How To Succeed at Correcting Perimenopause Naturally

Women are often juggling more than they can handle prior to the shift in their hormones known as perimenopause. This is one of the major factors that leads to severe symptoms.

The issues women develop when their hormones shift are serious. As perimenopause progresses, women may be diagnosed with hypertension, migraines, sleep issues, memory issues, hair loss, anxiety, or pain. 

Even more seriously, low estrogen can make pre-existing conditions more serious and inhibit absorption of calcium, leading to osteopenia or osteoporosis later in life. Lack of sleep and challenges with serious heavy bleeding can create trouble in relationships or jobs. Many women are diagnosed with ADHD for the first time or have worsening mental health.

So, take a breath for a second.

What are the critical things you need to focus on to get better and improve your functionality quickly? There are three critical areas that will help you succeed.

Recognize That YOU Need Help Right Now

Perimenopause is a BIG CHANGE in your body. I often compare perimenopause to driving a car with 2 flat tires or using two different software programs. 

Each month, you are not sure if you will have a period or not. That is a HUGE CHANGE. I often tell women, you have the most complex hormonal system in the house, even if you have teenagers, even if they are going through puberty, and even if your husband is having andropause.

You’re experiencing the biggest shift in your family because this goes back and forth for years. So, it’s really important to create extra time for rest and self-care and extra space in your budget for supplements and foods that you love.

Grab a notebook and write down a list of all the ways that your hormones are impacting you right now.

Imagine yourself as a beautiful friend you want to help. How would you advise your friend? What can you do to help yourself?

 

Seek Guidance for Perimenopause Supplements or a Functional Medicine Protocol

Natural herbal medicine and supplement protocols can really help balance you and ease or correct your symptoms during this change. 

I had a horrible perimenopause due to high stress, and as a professional who knows how to treat hormonal changes naturally, I came out the gate strong and put myself on a protocol to support my hormones and ease each symptom as it came up.

It takes 3-6 months to correct your hormones and ease your symptoms fully. Even knowing what to do and doing it consistently, it was still a challenging time for myself and my husband. 

Early hormone shifts respond well to all-in-one perimenopause supplement products out. If you’re early in perimenopause, there is a lot you can find just by doing a Google search.

It’s very important to document your symptoms and which treatments and supplements you start. Only begin one thing at a time and track it alongside your cycle so you can identify exactly what is helping and hurting.

If things improve – stay steady and keep taking that supplement or herbal formula.

If things improve and then worsen – consider lowering the dose for maintenance or consider seeking help.

Your body is very complicated. There are multiple factors that influence hormones production, including a healthy diet, digestion, sleep, exercise, moods, thoughts, and emotions. 

Perimenopause can be difficult in different ways as it goes on. So, what worked initially and solved one problem may stop working as you approach a different part of perimenopause. For example, blood deficiency due to heavy periods gets corrected, but then high stress causes poor digestion leading to a different set of symptoms and requiring a different solution.

Acceptance, Action, and Re-evaluation

The messaging we receive surrounding women’s bodies as an ideal is very perfectionistic and unrealistic.

You are perfect. Your body is perfect. Accept and love this body by taking care of it. 

Do not let yourself get into your head and tell your body it should be able to handle sugar, alcohol, or stress when it isn’t.

When you get periods in perimenopause you shift between spiraling upward or downward like a corkscrew. You put effort into getting better and then use those resources to have a period and get worse again. 

With time and persistence, you can feel better. You can take great care of yourself each day and be aware of what you need. If you take a supplement and it helps you – try to think in percentages instead of seeking perfection. Often, you are 10% better, then 20% better, and then 50% better. 

Notice the things that make you worse. If you are feeling better until you stayed out late, drank alcohol, or had a really demanding project at work, notice that issue and do your best to support yourself in a different way. 

Many women need to shift their diets during perimenopause. Usually, women at this stage need more vegetables and less grains. Try soothing, calming drinks as opposed to more caffeine or alcohol.  Chamomile, lavender, and tulsi, teas help calm digestion and ease your symptoms. 

The Recap 

• Prepare to give yourself more time.

• Do your research and start a supplement for perimenopause.

• Track how you feel alongside your cycle and be persistent about taking the supplement for 3-6 months. 

• Re-evaluate after this period of time unless you have a symptom indicating that this supplement does not work for you. 

• Seek an expert’s advice if you get stuck in fear or doubt or stress. These feelings indicate that you are having a hard time being objective and deciding what is working. 

• Have some level of acceptance about this change in your life. It’s a big change and it takes time. 

My goal for my patients is that you transition into menopause fully, which occurs once periods stop for a full year.

I do not like starting with HRT – although this is an option many women choose, and I respect that. Become familiar with the risks and benefits of HRT, so you can make the best decision for your needs.

In my approach, I love seeing what symptoms are revealing about your health and correcting those root issues. When you simply place hormones into the body, you are masking the underlying issues. When my patients are in menopause, my goal is to help your body make and convert hormones naturally on its own.

In a functional medicine appointment, I review labs, meds, supplements and symptoms. I bring my 17 years of experience treating patients with my acupuncture, herbal medicine, and functional medicine training to take on this beautiful shift you go through. The quicker your body is supported, the less symptoms you should experience and the easier the transition will be on you and your life. 

Perimenopause is very important and deserving of your time, resources, and support. And it’s very, very fixable. 

Please reach out and schedule a free consultation. I know that there are many people out there who work with hormones, but my high success rate in easing perimenopause symptoms can greatly improve your quality of life. 

Reach out if you can’t do HRT. If you have doubt about what to do next. If you are developing serious issues with your health like migraines, high blood pressure or anemia. If the challenges are affecting your work or marriage. 

Most of my patients feel better so quickly that they don’t believe it. This is what happens when you seek out an expert. It still takes 3-6 months to correct these problems, and perimenopause is still going to take years. Life is still going to throw more at you than you feel you can handle. 

Ladies, you ARE WORTH IT. You are so important, and you deserve to feel good too.