This helps to avoid complaints during menopause

Menopausal symptoms: lifestyle changes can help

According to health experts, around 4 million women in Germany suffer from severe symptoms during menopause, such as sweating, flushing, sleeping disorders or mood swings. A change in lifestyle can help those affected.

Every third woman without menopausal symptoms

Around four million women in Germany suffer from menopausal symptoms such as sweating, flushing, sleeping disorders or mood swings. But not all women face the typical symptoms. "About one third of all women suffers from severe menopausal symptoms, another third from mild, and the rest comes through without the typical problems of this phase of life," said Heidi Günther, Pharmacist at the Barmer in a statement. According to the expert, a lifestyle change can be helpful in coping better with hormonal changes and their effects.

Hot flashes, sweats, mood swings: In the majority of women, menopausal symptoms are often severe. A lifestyle change can help many of them. (Image: britta60 / fotolia.com)

Hormonal changes

On average, menopause - the last menstrual period - starts at the beginning of 50. However, some women report already at the age of 40 of the first signs of onset of menopause.

Menopause is not a disease, but part of the woman's natural aging process, which involves the hormonal balance - especially the proportion of sex hormones, progestogens and estrogens.

How the hormonal changes in the body are experienced is very individual. Already with the diminished production of the female hormone estrogen (premenopause) first symptoms can appear.

The list of menopausal symptoms is long: hot flashes and palpitations, sleep disturbances, depressive moods, dryness and infections of the vagina and urinary tract disorders are just some of them.

They all have a strong influence on the quality of life.

Natural Therapy Options

According to some health experts, the most effective treatment is hormone treatment, but even without therapy, the symptoms in almost all affected women decline over time and eventually go away by themselves.

There are also various natural therapy options available.

As the health insurance claim states, changing lifestyle may be helpful in coping better with hormonal changes and their effects.

"Sport and relaxation techniques and a good dose of serenity can relieve menopausal symptoms significantly. Learning meditation, tai chi or yoga brings some tranquility into everyday life during this phase of life ", says Heidi Günther.

A phase of upheaval

According to the pharmacist, the time of menopause is a phase of upheaval for many women. The children became self-employed, and some women orphaned or shortened their jobs because their own parents needed more help.

Although the gynecologist can support the affected women with severe complaints with a hormone replacement therapy. However, every woman can also do something herself to rediscover her inner balance.

"It often helps to change one's attitude a little during menopause, to shift one's gaze. Because they are a natural phenomenon and not a disease, "says Günther.

"Those who manage to get through the climacteric with serenity, mindfulness and physical activity can increase their own well-being considerably," says the expert.

Sport and exercise also boosted muscle strength and mobility and had a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.

Balanced nutrition

According to other experts, herbal medicines may also be suitable for supplementing prescribed hormone therapy - always in consultation with a doctor, taking into account possible interactions.

It should be noted that herbal medicines also have side effects and may interact with drugs.

Highly recommended is a balanced, low carbohydrate diet, less meat for more vegetables and fruits.

Above all, fennel can relieve the symptoms of menopause, as US scientists found in a study. (Ad)