Nausea as a Symptom of Menopause & How to Reduce It

Once you start suffering from frequent bouts of nausea around the ages of 40 to 50, you may be experiencing symptoms of menopause. Along with a variety of other irritating side effects, such as insomnia, weight gain, depression, fatigue, hair loss, and weak muscles, menopause can also cause nausea.

It is actually a more common symptom among menopausal women, and women who are in the prior stage to menopause, called perimenopause. This stage affects every woman differently, and can lead to such numerous symptoms. Severity of each symptom, including nausea and the feeling of being sick, can range from mild to intense. Sometimes this sick feeling can lead to vomiting. Many times hot flashes also follow a wave of intense nausea.

Feeling nauseated during menopause and perimenopause can stem from many different things, including diet. For most women, this sick sensation is an indirect response to the natural part of the aging process, and menopause itself. However, feeling nauseated may and can occur in credit to estrogen loss. Many times these symptoms are not consistent or constant, in that they usually come and go. Typically through perimenopause, you can feel as if you're sick through the decline of your hormonal levels as your menstrual cycle slowly wanes.

Because the balance of hormones within your body is important to your overall health, significant drops in these hormones and an imbalance of them can play a role in such conditions as feeling sick. Bio-chemical changes can easily result in anything from gas problems, to bloating, to feeling nauseated. It is not uncommon for most women to feel cramps, night sweats, dizziness, headaches and more when they enter this time in their life.

Progesterone, for example, is a very important hormone in that it flows throughout your body normally, and will work to keep the sugars and electrolytes in your body balanced. But, unfortunately, a steep incline or drop that occurs with this hormone during perimenopause and menopause, can easily make you feel uncomfortable, resulting in the feeling as if you're sick.

Here are a two things to keep in mind:

Drink: Drink plenty of fluids. Waters and fruit juices can work wonders for an upset stomach, while being dehydrated on the other hand, can easily make you feel sick. Remember, drinking waters and juices is also an effective way of replenishing those electrolytes.

Diet: Diet always plays a key role in keeping yourself healthy. During menopause, your digestive tract, for one, can easily be affected, thus foods that used to never upset you before, may now cause you to be very uncomfortable. Eating lots of a fiber can help out with this. Also, to prevent any sick feelings, make sure to include many fruits and vegetables, as well as complex carbohydrates and lean protein in your diet. You can also consider a menopause supplement that includes the vitamins a menopausal woman needs.

Most researchers and doctors will suggest a healthy diet to patients who may complain about stomach problems during the menopause stages. To help manage your diet successfully, here are a few tips to follow:

• Eat soy in order to get more estrogen.
• Eat fruits that are naturally high in phyoestrogens, such as pomegranate.
• Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids through foods like fish and olive oil.
• Avoid foods that could otherwise upset your stomach, such as greasy or sugary foods.
• Avoid stimulants like tobacco and alcohol.
• Try eating 5 to 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large meals.
• Try natural alternatives such as herbs (black cohosh, ginger, licorice root and evening primrose oil are all herbs that can work wonders on an upset stomach)
• Try teas, like peppermint tea in order to help soothe a trouble stomach

Menopause can be hard, but it's most certainly not the end of the world. Just stay positive, get educated, and maintain your health. Putting in all your effort to do just that will help you to fight against certain menopausal symptoms, such as nausea.