Sail through menopause— naturally!

If you want to go through the “change” symptom-free, but without taking prescription meds, try this:

1 Cool hot flashes with genistein!

Supplementing with genistein— a compound found mostly in soy— could cut the frequency of your hot flashes 33%, and make the ones you do get 56% less intense, according to a report in the journal Menopause. This gentle, natural compound acts like estrogen to safely replace your own dips in levels of that hormone, study coauthor Herbert Marini, M.D., says.

■ Important: Always check with your doctor before taking any new supplement. And because genistein concentrations vary, follow the package directions for dosage.

2 Shake off mood swings with saffron

Taking 45 mg. to 90 mg. of saffron daily helps free 75% of women from menopausal blue moods and mood swings in as little as 10 weeks, British researchers report. The credit goes to saffron’s active ingredient (crocin), which helps boost your production of mood-steadying hormones like dopamine. One option: Vitacost Saffron ($19 for 60 capsules, Vitacost.com).

3 Block weight with 5-HTP

It’s not just you: 90% of us find it tougher to keep our weight in check after age 50. That’s because as progesterone levels drop, your brain has more trouble producing the craving- dampening hormone serotonin. To prevent weight gain— and slim down three times faster if you’re dieting— try taking 300 mg. to 600 mg. of 5-HTP daily. An amino acid that is a key building block of appetite- taming serotonin, 5-HTP can help you effortlessly trim 600 calories from your daily diet, UCLA researchers say.

4 Ease joint pain with fish oil

Taking 3,000 mg. of fish oil daily relieves menopause- triggered joint pain and stiffness for 60% of us in three months, according to Yale University researchers. Fish oil fights the painful inflammation that often flares up when hormone levels change rapidly before and after menopause.

5 Find your focus with ginkgo

At least half of us experience brain fog during the menopausal years, Harvard University researchers say. The gentle remedy: Take 60 mg. of ginkgo biloba daily. “It improves the flow of oxygen-rich blood to brain cells,” says David Perlmutter, M.D., author of Brain Maker.