Natural remedies for menopause, like passion fruit juice with soybean flour and lavender essential oil contain soothing properties that can reduce irritability and improve sleep quality during menopause.
Açaí juice with maca and cacao and boost libido and improve mood, physical performance and mental performance during menopause. These substances contain flavonoids, caffeine and catechins, which are bioactive compounds with stimulant and tonic action.
These natural remedies can help relieve menopause symptoms like insomnia and hot flashes. However, they should not replace the treatment prescribed by your doctor. They should, instead, be used as a complement to your prescribed treatment.
Natural remedies
Some natural remedies that can relieve menopause symptoms include:
1. Passion flower juice with soy beans
Passion flower juice contains soothing and sedative properties that can reduce irritability and insomnia. Soybean flour contains isoflavones, which are compounds that regulate estrogen levels and help to manage hot flashes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of soybean flour
- Pulp of one passion flower
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 cup of filtered or boiled water
How to prepare
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix for 3 minutes. Drink 3 cups of this juice per day.
Because it contains soybeans, this juice is not recommended for women undergoing hormonal replacement therapy, for for women taking anticoagulants, tamoxifen or anti-estrogenics. You are advised to consult your doctor before consuming this juice.
2. Lavender essential oil
Lavender essential oil contains linalool and linalyl acetate, which are compounds with soothing and relaxing effects. These can help to treat insomnia and improve mood and overall well being.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (jojoba, coconut, olive or almond oils, for example)
- 1 drop of lavender essential oil
How to prepare
In a small bowl, mix the vegetable oil with the lavender essential oil. Wash your face and pat dry, then massage the mixture into the skin for 2 minutes.
3. Blackberry leaf tea
Blackberry leaves contain excellent amounts of phytoestrogens, which are bioactive compounds that help to regulate estrogen levels. This can help to relieve menopause symptoms like insomnia, fatigue, hot flashes and mood swings.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of blackberry leaf tea
- 200 ml of water
How to prepare
Boil the water in a pot then remove from heat. Then add the blackberry leaves, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups of this tea per day. See the other benefits of blackberries and how to prepare them with easy recipes.
4. Ginseng tea
Ginseng tea contains antidepressant and stimulating action which can reduce fatigue and improve mood and libido. Learn more about other ginseng benefits that you can obtain with this tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cm (about 0.5 g) of ginseng root
- 1 cup of water
How to prepare
Pour the water and ginseng into a pot and boil for 10 minutes. Allow the infusion to cool, then strain and drink up to 3 cups per day.
This tea is not recommended for women with high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, or Crohn‘s disease. People who take psychotropics, antihypertensives, anticoagulants, hypoglycemic medications and hormone replacements should speak to their doctor before consuming ginseng tea. This tea should be used for a maximum duration of 3 months.
5. Red clover tincture
Red clover, a medicinal plant that contains isoflavones, a natural compound with estrogenic effects, can help to relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes, sweating and insomnia.
How to use: Dilute 2 to 4 ml of red clover tincture in half a cup of water. Drink up to 3 times per day.
This tincture is not recommended for women who use medications like anticoagulants, tamoxifen citrate or antiestrogens. Women with estrogen-dependent cancers or with a family history of such should consult their doctor before taking this tincture. Women taking hormone replacements for thyroid problems and women with a history of liver problems should also speak with their doctor before taking this tincture.
6. Avocado and cacao smoothie
Avocado has great amounts of omega-3, a healthy fat that improves brain cell functioning. This can facilitate the production of substances that improve mood and general well being.
Cacao contains tyramine, which is a precursor to tryptophan. This substance is important for the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood and sleep. Check-out the other cacao benefits you can add to your health.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of powdered cacao
- ½ a small avocado
- ½ cup (about 100 ml or 3 oz) of milk or plant-based alternative
How to prepare
Pour all ingredients in a blender and mix until you obtain a well-combined mixture. Transfer to a cup and serve.
