A homeopathic approach to menopause is a brilliant approach if you understand that we are energetic beings. And as such, utilizing plants, minerals and animal substances in their energetic form and based on the principle of “like cures like” addresses that energetic body in some amazing ways.
Homeopathy can nudge the body in the right direction, allowing the body to take care of itself. And in menopausal terms, it simply means it allows the body to transition much more seamlessly to its next stage.
Menopause is generally defined as occurring 12 months after your last period . . . the ceasing of menstruation. For most women that’s somewhere in their 40’s or 50’s. Mayo clinic says that for women in the United States that average is 51.
I guess I’m average, because that’s pretty much exactly when I was done. I suspect I am  one of the few women out there who mourned losing her “friend”. I must have intuitively known that the transition to this next stage was going to be a bit gruesome. And so it was.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t get help. I know better! I got lot’s of help. Homeopathic remedies, supplements and nutrition have all been allies along the road.
Every woman’s hormonal journey is different. A good comprehensive look at menopause can be found in Karen Reed's article.  Some of the same elements may combine in different ways for each of us. Symptoms that we experience can be due to our chemical makeup, but also our sensitivities, our emotions or any stress or abuse we’ve experienced.
Women are complicated.
In this article I’m  giving you an overview of only a handful of remedies that can be utilized to keep you moving through your own beautiful transition.
If you are inspired to try one of these remedies go for it! (I’ll tell you how later) Or you may want to consult with a homeopathic practitioner. That’s okay too. It will be a great opportunity for someone to hear the whole story, to help you put the pieces of the puzzle together for you, and to give you a remedy that’s just right for you!
We are each unique and nuanced beings, and that’s the beauty of addressing the hormonal shift of menopause with homeopathy because it recognizes that!
Menopause causes fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone which can cause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, headaches, depression, vaginal dryness, bladder problems, thinning hair, dry skin, breast pain, mood swings, memory problems and joint pain
Are you ready to hear about some remedies that can help? Here’s a snippet from 8 good ones. Can you see yourself in any of these?

1. Calcarea Carbonica: The woman going through menopause needing this remedy will likely have a difficult time assimilating calcium in the body. Cold, damp and sweaty. Feet and hands may be cold and clammy. They are susceptible to night sweats, and the full moon can keep them awake too. Uterine polyps or cysts are possible and periods are heavy and last a long time. This woman easily puts on weight and feels worse from exertion and the pressure of clothes. Having sex can be exhausting to them too.
2. Pulsatilla: The woman needing this remedy will notice that her symptoms are changeable. Things shift and change and move around in her body. She is often pretty emotional. Weeping comes easily. Pulsatilla is a wind flower, and if you think about yourself in this way, you notice a sensitivity. Things change as the “wind blows”, so to speak. Women can be either very sweet, or super irritable. Periods are scanty, late and may be painful. There may be clots. Being suppressed is not helpful and can cause problems, so not having sex is not good for these women.
3. Sepia: The word for Sepia is stagnation. Everything is not moving, and it’s not good. So they need to move to feel good. Exercise is super important for women needing this remedy. Irritability towards children and partners are common due mostly to an over concern, or overwork. Pelvically there can be a weakness, a dragging down or bearing down sensation. Sex can be painful and may be due to vaginal dryness. Sometimes there is bleeding after sex. Sometimes there is great desire for sexual contact, but mostly there is an aversion to it.
4. Lachesis: This remedy is a big one for menopausal women. Great for hot flashes, and left sided symptoms. Left ovarian issues. A woman who needs this remedy feels better bleeding. So emotionally, and physically things feel worse just prior to her period beginning. Once she starts to bleed things feel much better. During menopause if she’s not bleeding freely there is more pain. She is highly sexual, and likes to move.
5. Cimicifuga: Here is another remedy for sensitive woman with a tendency to plump up. They love conversing about a variety of different subjects, and have a tendency to wander, feeling better by doing that. A dark cloud of depression may envelop them. There is actually more pain with more flow during menses. Their periods during perimenopause can be heavy, dark and clotted. But while the pain may be worse, they actually feel better emotionally.
6. Sulphur: Hot and sweaty. Hot head, hot feet. Lot’s of night sweats. Burning, itching vulva or vagina and both sitting and sex can be painful. Her uterus may feel like it’s bearing down on her, and that’s worse by standing. Cycles get further and further apart, there is little blood, but it may be foul smelling, burning causing vaginal soreness.
7. Aurum muriaticum: Are you having heavy periods due to fibroids? This might be your remedy. (of course, so could Sepia, Calcarea, or Lachesis, so look at other symptoms you are having too.)  There is a perfectionism evident in women needing this remedy. They perform well. During menopause they may notice heart palpitations, their hair falling out, and while their head may feel hot, their hands and feet may be cold.
8. Murex: This remedy is similar to Sepia for women in menopause, but while Sepia has little sexual desire, Murex has a high sex drive. In Sepia, the period is generally light, and Murex has a heavier period. Both may have the sensation of a bearing down uterus or prolapse. There may be more anxiety and depression in menopause with forgetfulness being a more prominent feature.

