Menopause is not a condition and not a disease. This is a natural biological process occurring in the body as part of healthy aging. Unfortunately, due to the severity of symptoms, it is viewed as a common condition in a diseased state, this doesn’t have to be the case for you.
You are menopausal if you haven’t had your period for at least 12 months. This typically occurs late 40’s to early 50’s, with the average being 52 years of age. Menopause can be reached by slow gradual changes to your ovaries and hormonal levels, this process is called perimenopause. Already in perimenopause, you will be experiencing irregular periods and menopause like symptoms. Perimenopause can be 2-3 years or 10-12 years, big difference and depends on many factors.
Menopause can also be induced by a surgical removal of your ovaries. Estrogen will drop abruptly, which makes the symptoms much more hard to manage. Estrogen is a protective hormone, therefore when depleted you are at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis, heart disease and weight gain.
Possible symptoms of menopause include but not limited to: irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, prolonged bleeding, light bleeding, hair loss, vaginal dryness, increased abdominal fat, hot flushes, sleep issues, heightened reaction to stress and anxiety, night sweats, foggy brain etc. Of course not every woman experiences the same symptoms but there is general discomfort and feeling unwell.
During the process, your body is experiencing fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone. These fluctuations going from high levels to low levels in cycles are the ones that are causing most of these symptoms.
Blood work can be done to determine if you have entered menopause or leading to it. However, management of symptoms tends to be the most important thing you can do for your health and wellness. If you are experiencing heavy bleeding or drastic symptomatic changes, please talk to your medical doctor immediately to rule out red flag conditions such as cancer.
Menopause can subject your body to many metabolic changes and predispose you to different forms of cancer. It’s important to seek help not just to prevent symptoms and increase quality of life, but also to understand healthy aging and what needs to change in order to optimize your health and experience.
Dr. Tali takes an evidence approach to help you in this stage of life while focusing not only on improving quality but also optimizing health and integrating preventative medicine to reduce your risk of osteoporosis, fractures, health conditions etc. This can be done by assessing your risk through an in depth intake and working to improve quality of life. Herbal medicine, supplements, nutraceutical, diet, lifestyle changes and acupuncture are often used.
Perimenopause can take place for as many as 10-12 years, you have the opportunity to be proactive about your health. Dr. Tali`s approach is to look further into adrenal glands, cortisol, metabolism, inflammation, immunity, heart health etc., in order to determine the underlined causes that may influence the severity of your symptoms, increase quality of life and impact your health in the future.
It’s even more important to seek preventative care if you did have early menopause / induced menopause as hormonal changes are abrupt and often so are the symptoms.
Important to note – If you are younger than 40 and experiencing menopausal symptoms, you may be experiencing Premature ovarian failure. Naturopathic Medicine can help with management, especially if you are thinking of conceiving.
A note on conventional medicine for menopause – Medical Doctors often involve prescription of synthetic hormones for symptomatic management. This can increase risk of cancer in some women, so always be sure to assess your risk.