Eventually, menopause becomes a fact of life for most women. Specifically, the average woman is 51 years of age when she begins menopause. Unfortunately, menopause often comes with a number of unwanted and uncomfortable side effects, including hot flashes, mood swings, an inability to sleep, and even vaginal dryness. While there are plenty of medications out there that promise to help treat these symptoms, prescription medications aren't ideal for everybody. Fortunately, there are some natural treatment options for the most pervasive of menopausal symptoms.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Menopause occurs when a woman's body stops making the hormones necessary to menstruate (estrogen and progesterone); as such, women are no longer able to conceive once they've undergone menopause. With bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (also commonly referred to as natural hormone replacement therapy) from a clinic like Genemedics Health Institute, women are given supplements that create phytoestrogens (the plant equivalents of female estrogens); these are thought to help reduce some of the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Some common foods that help the body release these hormones include soy and flax seed.

Daily Exercise (Yoga and Aerobic)

In addition to natural hormone replacement therapy, healthy amounts of daily exercise can also provide women relief from their menopause symptoms. Specifically, aerobic exercises in addition to yoga and breathing exercises can drastically reduce the likelihood of mood swings. That's because these forms of exercise are known to release serotonin in the blood stream, which can boost a person's mood. Furthermore, those who get a healthy amount of daily exercise tend to enjoy a better night of sleep, so exercise can also be a great way to combat sleep disruption (a common side effect of menopause). 

Increased Vitamin E Intake

Finally, using a topical vitamin E treatment can also help to relieve women of some of the most troublesome symptoms of menopause, including vaginal dryness and and hot flashes. During menopause, many women find that the body doesn't naturally lubricate itself like it used to; vitamin E is a completely natural oil that, when applied to the skin, can aid in the production of lubricants, which can relieve discomfort caused by vaginal dryness in menopausal women.

Living with menopause is certainly no walk in the park, but the good news is that there are plenty of natural remedies for those unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Be sure to keep these natural treatment options in mind and talk them over with your doctor—especially if you're the type who doesn't like taking prescription medications.