There is so much talk about Menopause and all its struggles. However, there is a transition for women prior to Menopause that can have more twists and turns.
Peri-menopause!! For some women it can start in their 30’s, for most the average age is 40 to 44. This truly is a time of preparation, a foreshadowing of what’s coming down the pipeline. The confusion is that the symptoms are similar to Menopause (insomnia, low libido, vaginal dryness, weight gain, brain fog) but the difference is the dramatic changes in our cycle. Reality is our body is becoming confused as our cycle often becomes heavy and irregular. The struggle is real and often women may be led down the road of medication that puts them in harms way.
As Women age and transition through Peri-menopause they may begin to experience sudden inexplicable weight gain and other symptoms such as low energy, anxiety, depression, irregular cycles, heavy cycles, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia and more. Their body is resistant to change living in a state of “hormone toxicity”. Unsure of when their cycle will end women are overwhelmed with irregular and often extremely heavy cycles.
As their chemistry shifts hormones become unbalanced, and the body shows the effects. Metabolism may slow down, and their age starts to show. Weight gain can be dramatic often around the middle, moods fluctuate, and energy levels drop.
Many women exercise regularly, eat clean with little to no success in releasing unwanted weight and little to no control over every 10 lbs that magically appears. Unbalanced Cortisol and poor sleep only complicate their sudden weight gain even more. Unfortunately, their self-esteem often takes a hit and their self-image changes.
If only women knew how to plan for this transition, they would seek answers prior in preparation for balancing hormones instead of blindly hoping for the best. Overwhelmed with life’s responsibilities at home and work self-care is just not a priority. However, the stress of hormone changes during Peri-menopause can affect all accepts of life including work performance and relationships. Stuck in a fog due to lack of sleep even simple tasks can become a challenge and women often just don’t feel like themselves.
Self-care and a structured day can go a long way to supporting this process naturally. Balancing our hormones through self-awareness, clean eating, joining a weight loss system specific to Peri-menopause, getting proper sleep, drinking plenty of water, gentle exercise and daily meditation. Even simply completing a Saliva Hormone Test can send us on the pathway of success with a guided program of natural supplements to balance all our hormones.
Start simple by taking inventory and being aware of the 4 Pillars of Women’s Health:
Stress Management, Lifestyle/Nutrition, Fitness/Movement and Hormone Balance.
It’s time to be an active participant in the management of our own self-care!
