Menopause Treatment & Perimenopause Treatment

• Changes in Your Periods

During your transition into menopause, your periods will become irregular. They may come more or less often, may be lighter or heavier or last longer or shorter than normal. As you begin noticing irregular periods, it is recommended you talk to your physician to ensure that there are no underlying medical conditions, such as pregnancy or cancer.

• Hot Flashes

Hot flashes occur when hormone levels rapidly decline or rapidly peak. During a hot flash, you may experience heavy sweating or become so cold you shiver. Other symptoms of hot flashes include excessive heat in your upper body along with red blotches on your face, neck and chest. To get relief from hot flashes, it is advisable to avoid smoking, caffeine, alcohol, stress and spicy foods.

• Frequent Urination and Vaginal Troubles

As estrogen levels drop, your vagina may be drier making intercourse uncomfortable. Other symptoms include urinary incontinence during which you may have to go more often. You may also experience leakage when you cough, laugh or sneeze. Finally, you may get more urinary tract infections. To avoid UTI, it is recommended to drink plenty of water each day. Kegel exercises can also help build your pelvic floor muscles and prevent urinary incontinence.

• Trouble Sleeping and Night Sweats

You may having trouble sleeping and experience night sweats. Lack of sound sleep may make you feel exhausted throughout the day. You may find yourself waking up in drenching sweat through the night. To help relieve night sweats, lower the thermostat at night, chill your pillows and wear loose clothing to bed.

• Mood Swings

Mood swings are another common occurrence during perimenopause. This happens due to hormonal swings. There may be times when you feel like crying, times when you are hateful and even times when you feel giddy. Additionally, you may have trouble concentrating, have episodes of anxiety and fatigue. Learning self-calming practices, such as mediation, deep breathing exercises and yoga can help relieve symptoms.

• Weight gain
• Fatigue and Brain fog
• Low sex drive due to waning hormones
• Osteoporosis or bone loss

The severity of menopause symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can last or even worsen in time. In some cases, the symptoms can last for five more years after menopause sets in.

• Environmental Exposures

Plastics, pesticides, hormones in food, and other common chemicals act as “endocrine disrupters” which mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones. In response, the body may under or overproduce it’s own hormones creating health problems.

• Diet and Nutrition

Certain foods can restore or disrupt the body’s hormones. For example, there are a various plant foods called phytoestrogens such as soy and flaxseeds which act like estrogens in the body. Eating too little or too much may affect hormone related symptoms. Additionally, nutrients such as Omega 3 fats, fiber, green tea and others can influence how the body processes hormones.

• Gut Heath

One may wonder how our digestive health affects our hormones and sense of well being. Growing research has shown that the gut microbiome plays a central role in regulating estrogen in the body through an enzyme produced by our gut bacteria called beta-glucuronidase which converts estrogen to its active form. Therefore, imbalanced gut bacteria can affect the amount of estrogen in the body.

• Lifestyle factors

Stress management, exercise, and sleep can also influence hormone physiology in the body in positive or negative ways.