Are you Peri or Meno?

Demystifying the transition between peri-menopause and menopause

There is lots of talk about menopause and perimenopause, but symptoms and strategies are blurred between the two. Find out more about your stage in this journey and your best natural support options.

In recent years, menopause has gone from being a topic that women didn't discuss and a phase of life you "just got through" to a well-informed topic on social media. Women are now more aware of what to expect and that the symptoms they are experiencing are normal. Now Peri-menopause is going through the same revolution and will be a blessing to many women. certainly, when i went through it, i was just confused, wondering what the heck was going on with my periods.

However, there seems to be a blurring of symptoms between peri-menopause and menopause and although there is generally no hard transition between the two phases, there are quite distinct issues and solutions.

What is going on with our hormones?

Two main hormones change over time and create the different phases of a woman's hormonal journey. They are oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones start to rise when we start our teenage years and take a while to settle down into what we know as our regular menstrual cycle. When we start perimenopause, the ups and downs with these hormones start again.

Peri-Menopause - The winding down of hormones

Perimenopause starts the reduction of these key hormones and can trigger some mood, PMS, and period volatility that we experienced in our teens. Fortunately, we are now older, wiser, and self-assured to deal with this. Progesterone is the first hormone to decline, affecting its job of holding the uterine lining in place and keeping us calm. This means irregular periods and moods may change from calm to anxious and angry.

By Contrast, when progesterone levels decline, our oestrogen is out of balance. This abundance of oestrogen can also lead to mood challenges, and from some women, heavier, sometimes painful cycles and breast discomfort.

Menopause - learning to live with lower levels again.

This phase "officially" begins when we haven't had a period for a year. Normally, the gap between cycles starts to grow until periods disappear, and during this time, symptoms of menopause start to emerge. Menopause is when oestrogen and progesterone reach their pre-teen low, where they remain for the duration of our lives. the problem is that there are oestrogen receptors around the body that developed over our fertile years that carry out very specific tasks. Functions like supporting our blood sugar balance, plumping our skin, supporting heart and bone health, and even helping the function of our digestive system. Noe, without the usual supply of oestrogen, the functions can falter until the body gets used to new normal levels. Also, production of our remaining hormones comes from ingredients produced by our adrenal glands rather than our ovaries.

In summary

Perimenopause

• Periods can become irregular

• For some women's, they are heavier and more uncomfortable

• Hormone levels are changing

• Moods can be up and down as a cosequence.

Menopause

• Periods are rare or have gone

• The body tries to adapt to new levels

• Sleep issues and temperature changes start to occur

• Vaginal and bladder tissues change and can lead to issues

Where is our focus for each stage?

Peri-menopause

• Supporting Homronal changes is key to having as smooth a transition as possible. This is what makes the herb Chaste Tree invaluable, as it supports our hormone balance naturally. 
• Managing oestrogen levels is a must for women who start to experience heavier cycles. Vegetables from the brassica family are great for supporting the liver with oestrogen management, for example, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.
• Another option is to support with DIM (di-indoylmethane), which is the ingredient found in these vegetables.

Menopause

• Supporting declining oestrogen levels with phytoestrogens. These are ingredients found in plants that have a similar structure to oestrogen and can support receptors around the body. Plants include soy, legumes, flax seeds, and herbs such as red clover.

Adrenal Support

• Over both stages, supporting the adrenals is key. It helps support the stress of change, sleep, and mood changes. Also, in menopause, the adrenals are now doing the heavy lifting or producing the ingredient for making our hormones. Adaptogenic herbs are natures way of supporting our adrenals and keeping us out of fight or flight. These include ashwagandha, rhodiola, bacopa, and the ginsengs.