Menopause and Aromatherapy

Pratibha Jadhav
Jan 30, 2023
4 min read

Summary

There is an intricate relationship between women and the menstrual cycle. It's a capacity to reproduce and it's an honor. But after a certain age, your body faces Menopause. You face lots of physical as well as emotional changes during this phase. It's own battle. And Aromatherapy may help you to maintain emotional balance and help to reduce physical pains. Hope this blog will help you prepare for a healthy menopause. Enjoy menopause it's not a disease.

*If you like the summary and takeaway of this blog then read it completely.

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Mother nature gives the capacity and strength of recreation to women. And it's a really painful but happy moment in a woman's life. It is an honor to become a mother. And the monthly period cycle will help in this case. But one day, you lose the capacity of reproducing naturally which is generally known as Menopause.

We can define Menopause as 'A natural decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s.'

Menopause is signaled 12 months after the last menstruation. Your body goes through a lot of changes during menopause. There are extreme shifts in your hormone levels, you may not sleep well because of hot flashes and you may experience mood swings. Anxiety and fear could also be at play during this time. All of these factors can lead to depression. Since you have to face many changes during this stage you could experience emotional symptoms along with physical symptoms.

Around the time of menopause, many females experience physical symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and a reduced sex drive. And emotional symptoms like anger and irritability, anxiety, forgetfulness, loss of self-esteem, loss of confidence, Low mood and feelings of sadness or depression, and poor concentration.

Of course, women's emotional symptoms during menopause may vary. Some have no symptoms at all, while others have mood swings, anxiety, and depression. It is a physical and emotional roller coaster. There are 3 stages of menopause as follows :

1. Perimenopause:- It is the time leading up to menopause. It interprets a time when hormones start to decline and menstrual cycles become erratic and unstable. You may start to experience side effects of menopause, like hot flashes or vaginal dryness.

2. Menopause:- It occurs when you’ve stopped generating the hormones that cause your menstrual period and have gone without a period for 12 months in a row. Once this has occurred, you enter postmenopause.

3. Postmenopausal:- It is the time after menopause has occurred. Once this happens, you're in postmenopause for the rest of your life. Women in postmenopause are at an increased risk for certain health conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease.

If you take enough care during menopause it will be healthy and it will help to reduce the chances of osteoporosis and heart disease.

* Care during Menopause:-

Learn what your healthy weight is, and try to stay there.

Do weight-bearing exercises, such as climbing stairs or dancing, at least 3 days each week for healthy bones. Try to be physically active in other ways for your general health, too. Quit smoking or using tobacco products, if you currently do. Try to get enough sleep. Learn and Practice relaxation techniques. Do the exercise to strengthen your pelvic floor. And don't forget to take a balanced diet.

* Diet during and after Menopause:-

Menopause is a natural transition in a woman’s life as her menstrual cycles come to an end. While menopause is associated with many uneasy symptoms and increases your risk of certain conditions, your diet may help to decrease symptoms and ease the transition.

During the transition to menopause and beyond, the hormone estrogen begins to decline, disrupting your normal cyclical patterns of estrogen and progesterone. Decreasing estrogen levels will negatively impact your metabolism, potentially leading to weight gain. These changes may also affect your cholesterol levels and how your body digests carbs. So you have to intake your food consciously.

* A whole-food diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, high-quality protein, and dairy products may reduce menopause symptoms.

Phytoestrogens and healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish, may also help. •You have to limit added sugars, refined carbs, alcohol, caffeine, and high-sodium or spicy foods as well.

* Aromatherapy also helps to relieve menopause.

Aromatherapy is often used as companion therapy for women's health. Aromatherapy is used as management for menopausal symptoms. Aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from herbs, flowers, and other plants to improve physical, emotional,l, and spiritual well-being. It treats physical and emotional diseases through inhaling, massages, or bath treatment. Some herbs are as follows,

Clary sage:- It helps in Hot flashes. These may be naturally cured by rubbing three drops of diluted clary sage oil across the back of your neck or all over your feet.

Peppermint oil:- Peppermint oil may also reduce your discomfort when experiencing hot flashes.

Lavender:- Lavender may help balance your hormones and soothe perineal discomfort.

Geranium:- Geranium used as an essential oil has also been found to help menopausal women manage hormonal changes. One to two drops may be inhaled from a napkin for immediate stress relief. Geranium is also helpful for dry skin. Add a few drops of the diluted oil to the water during a relaxing, hot bath.

Basil:- If you wish for ways to increase your estrogen levels and to help improve your mood, consider adding basil aromatherapy to your daily regimen. Basil can also be helpful against hot flashes when diluted and applied to your feet or rubbed across the back of your neck.

Citrus:- Inhaled this essential oil experienced fewer physical symptoms and an increase in sexual desire. Citrus also has anti-inflammatory properties, which may help with any aches and pains. Don't forget that citrus oils make your skin sun sensitive. Avoid direct sunlight if applying diluted citrus oils to your skin.