Menopause can be a really rough transition for many women. Let’s first define what menopause really is. Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when she has not gotten a period in 12 months, or one year. The time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. During this time a woman may begin experiencing irregular periods, changes in mood, hot flashes, lowered libido, and much more. Once a woman has not gotten a period after 12 months, she is considered post-menopausal.

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Many symptoms can begin to manifest as a woman enters this stage in her life, which begins on average around 45 years old. Symptoms may include dry skin, insomnia, weight gain, changes in mood, brain fog, vaginal dryness, loss of sex drive, insomnia, night sweats, and fatigue. You’re probably wondering, how can all of these symptoms happen from just stopping your period?! Think of it this way, perimenopause marks the time when the connection between the ovaries and brain begins to break down.  The analogy has been used as it is similar to someone close to retirement, “they just don’t want to do it anymore.”

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Once a woman enters menopause, the ovaries stop producing estradiol, the dominant estrogen prior to menopause. The adrenal glands and fat cells take over as the dominant producers of estrogen in the body, although not nearly as much estrogen is made as the ovaries once did. This drop in estrogen is one of the main reasons why many American or Westernized women are experiencing a not so fun transition into menopause! I say Westernized women for a couple of reasons in which I will explain in the next paragraph.

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Once a woman enters menopause, the ovaries stop producing estradiol, the dominant estrogen prior to menopause. The adrenal glands and fat cells take over as the dominant producers of estrogen in the body, although not nearly as much estrogen is made as the ovaries once did. This drop in estrogen is one of the main reasons why many American or Westernized women are experiencing a not so fun transition into menopause! I say Westernized women for a couple of reasons in which I will explain in the next paragraph.

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Women in many other cultures and countries do not experience these symptoms as they transition into life without a menstrual cycle. Studies have been done to decipher why that is. For example, Asian women have a much easier transition into menopause. The studies concluded the reason for this was due to their largely plant based, low fat diet (1). Also this is not the case for Westernized Asian women who have adopted Americanized eating habits (1). This is because Westernized women have a much higher consumption of fat, especially from dairy and processed foods(1). They actually have higher estrogen in general due to this reason (1). The studies concluded that Asian women actually have a much less dramatic drop in estrogen after menopause, because they had less to begin with (1). This makes the change much easier for them! Westernized women experience a more drastic drop in estrogen, making symptoms much much worse (1).

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Another reason Westernized women have a harder time transitioning into menopause has to do with our adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are two small organs, with one sitting above each kidney. These little, but powerful glands are responsible for secreting our stress hormone, also known as cortisol. Due to the high demands of life women now experience,by the time they enter menopause, many of their adrenals are completely shot! Women these days are working, taking care of children, running a household, and the list goes on and on. By the time menopause comes around, many women are burnt out! Remember earlier in this article it was said that the adrenals also secrete small amounts of sex hormones. However, due to this burnout, also known as adrenal fatigue, women are secreting even less estrogen then they are supposed to, making transitioning much worse. Yikes!

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There are also many biochemical reasons for estrogen, and there are even three different forms of estrogen, some higher then others at different stages in a woman’s life. This hormone in general though plays a huge physiological role in the body. For instance, many women experience dry skin and vaginal dryness after menopause. This is due to the fact that estrogen is very lubricating in the body and actually increases collagen production. Another huge factor for women is how they feel mentally after this transition. Often reported symptoms include brain fog, anxiety, depression, and irritability.  Think about it this way. Estrogen actually binds to receptors in the brain and is an important factor when it comes to serotonin and dopamine production, our feel good hormones! Now imagine having that loss of estrogen and why someone may feel completely different. Makes perfect sense!

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With the drop in estrogen also comes the redistribution of fat cells from the hips and thighs to a woman’s mid-section. Many women report a significant increase in weight gain around the abdomen after menopause. This is due to the change in hormones systemically. Having more weight around the abdomen actually puts women at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.

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The other big hormone drop for women is the hormone progesterone. The topic of progesterone is another article in itself, but besides playing a part in a woman’s menstrual cycle and maintaining a healthy pregnancy, it is vital for many central nervous system functions. Cognitive processes and sleep are two of the biggest areas where progesterone is essential! You can see why new issues with memory and insomnia begin to arise for many women once going through this life transition. In addition, the loss of estrogen and progesterone together, results in a loss of bone mass for many women.

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Now that you know much more about menopause and why you may feel the way you do, it is also important to know that there are many natural treatments available so that you can once again feel “normal.” These include natural hormonal replacement therapies, nutritional supplements, lifestyle and dietary changes, stress management tools, and much more! You DO NOT have to suffer and you CAN feel like yourself again.

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The best treatment in general though is prevention. If you have not yet transitioned into menopause, it is important to take steps now to maximize your health before the drop in hormones eventually occurs. This may include a high fiber, low fat diet for starters! This goes back to my topic on Asian cultures and less reported menopausal symptoms. Either way, visit your local integrative or naturopathic doctor today, so that you can begin to take the best steps to direct your body back to total health!

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The best treatment in general though is prevention. If you have not yet transitioned into menopause, it is important to take steps now to maximize your health before the drop in hormones eventually occurs. This may include a high fiber, low fat diet for starters! This goes back to my topic on Asian cultures and less reported menopausal symptoms. Either way, visit your local integrative or naturopathic doctor today, so that you can begin to take the best steps to direct your body back to total health!

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Sources:

1.https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/a-natural-approach-to-menopause

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