Women's Hormones - Part 2 - Menopause

Hot flashes. Mood swings. Weight gain. Anxiety. Those are some a of a few things that you are told to expect when you hit the big "M". Most women look to this stage of life as something to dread or even that it's a "disease" that needs to be fixed, but that's simply not true!

In a healthy woman, menopause can begin anywhere from the age of 45 to 55. It begins with a sporadic period (peri-menopause) until eventually, the periods stop altogether (menopause). 

Symptoms begin to show in peri-menopause and menopause when the estrogen and progesterone production in the body becomes erratic. Since the ovaries are responsible for making 90% of the estrogen prior to menopause, the dip in this hormone can cause many of the menopause symptoms such as weight gain, thinning of the hair, hot flashes, night sweats, dryness, and a higher risk of osteoporosis.  

While Hormone Replacement Therapy might seem like the best solution to this dip in hormones, they can come with their own complications such as a higher risk of certain types of cancers, heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and dementia. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout adulthood is one of the best things that you can do to prepare your body for this stage of life. Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, fats, and proteins can help your body through the change in hormones. While eliminating dietary fat can seem like an obvious thing to do to lower body fat, the opposite is actually true. Dietary fat can keep you full for longer and help with certain food cravings. 

Getting plenty of exercise is also an important part of maintaining a healthy hormonal system. Pick an activity that you enjoy and get moving! Not only will this help you maintain a healthy body weight, but the endorphins you create when you exercise will boost your mood and prevent depression and anxiety. 

For the menopausal symptoms, you can use a variety of herbs, homeopathic remedies and essential oils (please message me to see what brand I use and which specific oils would be helpful for you) to help your body through this time of life. 

Menopause is not something to dread but instead, it is just a different stage of life! 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me! Next week I'll be posting about infertility, pregnancy, and post pregnancy.