Recently I have been reading and hearing about how women can cope with peri-menopause and menopause as though this is some type of disease. Admittedly, there are a lot of women struggling through this transitional period of life, but symptoms can be mitigated. It is unclear whether more women are experiencing a myriad of unpleasant symptoms and related health issues or if we are just more vocal about it. However, there does appear to be a swinging pendulum from complete denial/dismissal to over-attribution blaming perimenopause for just about any symptom a women presents with after the age of 35. In truth, perimenopause exposes a woman’s weaknesses – areas we have neglected in the past. Think of the proverbial burning the candle at both ends and ignoring those annoying signals our body sends us and just soldiering on.
I will try and shed some light on how this transition can be enjoyable and not dreaded.
The first consideration is to ask yourself “how was my puberty?” Did you simply begin your menstrual cycle and learn to cope with the logistics of this monthly event, or was it traumatic and painful, possibly even evoking emotions of loathing? The response to this question may provide an indication of how the cessation of your menstrual cycle may manifest itself and how much support you may need to minimise unpleasant symptoms.
While there are many cultures where women reportedly experience no or minimal unpleasant symptoms as they move towards menopause [i.e. the peri-menopause phase], it seems that [once again] Western cultures seem to be the ones who suffer most. Why is this the case?
Let’s begin by looking at our typical Western diet which all too often includes fast ‘foods’, take-away, frozen or pre-made meals all to save time. We tend to shop in supermarkets where, contrary to their marketing, produce is not ‘fresh’. We don’t eat anywhere near the amount of vegetables recommended for health but fill up on sugar-laden snacks to keep us going as we power through the day. Compare this with those cultures where foods are sourced locally, grown without the use of a multitude of herbicides/pesticides, picked and consumed daily. Intake of vegetables ranks highly while animal protein is often only eaten on special occasions or a few times a week at most. And, this animal protein comes from locally pastured animals who have not been fed with GM grains and antibiotics. Am I beginning to paint a picture for you?
Our typical Western or SAD [Standard American/Australian Diet] is also highly acidic. This article will help to explain what happens in our body when the pH is out of balance. And, not least, this acidic tendency greatly affects bone health.
We often hear that bone density declines as oestrogen levels drop. Well, let’s look at women in other parts of the world who do not experience loss of bone density after menopause. So, surely we can’t blame oestrogen alone. Like most things related to our body, bone health begins before birth and continues for decades thereafter. Bone health is highly dependent on pH but also ensuring that we are consuming sufficient fresh foods naturally high in calcium and all the other minerals and nutrients needed to build and keep bones strong. Exercise comes into this as well, particularly load-bearing exercise.
As we enter our third decade, awareness about our body should evolve into having annual blood pathology done through your GP or qualified Naturopath. This provides insight into how things in your body change over time revealing any areas or red flags so they may be addressed promptly. For example, checking Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) levels is a good indicator of whether or not your body is drawing calcium out of your bones to maintain healthy pH balance. Coupled with PTH assessment is monitoring eGFR as high calcium retention can prove challenging for your kidneys.
I mentioned above that bone health begins in utero, but for the mum it is also hugely related to her post-partum health. This is a time when her body’s needs are high and appropriate pathology testing plays a major role in preventing any health issues further down the track. The less well you are in any area, the more complex perimenopause may be for you as that weakness will become amplified. So, ladies in your thirties, please consult a qualified health professional now. And if you are thinking about having a baby, please get a copy of my book.
Another area that greatly impacts peri-menopause and menopause is social programming. In societies who do not have negative views of menopause, these symptoms don’t occur. In particular, the rising rates of women experiencing loss of self-esteem, increased risk of suicide, reemergence of eating disorders and resurfacing of past issues are highly disturbing. As a comparison, in men over the age of 40 suicide rates rise by 1.8%, whereas in women over age 40 suicide rates rise by nearly 50%! A major symptom reported is irritability with no history of depression. Other aspects of mental health include impaired concentration and memory, anxiety or low mood often resulting in a prescription for anti-depressants or SSRI medication.
Proper testing can reveal where you need support and comprehensive thyroid assessment ranks very highly here. As an aside, tea and coffee are the worst thing for thyroxine uptake.
I hope this helps you understand that while peri-menopause may seem like a roller-coaster it is a finite period and things stabilise in menopause. Your health professional is able to help guide you through this transition with appropriate testing – whether blood pathology or functional assessments – and support.
Some general dietary advice:
- Consume 600g of fresh, organic vegetables and fruit daily
- Support healthy oestrogen levels with dietary soy which should consist of non processed, fermented, organic soy foods providing on average 3.5mg isoflavones/gram of protein = 30-40mg/day needed to get results – quality supplements are available from your qualified naturopath
- Ground organic flaxseed is another great source of isoflavones that are also beneficial for gut health
- Ensuring optimal gut health as many ‘reactions’ to certain foods are the result of imbalanced microbiome. If you need guidance, discuss this with your Naturopath.
- Source locally grown produce, preferably organic
- Animal protein should be pastured, free-range, organic, wild-caught (seafood)
- Ensure good hydration – purified, room temperature water avoiding cold drinks
- Avoid ultra-processed, take-away ‘foods’
- Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol during the temporary peri-menopause phase
some additional reading:
https://truemedicine.com.au/treatments/genetic-individuality/nutrigenomics/anti-ageing-nutrients/