Peri-menopause

Both the perimenopause and the menopause are phases of a woman’s life signalling the transition from our reproductive years into our menopausal years.

The perimenopause generally starts in our early to mid 40’s and when our hormones start to change; it’s a natural process that our bodies are designed to endure but can often be accompanied by a wide variety of unwelcome symptoms.

Perimenopause can last up to 10 years, and unexplained symptoms happily pop up without much warning. The hormones that have kept you happy, balanced, calm and mentally clear are declining and no matter what, they are not coming back!

Balancing the ratio of our hormones is so important during our menopausal years, and whilst all hormones play critical parts, too much of one can dominate the hormone pool and cause unpleasant symptoms.

The first hormone to start leaving the party is progesterone, declining gradually during our perimenopausal journey. Low progesterone symptoms and consequently a now dominant oestrogen hormone, can cause a variety of symptoms, e.g. irregular periods, anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, brain fog and more.

Advancing through our menopausal years, we experience wild and fluctuating oestrogen levels, again causing a range of symptoms including weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats and mood changes.  As menopause approaches, declines in progesterone levels and oestrogen dominance cause further symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, mood swings, skin breakouts and more.

Menopause is graduation day, signalled by absence of menstrual cycle for more than 12 months, where we have stopped ovulating and see consistently lower levels of both progesterone and oestrogen.

One of the hardest things to navigate during our whole menopausal journey is having symptoms that can be complex and unpredictable, that show up at the worst moments possible, often having a significant effect on many areas of our lives; our relationships, work life and mental health can suffer as a result.

But ladies, suffering to this extent is optional.

The whole menopause journey has been described as our ‘second puberty’.  It’s time to pause, reflect and reset your health in a way that will benefit you for the rest of your life.  There’s no magic pill that will help you navigate this transition, it’s simply a shift in your lifestyle that you need to put in place to help you thrive through the perimenopause and beyond. 

Women’s bodies master crafted to be able to bear babies are changing, and this is where we have to start changing our lifestyle to meet the needs of our changing bodies.  Whilst we often associate our sex hormones - progesterone, oestrogen and testosterone, as existing to regulate our reproductive system, they also have many other functions around the body that we need to maintain for a long and healthy life.

Now is the time to make yourself the priority – and balance is key.  We need to work out which tools balance which hormone giving us control and power to reset our equilibrium.   Our hormones are now on the run and we need to inject as much balance into our lives as possible to help keep our minds and bodies in the best condition.

Wherever you are on this menopausal journey, symptoms can be reduced by making some small changes to your lifestyle. Focusing on key areas that directly impact your hormones can make a huge difference to how they function.

Getting support is a great place to start.  Use your support network to explain how you are feeling, instead of being ‘the’ resource, start calling on your resources to help you lighten the load. Women who are at this stage of their lives often have new concerns such as caring for elderly parents, or children leaving the nest, which can lead to increased levels of stress. Prolonged stress can lead to high levels of cortisol production, at the expense of the production of progesterone, oestrogen and testosterone. This ‘Cortisol Steal’ can lead to hormonal imbalances resulting in symptoms such as irregular periods, low libido, fatigue and difficulty focusing.

Symptoms are the way our bodies communicate with us.  We have to actively listen and embrace this opportunity to tune in and give ourselves what we need, living a life that supports the changes that are happening. Symptoms are a gift, from you to you, don’t ignore them!

Healthy lifestyle changes can be a game changer to balancing your hormones. There are so many ways that we can support our bodies during this transition period.  Eating a nutrient dense diet, resetting your circadian rhythm and improving your sleep routine, regular exercise, meditation, and reducing your toxic load can all be in your toolbox to reduce your symptoms and allow you to take the driving seat on your menopause journey.

My ‘Womens Health Coaching’ practice reaches out to any of the amazing women out there who are struggling to navigate their way through these tricky years but have made the decision to get well again. Trying to go alone through this wild and crazy ride is hard, so reach out, we need to lean on one other to get the right support to find ourselves again, embracing the transition to our later life with confidence, empowerment and a loving connection to the bodies that we have been blessed to live in