are common. Low libido with vaginal dryness. Incontinence. Craves salty food. May have headaches "like hammers".
Dosing: Select the best indicated remedy. Less is more - start with 30c and take one dose. Observe your response, re-dose up to 2x daily until symptoms are 80% improved. No additional doses until the symptoms return. If you don't see an improvement, review your remedy choices and select another remedy. There may be another remedy to consider; if you're not seeing success consider working with a professional homeopath as deeper support may be needed.
A body experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms can often benefit from liver support, here are some great things you can do to naturally support the liver:
- Increase your fresh fruit and veggies intake,
- Drink more fresh and pure water,
- Exercise - this moves lymph and helps detox through the skin,
- Decrease sugar, caffeine, simple carbohydrate, unnecessary medicine and alcohol consumption,
- Manage stress! Prioritize relaxation, meditation, journaling and time with loved ones, and
- Try milk thistle tea - if you tolerate it well drink a cup daily.
On the spiritual side, I invite you to consider that menopause is a time of great transformational change in a woman's life. This natural transition period is POWERFUL. Women are dramatically different hormonally and physically at the end of menopause and there's a natural opportunity to mirror an emotional transformation and to intentionally spiritually align to a new season of life. For many, the childbearing years are characterized by women putting themselves second to the needs of the household. With menopause, we're invited into the season where our individual interests and priorities are more primary.
All transition periods are made of two pieces - an “old” and a “new”. The old is what is known to us, and is comfortable and familiar even when it's not ideal. This is what will be lost. The new is what will be gained and is often ours to set. As Christine Northrum writes in Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, "We can do the developmental work that our bodies and our hormone levels are calling out for. We must source our lives from our souls now. Nothing less will work. When we dare to do this, we truly prepare for the springtime of the second half of our lives. It boils down to this: Grow or die."
The next season is yours to set and I wish you health and vitality in all ways!
Reach out today to begin your homeopathic healing journey!