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Menopause is a natural stage that comes in every woman’s life. It happens when there’s a natural decline in reproductive hormones. This period denotes the end of the menstrual cycle when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s. However, menopause comes with certain symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, weight gain, anxiety and depression, painful intercourse, poor sleep, irregular menstruation, and sadly, joint pain too. Therefore, some home remedies for joint pain have proved to be effective.
Though joint pain is one of the lesser-known symptoms of menopause, but it’s a known symptom associated with ageing. And ageing and menopause come together which can take a toll on your regular life. So, what can you do to alleviate the discomfort of joint pain during menopause? Well, your kitchen has the solution for it! The good news is that certain herbs have anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve joint or knee pain.
Dr Vibha Bajpaiee, Head- Dietetics, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad, spoke to HealthShots about the reasons for this problem.
“During menopause, the level of the female hormone, estrogen, starts decreasing in the blood. Due to this, the chances of getting bone diseases like osteoporosis and osteoarthritis increase,” says Dr Bajpaiee.
Estrogen is known as a hormone responsible for reducing joint pain. This hormone acts as a key regulator for bone metabolism, due to which it plays an important role in the maturation and bone growth. But when women reach the stage of menopause, the level of estrogen hormone in the blood starts decreasing. This has the opposite effect on their metabolism resulting in the problem of joint swelling and pain.
Turmeric is a strong pain reliever. Dr Samudrika Patil, Clinical endocrinologist, and CEO, Vedicure healthcare and wellness says, “This herb is anti-inflammatory in nature and an effective pain reliever. It has two chemicals (curcumin and curcuminoids) that found to alleviate pain, inflammation, and swelling.” You can use this spice in your food or drink turmeric milk everyday.
Most of us love cinnamon tea because it has innumerable benefits from weight loss to heart health. Along with this cinnamon is a spice that has antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidants properties that makes it a perfect herb for relieving joint pain.
Also, read: Beat your postmenopausal blues with these lifestyle tweaks
Nirgundi is an Ayurvedic herb which is used in many medicines too. It can treat arthritis and menstrual cramps because it has anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant properties. This can be used for both external application and internal consumption.
“This herb is also anti-inflammatory and helps manage joint inflammation along with arthritis. You can use it as per the advice of your expert,” says Dr Patil.
Among a list of benefits associated with this superfood, flaxseeds helps to control the menopausal symptoms. From managing hormone imbalance, mood swings, hot flashes, to joint inflammation and swelling, flaxseeds can benefit you more than you think.
Primrose oil has healing benefits. Most people use it to treat premenstrual syndrome, menopause symptoms, arthritis, high cholesterol, acne, and many other health conditions.
Dr Patil says, “It is a well-known Ayurvedic herb loaded with analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions, which reduce pain and inflammation linked to arthritis and other joint disorders.”
Garlic’s anti-inflammatory properties have the potential to relieve joint or knee pain. It also helps to remove toxins from the body and boost blood circulation, thereby, reducing pain. You can also use garlic oil for topical use.
Soybean is a great dietary addition for a patient with joint pain during the menopausal stage. Soybean has isoflavones, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and has anti-inflammatory properties which help to suppress mood swings, stress, and inflammation.
So Ladies, add these basic kitchen supplies in your daily diet if you’re in your menopausal stage and troubled by joint pains.
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