“Its the PITS”
“I am MISERABLE!”
It doesn’t have to be this way.
“REALLY?!” – you ask.
Yes, REALLY.
Peri-Menopause begins long before we notice any changes in our bodies. As early as our mid-30s, hormones begin to change – mostly imperceptibly, at first.
Obviously, this varies from woman to woman, based upon many factors. Hereditary trends, lifestyle/dietary influence, environmental exposures, prescription medications, history of fertility treatments, and other medical history factors.
FSH – Follicle Stimulating Hormone – in the brain ever-so-gradually begins to rise in response to decreasing Estrogen levels.
Why increase? It is the brain sensing a drop in the Reproductive hormone, and working to increase production at the level of the body.
Progress of dropping Estrogen levels can happen more swiftly in some women — and over decades for other women.
We typically continue our regular cycles in the earliest of what we call “sub-clinical” (asymptomatic) changes. This is what we call Peri-Menopause, because it includes this early phase of changing hormones – through to complete cessation of menstrual cycles and hormonal fluctuation.
As Estrogen levels wane, other Endocrine hormones begin to take on more responsibility for proper balance. Further progress into this transition means we rely more heavily upon our Adrenals, Thyroid, and Pancreatic hormones to keep our cellular metabolism functioning as it should.
Each pathway in the Endocrine system is integral with each other. We have FOUR:
As mentioned (and in the order of cellular function): Adrenal, Reproductive, Thyroid, Pancreatic.
When Reproductive pathway hormones begin to shift, it has direct impact upon all other pathways.
It is complex. We are complex Beings.
ONE woman’s experience and journey differs from every other woman’s experiences.
We may have similar symptoms. We may have similar timelines.
Interrupted or irregular sleep cycles. Daytime hot flashes. Night sweats. Mood swings. Body weight challenges. Acne. Depression. Anxiety. Some develop Fibroids. Some women experience dramatically heavier-flow cycles, and clotting. Sometimes cycles come too close together, every 2-weeks — or cycles skip months without predictable patterns.
Sound familiar?
Some women are fortunate, and have very little disruption. Others suffer a combination of these symptoms, with variable degrees in intensity.
Irregular cycles can last for an entire DECADE in some women — whilst others may see longer and longer stretches of time between cycles until the simply….. stop coming. We certainly — eventually — know that menstrual cycles will cease. No amount of remedy will hold back Mother Nature’s course.
It NEED NOT be so unpleasant, burdensome, or disruptive. If you are suffering, it can be managed.
Changes can be BUFFERED as our bodies adjust to different levels of Reproductive hormones than earlier in life.
Is it a ‘perfect’ process? No. Yet, it can be far less debilitating.
We cannot abuse our bodies with all-night parties, or endure unrelenting stress of unsustainable daily schedules, or emotional crises without impact upon our hormonal balance — because we now rely more heavily upon those other hormonal pathways to keep Reproductive hormones more balanced.
Peri-Menopause is a time of TRANSITION.
Our bodies are finding a NEW NORMAL.
If you are suffering, you simply need support to get through it.
The KEY here, is to GET HELP. Women are accustomed to doing for everyone else in their lives, and taking care of themselves.
Sometimes do-it-yourself projects don’t go to plan — If Self-Care for Menopause has been a do-it-yourself project that isn’t going to plan, THIS is what I am here to do in this lifetime.
I’ve helped countless women through this transition — including MYSELF. It CAN be managed to the point where we feel empowered by observing subtle symptoms for support long before the groundswell of disrupting daily life.
It is a journey I welcome walking with you.
Stay cool, Ladies!
