Increased Risk Of Sleep Apnea
The risk of obstructive sleep apnea increases in women during and after menopause. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes people to stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. OSA occurs when muscles in the throat relax and block the airway during sleep. People who have this type of sleep apnea often snore. Researchers who performed one study found that perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who had lower estrogen levels were more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea than women who had higher estrogen levels. More studies are needed, but women who feel tired or who have unrefreshing sleep should see their doctors to assess hormone levels and discuss risk factors and testing for sleep apnea.
How To Balance Hormones During Menopause
Most, if not all, women are at least somewhat familiar with the changes that occur during menopause. But what about taking Hormones During Perimenopause? Perimenopause is the period of time before menopause when hormonal changes first begin. At what age can perimenopause start? What are the symptoms? And what are some ways symptoms can be eased?
Hrt Is Not A Quick Solution And Still Needs A Good Hormone Balancing Diet For The Best Support
Its very important that women actually understand what hormone replacement therapy is. Its important that they understand the associated risks and benefits because its about weighing that up.
You need to look at your medical history, your family history, the severity of your symptoms, and then decide if its actually going to be right for you. I feel really strongly that women shouldnt be entrenched in either one camp or the other and think, its HRT or nothing or its nutrition or nothing.
You should look at everything, understand everything, ask questions about everything and then decide, whats right for you. Some women who have particularly severe symptoms, like depression and severe anxiety may well find theyd benefit from some extra progesterone.
Its all about knowing what the right thing is. Whats super important to realize is that HRT is not the quick fix. You still have to have the right hormone balancing diet and lifestyle for it to work effectively.
It is important to realize that you need to find a way of being the best version of yourself as you move through midlife and beyond, because we dont just want to live longer, we want to live healthier and better because theres no point in living long and not being able to do anything you want to do.
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Risks Of Not Treating Hormone Imbalances
Hormone imbalances, when left untreated, are more than just annoying mood swings and bad PMS. They can be indicators that something more serious rarely, even cancerous is happening in your body.
Not getting your hormones back in balance could lead to other problems, like elevated cholesterol, osteoporosis, obesity, lack of sleep, and more.
Although truly identified hormonal imbalances often need medical or even surgical intervention, a healthy lifestyle can improve low-level symptoms.
Do your best to get:
- 6-8 hours of sleep each day
- 30+ minutes of vigorous exercise daily
- And a high-quality diet with enough protein and healthy fats and less sugar.
How To Balance Your Hormones Naturally In Perimenopause
As we move through perimenopause, our hormones are going crazy and completely out of whack/balance.
Wildly fluctuating hormones, namely oestrogen and progesterone, are the reasons we suffer symptoms in perimenopause.
A focus on naturally balancing out these hormones can significantly reduce many of the symptoms we experience.
Other misbehaving hormones causing us grief in perimenopause are
- Cortisol
- Appetite hormones: leptin and ghrelin.
The Endocrine System: the hormone universe! What is it??
The system in our bodies that controls our hormones is also called our Endocrine System, which is a network of glands and organs in the body that produces hormones.
You can look at hormones as your body’s chemical messengers.
They travel in our bloodstream to various tissues or organs, attaching to a receptor cell which tells that cell to do something e.g. make cells grow faster, release another hormone, absorb sugar from the blood, withhold water from the kidneys, or many other important functions with our bodies.
The ovaries maintain the health of our reproductive system, they produce the hormones oestrogen and progesterone which work together to promote the healthy development of female sex characteristics during puberty and to ensure fertility.
You can see in the graph below, what happens to oestrogen and progesterone levels in perimenopause.
As they start to decline, we slowly move away from our reproductive years and into menopause .
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Thyroid Disorders Dont Occur Overnight
There is often a lengthy period of time before a thyroid disorder is diagnosed that a woman has experienced symptoms. This is often called sub-clinic hypothyroidism or sub-clinical hyperthyroidism .
If the thyroid auto-antibodies are elevated above the normal range, it means you have an auto-immune condition. The conditions are named Hashimotos Disease or Graves Disease . By assessing the complete thyroid hormone profile you will get to the underlying root cause of your symptoms.
The hormonal changes that occur during peri-menopause can also be a trigger for the activation of a thyroid hormone imbalance. You want to make sure all of your thyroid hormones are within the optimal range to protect your hormonal health long-term.
Change Your Diet To Naturally Maintain Hormone Levels
Many animal products and by-products contain hormones from animals, contributing to a hormone imbalance in humans. By changing your diet, you can help your body naturally regulate hormone levels.
Foods such as dairy, red meat, alcohol and coffee can negatively impact your health by causing a hormonal imbalance. You can change your diet to include more healthy fats from foods like avocados, seeds, and nuts to help manage blood sugar and insulin, contributing to balanced hormones.
Diet has such a huge impact on our hormones, multiple studies have looked into what is the best diet to balance hormones. Other good foods to add to your diet during menopause for hormone balance include beetroot, salad, vegetables and fruit.
You should also avoid overly-processed foods and sugar, which can cause a hormone imbalance. Eating too much sugar can cause a spike in blood sugar and a spike in insulin.
This prevents your body from regulating your hormones naturally and can cause a build-up or a sudden drop in other hormones.
Making these small and easy substitutes to your diet can manage your hormones during menopause.
Also Check: When To Start Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone Balancing Tip #: Balance Blood Sugar
Having balanced blood sugar means that your body produces a normal insulin response when you consume food. A balanced meal includes good quality fat, protein, and fibre. A balanced plate might look something like this:
12 of your plate greens and vegetables 14 of your plate good quality protein 14 of your plate complex carbs 1-2 tablespoons of healthy fats
Here at Nourished, we wanted women to have an easy way to get started on their blood sugar balancing journey. We created a 100% natural vitamin for you to get started on your journey. Click the button below to see more info and add our Blood Sugar Balance vitamin to your cart.
Can I Get Pregnant If I Am In Perimenopause
Yes, you can still become pregnant. You may be less likely to get pregnant during perimenopause, but it’s still possible. As long as you have a period, you can still get pregnant. If you want to expand your family during this time, speak with your healthcare provider about your health, fertility and possible fertility treatment options.
When your periods are irregular, you may be more likely to get pregnant unexpectedly. If you dont want to expand your family at this age, continue using birth control until your healthcare provider tells you its safe to stop. Continue to practice safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted diseases throughout your life.
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Drizzle Olive Oil To Soothe Cramps
Eating one and a half tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil daily cuts even severe menstrual cramps by 83 percent in two months better results than pain meds offer, Italian researchers say. Credit an EVOO compound that blocks the production of pain-triggering hormones called prostaglandins.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine.
How Phytoestrogens Mimic The Actions Of Estrogen In The Body
Phytoestrogens are great too in a hormone balancing diet. Theyre plant compounds essentially that mimic the action of estrogen in the body. There are two main sources. First is the isoflavones which youll find in soy. Im a particular fan of the original fermented form of soy or the whole bean like edamame.
Studies have shown that women in Asian countries tend to have much fewer incidences of hot flashes in particular. It is felt that its associated with the higher levels of the isoflavones naturally in their diet.
The biggest source of lignans, which is the other big phytoestrogen in the Western diet is flaxseed.
Flaxseed is a quadruple whammy. Flaxseed is protein, fiber and its packed with omega-3. We all know we need that, even if were not quite sure why.
We need omega-3 for a ton of things. Its great for hormone balance, heart health, brain health, skin, hair, and all of those things. Its a real all-rounder and then of course youve got the phytoestrogens in there, thats four great reasons to be adding flaxseed to your breakfast.
Read Also: What Does Birth Control Do To Your Hormones
Rethink Your Beauty Products
Xenoestrogens, or foreign compounds that mimic estrogen, are also found in GMO cleaning and beauty products, phthalates, parabens, lead, formaldehyde, are all toxic and affect your endocrine system.
Our Tip: Go for organic, vegan, 5-Free, 7-Free or 10-Free beauty products and makeup. Read the labels and research the ingredients to help balance hormones naturally.
More Protein For Muscle Mass And Tone
Protein is very important for women in midlife because we lose about 40 per cent of our muscle mass during menopause and protein helps to support muscle tone. It also promotes blood sugar balance and reduces sugar cravings, which is key for those women struggling with menopausal weight gain. And the body uses the amino acids found in protein to manufacture neurotransmitters that govern mood, motivation and concentration which can often be a challenge for women in midlife.
Opt for protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, and lean meats, such as venison, turkey or chicken, so that youre limiting the pro-inflammatory red meat or cheese, and start to introduce more plant proteins such as pulses, flaxseed or fermented soya in the form of tempeh, miso or natto. These have the added benefit of being rich in phytoestrogens, which are plant compounds that help to modulate the action of oestrogen in the body.
Foods that naturally contain fat will consist of all three types – saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated but the ratio will vary depending on the food. Skew the ratio towards polyunsaturates, so that youre getting plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, because they play a key role in supporting the brain and nervous system, regulating the fluctuating moods that often come with the menopause promoting cardiovascular health balancing hormones and ensuring healthy skin and hair. Oily fish, nuts and seeds are all good sources of polyunsaturates.
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How To Increase Estrogen
This article was medically reviewed by Lacy Windham, MD. Dr. Windham is a board certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist in Tennessee. She attended medical school at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and completed her residency at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2010, where she was awarded the Most Outstanding Resident in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Most Outstanding Resident in Oncology, and Most Outstanding Resident Overall.There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 14 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,899,504 times.
Estrogen is a natural hormone found in both men and women. Keeping estrogen at a healthy level is important for both sexes, but women need more estrogen for normal bodily functions, such as conceiving children. During menopause, estrogen levels in women decrease significantly. Learn about how simple changes to your lifestyle and diet may increase your estrogen.
