If you are experiencing symptoms of perimenopause or menopause you might be feeling exhausted. And you may feel unable to get your energy and your life back.
Perhaps you feel like your body and your emotions have betrayed you.
Your night sweats and insomnia prevent you from sleeping. Your hot flashes give you personal summers all year long. Your emotions are running rampant and your weight creeping up on you, just to name a few symptoms that are plaguing you.
Sometimes it might seem like there isn't anything you can do.
Not true. There are things that you can do that will help you get your energy, emotions and body back. You can take charge of your menopause symptoms.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
During menopause there is a decrease in both estrogen and progesterone. However, declining levels of estrogen cause fat cells to release more estrogen. This increase in estrogen causes your body to store more fat.
Imbalances in estrogen and progesterone levels can make perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms much worse and your risk of other diseases is increased. Dropping the extra weight can normalize or alleviate symptoms altogether.
Breaking the vicious cycle helps to balance out your hormones and reduces the symptoms associated with estrogen dominance. Some symptoms are mood swings, decreased sex drive, headaches, hair loss and weight gain. Other possible symptoms include thyroid dysfunction, foggy thinking, insomnia and fatigue. Sound familiar?
Eat a Plant-Based Diet
All plant-based foods encompassing all fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes have fiber. I recommend increasing the amount of plant-based food you consume until you are eating a combination of at least 10 servings every day.
Fiber binds to excess cholesterol and excess estrogen in the body. Eating a high fiber, nutrient-dense whole food diet can reduce menopausal symptoms and improve overall health.
Manage Your Stress, Sleep and Exercise
Managing stress, sleep and exercise has an amazing effect on alleviating menopausal symptoms as well. Using these behavioral strategies along with understanding any underlying hormonal imbalance can transform your life and your health by getting rid of your menopausal symptoms forever.
Balance your Hormones
In some cases using bioidentical hormones will even out the changes in female hormones that cause these problems. For a woman who still has her uterus, a combination of estrogens and progesterone will be recommended. For a woman who has had a hysterectomy a more personalized bioidentical treatment that does not necessarily include progesterone may be included.
How would you feel if you got your energy and your health back? You'd have your life back! You can take charge of your menopausal symptoms. You just need to have the right plan for you.
For more articles about menopause visit my website www.HealthyDaes.org/
Live Vibrantly,
Dr. Dae
Dr. Dae's website: www.HealthyDaes.org
Download one of Dr. Dae's books: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living or Stress Relieving Recipes: Using Food to Keep you Calm, @ www.HealthyDaes.org
Dr. Dae's Bio:
Dr. Daemon Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who treats patients all over the country using Skype and phone visits. She helps her patients cultivate health and feel great, using a combination of safe and effective naturopathic and conventional methods.
Sources:
Board, A.D.A.M.. "Pub Med Health Menopause." Menopause. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 13 Sept. 2011. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001896/#adam_000894.disease.symptoms
"Cleveland Clinic." Cleveland Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/menopause/hic_menopause_staying_healthy_through_good_nutrition.aspx
"Is Estrogen Released When Belly Fat Is Lost?." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/380208-is-estrogen-released-when-belly-fat-is-lost
"Estrogen Dominance - Health Conditions & Advice - Dr. Christiane Northrup." Estrogen Dominance - Health Conditions & Advice - Dr. Christiane Northrup. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=118
"Menopause and Perimenopause Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatments." WebMD - Better information. Better health.. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
http://www.webmd.com/menopause/tc/menopause-and-perimenopause-overview?page=2
"What are bioidentical hormones? - Harvard Health Publications." Health Information and Medical Information - Harvard Health Publications. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/What-are-bioidentical-hormones.htm
Reviewed March 13, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith