This is the stage of a woman’s reproductive life that begins several years before menopause (usually around 35), when the ovaries gradually begin to produce the hormones – estrogen, progesterone and testosterone in an irregular manner, often with wide and unpredictable fluctuations in levels. In most cases, the imbalance is caused by rising estrogen and reducing progesterone which is the root of weight gain even though they are eating and exercising like before.
Causes
+ Hormonal imbalance is often the result of cumulative effects of poor diet, chronic stress, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise and environmental toxins taxing the body, pushing the sex hormones out-of-sync and reduces its natural ability to detoxify and maintain balance. Once this happens, the problem tends to escalate over time.
+ It can be genetic or due to autoimmune diseases producing antibodies that can damage the ovaries. Surgical removal of the ovaries causes artificial menopause, as can chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the pelvis to treat cancer.
Warning signal
In today’s fast-paced, disconnected, eat-and-run world, it is not a surprise that younger and younger women are experiencing perimenopausal-type symptoms of hormonal imbalance due to above factors. During this transitional period, fertility diminishes till almost nil on the official date of menopause where the ovaries stop releasing eggs completely. The sharp drop in estrogen in the last one to two years of perimenopause exhibits menopausal symptoms for those affected.
Signs and Symptoms
The average length of perimenopause is 4 years, but for some women this stage may last only a few months or continue for 10 years. Biological changes observed include:
- Menstrual irregularity. As ovulation becomes more erratic, the intervals between periods may be longer or shorter with scanty to profuse flow, and may miss some periods. Early perimenopause is defined as a change in your menstrual cycle length of more than 7 days. Late perimenopause is characterized by two or more missed periods and an interval of 60 days or more between periods.
- Hot flashes and sleep problems. About 65 to 75% of women experience hot flashes, most commonly during late perimenopause. Hot flashes can be so strong as to raise the body temperature by many degrees in a very short period of time causing the sufferer to feel weak and break out in heavy sweating. The intensity, duration and frequency vary and often disturb sleep with night perspiration.
- Crazy mood changes. Some women experience mood swings, irritability or increased risk of depression during perimenopause, mostly likely due to lack of sleep caused by hot flashes.
- Vaginal and bladder problems. With diminishing estrogen levels, the vaginal tissues may lose lubrication and elasticity, making intercourse painful and vulnerable to urinary or vaginal infections. Loss of tissue elasticity may contribute to urinary incontinence.
- Decreasing fertility. As ovulation becomes irregular, the ability to conceive decreases but is still possible.
- Changes in sexual function. During perimenopause, sexual arousal and desire may change.
- Bone loss. With declining estrogen levels, bone loss is hastened and thus increases the risk of osteoporosis.
- Changing cholesterol levels. Declining estrogen levels may lead to unfavorable changes in your blood cholesterol levels, including an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad) cholesterol and decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good) cholesterol, both increase the risk of heart disease.
- Headaches.
- Very heavy, or accompanied by blood clots
- Last several days longer than usual
- Spot between periods and after sex
- Occur closer together
Possible causes include hormonal imbalances, birth control pills, pregnancy, fibroids, blood clotting problems or even cancer.
Recommendations
+ A diet comprising half raw foods and adequate protein helps to stabilise blood sugar. Stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods and sugar can trigger hot flashes, aggravate urinary incontinence and worsen mood swings. Unhealthy protein like animal meat and dairy products causes blood acidity and thus promotes hot flashes and calcium loss from the bones.
+ Japanese women are less prone to perimenopausal problems as reported they consume more plant estrogens derived from foods like soybeans, tofu, miso and flaxseeds. These estrogen-like compounds mimic estrogens in the body.
+ Symptoms of perimenopause are often mistaken for those of premenstrual syndrome as both are due to hormonal imbalance. One has to examine her periods if it lasts too long or too short, or irregular when never before.
MENOPAUSE
Menopause is the time when a woman’s menstrual periods stop and her ovaries stop releasing eggs. A woman is considered menopausal once she has gone a year without having a menstrual period. Therefore, the exact time of a woman’s final menstrual period can only be pinpointed by counting backwards after the fact.
It is important to note that starting periods at an early age has been linked with a higher risk of breast cancer. Also, a late menopause is as bad due to reduced oestrogen exposure.
