What happens to Your Hormones in Perimenopause?

We refer to it as ‘menopause’ but those symptoms that you are experiencing before your cycle stops for good? That’s actually perimenopause. 
 
Menopause is officially when you haven’t menstruated for 12 months, the years leading up to that, when things start to change, and we often experience the uncomfortable side effects, is perimenopause. 

My passion is helping women to understand what is really going on with their health and hormones as they hit mid 30’s, into their 40’s and then early 50’s.

Why? Firstly, because that’s me, that’s where I am right now. I have had to deal with my own hormone issues over the years, but things are pretty balanced right now, without having to use meds. 
 
And that’s what I want for you too. 
 
The thing is we have been misinformed, or not informed at all, about this 10 year + crucial period, and I’m all about putting that right! 
 
So, in brief, this is what is going on. In our mid/late 30’s we start to produce less progesterone. It starts to fall because it’s actually a pregnancy hormone, and so by our late 30’s we are supposed to be, physically, slowly moving out of our main childbearing years. This drop in progesterone, can lead to oestrogen dominance, which I see a LOT of in my practice. 
 
At the same time, the number and quality of follicles starts to diminish, causing a decline in ovulation. This is the time when our ovaries are starting to decline in both their role and their ability. It’s natural, it’s supposed to happen. BUT, the severe symptoms that accompany it, for some women, is anything but natural. Yes, we are going to experience some changes, but we aren’t supposed to experience the extremes that some women do:
 

• Mood Swings
• Severely tender breasts
• Headaches or Migraines
• Brain Fog
• Hot flashes
• Low Energy
• Low libido

 
Hormonally it’s a bit of a rollercoaster period when it comes to our oestrogen, which can be high one moment and low the next. Yes, some symptoms are normal, but the extremes come down to many things including how we’ve cared for ourselves, previous use of synthetic contraception, lifestyle choices, nutrition, stress and so on. 
 
There’s of course more to it than this, and each and every one of us is different and so our symptoms will be different. But there are things that we can all do, to help move through this period with ease and grace. 
 
Things like understanding stress properly so that we can deal with it in the right way. Changing our food choices can have a huge impact, especially eating a glucose balanced diet, and introducing foods that can help to balance out oestrogen levels. Of course looking at our stimulant intake can be very helpful. Using the right supplements can be very useful; and using hormone balancing hormones (which actually work in a similar way in the body as hormone chemical messengers) can make all the difference. 

If you'd like to discuss your own symptoms, and find out more about the self-study, group and 1:1 programmes that I offer, feel free to book a no obligation, free Discovery Call with me today.