Menopause is a time in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop releasing eggs every month and the uterus stops making and expelling the lining it creates every month to hold a fertilized egg. This leads to a set of symptoms that include mood swings, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, etc. Until recently, experts believed that menopause isn’t in our hands, so stopping it too isn’t in our hands.

However, many women complain of having an early menopause while still in their 30s. This phenomenon impacts a woman’s health. So, to prevent any health issues to women, it is important to learn how to delay menopause. Since it’s always better to take the natural route, we present here 11 natural methods of delaying menopause while women like you still have the time:

Read more: Perimenopause- Signs and Symptoms

11 Natural Ways of Delaying Menopause

Exercise regularly:

Usually, menopause results due to faulty ovulation which happen when your body is unfit. To have a fit body, exercise regularly. Do a 45-minute workout session that includes aerobics, circuit training, yoga and strength training or a combination of some of these.

Eat more of antioxidants:

If you have begun your menopause, it’s a sign you’re ageing. However, you can postpone menopause by enriching your diet with antioxidant-rich foods like broccoli, berries, bell peppers, olive oil, etc. These foods work to get rid of the toxins from your body and hence postpone the signs of aging.

Increase phyto-oestrogen-rich foods in your diet:

At the onset of menopause, oestrogen levels in women reduce considerably. By eating phyto-oestrogen-rich foods, you can normalize levels of this hormone in your body. Examples of these foods include whole grains like rye and barley, soy products, tofu, beans, tempeh, and seeds such as sesame, flax and linseeds. By eating foods rich in phyto-oestrogens, you can help your body balance your hormones and negate the experience of having hot flashes.

Read more: Home Remedies to Ease the Symptoms of Perimenopause

Increase your intake of water:

Menopausal women often experience dryness, possibly because of a fall in their oestrogen levels. However, you can make this up by drinking water through the day, about six to eight glasses a day. By doing this, you also prevent yourself from experiencing bloating that is a natural fallout of hormonal changes. Additionally, water prevents any weight gain by giving you a feeling of satiation while also increasing your metabolic level.

Stop smoking, reduce alcohol intake:

If you are a smoker, you will hit menopause earlier than other women. This is because smoking prevents blood circulation all over the body. If the blood doesn’t reach your uterus and ovaries, you won’t menstruate. So, it’s a good idea to quit smoking to delay menopause.

A large presence of alcohol in your body means the dominance of oestrogen, which only ends up inhibiting pancreatic functioning and an overall reduction of testosterone levels. These conditions will delay your periods, which is just what you want.

Strengthen your bones with calcium and Vitamin D:

It’s normal to undergo hormonal changes during menopause, which lead to weak bones. This could well be a first sign of early menopause. Weak bones increase the risk of osteoporosis–a condition that can be prevented by taking a regular dose of calcium and Vitamin D tablets or you could add these nutrients naturally in your diet. Foods rich in calcium include milk, cheese and yogurt.

To increase your intake of Vitamin D, take a walk in the early morning sunlight. When exposed to sunlight, your skin will produce natural Vitamin D. You can still get your Vitamin D with a sufficient dosage of natural supplements. Sunlight is your main source of vitamin D, since your skin produces it when exposed to the sun. However, as you get older, your skin gets less efficient at making it.

If you aren’t out in the sun much or if you cover up your skin, either taking a supplement or increasing food sources of vitamin D may be important.

Read more: Getting Pregnant While Premenopausal

Eat all your meals every day:

If you eat irregularly during menopause, you could worsen your symptoms of menopause, which could also hamper the hard work you put into weight loss. The mood swings that you experience due to hormone fluctuations are caused by low blood sugar. So, it pays to eat your meals regularly. By clocking low blood sugar, you will experience a whole range of problems like mood swings, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, mental fog and aggressiveness. These symptoms lead to sweating, overeating, trembling and depression. To steer away from these problems, eat your meals regularly.

Read more: 6 Astonishing Causes of Cryptic Pregnancy

Stay at a healthy weight:

Everyone knows you can put on weight during menopause due to a change in hormones, genetics, aging and your lifestyle. If you put on weight on your waist, remember that you can soon develop diabetes and heart disease. And as if these aren’t enough, this could affect your symptoms of menopause. By remaining at a healthy weight, you can easily get rid of night sweats and hot flashes.

Read more: 11 Surprising Ways to Gain Pregnancy Weight

Switch to using natural cosmetics:

If you’re using chemicals-based cosmetics to fight wrinkles, you could be bringing on an early menopause because of the presence of chemicals that your skin absorbs and damaging the hormone balance in the process. Stop using cosmetics with parabens or fragrances and ensure that you use only natural cosmetics.

Keep away from trigger foods:

Some foods like sugar-based or spicy flavoured foods, caffeine and alcohol could trigger night sweats, hot flashes and mood swings. Take care not to eat them at night when they could have the above-mentioned effects on you.

Read more: 5 Herbs for Strengthening the Uterus

Keep your mind active:

By keeping mentally active, you can delay the onset of menopause. You can do this by cracking crosswords, Sudoku or any other kind of challenging mind game. You can also consider learning a new skill or work out at a gym which will help to keep your mind alert and sharp and your concentration levels high.

Conclusion

As you grow older, learn to accept the changes in yourself. By incorporating all the above-mentioned tips, let menopause symptoms make a delayed entrance into your life. And if you still get the occasional mood swing or night sweat, take it in your stride. After all, you’re entering a new phase of your life.

Hope this article was of help for all our parents!! Please share your comments/queries/tips with us and help us create a world full of Happy and Healthy Babies!!

Resources

https://www.livestrong.com/article/113484-delay-menopause/

https://www.boldsky.com/health/wellness/2012/ways-delay-menopause-031126.html

http://www.remediesforme.com/natural-remedies-hormonal-imbalance/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-natural-menopause-tips#section11