Are you having hot flashes, nocturnal sweats, gaining weight, or mood swings? You are most likely on “the menopausal spectrum.”
Menopause, of course, does not occur on a daily basis. Perimenopause is the time when you suffer menstrual changes and abnormalities in the months or years preceding up to menopause. You may also encounter a slew of symptoms. Declining estrogen and other hormonal swings can be exhausting, irritating, and stressful.
This menopausal journey is difficult! I’m going through perimenopause, so I understand how you feel. When I reached 46, everything changed. At 51, I’m still having ups and downs, with symptoms coming and going sporadically on my path to menopause.
But I have some wonderful news for you! You can ease the transition to menopause by supporting your health with dietary and lifestyle modifications. Follow these techniques to reduce unpleasant symptoms as you transition to the next stage of life.
When Does Menopause Commence?
Menopause is commonly thought of as the time when a woman begins to transition out of her fertile phase, during which she may conceive and bear children. That phase, however, is perimenopause.
The synthesis of estrogen and progesterone by your ovaries diminishes and finally ceases during perimenopause. This is the last day of your menstrual cycle. When you go 12 months without having a period, you have officially completed perimenopause and entered menopause. Perimenopause can occur in your 40s or 50s, although it commonly begins after the age of 45.
How Long Does Menopause Last?
Perimenopause lasts around four years on average. However, in other women, it might take as short as 10 months. In some women, perimenopause lasts up to ten years. However, most women achieve menopause before the age of 55.
According to one recent study, women who have children later in life had delayed menopause. Menopause may not occur for some women until they are in their 60s. The postmenopausal phase then lasts the remainder of your life.
Signs You’re Nearing Menopause
If you have symptoms during perimenopause — and not everyone does! — they tend to intensify or accelerate as menopause approaches.
- Periodic irregularities
- Flashes of heat
- Sweating at night
- Chills
- Sleep issues
- Dryness of the cervix
- Mood swings
- gaining weight
- Metabolism slowed
- Hair loss Dry skin
- Breast fullness loss
- Bone deterioration
Menopause may also raise your chances of developing thyroid problems and autoimmune diseases. Many of my female patients developed these illnesses at this critical juncture in their lives.
While perimenopause and menopause are natural stages of life, they do not have to be accompanied by unpleasant menopausal symptoms and other health difficulties. The following lifestyle changes and potent supplements will help you lessen or eliminate perimenopausal symptoms while also supporting your hormonal and general health during menopause.
If you wish to test your hormone levels at home, I recommend the Let’s Get Checked female hormone test. It uses a simple finger prick blood test to detect follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, and estradiol. You may perform the test in the comfort of your own home and then present your findings to your functional medicine doctor.
What Is the Most Effective Menopause Treatment?
There is no “therapy” for menopause because it is a period of life rather than a disease. However, by using functional medicine and supporting your body and mind during this time, you may manage the unpleasant perimenopause symptoms and side effects.
