It used to be called the change of life, and for many women, the name is an accurate one. Menopause isn t just the end of a woman s childbearing years, it s the beginning of a new stage. Most women experience menopause in their forties or fifties. Like puberty and pregnancy, menopause is packed with physical and psychological changes caused by shifts in a woman s hormonal makeup. These changes may cause night sweats, vaginal dryness and hot flashes.
Menstruation becomes irregular and finally stops.
The natural remedies in this chapter in conjunction with medical care and with your doctor s approval may help lessen the severity of the symptoms of menopause , according to some health professionals. Your hot flashes are so severe or frequent that they result in fatigue, depression or mood swings or interrupt your sleep. You are on hormone replacement therapy and your bleeding is not on the cycle your doctor told you to expect. You experience bleeding after your menstrual cycle has ceased for six months or longer. For portable relief, she suggests carrying a handkerchief scented with a drop of clary sage and inhaling whenever you feel a flush coming on.