Hi Becki.

Thanks for writing. The only experience I have with menopause is my mother, who has the longest ongoing case of hot flashes in history (sorry mom!).

I have researched a list of natural and herbal remedies below.

Reduce menopausal symptoms + hot flashes and solve your problem, click here.

OMEGA-3's

Try adjusting your diet to include vegetables and fish that are high in Omega-3 as they contain nutrients that can help your body deal with menopause naturally.

I personally take a very high-quality omega-3 fish oil for other reasons and notice a big difference when I take it. Beware, 90% of the fish oils on the local store shelf are useless, rancid and give fish oils a bad rap.

Decrease or Avoid....

Caffeine, sugar, fatty dairy products, salt, alcohol and saturated oils. They can aggravate your menopausal symptoms.

Exercise

Exercising regularly can also help alleviate menopausal symptoms. Scheduling at least 30 minutes of exercise three times a week may relieve hot flashes.

Some women have found relief through yoga and acupressure.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh, a flowering plant that grows naturally in Eastern North America, contains phytochemicals that are believed to relieve symptoms of menopause. Black cohosh is thought to contain phytoestrogens, specifically isoflavones, which bind to estrogen receptors in your body.

Plant estrogens work very much like your natural estrogen, helping to produce lubrication in your vagina, working to control temperature, and helping to strengthen bones. Black cohosh works directly on your hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature and hormone production, and is believed to be the cause of many of the symptoms that come accompany menopause

Benefits of Black Cohosh

Black cohosh is a great reliever of many menopause symptoms including night sweats, anxiety, and depression. Black cohosh is thought to reduce hot flashes by reducing the luteinizing hormone in your body, which is associated with extreme temperature fluctuations. In a recent study, 80% of women taking a black cohosh supplement experienced a reduction in hot flashes, sweating, and heart palpitations.

How to Take Black Cohosh

A variety of commercial companies provide black cohosh in supplement form. It may be taken twice a day for six months, but should not be taken for a longer period of time. Side effects may include mild stomach upsets and headaches. It has also been linked to an increase in liver enzymes. There have been a few cases of liver inflammation due to overuse of black cohosh.

Dong Quai

Nicknamed the "female ginseng," Dong quai is one of the foremost herbs used in treating symptoms of menopause. Otherwise known as Chinese Angelica, Don quai is an herb native to China and is commonly used in Eastern medicine and cooking. Dong quai increases your level of estrogen because it contains phytoestrogens, which bind to the estrogen receptors in our body. This increased estrogen works to reduce a variety of menopausal symptoms.

Benefits of Dong Quai

Don quai dilates blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow. This works to relieve hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Additionally, this herb helps to regulate estrogen levels in your body, which also aid in relieving menopausal symptoms. Also, dong quai is a mild sedative that may help to reduce mood swings and stress.

How to Take Dong Quai

Dong quai is available in many different forms; however, the easiest way to ingest the herb is in pill form. The daily recommended dosage is between 400 and 600 mg. The Dong quai root may also be steeped in water to create tea.

Maca Root

The Maca root has been used for centuries in South America, Both the indigenous peoples of South America and the Spanish have used the maca root for centuries. The maca root, when combined with food, was thought to be an aphrodisiac. People still eat it today for its sexual benefits. The maca root, which resembles a radish, is also a great supplement for reducing the frequency and intensity of menopausal symptoms.

Unlike black cohosh, the maca root does not contain plant estrogens. Instead, it is an adaptogen: it helps to balance out your body’s existing hormone system and encourages the production of hormones. Maca root also contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron as well as Vitamins B1, B2, B12, C, and E.

Benefits of Maca Root

Maca root encourages an increase and then a balance between estrogen and progesterone, so it is highly beneficial to women entering menopause. Increasing estrogen helps to reduce hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Maca root may also lead to an increase libido, restoring the sex drive that was lost during menopause. Maca root is also believed to help reduce the effects of memory loss and osteoporosis.

How to Take Maca Root

Maca root may be taken in capsule form three times a day, preferably with meals, or it can be boiled and taken as a tea. The daily recommended dose is around 900mg.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda is the science of long life. It is believed to have been practiced in India for thousands of years.

Promoting holistic medicine with focus on spirituality and balance, Ayurveda stresses that menopause is not an illness that needs treatment but, rather, it is a state of life that should be embraced, learned and traveled freely. As more and more people seek healthier alternatives, Ayurveda is gaining popularity in the US. The Ayurveda approach is a mixture of herbalism and spiritualism, blending together and promoting inner reflection and meditation.

Ayurveda also encompasses dietary needs and routine, promoting a strong and healthy lifestyle, full circle. Cooking with spices such as cinnamon, coriander and fennel are thought to help with some symptoms, as well as eating cooked leafy greens and small amounts of cumin seed, whereas hot and spicy foods are frowned upon.

The Ayurveda approach seems quite similar to what recent studies have been revealing; that eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can keep menopausal inconveniences to a minimum.
 

Relaxation.

Relaxation and deep, abdominal muscle breathing has been demonstrated to reduce hot flashes by about 40% when practiced at least twice a day.

Motherwort.

A simple solution to fend off night sweats is to keep a glass of water and a bottle of motherwort near your bed. If you have a night sweat, take 10-15 drops of motherwort then drink some water.

Vitamin E & Soy

There are women who have reported experiencing a really good reduction in hot flashes when taking Vitamin E.

There have been many women who have ascertained that soy has a convinced effect on hot flashes, whereas many others say that that there is not any beneficial effect. If you try it and it works for you that is really all that matters. If it does not work for you then it is on to something else. Every woman is so different it is a trial and error method when finding natural remedies. It has been indicated that women who ate 60 grams of soy protein per day had a 45% reduction in hot flashes after 12 weeks. You get the right amount of soy intake from approximately 1 cup of soymilk, or ½ cup of soy based tofu, ½ cup of tempeh, or a ½ cup of green soybeans or three handfuls of roasted soy nuts. All of them work just as well as the others, so it will have to be a personal preference of what you prefer.