During menopause, several women experience irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue and many other problems that may persist for many years. These symptoms are caused by hormonal imbalance and can lead to higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, urinary tract disease and dermatological conditions.
From TCM’s perspective, the cause of these symptoms is due to kidney yin and/or yang deficiency, mostly accompanied by liver stagnation, blood stasis and phlegm accumulation. The severity of symptoms vary according to individual and is affected by her lifestyle, body constitution and past medical history.
Patients with kidney yin deficiency may suffer from symptoms like night sweats, warmer extremities, and backache. Recommended lifestyle changes include sleeping before 11pm, eating less of food that is warm and dry in nature like pepper, chilli, ginger, garlic, and more of yin-nourishing food like eggs, duck, scallop, watermelon, strawberry, white fungus, as well as herbs like lily bulb, wolfberry, ‘mai dong’ and American ginseng.
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