This March 8th is International Women’s Day, and we want to help women around Portland celebrate in good health! That’s why we are taking a look at how women can stay healthy, naturally, all year long.

Women’s health is a commonly discussed, but often misunderstood, subject. Both men and women encounter challenges that are very specific to their body types, and each health hurdle must be taken on with all of the facts about a patient’s body in mind.

For example, when women go through menopause, their ovaries stop releasing eggs and gradually produce less estrogen. This can lead to insomnia, mood swings, changes in libido, headaches, joint pain, and more. This lack of estrogen can also lead to osteoporosis, weakened vision, incontinence, Alzheimer’s risk, heart disease, and poor muscle tone.

This issue is specific to women – even though many men go through male menopause or “manopause” when they begin to produce less testosterone. This testosterone loss usually leads to symptoms like decreased libido, fatigue, weakness, and depression, but the solutions are generally less complicated than female menopause

Five Holistic Solutions Every Woman Can Use

At Flow Natural Health Care, we help both women and men recover their health through naturopathy. That’s why we love to celebrate Movember and International Women’s Day. In this article, we are providing five natural actions any woman can take to improve her health – no matter her age.

1. Make healthy food choices. While everyone can get behind making healthy decisions, women need to consider her health, the health of any child she may have, and her health as she ages. Eating food high in vitamins C & D, calcium, magnesium, iron, DHA, probiotics, and phytoestrogens throughout one’s life can ease menstruation, benefit pregnancy and breastfeeding, and relieve menopause symptoms. These essential nutrients can also help women avoid common issues like osteoporosis. Here are just a few of the many whole foods women should consider including in meals each week:

  • Nuts like walnuts and almonds
  • Flaxseeds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Chickpeas
  • Fermented soy like miso or tempeh
  • Sprouted foods
  • Oily fish
  • Whole fruits and vegetables like lettuce, onions, blueberries, and broccoli

It’s also a good idea to cut down on salt, refined sugar, and caffeine.

2. Use essential oils. We use essential oils for aromatherapy, to ease joint discomfort, and – now – to benefit uterine health. The following essential oils can be used on your skin, diffused through the air, or taken internally to help your uterus.

  • Frankincense
  • Clary Sage
  • Rosemary
  • Sweet Marjoram
  • Lavender
  • Thyme
  • Geranium
  • Cypress
  • Chamomile
  • Basil

If you plan to take any of these internally, be sure to check the brand that you buy and make sure it’s labeled safe for human consumption. You don’t have to consume these oils to get their benefits. Instead, you can mix them into a scrub, lotion, or coconut oil and rub them on your skin – or use a diffuser to breathe them in.

3. Try acupuncture or acupressure. The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as a valid therapy for a variety of problems, including issues during pregnancy. They also state that acupuncture has been found to be therapeutic in the treatment of female infertility, deficient lactation, PMS, and more.

Because acupuncture places needles into specific points of the body which correspond with particular pathways, acupressure can often be used as well to provide immediate “at home” relief.

4. Use Maya Massage. Maya Abdominal Therapy™ is a method used to manipulate abdominal and pelvic organs, providing relief from symptoms caused by:

  • Malpositioned uterus
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Infertility
  • Endometriosis
  • Premenstrual syndrome
  • Menopause
  • Painful or heavy periods
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
  • Irregular menstruation

Maya massage is a great, non-invasive and natural way to help women regain comfort.

5. Get your yearly pap smear. When you are feeling healthy, it can be easy to forget your annual pap smear. However, it’s essential to get this examination to determine if you need further treatment. A pap smear lets us know if you have fibroids, cysts, and allows us to assess the health of your reproductive system. Without this information, we cannot catch health problems early on.

There are many ways women can improve their health. Contact us today and let us help you take your next step toward a naturally healthy life!