Going through the menopause? Discover how to manage symptoms naturally.

Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can occur earlier in your 30s or early 40s or even later in your 60s.

The symptoms vary for each individual, some women may only experience a few symptoms, and others experience none, while some go through multiple physical and psychological symptoms. Common symptoms include irregular vaginal bleeding, hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness/itching/irritation, muscle/joint pain, fatigue, mood swings and memory problems.

To relieve these symptoms women are often offered hormone replacement therapy to increase the levels of oestrogen and progesterone that the body is no longer able to make. However, there are a number of natural remedies and supplements available on the market that can help manage the menopause, either entirely or alongside medication.

We spoke to expert Helen Drake, nutritional therapist for Cytoplan, to get her advice.

If someone is looking for natural support through the menopause, what would you suggest?
When you enter the menopause the ovaries stop producing oestrogen, which leads to all of the symptoms associated with the menopause. The adrenal glands, which are responsible for our stress response, take over oestrogen production for the ovaries but in much lower levels. Therefore, there are a few things to focus on for women who are experiencing the menopause.

To support adrenal function, women can provide nutrients needed for its function such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), magnesium and vitamin C and also by reducing stress as much as possible with tools such as mindfulness, mediation and yoga.

It is also useful to consume foods which contain phyto-oestrogens (molecules which come from plants but have a similar structure to our own oestrogen and therefore elicits a weak oestrogenic effect), these are found in lentils, flax seeds, olives, leafy green vegetables and oats.

It is also important to provide nutrients which support bone health as oestrogen plays an important role in supporting bone density, therefore the risk of osteoporosis increases after the menopause. Important nutrients include vitamin D, magnesium, calcium and vitamin K2.

Finally, ensuring there is an adequate intake of all nutrients as well as a balanced diet can help improve overall wellness and moderate menopausal symptoms.

Are there any particular natural remedies or ingredients that can help ease symptoms?
Sage tea has been shown to help reduce hot flushes and isoflavones (isolated from soy) have phyto-oestrogenic effects which can help moderate menopausal symptoms.

Support emotional health, as depression can be a problem in the menopause, with nutrients including vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.

Are there any dietary changes that can help?
Include the phyto-oestrogenic foods mentioned above regularly in your diet and avoid sugary and processed foods as these can lead to blood sugar imbalances.

You can stabilise blood sugar levels by ensuring each meal contains healthy fats (oily fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds or avocados) with protein (meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds) and complex carbohydrates (vegetables (½ plate), sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, wholemeal bread and pasta). Blood sugar fluctuation can trigger hormonal fluctuation which can exacerbate menopausal symptoms.

It’s important to ensure you keep well hydrated (2 litres of water and/or herbal teas per day) and include foods which support digestive health such as baked apples, olives, chicory, miso, kefir, sauerkraut and kombucha.