Natural Menopause Remedies
and Solutions

 

Are you suffering the symptoms of menopause? If they include symptoms such as muscle stiffnes, soreness, tenderness around the knees, elbows, hips and other joints, or pain and numbness in the hands or feet, then you may have the beginning of what’s known as fibromyalgia. What is it? It isn’t classified as a disease as such, but a condition that affects the joints and soft tissue including the muscles, and also includes fatigue in most cases. Mainly affecting women, this leads many doctors to believe it may be related to menopause in some way.

 

Is there really a connection?

 

The explanation numerous physicians and others consider that fibromyalgia is connected to menopause is that the majority of sufferers are not only females, but females in excess of the age of 40 (approximately 80% according to statistics). As a result how are they related? That remains to be seen, but many researchers believe that an imbalance in hormones is partly to blame, even though they cannot find evidence of which types exclusively as of yet.

Current focus is on the brain compounds that direct sleep cycles and mood, hormones released by the pituitary which are receptive to estrogen, and perhaps even variations in growth hormones. This link is likely because many women who experience fibromyalgia are approaching menopause, have recently had a baby and are over 35 years of age, and women who have had either a tubal ligation or a hysterectomy.

 

What about a cure?

 

The most horrible part about fibromyalgia is that there is no cure as of thus far, only treatments that can help ease the signs and symptoms. Treatments vary according to varying symptoms but include certain physical exercises specific to affected areas, pain relieving drugs or muscle relaxants to help ease pain, and in some cases injections of analgesics to specific areas. There are other therapeutic treatment options such as massage therapy, heat therapy, and a new treatment called hydrotherapy that includes movements in the water that help with circulation and don’t require putting pressure on the joints like other kinds of exercise.

 

Some doctors and health specialists think that diet can play a function in helping to put a stop to fibromyalgia, eating additional holistic foods that are jam-packed with nutrients such as phytochemicals and antioxidants, for instance. Eat more organic and natural foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, as well as even dried fruits. Drink plenty of water every day, which many folks hear about but fail to follow through on, make it a habit!

 

Some dieticians believe that lowering your intake of sodium rich foods and completely eliminating additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG's) and artificial sweeteners like Aspartame can help to relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia. Recent studies show that the practice of eating a vegan diet may even help alleviate symptoms.