Natural Remedies for Menopause

Acupuncture, one study says, may help with night sweats.

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If a little relief without a prescription sounds like how you’d like to address something like mood swings or dryness right now, read on for top natural remedies backed up by more than hearsay. Plus, what to eat if you want to put off menopause as long as possible (see: oily fish).

Black cohosh

“While it may not be as effective as hormone replacement therapy [for hot flashes], black cohosh provides relief with considerably less side effects,” says Megan Boucher, a naturopathic doctor in Georgetown, Ontario.

The herb is also used for mood management and sleep disturbances. “Not only does it help women fall asleep, but also stay asleep,” Boucher says, citing two recent studies that back up its use as a sleep aid. The most effective dose used in studies is 40mg twice per day in the form of a capsule or tablet, according to Boucher. “This dose is very readily available in the majority of supplements,” she says. Just be sure to talk to your doctor before you try any new supplements, which can occasionally interfere with other medications you might be taking.

Controlled breathing

Fight those fiery hot flashes with ... breath? A study in the journal Menopause reports the practice of slow breathing really does help — and also decreases fatigue and improves sleep and mood. Study participants who performed the twice-daily series of inhales and exhales reported a 52 percent reduction in hot flashes; those who did it just once a day still reported a 42 percent decrease. “Paced breathing is an easy technique that can be performed by anyone, anywhere, to help with menopausal symptoms,” says Betsy Greenleaf, doctor of osteopathic medicine at Hackensack Meridian Health System in Rumson, N.J. To give it a try, slow your breathing to six breaths per minute (that's breathing in to a count of five, and out to a count of five) for 15 minutes, twice a day.

Acupuncture

If you’ve never tried acupuncture, now might be the right time, as studies have found that treatments can help reduce both hot flashes and night sweats. Maximum benefit seems to be after eight treatments, and the effects last for six months, according to the study by Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Nancy Avis, a Wake Forest School of Medicine professor and the study’s lead author, noted that the benefit also came without side effects.