Menopause is defined as the cessation of menstrual cycles, with an average age of about fifty-one. The transition into menopause can last as long as a decade and can be physically and emotionally turbulent. Once menstrual cycles cease, hormone levels continue to drop, with more than eighty percent of women experiencing Hot Flashes and Night Sweats.
The Role of the Hypothalamus in Menopausal Symptoms
The area of the Brain called the Hypothalamus is referred to as the body’s “thermostat”. Although we haven’t yet discovered the exact mechanism, research suggests that decreased estrogen levels confuse the hypothalamus, making it read “too hot”. The brain responds by sending an alert out to the heart, blood vessels, and nervous system to cool down fast, resulting in hot flashes and sweating.
Hormone Replacement Therapy: Benefits and Risks
Popular estrogen and/or progesterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be highly successful at reducing or eliminating hot flashes.
Yet these products may carry Health Risks–most notably the Estrogen cancer connection. Bio-identical hormones carry their own risks. Not only are there other ways to manage your hot flashes and night sweats Naturally, but if you are having a “Menopausal Meltdown”, it is a sign there are underlying issues that need to be addressed!
Natural Ways to Balance Hormones During Menopause
We can take at least four basic steps to balance our hormones that will carry us a long way toward a happier menopause. These strategies are based on proven methods that focus on the main factors affecting hormonal health. By tackling areas like stress, nutrition, detox, and specific supplements, women can ease menopausal symptoms and boost their overall well-being. Understanding how these processes work makes it easier to create personalized plans that not only help with current symptoms but also support long-term hormonal balance.
Manage Stress to Support Hormonal Health
First, long before menopause sets in, we need to learn to manage our stress. The over-production of stress hormones such as cortisol literally “hijack” the production of other hormonal pathways, especially progesterone, further depleting levels during menopause.
Optimize Diet and Gut Health for Hormone Balance
Second, ensuring a proper Diet and optimizing our Gut Health is critical. This includes eating High Quality Fat- and Cholesterol-Rich Foods, essential for the proper production of hormones. Numerous studies show that an inflamed and unhappy gut negatively impacts hormone balance, and new research shows that the microbiome (beneficial gut bacteria) plays a big role in estrogen regulation.
Support Liver Detoxification for Hormonal Health
Third, we need to keep our Liver Detoxification pathways working smoothly. Healthy Bile flow is essential for clearing out hormonal byproducts. The liver plays a key role in breaking down and clearing out excess hormones, so keeping it healthy is essential for hormonal balance. Eating nutrient-rich foods and staying well-hydrated can help the liver do its job better, easing menopausal symptoms and supporting overall health.
Natural Supplements and Herbal Remedies
Finally, there are effective ways to treat symptoms naturally! Supplements that strengthen our glands, including our Thyroid, stress-modulating Adrenals and Hypothalamus, help greatly to curb menopausal distress.
There are also a variety of Herbal formulas as effective as HRT for most women. Balancing your hormones, including reducing stress, improving sleep, raising both estrogen and progesterone levels, relieving anxiety and depression, and helping restore digestive and liver health.
Personalized Solutions at Our Clinic
At our clinic, we dig deep to uncover the Root causes of your Hormone imbalances. Using Deep Nutrition, Targeted diet and Herb therapies, you can and may put menopausal issues behind you and look forward to your wise woman years.
Want to hear more call our office and make an appointment for a FREE Consultation.