Causes
Menopause is a normal part of the aging process. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are secreted by the pituitary gland as part of the normal menstrual cycle. They stimulate the ovary to produce estrogen and progesterone and to release an egg. As a woman ages, her ovaries do not respond to FSH or LH as strongly as they used to. Over time, less and less estrogen and progesterone are produced and the woman stops releasing eggs.
Recommendations
For the main symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes or vaginal dryness, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is usually recommended. Beware that it may not be ’hormone’ problem, but a host of other health conditions that throw up symptoms quite similar to those the menopause eg. aging.
A well-balanced diet is essential during the menopause as it enables the body to adjust automatically to the hormone changes. If you are unable to do that, consider supplements to ensure you have adequate nutrients for maintaining healthy bodily functioning and to cope with the symptoms of the menopause.
+ Vitamin C: Helps in strengthening the blood vessels and immunity. It also has specific benefits to cope with menopause such as reducing hot flushes, prevention and treatment of vaginal dryness, retain the elasticity in the urinary tract and so prevent leakage or stress incontinence, promotes joint health as osteoporosis begins to set in during menopause.
+ Vitamin E: A study showed that just 400iu taken daily for between 1-4 months helped 50% of the women in reducing hot flushes and vaginal dryness. Women who are vulnerable to heart disease after the hormone stops to offer protection can also benefit from it.
+ B Vitamins: These ‘stress’ vitamins are very beneficial to menopausal women undergoing tremendous sudden pressure. The vitamins help to fix up the symptoms of deficiency like anxiety, tension, irritability, fatigue and poor concentration to prevent overblowing.
+ Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): By coincidence, menopausal symptoms are similar to signs of an essential acid deficiency eg, dry skin, lifeless hair, cracked nails, fatigue, depression, dry eyes, lack of motivation, aching joint, difficulty in losing weight, forgetfulness, breast pain.
+ Magnesium: This important mineral for your bones acts as ‘nature’s tranquilliser’ to cope with menopausal symptoms such as anxiety, irritability and other mood changes.
+ Ginkgo Biloba: This herb has been found to generally have a rejuvenating effect on the brain and may slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. A number of clinical trials have shown that it improves learning ability, memory and concentration.
+ Phytoestrogens: A group of plant hormones known as phytoestrogens naturally occurring in certain foods such as soya, is capable of lowering cholesterol and thus offers protective effects against heart disease, crucial around the menopause as the estrogen hormone no longer performs this role. Its two flavonoids, genistein and daidzein are chemically similar to Tamoxifen – the drug used to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer. These very weak plant oestrogens latch on to the oestrogen receptors in the breast and prevent the more powerful carcinogenic oestrogens getting through. So they have a protective effect, as well as helping to balance hormones, which are responsible for menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes.
More comments
Going through menopause is about managing all the important hormones, namely estrogen, androgen and progesterone. Poor sleep is caused by a drop in the progesterone level. The decline in androgenic hormones, such as testosterone and DHEA cause a drop in metabolism and thus an increase in weight. Doing resistance exercises like weightlifting can increase the production of androgen hormones.
Having understood the symptoms and causes, making lifestyle changes and consuming the right nutrients can help to reduce the severity. This will make the transition to the next phase of life easier.
VIVA corner
* Evening Primrose Oil – contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that easily converts into prostaglandins which is helpful in supporting overall health
* Soy powder – protects cells against free radical damage and boosts levels of the body’s own antioxidants
* Wheat germ powder – alleviates problems like hot flushes, premature aging, breast tenderness
* Black cohosh root extract – helps relax muscles, relieves hot flashes, regulates menstrual flow, reduces fatigue, mood swings and night sweats
* Dong quai extract – relaxes uterine muscles, promotes calmness, strengthens reproductive system
* Vitamin B – increases energy, reduces irritability and calms PMS symptoms
* Raspberry leaf powder – relaxes and strengthens the uterus and normalises hormone levels
* Blueberry powder – strengthens collagen and supports neurological health.
** Caution – As some of the herbs may interfere with fertility pills, medicated drugs, HRT or any other hormonal treatment do check with a registered experienced practitioner before use.For sustainability, switch to VIVA ROYAL JELLY as it promotes healthy endocrine function, relieves symptoms of menopause, improves skin complexion, reduces fatigue and boosts energy
VIVA Calmag & D can help to support the endocrine system as well as the other subsystems in the body.
