What can I do for joint pain all over? How can I support bone health now that I have osteoporosis? How do I look after an underactive thyroid? You asked these menopause questions, and our natural health experts provided answers…  

Expert advice on menopause health

The questions below came up in the Q&A’s during our live menopause webinars. 

Each answer is informed by an expert source, either Dr Marilyn Glenville and Heather Gleeson of Natural Health Practice, or Alison Cullen and Sarah Hyland of A.Vogel.

How to reduce inflammation during menopause

I’m 54-year-olds, still bleeding on and off. I’m having joint pain all over. What do you recommend for me? 

You’re likely in a pro-inflammatory situation. 

This is caused by an imbalance between Omega-6 and Omega-3. 

Start taking Omega-3 fish oils. Unless you’re vegan, then go for an algae EPA and DHA.

Also take a look at your daily food intake. Certain foods and excessive caffeine can cause inflammation in the joints which leads to joint pain.

For more about the relationship between inflammation and food, check out: Healing Inflammation through Food.

I’ve heard starflower and evening primrose oil are inadvisable for women in perimenopause. Is that true?

It depends…

For some women who are still getting their cycle and still getting PMT, they could be helpful.

But the difficulty is, we’re getting too much Omega-6 from the diet as it is. So taking these oils, especially around menopause, is generally not a good idea.

For anyone with a lot of pain and inflammation, it’s time to think about letting go of the sources of Omega-6 (like takeaways and processed foods) and increasing Omega-3.

To have any chance of getting enough Omega-3 from diet alone, you’d have to be eating oily fish 5-6 times a week. So an Omega-3 supplement is almost always a requirement. 

How to address osteoporosis and osteoarthritis during menopause

I developed osteoporosis after cancer treatment. I’m now 54 and wondering what I can do at this stage to improve my bone health. 

Testing needs to be done –  like vitamin D, bone turnover, and digestion – just to make sure everything’s going okay in those areas.

After that, it’s essential to make sure your bones are getting the proper nutrients to support bone density. 

Find out what those nutrients are in: How to prevent the bone loss that causes fractures in 50% of women over 50

I’m getting increasingly achy joints from osteoarthritis. Is it possible to offset the pain with supplements?

In perimenopause you’ll often find that anything that was painful previously will show up again, like a little reminder of your past. 

Anything that’s already had an inflammatory response will activate again… on top of this, the body creates more inflammation as oestrogen levels drop.  

Magnesium is really helpful to deal with all the extra inflammation. It helps relax the muscles and, over time, ease pain.

For an extra boost, try soaking in a magnesium bath or rubbing in magnesium lotion before bed. 

Also – make sure you’re hydrated. As oestrogen levels fall, it’s harder for the tissues to stay hydrated. Aim for at least 1.5 litres of plain water each day. 

In your diet, be sure you have healthy fats going in from sources like:

And of course, Omega-3 oils (either from fish oils or vegan algae) can really help with inflammation and hydration.

How to keep cholesterol in check during menopause 

My doctor took me off Omega-3 because he thought it was causing my high cholesterol. Is there a link?

It’s unlikely. 

Polyunsaturated fat – which is what Omega-3 is – can actually lower cholesterol.

Remember that 80% of the body’s cholesterol is produced by the liver. Only 20% comes from the diet. The reason statins work is because they’re able to block cholesterol production from the liver.

So the questions will always be, why is the liver producing too much cholesterol? What type of cholesterol is the liver producing? Is it bad cholesterol?

To get this information, you’ll need to be tested. 

In addition to this, you can consider supporting the liver’s natural function with a course of milk thistle.  

Above all, be kind to your liver. Less caffeine. Less alcohol. Less processed food. More whole foods and healthy fats.

How to support thyroid function during menopause

I’m trying to understand - what is the link between menopause and the thyroid?

First of all, stress and cortisol will affect thyroid function.

Most common during the menopause is an underactive thyroid. Everything is slowing down. Getting tired and getting cold. That’s often why a woman in menopause can’t lose weight.

But still, it’s a matter of finding out what type of thyroid issue it is.

Is the issue caused by a nutrient deficiency? Too little iodine, selenium or iron?

Or is it an auto-immune issue, like Graves’ disease? 

Once you know the underlying issue, there’s a lot you can do nutritionally to support the thyroid.

Can you eat fermented soya if you have Hashimoto's / underactive thyroid?

You can. 

The issue is with goitrogen, which would affect the uptake of iodine, particularly for an underactive thyroid. But it’s only an issue when the soya is raw. When it’s fermented and cooked, like in miso, it’s not a problem. 

When choosing soya, always go for organic, so you know it’s not genetically modified. And it’s better if the product is made from the whole soya bean. So avoid products with ‘soya isolate’ or ‘soya protein isolate.’

In other words, eat the whole food. As it’s been eaten for hundreds of years. Not something fake that’s made up to taste like chicken or beef.

It’s also good to mix up protein sources. Have chickpeas, hummus, lentil soup, nuts, seeds… the emphasis doesn’t always have to be on soya.    

The same concept goes for kale and spinach. When raw, it can aggravate hypothyroidism. But when cooked, it’s not an issue.

Top takeaways for managing potential health concerns 

To reduce inflammation during menopause

To address osteoporosis and osteoarthritis during menopause

  • Get a clear view of your bone health with testing like vitamin D, bone turnover, and digestion 
  • Take the essential bone nutrients
  • Daily magnesium can help ease the pain of osteoarthritis 

To keep cholesterol in check during menopause 

  • Get tested to check what kind of cholesterol your liver is producing
  • Consider supporting the liver’s natural function with a course of milk thistle   

To support thyroid function during menopause

Get all the expert answers to real menopause questions

Get more tips in our natural menopause series: 

You can also send a question directly to us ([email protected]). If we can’t answer it, we’ll consult an expert who can.