Now that you know a little about 8 remedies, you have to know that there are more than twice this many that may be right for you. It might be hard to choose one.
I suggest that if any of these resonate with you to go ahead and get a 30 C potency. Because these are diluted in water, we are talking more about energy than the actual substance, so remedies are safe to take even if they aren’t quite right. There are no side effects.
Take 3 - 5 pellets once a week for about 3 - 4 weeks. Then check in with yourself to see if you are noticing any changes . . . any improvements. Remedies, again, are not designed to cure anything. They are meant to stimulate your vital force. Your body is smart. It has some amazing resources, and sometimes a push in the right direction is all that’s needed.
Needing help from a practitioner? There are many to choose from. Just go to the North American Society of Homeopath’s website.
I am also available for consult via video conference or phone. Schedule Here for a complimentary consult to see if this approach might be right for you.

Hormones. These are chemical substances produced by glands or cells as part of the feedback system of the body in order to create balance or homeostasis. Hormones can sometimes take a while to get back into balance when the body is moving from baby making mode to non-baby making mode. 

Isn't it incredible that our bodies, when healthy, just knows how and when to get back into a new balance? And when it has trouble, it speaks to us in the form of symptoms. The symptoms that our body presents tell us a story about what is going on in there, and what might be needed. The trouble is that we sometimes don't hear, or don't listen. 
Menopause is one of those times when hormones fluctuate big time. And sometimes it's not so bad riding the wave to the new destination. Sometimes it's more difficult.

Some lucky one's glide through these body changes with ease. With grace even. But most of us can expect symptoms that hale the arrival of what might turn out to be a whole new body.

Here is a list of some of the changes that can happen as the changing of the hormonal guard takes place:

• Everything dries up. (eyes, skin, vagina)
• Hot flashes, night sweats ​(hence the dryness).
• Early waking or Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Joint pains
• Frozen Shoulder
• Reduced sex drive
• Painful sex
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Fuzzy thinking
• ​Hair falls out

This is quite a list. You won’t have all of these symptoms. And you may have symptoms that aren’t on this list. But even having a few of these symptoms is enough to turn your world upside down. 

What is a woman to do? 
First, know that it’s time to take care of yourself. Women generally put themselves at the bottom of the list when it comes to self-care. And self-care really gives us some insight into ourselves and our preferences. And maybe that frozen shoulder is indicative of you picking up way too many pieces. 

Here’s a simple list for you to consider moving into menopause.

Take care of yourself. 
This is not a trite statement. It’s real, and it’s about time. If you haven’t learned how to do this before now, you must now. 
Say no. Take baths. Move in a way that feels good to you. Ask for hugs. Eat better. Take that trip. 
If none of those resonate, make your own list about what that might mean. We all know inside what that might look like. And if it's still difficult ask for help. 

