Hot flashes, aching joints, itchiness, mood swings, fatigue…and this next one is really fun: getting BIGGER around your mid-section and gaining weight despite working out and eating right!
Does any of this ring a bell? As Anita Ward sang back in our days of disco, yes, “You can ring my bell!” Although, someone might need to remind you to ring the bell because you walked into the room to ring it and already forgot why you’re there! Oh yes…forgetfulness, yet another sign of menopause and/or peri-menopause.
Peri-menopause refers to the time “around menopause” when a woman’s body starts to make a transition towards menopause. It can start as early as the mid thirties and last 10-15 years. Because these feelings and symptoms are new and might not immediately be connected with menopause it’s important to recognize what’s happening so you are better prepared to deal with the experience. Some women may have a smooth transition into menopause, while others’ are challenged with intense symptoms that affect their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
The symptoms that are very real, and very physical in nature occur when your body starts to experience a decline in hormone levels, those include estrogen and progesterone.
Estrogen is especially important and has over 400+ functions in our bodies. Some of those include:
- Improving insulin sensitivity
- Regulating body temperature
- Cholesterol assistance: Decreasing LDLs/ Increasing HDLs by 10-15%
- Improving sleep
- Maintaining elasticity of arteries
- Increasing blood flow
- Decreasing plaque in arteries
- Increasing sex drive
- Maintaining collagen in the skin
- Helping maintain memory
Progesterone, coined the “Happy Hormone”, helps to:
- Balance your moods, stress and irritability
- Increase HDL (good cholesterol)
- Ease hormonal headaches
- Help with sleep
- Impact bone
Hormone deficiency also ages your skin and can be responsible for wrinkles, acne, and facial hair. Topical creams that are hand made with your specific hormone prescription are also via a compounding pharmacy.
Interpretation of hormone levels, and what is optimal, can be very different between a physician of a strictly western model of medicine verses that of a healthy aging physician. As such, it is paramount to align yourself with a physician versed in healthy aging, one that does not wait for disease to present itself, but instead takes a preventative approach to help you achieve optimal health, even through menopause.
The power is in your hands to live better, give us a call and we will help you make it happen. 619/814-5500