Consult with your healthcare provider about complementary and alternative approaches/therapies for your specific menopausal concern. If your healthcare provider is not familiar with these approaches or therapies, ask for a referral to find a qualified complementary and alternative medical healthcare practitioner in your area.

When the treatment or approach is used alone, it is referred to as alternative, and if it is used with conventional therapies such as HT, it is referred to as complementary.

Complementary and alternative approaches to menopause include:

• No smoking
• Exercise regularly
• A Healthy diet, low in fat (to protect against heart disease) and high in calcium to maintain strong bones
• Stress reduction
• Weight control
• Vitamins and minerals-E, B, Folic Acid (folate)
• Relaxation therapies and massage
• Ayurvedic medicine
• Chiropractic therapy
• Acupuncture
• Homeopathic treatments
• Other complementary and alternative options include Botanical Therapies and Phytoestrogens (plant estrogens).

Creating healthier living through…

Exercise

Reasons to exercise:

• Ease menopausal symptoms: Exercising causes a decrease in hot flashes. It raises our levels of beta-endorphins in the brain, which helps us to improve our sleep; reduces our stress level; and relieves depression.

• Control weight: Exercising helps to raise our metabolism and increases the ability for our body to burn calories.

• Reduce the risks for osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer: Exercising stimulates the formation of new bone, and researchers have found that women who exercise greatly reduce their risk of developing heart disease. Athletes have a 50% less incidence of breast cancer and 60% less incidence of cancer of the uterus, ovaries, cervix and vagina than non-athletes.

Plan your fitness program and Move Your Body TODAY!!!

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that 30 minutes of continuous exercise a day, at least 3-4 times a week would provide tremendous health benefits.

Moderate physical activities include housework; gardening/yard work; walking; and dancing. Vigorous activities include brisk walking; jogging; tennis; step aerobics; and shoveling snow.

Healthy Diet

Adjust your Diet and Nutrition for Menopause.  

Eat a healthy diet, which is low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Include in your diet plenty of vegetables fruits and grains. You can increase fiber intake by eating more raw vegetables; fruits; dried beans; whole grains; barley; peas; wheat bran and oats. Utilize sugar and salt in moderation. Drink alcohol in moderation. Get plenty of calcium.

Recommended daily calcium intake:

Learn about the Calcium Connection.

New guidelines from the North American Menopause Society recommend that postmenopausal women consume 1,200 – 1,500 mg per day of total elemental calcium.

Vitamin D plays an important role in the absorption of calcium in the stomach. Without vitamin D, calcium cannot provide us with its benefits. You can get vitamin D naturally if your skin is exposed to sunlight for just 15 minutes a day. If you are using supplements, the daily-recommended dosage is 400 international units (IU).