Menopause is the natural stage of a woman’s life when the menstrual cycle permanently ends. Menopause marks the end of the childbearing years and is often called “the change of life”.  Specifically, Menopause is defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. By age 55, virtually all women have experienced complete Menopause.

What Causes Menopause?

When a baby girl is born, her ovaries already contain all the eggs that she will produce in her lifetime. Her ovaries will also produce estrogen and progesterone, being the two hormones which regulate menstruation and ovulation. These two hormones also cause Menopause to occur.  Production of estrogen in the ovaries slows down during Perimenopause. By the time we experience Menopause, estrogen production has decreased by 60-80% and ovulation no longer occurs. Ovulation triggers the production of progesterone; as ovulation ceases, progesterone levels become nil. 

Premature Menopause

When Menopause occurs after the age of 40 it is considered natural and is the normal part of aging. But some women experience Menopause earlier. Genetics play a significant role in determining when a woman starts Menopause. Cigarette smoking will cause Menopause to start early while the heavier the smoker, the higher the risk of early Menopause.

Surgical procedures such as hysterectomy or damage to the ovaries from chemotherapy or radiation can cause Menopause to occur before 40.  When Menopause occurs before the age of 40, regardless of cause, it is called Premature Menopause.

Perimenopause vs. PMS

Perimenopause begins several years before menopause when the ovaries start to produce less estrogen creating a hormone imbalance. Symptoms of  Perimenopause are often mistaken for those of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Both PMS and Perimenopausal symptoms are a result of an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. If your menstrual cycle has changed (if your periods are lasting longer or shorter than they used too, or if they become irregular) then there is a good chance you are experiencing Perimenopause. Your physician can recommend a blood test called Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) to determine your hormone level. The levels of FSH can verify if you are in Perimenopause.  FSH levels increase as estrogen levels decrease.

Menopause Symptoms

The fluctuations in your hormone levels cause Menopause symptoms. Some women have very mild symptoms while others have symptoms that are severe enough to disrupt their daily lives. Menopause is a natural part of growing older and you don’t have to be tested or treated unless the symptoms are disturbing you. Common symptoms include:

–         Irregular periods;

–         Hot flashes;

–         Trouble sleeping;

–         Night sweats;

–         Emotional changes;

–         Headaches;

–         Fuzzy thinking;

–         Vaginal dryness.

Western women generally experience far more symptoms of Menopause than do Japanese women. The Lancet, which is a British medical journal, reported that Japanese women consume far more phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) than Western women. These phytoestrogens, when consumed, act like estrogens produced by the body. They are found in foods such as soybeans, tofu, miso, flaxeeds, pomegranates and dates.

For those women who are suffering from minor symptoms, lifestyle changes may be all that is needed. Moderate, regular exercise may reduce mood swings while yoga or other forms of stress release may also help. Increase consumption of phytoestrogens in your diet. Avoid foods that aggravate symptoms such as coffee, spicy foods, refined foods and sugary treats.

If lifestyle changes are not sufficient to suppress your symptoms you may need to add an herbal supplement that will help regulate hormonal balance during Menopause while reducing hot flashes, mild mood swings and occasional sleepiness.  There are a number of teas, tinctures or capsule formulations that help with these symptoms.

When these are still not enough to deal with your symptoms, then the way to go is bioidentical hormones. You will need to get a prescription from your doctor and make sure he prescribes bioidentical hormones. These have the same chemical composition as your hormones, therefore, they are much safer to use. Many physicians are reluctant to prescribe bioidentical hormones because they have been using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) for years.  HRT has many serious side effects.

Tags: Bioidentical Hormones, Estrogen, hormones, hysterectomy, Menopause, menopause symptoms, Perimenopause, PreMature Menopause, progresterone