A Functional Approach to MENOPAUSE
WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE?
A woman's hormone system is one of the most complex and beautiful systems in nature.
Throughout her lifetime (and fertile months), her hormone levels will fluctuate greatly.
After her fertile years, her body will enter a period called perimenopause ( ~10 years before menopause, or complete cessation of menstruation).
Perimenopause is characterized by variability.
WHAT HAPPENS IN PERIMENOPAUSE?
As progesterone steadily declines, estrogen fluctuates wildly.
The best way to support a seamless hormonal shift is to avoid extremes in diet, exercise, and schedules (and therefore support healthy cortisol, insulin, thyroid hormone, and neurotransmitter levels).
These same fluctuations can be experienced by younger women who stress their hormones with excessive exercise & dieting.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ENTERING MENOPAUSE
brain fog
mood swings
anxiety/depression
lack of motivation
difficult sleep
lower libido
hot flashes
weight gain
HOW TO NAVIGATE MENOPAUSE
AVOID EXTREMES
in diet, exercise, and schedules
PRIORITIZE SLEEP
arguably the best way to balance hormones
BALANCE BLOOD SUGAR
insulin interacts with sex hormones
TRY INTERMITTENT FASTING
rather than caloric restriction
FOCUS ON GENTLE MOVEMENT
rather than intense exercise
MANAGE STRESS
with prayer/meditation, nature, journaling, reading, laughter, etc
LOVE YOUR LIVER
so it can detox excess estrogen
GET REGULAR
so those detoxed hormones are completely eliminated
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References
Jones, D. S., Bland, J. S., & Quinn, S. (2010). Textbook of Functional Medicine. Institute for Functional Medicine.
Gaby, A. R. (2017). Nutritional Medicine (2nd ed.). Fritz Perlberg Publishing.
Menopause, Perimenopause and Postmenopause. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15224-menopause-perimenopause-and-postmenopause