You are in your fifties and have for some time observed small signs that are pointing towards the possibility that menopause is around the corner? As early as in pre-menopause, essential oils offer a more than shallow help because they allow you to fight gently against hot flushes, mood swings and other unpleasant things that are due to a hormonal unbalance.
In case of early onset of menopause or pre-menopause and also during menopause, the support and assistance of a gynaecologist are strongly advised.
Why use EOs to ease the effects of menopause?
The period of pre-menopause and menopause can be very difficult for a woman. The cessation of oestrogen and progesterone secretion causes several inconveniences: irritability, hot flushes, sleep disorders, dryness of the mucous membranes, a changing libido, weight gain…
EOs can help to limit these symptoms or avoid the need for some women to use synthetic hormone treatments.
3 Essential Oils to ease the effects of menopause
CYPRESS, AN OESTROGEN-LIKE ESSENTIAL OIL.
Thanks to its composition which mimics oestrogen, cypress EO helps to improve the daily life of women during menopause.
Use: In a teaspoon of evening primrose vegetable oil, mix one drop of cypress EO. Massage your wrists, lower abdomen or solar plexus with this preparation once a day. Make a 21 days cure then 8 days of pause. Repeat 2 to 3 times as needed. If the symptoms persist, consult a doctor.
Precautions for use: Carry out a skin test before application – Do not apply undiluted to the skin – Not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 8 years of age, people with epilepsy or neurological disorders, people with cancerous or non-cancerous hormone-dependent disorders.
CLARY SAGE TO MAKE UP FOR THE LACK OF ESTROGEN IN THE BODY.
Clary Sage EO contains sclareol, a molecule that mimics the action of oestrogen in the body (oestrogen-like). During menopause, it is the deficit in female sex hormones, including oestrogen, which is responsible for the appearance of all the symptoms. By taking the place of the missing oestrogens, sclareol will therefore help to reduce the main symptoms of hot flushes, mood swings, vaginal and skin dryness, etc.
Moreover, Clary Sage EO has molecules with an aphrodisiac action (linalool and germacrene D). They will thus help to counter the disorders linked to the loss of libido often observed during menopause.
Use: In a teaspoon of oil or honey, put 1 drop of clary sage EO. Massage your wrists, lower abdomen or solar plexus with this preparation once a day. Make a 21 days cure then 8 days of pause. Repeat 2 to 3 times as needed. If the symptoms persist, consult a doctor.
Precautions for use: Carry out a skin test before application – Do not apply undiluted to the skin – Not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 8 years of age, people with epilepsy or neurological disorders, people with cancerous or non-cancerous hormone-dependent disorders.
PEPPERMINT, IDEAL FOR HOT FLASHES
Peppermint EO brings an immediate freshness effect
Use: On a neutral olfactory stick, put 5 drops of Peppermint EO on the absorbent wick. Inhale this olfactory stick as soon as a hot flush arrives.
Precautions for use: Do not apply pure on the skin – Not suitable for pregnant or breast-feeding women, children under 8 years old, people with epilepsy or neurological disorders, people with hormone-dependent cancerous or non-cancerous disorders, people suffering from inflammation of the gall bladder, serious liver disorders, hypertension and during important cardiovascular problems.
The SOS menopause recipe
– Clary sage EO: 20 drops
– Cypress EO: 20 drops
– VO (of your choice): 8ml
In a 10ml bottle, pour the EO according to the quantities indicated then complete with the VO.
Use on the skin: Apply 1 drop of this preparation on the wrists and breathe deeply. Repeat the application 3 times a day.
ESSENTIAL OILS according to the symptoms of menopause
1/ HOT FLUSHES: CLARY SAGE
75 to 80% of women suffer from hot flushes during menopause or pre-menopause. A sign of hormonal upheaval, they are characterised by
– a kind of hot flush that rises rapidly from the chest to the face
– very heavy sweating at night, “flushing” or feelings of suffocation
– redness, clammy hands and feet…
How to use it: In a teaspoon of VO, put 1 drop of clary sage EO (Salvia sclarea): in the evening, massage 1 drop on the solar plexus, as well as 2 drops on the lower back at kidney level.
> Before menopause, do this 3 times a day from the 7th to the 21st day of the cycle.
> After menopause, take these 2 drops of Clary Sage 3 times a day for 21 days.
Targeted benefits:
– Improvement as of the second night, with a decrease in sweating.
– After about 3 days, hot flushes may disappear.
Other solutions against hot flushes
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil is recommended for regulating the production of female hormones. It is an oil that can be taken as a food supplement.
-> In case of hot flushes, take several capsules (4 to 6) of evening primrose oil per day, in the morning and the evening.
Homoeopathy
It can have a positive effect on hot flushes.
-> Ethynil-oestradiol 5 CH and Propionate 5 CH, 1 granule morning and evening.
Spices
– Turmeric combined with black pepper
– Ceylon cinnamon.
Bach Flower Remedies
They can help you during this period:
– Honeysuckle: helps you to move forward and calm the feeling of nostalgia for the past.
– Crab Apple to reconcile with your changing body which can be a source of complexes.
– Walnut is the anti-anxiety elixir par excellence in the face of all these changes of reference.
– Hornbean if you are lacking in energy and feel a general sense of fatigue.
– Impatiens soothe your irritable mind, but also works against hunger and fatigue.
Diet
Focus on fatty acids, omega-3, vegetables and diuretics!
Hormone-like foods such as soya and soy products can also be favoured. They contain Phyto-oestrogens which can help reduce hot flushes. Finally, sage, consumed as an infusion, is recommended against the discomforts of menopause.
2/ MOOD SWINGS: TRUE LAVENDER
If you go from laughter to tears or from excitement to sadness, open a bottle of True Lavender EO and breathe in directly, deeply and slowly.
The diffusion formula
Combine the essential oils of True lavender, marjoram and ylang-ylang.
3/ VAGINAL DRYNESS: TEA TREE AND CLARY SAGE
Vaginal dryness is common at the time of menopause due to reduced levels of oestrogen and progesterone. This dryness may be accompanied by burning sensations in the genital area or itching.
To relieve the general discomfort, massage the lower abdomen with 1 drop of Clary Sage EO twice a day for 20 days.
4/ INSOMNIA: MARJORAM
Insomnia is the second most common complaint of menopause (after hot flushes). The oestrogen deficit often reduces the quality of sleep.
Marjoram essential oil can be very helpful with its rebalancing and invigorating effect.
To help you fall asleep and prevent night-time awakenings, put a drop of marjoram essential oil on your wrists and massage it gently every evening at bedtime. You can also use it in case of feelings of annoyance
You don’t have marjoram? The little sour orange seed can also help you against sleep disorders and irritability.
the diffusion formula:
Equal parts of:
– Mandarin EO
– Ravintsara EO
– petit grain bigarade EO
Diffuse in the bedroom one hour before going to bed.
5/ YLANG-YLANG, THE ESSENCE OF DESIRE
EOs can help women who show a loss of libido with their menopause. Euphoric and relaxing, the EO of ylang-ylang is the queen of aphrodisiac essential oils and thus a great ally to face stressful menopause punctuated by a lack of desire in one’s sexuality. It is used more particularly in massage in the lower back after dilution (10 drops for 10 ml of HV).