The menstrual cycle is the monthly series of changes a woman's body undergoes in preparation for the possibility of pregnancies. It involves the main female sex hormone - estrogens to develop egg follicles in the ovaries and the placenta termed 'ovulation'.
Another important sex hormone, progesterone is produced mainly to thicken the lining of the uterus in preparation for a fertilized egg.
- If an egg is implanted successfully in the uterine wall, progesterone helps to maintain the uterine lining throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding later. However, if the progesterone level is too low, the uterus may not be able to carry the fetus to term and can result in danger of miscarriage or death.
- If there is no fertilized egg, progesterone levels drop again and the lining of the uterus sheds through the vagina, resulting in a menstrual period. In the case of a woman with low progesterone, problems may arise such as abnormal uterine bleeding, irregular or absent periods.
Without progesterone to complement it, estrogen may become the dominant hormone. This may lead to a variety of symptoms, including:
- weight gain
- decreased sex drive, mood swings, and depression
- PMS, irregular menstrual cycle, heavy bleeding
- breast tenderness, fibrocystic breasts
- fibroids, endometriosis
- gallbladder problems
- thyroid dysfunction
Calcium has been shown to be useful in relieving above symptoms. During the menstrual cycle, estrogen levels increase whilst calcium concentrations drop. Hence, consuming enough calcium helps to balance this relationship and reduce painful symptoms.Duration of cycle
The menstrual cycle varies from one individual to another but most experience longer cycles in the early years and shorten with increasing age. Menstrual flow may occur every 21 to 35 days and last 2 to 7 days. It can happen regularly or with some hiccups on irregular basis like period light/heavy and painful/painless and yet considered normal.
To find out what is normal for you, start keeping a record of your menstrual cycle. Begin by tracking your start date every month for several months in a row to identify the regularity of your periods. If you are having problems or you are concerned about the timing, flow or discomfort of your periods, then also make note of the following every month:
· End date. How long does your period typically last? Is it longer or shorter than usual?
· Flow. Record the heaviness of your flow. Does it seem lighter or heavier than usual? How often do you need new sanitary protection?
· Pain. Describe any pain associated with your period. Does the pain feel worse than usual?
Menstrual cycle irregularities can have many different causes, including:
· Pregnancy or breast-feeding. A delayed or missed period can be an early sign of pregnancy. If you have not had your period in six weeks and you have been sexually active, take a pregnancy test. Breast-feeding typically delays the return of menstruation following pregnancy.
· Eating disorders, extreme weight loss or excessive exercising. Eating disorders eg. anorexia nervosa, extreme weight loss and increased physical activity can disrupt menstruation.
· Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This common hormonal disorder may cause small cysts or fluid-filled sacs or pockets to develop in the ovaries along with irregular periods.
· Premature ovarian failure. It refers to the loss of normal ovarian function before age 40. Women who have this problem may not have periods or may get them irregularly.
· Endometriosis. This disorder causes tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus to grow outside your uterus. It can cause some or severe pain during your period.
· Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This infection of the reproductive organs may cause irregular menstrual bleeding.
· Uterine fibroids. These are noncancerous growths of the uterus and may cause heavy menstrual periods and bleeding between periods.
For some women, use of birth control pills can help regulate menstrual cycles. However, some menstrual irregularities cannot be prevented. Regular pelvic exams can help ensure that problems affecting your reproductive organs are diagnosed as soon as possible.
In addition, consult your health care provider if:
· Your periods suddenly stop for more than 90 days
· Your periods become erratic after having been regular
· You bleed for more than seven days
· You bleed more heavily than usual — soaking through more than one pad or tampon every hour or two
· Your periods are less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart
· You bleed between periods
· You develop severe pain during your period
· You suddenly get a fever and feel sick after using tampons
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menstrual-cycle
Recommendations
Up to 80% of women are known to struggle with premenstrual syndrome and its uncomfortable symptoms, report Yale researchers. This is because their nervous systems are sensitive to the ups and downs in estrogen and progesterone that occur naturally every month.
Studies showed snacking on 2 cups of yogurt a day can slash these symptoms by 48%, say researchers at New York's Columbia University. "Yogurt is rich in calcium, a mineral that naturally calms the nervous system, preventing painful symptoms even when hormones are in flux," explains Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a professor of gynecology at Yale University.
Magnesium is another important mineral which acts as ‘nature’s tranquilliser’ to cope with menopausal symptoms such as anxiety, irritability and other mood changes.
PERIMENOPAUSE