Holistic Menopause Approach: Natural Remedies for Hot Flushes, Moods, and Sleep
- Andrea Marsh
- Oct 6
- 10 min read
When I first started helping women navigate menopause, I asked if I should use the word holistic. The answer? A resounding no — most people didn’t know what it meant. Eight years on, I’m thrilled to see “holistic” becoming part of everyday conversation about health and menopause. Just this week, a woman called me and asked: “Do you take a holistic approach? This is exactly what I need!” And yes — that’s exactly what I do.
A holistic approach looks at your health and your life as a whole — mind, body, and spirit. Your symptoms aren’t random; they’re clues about what your body needs. Taking this view may involve a little DIY, but it’s empowering and deeply effective.
Your mind and body are connected — if one struggles, so does the other. Holistic menopause care means exploring where you are now, supporting yourself in all areas of life, and making gentle changes that help you feel better today and in the future. Some women are naturally curious and drawn to this approach; others prefer to stick with traditional medical paths. Which feels right for you?
What is a holistic Menopause? Why should you be taking this approach?
What does holistic really mean?
At its heart, being holistic is about recognising that everything is connected. You can’t always separate one part of you from the rest — your body, mind, and even your lifestyle are all woven together.
Think about it this way: if you go to the doctor with a sore foot, chances are they’ll just focus on the foot itself. Maybe they’ll give you medication or send you for a scan. But what if that pain actually started in your hip? (It often does!) In my shiatsu practice, if someone comes in with shoulder, knee, or foot pain, I’ll often begin with the back and hips. Because if your pelvis is twisted or one hip is higher than the other, the problem won’t ease no matter how much you treat just the foot.
And the same is true for hormones.
We often hear that HRT is the “fix” for menopause, and while it absolutely has its place, it’s not the whole story. Menopause isn’t just about oestrogen and progesterone. Other hormones are shifting too: cortisol (your stress hormone) rises, insulin resistance can develop, melatonin and serotonin can drop… it’s a full-body transition, not a single switch being turned off.
That’s why HRT doesn’t always work perfectly for everyone. It can take time to find the right dose, and some women can’t tolerate it at all. Sometimes you may even need more support from progesterone rather than oestrogen — especially if your body is in a state of “oestrogen dominance” (where progesterone is too low compared to oestrogen).
And then there’s stress. When cortisol climbs, it suppresses progesterone even further. That creates a vicious cycle — the more stressed you feel, the more unbalanced your hormones become, and the harder it is to feel well again.
Here’s the thing: tinkering with hormones in isolation can be like trying to fix a foot problem without looking at the hip. Your hormones don’t work in little boxes — they’re part of a beautifully delicate system.
A holistic approach steps back and asks:
How are you sleeping?
What does your diet look like?
Are you moving your body in a way that feels good?
How are you handling stress?
What patterns have shaped your long-term health?
When you start nourishing your whole self, things begin to shift. The body works better, and when the body works better, your mind feels lighter. Happier thoughts spark happier hormones, which reduce stress hormones, which in turn helps bring balance back to oestrogen and progesterone.
And here’s the best bit: when your hormones realign gently and naturally, symptoms often just melt away. Doesn’t that sound like a relief?
Why will a holistic approach to menopause help you?
When your body is under stress, simply adding more hormones isn’t the easiest (or safest) way to find balance — especially if you’re boosting the wrong one! Instead, the gentler and more effective approach is to pause, tune in, and ask yourself: How am I really feeling right now? And what could I do holistically to support myself?
That one question opens up a whole world of possibilities. But I also know that real life gets in the way — the exhaustion, the overwhelm, the demands of work and family. It’s easy to feel like there’s no time left for you.
Here’s the truth: every time you say no to something that drains you, you give yourself back the most precious gift — time. Time to breathe, to think, to reflect. That space is the very first step on your holistic menopause ladder.
Holistic doesn’t mean overhauling your life overnight. It’s about making small, doable shifts that add up over time. Tiny steps create new habits. For example:
Choosing foods that truly nourish you
Protecting your sleep like it’s sacred (because it is!)
