Let’s face it, as women, we strive for naturally balance hormones, and that goal often seems to rule our lives. We hit puberty, and bam we have a whole new monthly awakening of hormones. We live with the reality of often challenging menstrual periods from about 12 ‘til 45’ish. Then, somewhere between 35 and 49, we enter perimenopause, and the handle we thought we had on our hormones goes out the window.
So many perimenopause symptoms, so many questions. Winona has answers.
With perimenopause, suddenly waking up at night in a sweat, or having heavy, irregular periods can become a new normal. But just like every woman is unique, so are her peri- and menopause symptoms. Some women feel overwhelmed by hot flashes and exhausted by disrupted sleep, while others have no obvious symptoms. The average duration of perimenopause is 3-4 years but can range from a few months to 10 years. When we go 12 months without a period we are in menopause. The symptoms that we had in perimenopause are amplified making our lives really challenging during menopause.
We hear you. All of these changes are due to aging and the ever-decreasing hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that have powerful impacts on us not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. Your hormones regulate everything from your ability to conceive, how well you sleep at night, and even how dense your bones are.
When your hormones are out of balance a whole chain of physical symptoms can follow. Weight gain, anxiety, mood swings, insomnia, fatigue, brain fog, hot flashes, low libido, and much more. Many women feel like they have completely lost control of their lives when the peri- and menopause hit.
Winona is here to help you to treat these symptoms in the most effective, safest way available. There are a number of treatments available that can help with hormonal health and the symptoms of peri-and menopause.
10 Lifestyle Tips to Naturally Balance Hormones
Hormone Replacement Therapy. The most effective menopause treatment for hot flashes and night sweats is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (HRT), made from yams. HRT can restore proper hormone balance by using bioidentical hormones that are indistinguishable from what the body used to produce. With HRT you have the opportunity to take preventive action against health risks associated with the ever-decreasing hormones as we age including heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.1-4
HRT treatments can relieve a host of symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, weight gain, mood swings, hair loss, wrinkles, low libido, painful sex, vaginal irritation, insomnia, joint pain, UTIs, and depression.2-5 If this hormonal drop with age is not corrected, women are at a greater risk of heart attack, diabetes, colon & breast cancer, stroke, bone disease, dementia, and even suicide.2
The good news is that peri- and menopause have been studied for over 60 years. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is the best natural remedy and most effective treatment for many peris- and menopause symptoms. Scientists have yet to identify a more effective remedy for perimenopause symptoms, specifically hot flashes treatment, than HRT.2-4Sleep Well & Protect Your Sleep. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Severe hot flashes with sweating that occur during sleep are ‘night sweats.’ When women experience night sweats, it can cause sleep disruptions and lead to increased irritability, depression, and weight gain. Beyond night sweats, the drop in hormones can cause women to wake up many times during the night, tossing, turning, and suffering from insomnia.
For night sweats beyond HRT treatment, women can think about their type of bedding and find sheets and looser-fitting sleepwear that are cool like cotton, and blankets that are easy to remove. Some women have tried a ‘chill pillow’ filled with water. Dim the lights before bed, disengaging from technology, and an old favorite is a fan or multiple fans to help sleep.
Food Intake for Balanced Hormones. The truth is, the best way to get necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are through a well-balanced and colorful diet, but most people’s diets have gaps. If not consistently reaching the daily nutritional requirements, women could be missing out on vital elements their bodies need. Taking multivitamins can help lessen or alleviate everything from hot flashes to mood swings, and to protect from cardiovascular disease, and mental declines.
Move Your Body Daily. Moving your body daily is incredibly beneficial. Whether it’s walking, dancing, swimming, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator make sure you move daily. Resistance and/or weight training can help maintain your muscles and stabilize your metabolism. Weight lifting – even small weights- is great for strength, balance, and bone health.
Exercise can improve metabolism, energy levels, and joint health and reduce hot flashes which can greatly enhance physical and mental health. It can also help treat osteoporosis. Women who are sedentary suffer more from perimenopause symptoms, weight gain, and dementia.Avoiding Triggers. Knowing what your triggers are is the first step. Write down or create a list on your phone of when you have hot flashes. Common triggers are warm weather, hot beverages, and spicy foods. Dress in layers so you can remove clothes as needed. Yoga and slow deep breathing techniques may help with hot flashes too.
Hydrate. Water can really help decrease the symptoms of peri- and menopause. It should always be your primary liquid. Think about drinking throughout the day – always keep a water bottle nearby.
Lower Your Stress Hormones. Deep breathing, yoga, meditation, relaxing with a good book, getting out into nature, enjoying a hot tub, doing something creative that you love—singing, dancing, painting, playing a musical instrument—are all fantastic ways to relax and minimize stress.
Take Daily Supplements for Hormonal Balance. Supplements and herbs are important to help balance our body’s needs. As we age, these needs can change dramatically. Winona has produced a multivitamin that is focused on women in menopause.
Keep Weight Under Control. Yes, so much easier said than done. Maintaining a healthy weight can help to minimize menopausal symptoms. Women who are overweight tend to have more trouble with hot flashes, sleep, and anxiety.
Hormonal changes during perimenopause influence weight gain and the redistribution of fat. With perimenopause, the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone decrease dramatically. A decrease in testosterone can lead to less lean muscle and increased fatigue. The combination of less muscle with fatigue can result in a decreased metabolic rate (need fewer calories/day). HRT can revitalize metabolism and help weight loss.Quit Smoking & Decrease Alcohol Intake. Smoking leads to more hot flashes, and is linked to early menopause. Drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages can serve as triggers for hot flashes and night sweats.
Warning About Herbal Supplements: Many women try herbal supplements to manage their menopause symptoms including the root of Black Cohosh, Soy, and flaxseed. While these herbal supplements are sold widely.
Winona does not suggest using them. Botanicals and herbs may have side effects, poor oversight, or change how other medications work. If you feel the need to try natural remedies for your symptoms, communicate with your physician about their use.
Summary
Effective menopause treatments, like hormone replacement therapy (HRT), are available to help you to embrace this stage as a positive beginning. With menopause support from Winona, you have the opportunity to take preventive action against health risks associated with the ever-decreasing hormones as we age. It can be done by using natural menopause relief in the form of HRT and other natural remedies.
Hormone replacement is a safe and physiologically natural way for you to regain your vitality, and HRT can restore proper hormone levels using substances that are bioidentical to those produced by your own body. Winona’s healthcare platform is a place to safely connect with a healthcare provider to receive care, to ask the sometimes difficult and maybe even embarrassing questions.
The decision to treat and whether to prescribe a product available through Winona is up to the patient and their Winona-affiliated providers who are all licensed, board-certified, and never financially motivated to prescribe. We believe that if women embrace their evolving bodies by providing the nutrients their body needs they can move through this sometimes precarious phase with grace and wellness.
