Manage Your Menopause Naturally. Maryon Stewart

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СКАЧАТЬ cells ripen and develop. At puberty, our ovaries start to release an egg each month under the influence of two chemical messengers, or hormones, produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. These two hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), in turn trigger our ovaries to produce two more hormones, estrogen and progesterone, which are responsible for thickening the lining of the uterus in preparation for conception and pregnancy. If no egg is fertilized, estrogen and progesterone levels decline, and the egg, together with the built-up uterine lining, is shed. This accounts for the bleeding during a period.

      As we move through our forties, the supply of eggs we were born with starts to run out, and our ovaries stop releasing an egg each month. This means we no longer produce so much progesterone and estrogen. Eventually, our ovaries run out of eggs altogether, progesterone production ceases, and estrogen levels fall to an all-time low. Because estrogen is required for many bodily functions besides reproduction — including maintaining strong bones, a sharp mind, and a healthy heart — it is inevitable that we feel the effects as our naturally occurring estrogen levels drop. Replacing the body’s own estrogen with estrogens from plant sources not only replenishes our supply but also prevents the estrogen receptors in our cells from binding to estrogen-like chemicals in the environment (such as hormones used in meat production and some chemicals leached from plastics), which increase our risk of cancer.

       Perimenopause

      The body goes through a series of changes in the eight or so years leading up to meno-pause. These are known collectively as perimenopause (peri meaning “around”). The first sign that things are on the move is usually a change in the pattern of your periods. They may become irregular, longer or shorter, heavier or lighter. Other signs include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, loss of libido, loss of energy, sleepless nights, and difficulty concentrating, all of which may worsen over time.

      Most of us are unprepared for perimenopause. For some women, it may simply be the inconvenience of never being sure when their period is going to arrive. If you are less fortunate, you may experience a worsening of PMS symptoms, as well as frequent mood swings and more “black” days.

       PMS Meets Perimenopause

      Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to the physical and mental symptoms that occur just before the arrival of a period, then diminish or disappear shortly afterward, such as mood swings, bloating, food cravings, and digestive upset. Studies reveal that PMS is most prevalent in women in their thirties. But for some women, PMS never quite goes away. If your PMS bumps into the start of your menopause symptoms, which is quite common, then you have the worst of both worlds! In fact, due to the hormonal instability of perimenopause, PMS can become even worse.

      Reliable research has found no consistent hormonal abnormality among PMS sufferers. Experts now think PMS may be caused by the undue sensitivity of the individual to the normal hormonal changes that take place in the second half of the menstrual cycle. This makes it much easier to see how PMS might fit in with some women’s perimenopausal experience.

      Some doctors may argue that the most successful treatments for PMS include those that effectively switch off the ovaries, blocking the menstrual cycle, but that’s not what Mother Nature intended. Estrogen implants work amazingly well. But sadly, the benefit may not last, since the body adjusts to a new hormonal balance and the natural cycle re-imposes itself.

      Our experience at the NHAS and evidence from other research show that PMS symptoms are often related to nutritional deficiencies, which can literally change the lenses through which we see the world. Billions of women around the world suffer nutritional deficiencies, even in wealthy regions. Symptoms can be reduced by improvements in diet, the use of certain nutritional supplements, and exercise. These changes can all influence female hormone function, the chemistry of the nervous system, general well-being, and physical fitness in a more gentle and effective way than hormonal treatment.

      A study carried out by the NHAS looked at the relationship between previous PMS symptoms and current menopausal symptoms. We found some continuity between cognitive and emotional symptoms — such as anxiety, depression, confusion, and insomnia. However, there was little or no continuity of physical symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats. This lack of correlation suggests that menopause symptoms caused mainly by estrogen withdrawal are not greatly influenced by a history of PMS. Diet and lifestyle seem to make a big difference to many women’s PMS symptoms, which is good news if you are going through mood changes at the time of menopause.

       Early Menopause

      About 1 percent of women experience menopause before the age of forty. This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian failure (POF). You are more likely to have a premature menopause if

       • Your ovaries are removed by surgery (oophorectomy), which sometimes happens with a hysterectomy if your ovaries are abnormal, or may be done to prevent the spread of endometriosis or ovarian or endometrial cancer.

       • You have radiotherapy or chemotherapy for treatment of leukemia or cancer.

       • You have a family history of early menopause or a chromosomal defect.

       • You smoke. (Research shows that heavy smokers tend to reach menopause up to two years earlier than nonsmokers.)

       • You had your last child before you were twenty-eight.

       • You have never had children.

       • You are short or underweight.

       • Your diet is poor.

       Have You Reached Menopause? Testing Your Hormone Levels

      If your periods start to become erratic, or you haven’t had a period for several months, you could be at the start of menopause. One way to find out is by measuring your level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

      Before menopause, the normal range for FSH levels is up to eight units per liter (or mIU/mL, milliunits per milliliter). As you go into menopause, your levels of FSH may go as high as 100 units per liter. According to the North American Menopause Society, if a woman’s FSH blood level is consistently 30 units per liter or higher and she has not had a period for a year, it’s a sign that she has reached menopause. It usually remains at a high level for two years, or until your brain gets the message that your ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. At this point, FSH drops back to premenopausal levels.

      Home kits for testing FSH levels in urine are available and can be ordered online. However, if you are still getting periods, your FSH levels will vary at different points in your cycle. For this reason, you will need to do the menopause home test twice, one week apart. If your FSH levels are high on only one of the tests, then it’s likely that you haven’t reached menopause. If both tests show a high reading, they confirm that you have arrived!

       Midlife Switch

      Fluctuating hormone levels may not be the only trigger of menopausal symptoms. Cumulative dietary and lifestyle factors can also play a significant part. Pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as nutritional imbalances resulting from years of dieting, poor eating habits, or malabsorption, often leave us in a nutritionally depleted state as we reach midlife.

      Menopause also tends to hit most of us at a psychological turning point, when natural fears about aging and the future start weighing on our minds. In addition, it’s a time of life that often brings other challenges, such as the ups and downs of life with teenage children, caring for elderly relatives, relationship changes, trying to keep your career on track, or perhaps working СКАЧАТЬ