Monkia ar Salus Wellness Clinics writes:
Menopause occurs naturally in most women between ages 45 and 52 and is marked by changes in hormonal status and the cessation of the menstrual cycle. Approximately 1.2 billion women worldwide will be menopausal or postmenopausal by the year 2030. More than 85% of these women will experience problematic symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, sexual dysfunction, mood disorders, weight gain, and cognitive declines. Every woman is different. What works for one, doesn’t work for the other. Some women do quite well using natural remedies and for some HRT is an option.
Perimenopause can start with progesterone insufficiency which causes irregular periods due to short or long luteal phase (the phase after ovulation).
When your sex hormones decline, this can create disturbances in the brain affecting your mood (altered neurotransmitters) which can also result in poor memory and concentration.
The calming neurotransmitter GABA and serotonin are enhanced by progesterone that declines during the menopause. Progesterone is also needed for pain management.
Due to declining oestrogen you can experience symptoms of reduced growth of tissues such as skin, joints and gums. This causes disturbed tissue integrity, less lubrication, lower elasticity and strength. The bone building is also reduced. Menopause can also exacerbate existing thyroid conditions, especially autoimmune ones. Women need testosterone. Not as much as men but a little is needed for libido, bone strength, energy levels and good mood.
Testosterone declines in menopause making a lot of women very unhappy.
As a Nutritional Therapist, I can help you with:
Optimising your nutrition and making sure you’re not missing any important nutrients from your diet
Making sure you’re not gaining weight around the middle by customising your diet to declining metabolic rate
Choosing specialist hormone tests
Choosing herbal remedies for your menopausal symptoms
Recommending menopause doctors if you need HRT
Personal insights if you need to talk
The approach to dealing with menopause should be comprehensive.Many women seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for symptom management. This can include
Hypnosis
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Biofeedback and relaxation training
Mindfulness-based stress reduction
Yoga
Aromatherapy
Herbal product, vitamins and supplements (black cohosh, wild yam, dong quai, maca, pollen extract, agnus castus, evening primrose oil, phytoestrogens, vitamin E)
Reflexology
Homeopathy
Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese and East Asian medicine.
Hormone Replacement Therapy is another option which you need to discuss with your doctor. It could be part of the comprehensive approach to menopause after a healthy diet and physical activity.HRT means that you are replacing your missing oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
Your doctor (sometimes a private GP specialising in menopause) will discuss with you risks and benefits of this therapy, personalised dose and route of delivery. Nowadays we have body-identical HRT with forms of delivery such as patches, creams, implants and capsules.Body-identical and transdermal (patches, creams and gels) hormones have fewer side-effects than previous forms.
If you would like to arrange an initial consultation or would like more information, please email monika@nutrition-cpr.com