Menopause as a gift.
It’s in the name. A time to pause. A time to reflect on this transformational transition and decide how you will now use all of the wisdom you’ve gained. There are other gifts.
Be open to what they are for you. I see so many women whose lives opened up after menopause. They saw more clearly their purpose, or what made them excited and went for it. At some point we recognize that we still have time. 

Eat Well. 
Protein, Essential fatty acids, Green food, and water.
This is a simplified list but there is lots of information about how good food supports us. And sometimes it's as simple as slowing down enough to just enjoy what we are putting into our mouths. Or enjoying the company we have as we eat. 

Herbs.
There are many herbs that support hormone production because of their molecular structure, and therefore can help alleviate symptoms.
Here are some to try: black cohosh, passionflower, chasteberry, wild yam and ashwagandha. Read the instructions or get some help from someone who knows how to take these herbs.

Move your body. 
Moving increases endorphins, which elevates our mood, which helps us feel better. It may be as simple as a walk through the woods. Or turning on some music to dance in the kitchen. Or it may be taking on a weightlifting class, a tai chi class or some hot yoga. 

Nap 
If you aren't getting enough sleep at night, try getting a nap in during the day. Or maybe go to bed a 1/2 hour earlier just to give your body a chance to unwind and relax. Also, if you are partnered, consider sleeping in separate beds. Sleep and sexy time are two different things.  

And luckily there are Homeopathic remedies that help too.
Here’s a short synopsis of five possible remedies. Remember, however, that having a homeopath help choose a remedy will likely give you better results. We don't see ourselves as well as someone else. And there are hundreds of remedies that could potentially help.   

1. Pulsatilla: This remedy is considered a polycrest. It means that it has broad uses. Pulsatilla has many uses in childhood illnesses including colds and ear infections. But it is utilized enormously with many women's hormonal issues including pregnancy as well as menopause.
   It's used when a person is emotional. Easy weeping over the slightest causes. There is a sensitivity. After all, the remedy is made from a wind flower. Consider the "law of signatures". Symptoms can change "with the wind". They can move around. And it can be understandable that a woman needing this remedy feels better outside.  She may stick her feet out of the covers at night because she is hot. And despite the heat they are not often reaching for water. If you've had a history of difficult periods, this may also be an indication for Pulsatilla. 
2. Sepia: Stagnation is the keyword for this remedy. It feels like everything has stopped, and it's difficult to even get out of the chair to do something. But if they can get up and get a workout in, they often feel better. A woman needing this remedy is often chilly and loves to spend time in the sun warming up.  She’s irritable and doesn’t want to be touched. In the old books it talks about "taking an antipathy to her husband."  Many of the symptoms come on due to exhaustion. It's the over work that leads to the stagnation. 
3. Sulphur: Hot, hot, hot! And worse in the heat. Sweaty too. The heat rises and can be felt in the face. Being in bed under covers is heat-producing, so here’s another one that sticks their feet out of the covers. Sweets are their downfall and by 11 am they are hungry . . . even if they have eaten breakfast. Sometimes if the only thing you are dealing with in menopause is hot flashes, it's not inconceivable that a dose of Sulphur 30C on an as needed basis will help.
4. Lachesis: Intense. Both the person and the symptoms can be described in this way. In the books the words "rage, jealousy and loquacity" are used frequently. Simply put, there's passion evident in the woman needing this remedy, if only in her symptoms. Everything is worse in the morning when they first wake up. Mornings are not good to them. Flow feels good. And this includes menstruation. If blood is minimal then there is more pain. Typically, a woman needing Lachesis doesn’t like things around their necks, it chokes or suffocates them. And many symptoms are left sided. 
5. Sanguinaria: I add this remedy as it seems to be specific for frozen shoulder during menopause. I wish I had recognized my frozen shoulder as a menopausal symptom. It wasn't until later that I saw more and more women that had this problem through the hormonal shifts that are menopause.  

​

We can and do survive menopause. It’s what we do. Sometimes we arrive a little worse for wear. But we needn’t. On this side of the fence, opportunity abounds for more energy, creativity and thriving.