Long before modern medicine, women around the globe relied on natural fixes for their most bothersome menopause symptoms. Today, research confirms these time-tested solutions really work, offering relief for everything from hot flashes to hair loss.
Tame hot flashes the Asian way
Women in Asia report up to three times fewer hot flashes than their Western counterparts. One possible reason: the creamy soy milk they sip at breakfast. This staple has been part of women's first meal of the day in China's mountainous regions for over 2,000 years. Soy milk is rich in phytoestrogens, compounds that mimic estrogen in the body. And George Washington University School of Medicine research finds soy is effective at taming flushing. Indeed, women in their study following a plant-based diet who began eating 1/2 cup of soybeans daily -- equivalent to around 1 to 11/2 cups of soy milk -- experienced 84 percent fewer moderate to severe hot flashes within 12 weeks.
Calm your mood the American way
For centuries, Native Americans have touted the effectiveness of the black cohosh plant to calm menopausal symptoms like mood fluctuations. Italian researchers concur. When they compared black cohosh to a low-dose estrogen treatment, they found the herb reduced menopause-triggered low mood and anxiety just as effectively as the Rx. Black cohosh is thought to boost levels of serotonin, balancing hormones and calming brain activity.
Erase vaginal dryness the Caribbean way
In tropical countries like the Bahamas and Jamaica, many women rely on coconut oil to reverse vaginal dryness. And a study in Cureus supports this tradition. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University found that virgin coconut oil was as effective as estrogen-based treatments in alleviating painful vaginal dryness. Coconut oil hydrates, while its lauric acid eases irritation, promoting tissue healing. (Note: Avoid if using condoms, as oil degrades latex.)
Reverse hair loss the Mediterranean way
Italian and Spanish folk medicine has a natural solution for the hair loss nearly half of us experience with menopause: rosemary. A study in the journal SKINMed found that when applied to the scalp, diluted rosemary essential oil reversed hair loss as well as 2 percent minoxidil (a gold standard treatment). Compounds in the herb block hormones that weaken follicles and stimulate microcirculation in the scalp. To do: Boil a fresh rosemary sprig in water, let cool, then mist the mixture over hair. Or simply add 3 drops of rosemary essential oil to sterilized water and mist over the scalp once daily just before bed.
Insomnia cure
Research in Menopause finds the ancient Indian practice of a foot massage before bed helps women over 50 sleep up to a full hour longer. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, easing sleep-hindering anxiety triggered by shifting hormones. To do: Gently knead the soles of your feet from heel to toe for 10 minutes before bed.