Restoring your energy gently instead of pushing through
Calming your mind with practices that soothe
Saying no when your body says no
These are simple acts of self-care, but let me be clear — self-care is not selfish. It’s survival. It’s the foundation for moving from “just getting by” to actually thriving.
If you keep pushing your health to the bottom of the list, hoping your body will “sort itself out,” it won’t. The body is clever — it will adapt and recalibrate to cope for a while. But the cost builds up, and eventually it comes due. It may not hit you today, or even during menopause, but one day it will catch up. None of us are invincible when it comes to health.
That’s why curiosity is so powerful. When you start being curious about your health, you automatically begin improving it. When you open your mind to the possibility of a better menopause, you’re already halfway there.
The first holistic steps are simple: stay curious, stay open, and stay positive. Once you shift into that mindset, you’ll be amazed at the options and opportunities that begin to appear.
What’s really involved in a holistic menopause?
In short — everything! Holistic simply means being open to all the different parts of your health and life that can support you. But the real question is: where do you start?
The best place to begin is with your symptoms. Ask yourself: Which one is bothering me the most right now?
If your sleep is poor, then that’s your number one symptom — because without restful sleep, everything else feels harder.
If you sleep okay but feel drained all the time, then fatigue is your biggest symptom.
If hot flushes are your main issue, they’re usually linked to (or made worse by) poor sleep and low energy. Nobody ever says, “I’ve got hot flushes but I sleep brilliantly and feel full of energy!” That’s because these symptoms are connected — often one triggers another.
Once you’ve identified your main symptom, break it down. When do you feel it most strongly? Are you waking up at a certain time every night? Do your energy levels dip at specific points in the day? These patterns give you clues about what your body really needs.
And here’s a big tip: your body needs nutrients. Hormones can’t balance themselves without the right building blocks — vitamins and minerals. If you’re low on those, progesterone (and other hormones) simply won’t be made in the way your body needs. That’s why nourishing food, and sometimes plant-based supplements, are such powerful starting points.
From there, you can add in other supports:
Adjust your diet with more nutrient-dense foods
Seek support to rebuild your sleep routines
Explore ways to reduce anxiety and calm your mind
The most important thing to remember? Every symptom is your body sending you a signal. It’s not a punishment — it’s a request for help. And when you listen, when you respond with care, your body begins to find its balance again.
Here are a few key symptoms with some supportive holistic suggestions to start bringing you relief:
Anxiety
This is both a physical and emotional symptom. Your body requires more nutrition and calming herbal stress adaptogens. Hypnotherapy can help with specific ones like driving, flying or addictions. Physical therapies like shiatsu can really help calm down your nervous system quickly and Yoga/Qi Gong can manage stress and anxiety too. Bach flower remedies and essential oils can have a huge positive effects as well.
Sleep
Do you have night sweats? If so, a liver detox will help cool you down. If you wake with hot flushes your body will love more vitamins and minerals. If you struggle getting to sleep then try apps to calm your mind down. There are herbals that can help at any stage of the night from lemon balm and chamomile to help you get to sleep to iver support herbals to reduce night sweats and Ashwagandha to relieve the nervous system around 4am. I find taking an extra magnesium when I wake up helps me get back to sleep too.
Fatigue
If you wake tired after getting 8 hours of good sleep you're in need of even more nutriention; plus assess whether you’re doing too much high impact exercise. If you’re okay in the morning but then have the 3pm slump you need to assess your lunch; too many carbs and not enough protein/greens to balance your blood sugars. Plus caffeine can actually cause you to feel more tired at this time of day.
Hot Flushes
You need more vitamin C to begin with! Plus wrap a scarf around your kidneys to keep them warmer (they love this - bit of Chinese medicine!). Increase your nutrition and resolve sleep and energy levels. Check you’re not over doing exercise. Journal your hot flushes against your exercise, sleep and diet – there will be a pattern. When you discover this pattern, you have the key to your holistic resolution!
