Learn about the truth behind menopause treatments and how hormones affect this natural process.
Menopausal symptoms are signs of imbalances in your sex hormones; they are not the result of mutant genes that destroy your vitality as you age. Instead, they are treatable symptoms of underlying imbalance in one of the core systems in your body.
Contrary to popular belief, women experiencing menopause are not destined to suffer from classic symptoms such as hot flashes, mood shifts, poor sleep, memory difficulties, and sexual problems.
“Menopausal symptoms, really, are just signs of imbalances in your sex hormones. They are not the result of mutant genes that destroy your vitality as you age.”
These are actually treatable symptoms of a hormonal imbalance that menopause treatment experts in Portsmouth can help women manage. Historically, there has been a back-and-forth debate on whether or not hormone treatments are right for women experiencing peri- and post-menopause. The truth is, however, that the key to successful hormone treatment for women is a personalized menopause treatment plan that takes a person’s lifestyle, medical history, and unique hormonal profile into account.
If you are a woman in Portsmouth experiencing menopause, it is important to have an idea of the role that hormones play in this process and how hormones can be used beneficially to help you not only reduce or eliminate symptoms but improve the way you feel in general.
Perimenopause vs. Menopause
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. The average age of women experiencing menopause is between 45-55, so this typically occurs between the ages of 40 and 50.
Menopause is a condition that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. It is officially diagnosed after a woman has gone 12 months without experiencing a period. During this period lower libido becomes more of an issue, mental fog can creep in, and bone issues are also present. This is all due to decreased levels of estrogen that are a result of this natural process.
Common Symptoms
The common symptoms of menopause include:
- Irregular periods
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood swings
- Hot flashes
- Chills
- Insomnia
- Weight gain
- Slowed metabolism
These are the common symptoms, but there is a wide range of symptoms that different women may experience.
What Effects Menopause Symptoms in Women?
Hormones are a treatment that can affect the symptoms and severity of menopause, but there are a variety of other factors that, when taken into account, contribute to whether or not hormone therapy will be viable.
Lifestyle choices and environmental factors play a huge role in the severity of symptoms that women experience during perimenopause and menopause. A poor diet of fast food and dairy combined with a lack of activity and high levels of stress can do a lot of damage to your body’s ability to properly balance hormone levels. This is especially true as you enter your 40s and 50s, where the role of hormones in your health is crucial for vitality and also for determining the severity and type of symptoms you will experience.
Some of the main factors that affect hormones and menopause symptoms in women include:
- Stress – One of the key parts of the body that affects this process in women is the adrenal glands. These glands sit on top of the kidneys and help the body properly manage stress by secreting and affecting specific hormones, including estrogen. This is why practicing meditation, breathing, and other stress-reduction techniques can help to promote less severe symptoms caused by a hormonal imbalance. Studies show that focusing on reducing stress and the health of your adrenal glands can significantly cut back on the severity of hot flashes
- Alcohol – Alcohol is another factor that can drastically increase the severity of certain menopausal symptoms such as night sweats, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. This is thought to be caused by dilated blood vessels that alcohol causes. As for alcohol and hormones, drinking appears to interfere with the normal balancing act of estrogen in the body and may also lower progesterone levels. This results in a variety of systems being negatively affected including libido, bone density, and more.
- Diet – How you eat also affects the body’s ability to properly balance hormone levels. For example, high blood sugar from a poor diet can cause menopausal symptoms mentioned above to surge as well. One of the best things you can do is to focus on eating a balanced diet that is full of greens, lean protein, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. Additionally, eating plenty of fiber has also been found to have a highly beneficial role in re-balancing hormones and promoting a healthy metabolism in perimenopausal and menopausal women
Personalizing Hormone Use
Hormones are a very sensitive system in the body to alter. For this reason, it is important for doctors to treat each patient as an individual and ensure that the proper need is determined for a menopause treatment using hormone therapy for women. Proper menopause hormone treatments from providers in Portsmouth like Thrive Med Spa & Wellness can help to provide women with targeted plans that address their unique hormonal situation. These providers understand the depth of effects that play a role in your hormonal equilibrium, and they always take care to address each patient’s situation personally with targeted menopause treatment plans and lifestyle advice.
If you are suffering from symptoms of peri or post-menopause and are curious about if hormonal menopause treatments are right for your needs, reach out to the professionals at Thrive Medical Spa in Portsmouth today at 603-496-8802.