Menopause, just saying the word has been known to strike fear and anxiety in the hearts of many women (and men). Any woman who has just entered, gone through or is perimenopausal knows the drill. You’re going along with your life and then…it hits you!
It’s no wonder that the time surrounding menopause can be such a jolt. At the time of menopause, the hormonal output, instead of reducing gradually over time, alternately stops and starts, resulting in a proverbial hormonal roller coaster ride for some women.
While menopause varies from woman-to-woman, it can occur anywhere from age 40 to age 59 and this transition can last several months to several years. During this time, estrogen levels drop, but the body still makes some. In the past, it was believed that during menopause, a woman simply “ran out of estrogen,” but that simply isn’t the case. This is also what led many to believe that estrogen replacement would remedy menopause. It isn’t that simple.
The truth is that the effects of menopause come along due to estrogen dominance in the body, since progesterone (the other main reproductive hormone) production declines in the years leading up to menopause. It’s this hormonal readjustment that can lead to many of the discomforts of menopause, including hot flashes, heart palpitations, flushing, night sweats, anxiety, water retention, weight gain, memory problems, irritability and/or depression. This is why some women seek out natural progesterone. Since menopause causes cessation of ovulation and too little production of progesterone), estrogen can be the dominant hormone. When estrogen dominates and progesterone wanes, then estrogen can cause major health problems if it is not balanced out by progesterone. The following the link is a great article of helping to increase progesterone and balance hormones-https://hormonesbalance.com/articles/10-natural-ways-to-boost-progesterone-balance-hormones/
For some women entering menopause who have menstrual periods without ovulation (due to the lessened amounts of progesterone), poor diet, and lack of exercise, they arrive at menopause with 25 percent to 30 percent loss of bone mass, according to one sou It’s no wonder osteoporosis can be a problem. Progesterone is of prime importance, too, because it stimulates osteoblast new bone formation. It also appears to offer cardio-protection, which is important concerning the heightened risk of developing heart disease.
Progesterone is not alone in addressing the issues surrounding menopause, there are many other factors.
What can you do?
1. Avoid Xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are endocrine disruptors which are a category of chemicals that alter the normal function of hormones. These are founded in:
· Skincare products including make-up, sunscreen and nail varnish. Look out for products that contain parabens or Benzophenone.
· Most industrial plastic products including lunchboxes and plastic water bottles. Avoid products which contain Bisphenol A (BPA).
· Non organic fruit and vegetables that have been sprayed with chemical pesticides and fertilisers.
· The combined oral contraceptive pill.
Household cleaning products containing chemicals like alkylphenol ethoxylates
2. Exercise regularly. Your exercise routine should include high intensity internal training, yoga/pilates/ with controlled breathing.
3. A healthy diet high in phytoestrogens For those who want to go a different route from hormone replacement therapy (HRT), phytoestrogenic foods such as flaxseeds and other oil seeds, apples, carrots, yams, green beans, peas, and potatoes, red beans, coffee, licorice root, fennel, anise, mint, and brown rice can play positive roles in the metabolism of estrogen. A diet which completely avoids dairy, grains and sugar. Consume 9 compact cups of vegetables per day (3 cups of leafy green, 3 cups of cruciferous vegetables and 3 cups of colorful vegetables) per day. The above will help balance insulin which is very helpful in mediating many of the symptoms. A specific vitamin, mineral and nutrient approach is also beneficial. This includes a therapeutic multi vitamin, Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics and minerals; just to name a few.
4. Meditation/breathing to help center and balance the parasympathetic nervous system. The good book is “8 min medication”.
5. Chiropractic care. While most of you are thinking that this has to do with back and neck pain or headaches, your only slightly right. The reason you want to receive chiropractic care is because chiropractic adjustments impact the nervous system and balance hormones. The chiropractic adjustment stimulates an area within the brain called the HPA (hypothalamus– pituitary-axis), this is the area where the neurological stimulus from the adjustments turns into a hormonal response. Adjustments mediate the stress response thereby helping to balance the productive hormones.
While this is a very difficult, trying time in a woman’s life, following the above steps can help you navigate through and out of the eye of the storm.