Are you over 35? Welcome to perimenopause!

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By Lisa Petty.

Menopause is the official term used to describe the end of a woman’s menstrual years, and occurs only after a woman has passed one year without a period. Many women use the term to describe the journey toward menopause – replete with hot flashes and moods swings – but this part of the journey is actually called peri-menopause.  You may be surprised to learn that peri-menopause can start as early as the mid-thirties! (Hmmmm. That explains a lot, doesn’t it?)

While peri-menopause typically begins in mid to late 40s, initial clues that it’s underway involve changes in the menstrual cycles including duration, frequency or flow. Symptoms typically last 2-10 years, but some women report experiencing symptoms for much longer, and sometimes beyond menopause.

Some symptoms of peri-menopause

-headaches

-heart palpitations

-hot flashes

-insomnia

-joint and muscle pain

-mild to moderate depression

No two women experience the same journey through peri-menopause. Along with the commonly discussed symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats, you might notice changes in your breast size, shape and firmness. Body fat may accumulate on your hips and thighs; and you may have noticed that your metabolism has slowed, leading to weight gain. A decrease in collagen leads to loss of skin tone and wrinkling, and sometimes women experience an increase in urinary tract and bladder infections.

If you’d had hormone replacement therapy or pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) your peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms might be more pronounced.  You may also have noticed increased symptoms of depression. Perhaps not surprisingly with all this going on, peri-menopausal women might find themselves drinking more alcohol!

Empower yourself

Fortunately, peri-menopause doesn’t have to be a roller-coaster ride. Although this major life change typically arrives when your kids are teenagers or young adults and your parents may require more of your care and attention, bringing balance to your life – and your hormones – doesn’t have to take a lot of extra time and attention. Spend a few minutes learning about small lifestyle changes that will reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms.

It’s about balance

Menopausal symptoms simply point out to us how our imbalanced our hormones are. The major players are estrogen and progesterone. All of our hormones aim for a delicate balance with one another, including these ones. If we have too much of one or not enough of the other, we’re going to feel it. Symptoms of too little progesterone include PMS, insomnia, painful or lumpy breasts, cyclical headaches and anxiety. On the other hand, symptoms of excess estrogen include those listed for progesterone, but also involve vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, hot flashes, night sweats and memory problems. In either scenario, there is an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen, leading to estrogen dominance.

Many women are considered to be estrogen dominant. Aim to reduce your exposure to exogenous estrogens – referring to estrogens from outside your body. We’re exposed to estrogen mimics, also called xenoestogens (“zeeno” estrogens), in our foods as a result of the use pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Many of our personal care and household products also contain chemicals like parabens and phthalates that are xenoestrogenic. As much as possible, limit your exposure to these estrogen mimics.

Remember that insulin is also a hormone – and it’s the one that helps to balance out your blood sugar by providing smooth sailing of glucose (sugar) into cells. Since movement of one hormone affects all the others – including the ones that give you hot flashes and keep you up at night – you want to balance out your insulin, too. Do this by eating a source of protein and fiber every three hours or so, starting with breakfast within an hour of waking.

Your state of mind can play a great role in how you experience peri-menopause and menopause. Work to embrace this new chapter in your life and focus focusing on loving yourself. And learn to support your body through the process!

Lisa Petty is a health and personal transformation visionary who helps others to live vibrantly. She is an internationally renowned radio show host, award-nominated journalist and author who has shared her unique perspective with thousands of people through her workshops, lectures, coaching, TV and radio appearances and throughout her extensive writing. She has written over 200 articles for major health publications, and is author of Living Beauty: Feel Great, Look Fabulous & Live Well, a modern guide to feeling younger at any age. Lisa can help you reconnect with your body and change your limiting beliefs so you can create your most vibrant health – and life! Visit www.LiveVibrantly.ca

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