People with conditions like gastritis, reflux or ulcer should avoid consuming this smoothie. Because the cacao contains caffeine, you should avoid drinking this smoothie at least 4 hours before going to bed so that it does not interfere with sleep quality.
7. Vervain tea
Vervain is a plant with soothing and relaxing properties. It can be used to reduce irritability and improve mood.
Ingredients
- 50 g of vervain leaves
- 1 liter of water
How to prepare
Boil the water in a pot or kettle. Remove from heat and att the vervain leaves. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Then strain and drink up to 3 cups per day.
8. Açaí juice with maca
Açaí is a fruit that is rich in carbohydrates that provides the body and brain with energy. It is used to combat physical and mental fatigue.
The maca in this juice contains flavonoids and alkaloids, compounds with stimulating, tonic and antidepressive action. It can help to boost libido and reduce some symptoms of menopause, like fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Ingredients
- 50 g of frozen açaí pulp
- 1 cup of filtered or boiled water
- 1 tablespoon of maca
How to prepare
Pour all ingredients in a blender and mix until well-combined. Transfer to a cup and drink.
Because it contains maca, this juice should not be consumed with women with a history of estrogen-dependent cancer or health condition, like endometriosis, myomas, breast cancer, ovarian cancer or uterine cancer.
9. Black cohosh tea
Black cohosh contains flavonoids, tannins and glycosides, which are bioactive compounds with antidepressant and stimulant action. It can relieve menopause symptoms like anxiety, depression or insomnia.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of dried black cohosh leaves
- 1 cup (200 ml or 6.5 oz) of water
How to prepare
Boil the water in a pot or kettle. Then remove from heat and add the black cohosh leaves. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Then strain and drink 2 to 3 cups per day.
This tea is not recommended for women who take blood pressure medication or estrogen hormones. It is also not recommended for women with gastric ulcers, reflux or colitis.
10. Chamomile tea
Chamomile tea contains apigenin, a flavonoid with soothing properties that act on the nervous system to reduce stress and anxiety. This tea can also improve sleep quality.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of dried chamomile flowers
- 250 mL (8.5 oz) of water
How to prepare
Boil the water in a pot or kettle. Add the chamomile flowers, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups of this tea per day.
Chamomile tea should not be used by people with clotting disorders. People who take anticoagulants, sedatives or analgesics should speak to their doctor before drinking this tea.
11. Salvia tea
Salvia tea, prepared with the Salvia officinalis plant, is rich in substances like alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and terpenes. These can regulate hormonal levels to combat night sweats that are common during menopause
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of salvia leaves
- 1 cup of water
How to prepare
Heat up the water until its boiling point, then remove from heat. Add the leaves and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain, allow to cool, and drink 1 cup about 3 times per day.
Salvia tea should not be consumed by women with epilepsy, as some studies show that this plant may trigger epileptic seizures.
12. Chaste tree tea
Chaste tree tea, prepared with the Vitex agnus-castus plant, is rich in flavonoids, diterpenes and glycosides. These can influence female hormones LD and FSH, and can help to regulate hormonal levels to relieve menopause symptoms, like insomnia and mood swings.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of chaste tree berries
- 300 mL (10 oz) of water
How to prepare
Add the chaste tree berries and water to a pot and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Then cover and steep for an additional 10 minutes. Strain, allow to cool, and drink up to 2 cups per day.
13. St. John‘s wort tea
St. John‘s wort tea is rich in hypericin, hyperforin, flavonoids, biflavonoids and naphthodianthrones. These are compounds that promote relaxation and improve menopause symptoms like depression and hot flashes.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of dried St. John’s wort leaves
- 250 mL (8.5 oz) of water
How to prepare
Boil the water, then remove from heat and add the St. John‘s wort. Allow to steep for 5 to 10 minutes, strain, and allow to cool. Drink 2 to 3 cups per day, after meals.
St. John’s wort should not be taken by women taking antidepressants, like straline, paroxetine and nefazodone.