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What Fsh Level Means Perimenopause
FSH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland the gland located at the base of your brain. It stimulates the ovaries to release an egg during ovulation. Testing your FSH level can help confirm menopause has started. A consistently high level of FSH can indicate menopause. However, FSH tests can be misleading because during perimenopause your hormones rise and fall erratically. Certain medications, like birth control pills or hormone therapy, interfere with hormone levels and will affect the results of any hormone tests. Overactive thyroid and high prolactin can also alter those results.
Also Check: How To Get More Estrogen In Your Diet
How Some Women Suffer Badly In Menopause And Others Dont
Its really important to recognize that most women dont suffer badly. Its probably only about 20% and thats one of the reasons I called my book, The Happy Menopause. I was starting to get a bit tired of the horror headlines about celebrities going through doom and gloom.
These poor women are going to be thinking thats whats waiting for them and for the most part, it really genuinely isnt. Theres about 20% who sail through it and wonder what all the fuss is about.
Most of us in the middle, the remaining percentage, have issues some of the time, but not all the time and in varying degrees of symptoms and severity. Some of that will be hereditary too so it pays to talk to your older female relatives about their experience.
Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
Separate studies have found that a plant-based diet is associated with fewer menopause symptoms and that an omnivore diet rich in fruits and vegetables is inversely proportional to menopause symptoms.
Our Tip: Since the recommended dietary intake for adults in the US is five portions of fruits and vegetables per day, consider drinking vegetable juice to help you get your greens in and balance hormones naturally.
Go for our thyroid-friendly and goitrogen-free Green Juice, if youre worried about thyroid and weight loss issues during menopause.
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What Are Hot Flashes And How Long Will I Have Them
Hot flashes are one of the most frequent symptoms of menopause. It is a brief sensation of heat. Hot flashes arent the same for everyone and theres no definitive reason that they happen. Aside from the heat, hot flashes can also come with:
- A red, flushed face.
- Sweating.
- A chilled feeling after the heat.
Hot flashes not only feel different for each person they also can last for various amounts of time. Some women only have hot flashes for a short period of time during menopause. Others can have some kind of hot flash for the rest of their life. Typically, hot flashes are less severe as time goes on.
Hormone Balancing Tip #: Get Off The Sugar Roller Coaster
Eating large amounts of processed sugar and refined carbohydrates can lead to insulin resistance. This is where your body gets tired of receiving the signal that your blood sugar is high, and becomes less responsive to it. Excess insulin production causes inflammation in the body and increased production of testosterone from the ovaries. This can lead to irregular cycles, acne and hair growth on the face.
Also Check: Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Cause Weight Gain
Can Menopause Affect Sleep
Some women may experience trouble sleeping through the night and insomnia during menopause. Insomnia is an inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night. This can be a normal side effect of menopause itself, or it could be due to another symptom of menopause. Hot flashes are a common culprit of sleepless nights during menopause.
If hot flashes keep you awake at night, try:
- Staying cool at night by wearing loose clothing.
- Keeping your bedroom well-ventilated.
Avoiding certain foods and behaviors that trigger your hot flashes. If spicy food typically sets off a hot flash, avoid eating anything spicy before bed.
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Minerals For Hormone Imbalance
Zinc is an essential microelement that plays many essential functions in the body.
This mineral is crucial for regulating cellular growth, hormone release, immunological response, and reproduction .
Zincs role in regulating cellular growth can help boost hormonal levels such as progesterone, thus helping to restore balance.
Also, because zinc is involved in stress response, it can help to stabilize cortisol levels.
That being said, zinc can be depleted by prolonged periods of high stress. Thus, a zinc supplement might become necessary to balance cortisol levels.
Zinc deficiency can lead to increased cortisol and inflammation
Magnesium
Magnesium is important during perimenopause because it helps balance hormones and reduces the stress response.
In addition, other roles of magnesium in the body include reducing inflammation, regulating blood sugar, keeping bones strong, promoting a healthy heart rate, decreasing anxiety, and easing depression . As a result, a magnesium deficiency can make some of the menopause symptoms worst.
Foods high in magnesium include leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, dry beans, and whole grains. However, many will benefit by supplementing with tablets/pills.
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Be Wary With Hormone Replacement Therapy
Many women experiencing the negative side effects of menopause are often told to just use hormone replacement to improve symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy can significantly reduce perimenopausal symptoms. They work by reducing the extremes sometimes experienced with the decline of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone production.
However, HRT can also make symptoms worse in the long run.
This is especially true if the other causes of hormone imbalance are NOT addressed in the first place.
Why Fake Hormones Dont Help
When you take exogenous hormones, the levels of those hormones go up in the bloodstream.
In response, your pituitary gland reduces your own natural production of that hormone.
Now, this may not be much of a problem when youre actually taking that hormone. But another problem begins to develop behind the scenes: Hormone resistance.
When we have chronically higher levels of hormones in our blood , the receptors for our hormones throughout our body get down-regulated.
Thus, the HRT hormones in our blood begin to have a lesser and lesser effect over time because our hormone receptors arent sensitive to that hormone anymore.
Long-term side effects of HRT in our blood are associated with heart disease, stroke, blood clots, breast cancer, and further adrenal imbalances.