If you are perimenopausal or menopausal, the following information is essential for your short and long-term well-being, especially when it comes to hormonal health. Hormones play a vital role during this life phase and can impact your overall health, as well. At the end of the article, I will outline our simple, yet powerful 3-step system for allowing your body to go through this natural transition.
But first, check out my video below.
Natural transition
A woman’s natural biological transition from being fertile to infertile requires a shift in hormone production. From relying on oestrogen and progesterone to support fertility to an alternative androgen-based hormone system that shifts from ovarian hormone production to primarily adrenal hormone production.
The requirement for oestrogen and progesterone reduces, and an alternative hormone system based on androgen hormones produced from the adrenals emerges. These hormones have the same nourishing effects as oestrogen and progesterone, but without the stimulatory effects on cellular tissues. If a woman continues to receive these hormones (i.e HRT) once she is no longer fertile, a whole range of potential side effects ensure, such as:
- bloating
- headaches
- weight gain
- brain fog
- fluid retention
- sore breasts
- cellular tissue overgrowth
- and mood changes.
All the same, symptoms are associated with premenstrual syndrome because these are the same hormones fertile women often have in excess. Women have been led to believe their bodies are diseased, faulty, and inadequate.
This is not true.
Women have the perfect system in place to transition perfectly from being fertile to infertile. This natural, inbuilt system just needs to be nurtured and supported. Read on, and I will explain how you can achieve this.
Perimenopause
Your body starts to enter perimenopause usually around the age of 40 on average. This may be obvious or not so obvious. What your body naturally starts to do is reduce your levels of progesterone. You may have been told you are deficient in progesterone at this time of life. But remember, the body is doing this for a reason.
What Happens To Estrogen During Perimenopause
The reduction in progesterone can lead to an imbalance in the ratio of progesterone to oestrogen. The reduction in progesterone allows oestrogen to become dominant in its actions because they normally balance itself out. This is known as oestrogen dominance and is more prominent in some women than others. Symptoms of oestrogen dominance, in addition to progesterone deficiency, include:
- Fibroid growth
- Heavy periods
- Fluid retention
- Weight gain
- Headaches and migraines
- Reduced Libido
- Tender and Fibrocystic breasts
- Increased PMS symptoms
The severity of these symptoms can be extreme and depends on the degree of hormonal shift. i.e. drop in progesterone and an increase in oestrogen. There are other factors associated with the severity of these symptoms we will discuss later.
Entering Menopause
As women enter menopause, oestrogen levels finally start to drop, which is signalled generally by irregular and missed periods along with the tell-tale signs of hot flushes, mood swings, poor sleep, and cessation of periods.
The reduction in progesterone and oestrogen from the ovaries signals the adrenal glands to start to produce an alternative hormone system, which is androgen-based. Hormones such as Adiol and DHEA increase 5x to 8x the premenopausal levels, and these hormones are used by the body directly to support hormonal tissues and functions as well as converting to smaller amounts of oestrogen. Oestrogen is also produced in small amounts by fat, breast, and even brain cells.
When this natural process does not occur as efficiently as it should, the following symptoms can manifest:
- Hot flushes
- Poor Sleep
- Aches and Pains
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Vaginal dryness
- Reduced libido
To avoid all these symptoms, we must support this natural transitionary process. This involves supporting the adrenal glands and stimulating the hormone control centre in the brain, the hypothalamus/pituitary-a axis. Many women have not prepared their bodies for this transition, and chronic long-term stress can make this transition more difficult. The secret is to start to nourish your nervous system and adrenal glands. Give your body the attention it needs, and take time for yourself.
The Happy Healthy You 3-Step Menopause Plan
The following is our simple 3-step approach to achieve this.
Step 1
Adrenal Health
Considering it is the adrenals that control the production of hormones during and post-menopause, it is essential we support the adrenals. Unfortunately for many women, years of chronic stress have caused the adrenals to underperform. However, the good news is that the adrenals can be supported and engaged to start efficient hormone production. To do this, the following measures are vital.
- Stress management
- Eight hours of sleep
- Avoid caffeine and stimulants
- Regular exercise
- Ashwagandha and Rhodiola herbal medicines (Happy Calm)
- Magnesium
Step 2
Hypothalamus Pituitary Axis
These two endocrine glands in the brain are your primary hormone control centre in the body. They signal to the ovaries and adrenals your entire life in terms of hormone control. Many women have a disruption of these glands due to hormonal contraceptive use, stress, and alcohol. The good news is these glands can be nourished and signalled to start balancing hormones.
- Take Happy Hormones
- Meditation
- Avoid hormone therapy
- Avoid exogenous hormone mimics from plastics and petrochemicals.
Step 3
Natural Hormone Production
The body can and does produce the necessary hormones to be symptom-free and lead a healthy and vital life. You just need to give it the right tools to do this. Apart from the above suggestions, the following actions support healthy hormone production:
- Increasing healthy fats
- Reducing alcohol consumption
- Reducing sugar intake
- Supporting digestion and your microbiome. (Happy Greens and Happy Turmeric)
Summary
When it comes to our health, we are often faced with crucial decisions. Perimenopause and menopause present women with a range of choices to make. Should you work with natural processes or take medications?
If you are more interested in supporting your natural processes and making positive choices for your overall health, we have a solution for you. Our Menopause Bundle takes out all the guesswork for you and sets you up to manage your menopausal symptoms naturally.
Our Menopause Bundle will take you through the first 60 days of your hormone-healing journey. From there, you'll have the tools, knowledge, and support to continue your journey towards a happier, healthier you. You will be set up with supplements that assist with the foundations of hormonal health, access to practitioners to guide you along your journey, and a FREE educational E-book.
START NOW AND MANAGE YOUR MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS IN JUST 60 DAYS!
