Perimenopause

Perimenopause: The Signs, Symptoms and Solutions

Hot flushes aren’t necessarily the first (or worst) sign of perimenopause. If you have unexplained weight gain, periods of anxiety, heart palpitations, stiffness, difficulty sleeping or brain fog but are still having periods - it could be perimenopause. And what most women don’t know - it begins from about the age of 35.

Honestly, being a woman can be tough. Dealing with periods every month, trying to believe they are a good thing, because having regular periods mean that you can get pregnant, when really they are messy, painful and usually show up at an inconvenient time. You spend most of your adult life tracking your cycle, worrying about birth control and dealing with PMS. Then you reach your mid 30’s, you are in control, your periods are relatively regular and you have birth control all figured out - finally a bit of peace.

Oh, but don’t relax, don’t believe for a minute that your hormonal ups and downs are over, because you are now entering perimenopausal territory. Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, and boy, can it be a rollercoaster! You may not realise you are perimenopausal because you are still getting your periods, in fact the really mean thing about the symptoms of perimenopause is that you often don’t even associate them with your cycle. Anxiety attacks, heart palpitations, brain fog and insomnia - what is happening to me? Am I seriously ill? No, welcome to the perimenopause - puberty the second time around! Your hormones and moods are all over the place, you are growling at your family and trembling with anxiety about social occasions. Just like the teenager you once were. But don’t panic, mother nature was a woman too, and although she played this hormonal prank on us, thankfully she also provided the solution.

Understanding Perimenopause

The first step to relief is knowledge. Knowledge is power and if we understand exactly what is happening and why, then we can start looking for a solution. In a nutshell - Our ovaries, which have been producing eggs and hormones for decades, decide it's time to take a breather. But they don't do it smoothly – they go out with a hormonal bang! Estrogen and progesterone levels start dancing a tango, and the result? A variety of symptoms that can feel like early onset dementia, a heart attack or a nervous breakdown. Not all women suffer with difficult symptoms, for some women it can be mild, but unfortunately for others it can be life changing. We know that approximately 25% of women will experience symptoms but incredibly only two thirds of women even know what symptoms to watch out for!

Perimenopause typically starts in the late 30s or early 40s, but the exact timing varies for each woman. This is the stage in a woman's life when her body slowly transitions toward the end of the reproductive years. It is a natural process during which time the hormone levels change and the ovaries gradually stop working. We know approximately when a young woman’s periods will start and we know that by 55 most women are in the menopause and no longer have periods but because there is no set age for the perimenopause it takes many of us by surprise. Basically every women over 35 should be watching out for symptoms. Start by tracking your cycle and taking note of any unusual symptoms, over the period of a few months you might begin to see a pattern.

The First Signs:

Irregular periods - although your periods might still be fairly regular you might notice a few longer or shorter cycles. Use a cycle tracker to keep an eye out for changes in your cycle length.

Changes in your period - your period may become lighter or heavier, shorter or longer.

PMS symptoms, but not at the right time of the month. Again, use a cycle tracker to monitor PMS symptoms. If you notice changes in your symptoms or that they are appearing throughout your cycle rather than just the couple of days before your period then it could be the first symptoms of perimenopause.

There is a Vast Selection of Symptoms - unfortunately you don’t get to choose.

Although every woman will experience the menopause and perimenopause, how they experience it is as individual as the woman herself. Some women will hardly notice the transition and for others it will be debilitating. For most of us it will be somewhere in the middle. Here are some of the symptoms to watch out for - don’t forget you may still be having regular periods although you are perimenopausal. The changes in oestrogen levels can affect every organ in your body so the symptoms can be felt everywhere. The range of possible symptoms is vast, and you don’t get to choose which ones you will experience.

Common Symptoms

You probably won't experience all of the symptoms and unfortunately don't get to choose which ones you do!

Less Common Symptoms

These are some symptoms that you may not even realise are caused by perimenopause.

Solutions

The good news is that once you know what you are dealing with the symptoms are manageable. Perimenopause is a natural process and it does not need treatment, but treatment can help lessen symptoms. While you can effectively treat the individual symptoms it is a better idea to solve the problem - the hormone imbalance caused by perimenopause. Healthy, balanced hormones will relieve all of the symptoms. Balancing your hormones when already in menopause is difficult because your body is no longer producing them but, particularly at the early stages of perimenopause when your body is producing hormones but the balance is fluctuating, boosting your own hormones may be the answer. Lifestyle and nutritional choices have a huge influence on our hormonal health and in turn our hormonal balance. A combination of lifestyle changes, healthy nutritional choices, exercise and stress management may be enough for some women to manage their symptoms. Others may need a little bit more support. As well as the pharmaceutical option HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) there is a wide range of natural and plant based products available which target specific symptoms. Helping your hormones to find their natural balance is of course the best way to achieve relief and start living your best life again.

Seed Cycling as a Solution

Seed Cycling involves consuming flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds at different stages of the menstrual cycle. It is a practice used to support women’s hormones by supplying them with the nutrients they need at specific phases of their cycle. Seed Cycling is used to help promote the healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone levels and a great way to benefit from the healing powers in  food.

Healthy, balanced hormone levels give relief to the symptoms of hormone imbalance  - the cause of perimenopausal symptoms.

Hormone Help in sync with your Cycle

Based on the principle of Seed cycling, Hormone Help uses the naturally occurring plant-based hormones found in seeds to support your own natural hormonal cycle. Taken in sync with your menstrual cycle Hormone Help is intended to help your hormones find balance and give relief to the symptoms caused by hormone imbalance. Because we know that perimenopausal symptoms are caused by changes in the hormones that regulate our menstrual cycle it makes sense to support those hormones when they need it -  at the correct phase of our natural hormonal cycle. With Hormone Help you can include this plant based hormonal support in your diet during the two main phases of your menstrual cycle (follicular and luteal) to help promote a healthy hormone balance.

It makes sense to boost estrogen during the first half of your cycle and progesterone during the second.

There is no need to suffer in silence, you are not alone. Millions of women go through this hormonal rodeo. And while it can be a bit wild, it's just another chapter in your amazing life story. Understanding that you have entered this phase of your life and that these symptoms do not mean that you are sick but are rather a natural progression means that you can look for the solution that works best for you. There are solutions and you can get back in control, back to yourself and back in your jeans ;-)

Sources:

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/p/perimenopause.html

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/perimenopause#

This blog is intended for informational purposes only, it is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or advice. If you are concerned that the symptoms you are experiencing are severe please consult your doctor. Common symptoms of peri/menopause and hormone imbalance such as heart palpitations, anxiety, muscular-skeletal pain etc should be taken seriously and medical issues ruled out before looking for natural hormonal balance solutions.