Brain Fog
90% of your brain chemistry comes from your gut. More nutrients vitamins minerals healthy fats in your brain loves good fats. Lessen sugar this causes inflammation. Strengthen your gut with a good probiotic – try this one: MICROBZ – Get the Detox one if you have night sweats!
Stress
The cause of just about every symptom is stress. Look to Yoga or Qi Gong or de-stressing therapies and apps that help you calm down. Say No to things, reframe how you feel about regular events in your life; journal your thoughts. Take really good rich supplements – Here’s my guide. If you have symptoms, you have stress and you'll require high levels of nutrition to combat it. Cortisol wants nutrition and if it can’t get enough it leeches it from other body parts and you feel this as symptoms.
Aching joints
You’ve got stress and cortisol stealing your limited nutrient levels leaving you with joint pains. Joints maybe weak or tight too - seek a gentle physical therapy like shiatsu which is completely holistic and will give you insight into what is the root cause of your aching joints.
Muscle tension/ cramp
Lack of Magnesium. This the number 1 deficient mineral in human beings in the world. Take Magnesium!This will also help you increase your sleep, and reduce your anxiety and stress levels. Magnesium - your body wants more of it and whilst you’re at it a good multivitamin too!
What are the main options in a Holistic Menopause?
Honestly? There are so many — in fact, pretty much everything! And that’s because holistic means looking at your health from every angle: body, mind, and spirit.
Here are some of the main areas you might explore:
Your diet – what are you eating day to day?
Nutrition and supplements – are there gaps that need filling?
Testing – blood or hair analysis can give useful insights.
Exercise – are you moving in ways that actually support your body right now?
Sleep, energy, mood – how can these be lifted gently and consistently?
Journaling – notice your thoughts, feelings, and stress levels.
Patterns – do certain foods impact your mood or energy?
Cycles and sleep – how do these connect with your symptoms?
Toxins – what’s in your food, skincare, or home environment that could be reduced?
Here’s the beautiful part: you don’t need to do all of this at once. In fact, please don’t — that’s a fast track to overwhelm. Keep this list as a gentle guide, and simply choose one area that feels most doable or appealing to you right now.
Even something as simple as journaling how you feel is a powerful, empowering step. Because really, the only tool you need for a positive and healthy menopause is your own curiosity — paired with an open mind.
When you’re curious and you ask questions (even if in your own head) the answers will start to appear around you because you’ve told your subconscious what you’re looking out for
About Andrea at Cotswold Menopause - Your Symptom Relief is in Trusted Hands
At Cotswold Menopause, Andrea combines the wisdom of Chinese Medicine with a truly holistic approach to help you overcome menopause symptoms at their root. Instead of chasing each individual issue, she looks at the bigger picture — grouping symptoms together and uncovering the underlying imbalances that are driving them. This means you’ll receive support that’s not only practical but deeply effective, restoring balance across your whole body and mind.
Through an online consultation, Andrea can guide you with personalised, natural strategies to ease symptoms and rebuild your energy. Or, if you're local, her Shiatsu for Menopause sessions provide hands-on therapy to release tension, rebalance hormones, and leave you feeling grounded and renewed with follow up supplement advice.
With Andrea’s expertise, you’ll gain the tools, clarity, and confidence to move through menopause feeling more in control, calmer, and healthier.
You don’t have to struggle through this stage of life — Andrea will help you not just cope, but thrive. Book your consultation today and take the first step towards feeling like yourself again.
Meet Andrea at Cotswold Menopause
Andrea is a shiatsu and chinese medicine practitioner who uses the principles of chinese medicine in a completely practical way to help you resolve your symptoms naturally and effectively. If you live locally you can book in for wonderfully relaxing Shiatsu for Menopause, otherwise Andrea does online indepth consultations where you'll leave with an actionable plan to follow. Andrea is also passionate about doing workplace talks.
KNOWLEDGE . PAUSE . FLOURISH
