Menopause Treatment – A Natural Approach
Age naturally, gracefully and with ease using natural menopause treatments
Because of the onset of troubling symptoms, menopause has unfortunately, but understandably, become commonly viewed as a disease state. This does not have to be the case. Effective natural menopause treatment is an option to normalize your hormones and improve your life.
What is menopause?
Menopause – by definition – is the complete cessation of menstruation and begins on the date of a woman’s last menstrual cycle. Interestingly, it is viewed in many cultures as a positive transition to becoming wiser and stronger. However, in North America, it is often viewed as a health condition or a time of ill health, with many women experiencing many unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Conventional menopause treatment uses hormone replacement therapy, which carries controversy due to safety concerns. Unfortunately, many women suffering from menopausal symptoms are not aware that there are effective natural menopause treatments.
The average age of menopause occurs at about 51 years old, but may occur years earlier or years later. Menopause is associated with a declining function of the ovaries and thereby a reduction in the hormones that they release, primarily: progesterone, estrogen and testosterone. As a consequence, signs and symptoms may present. These may include the following: hot flashes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, irritability, mood changes, decreased libido, vaginal dryness, bone loss, headaches, urinary incontinence, dizziness, hair loss and weight gain.
The good news is that menopausal symptoms can be treated to ensure that your transition is smoother and to improve your quality of life. Our naturopathic doctor, Dr.Makoto Trotter ND, is experienced in natural menopause treatment to help you feel your best while your hormones adjust.
What is peri-menopause?
Peri-menopause is the transition during which the ovaries gradually decrease in function until menopause is reached. During this time, menopausal symptoms may start to present and a woman’s menstrual cycle often changes. Periods may become irregular and menstrual flow typically lessens, but can also become heavier or come and go unpredictably.
Peri-menopause is a good time to start natural menopause treatment, so that the transition to post-menopause (when your periods have stopped for good) is smooth and symptom-free.
What causes menopause?
Menopause is caused by a woman’s body natural shifting away from reproductive capacity due to the declining function of the ovaries.
Peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms occur as a secondary effect of the fluctuating and ultimately lower levels of hormones (mainly estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). The transition in some women may be more prominent than others. And not every woman experiences menopausal symptoms.
The adrenal glands are a key contributor to explain the rocky hormonal transition that leads to menopausal symptoms. These glands also produce progesterone and estrogen to a lesser degree than do the ovaries. If the adrenals “pick up the slack” during peri-menopause, the transition to menopause becomes much smoother, with less problematic symptoms.
Unfortunately, the adrenal glands are often pre-occupied with helping our bodies manage chronic stress. The more they have been depleted and taxed by their requirements to produce stress hormones, the less they will be able to produce adequate levels of progesterone and estrogen. This prevents them from being able to provide some compensation for the ovaries shutting down, which manifests as menopausal symptoms. As well, cortisol (the stress hormone) competes with progesterone for receptor sites, essentially inhibiting the effect of progesterone.
Understanding this helps guide an effective and natural menopause treatment.
What is a conventional approach to menopause treatment?
Conventional options for menopause treatment are fairly limited. Commonly prescribed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) may improve menopausal symptoms.
That being said, the long-term safety of HRT was questioned after a large study called the Women’s Health Initiative in 2002 found an increased incidence of breast cancer in the HRT-treated group.
Doctors still commonly prescribe HRT to women for menopause treatment. Due to its controversial adverse effects, many women seek safer and effective alternative options.
How does a naturopathic doctor treat menopausal symptoms?
A naturopathic doctor will carry out a comprehensive assessment with you. In particular, your diet, lifestyle and stress will be assessed for its impact on your hormones. Of course, the whole constellation of your menopausal symptoms will also be discussed in detail.
During the initial period of naturopathic treatment of menopausal symptoms, your naturopath implements dietary and lifestyle modifications with you. These lifestyle improvements may lead to improvements in menopausal manifestations.
At some point, a naturopath may recommend a saliva hormone test to better understand which hormones are sub-optimal, and to what degree. Saliva hormone testing provides an assessment of bio-available hormones – that is, the hormones levels in your tissues. This is different than blood hormone levels because saliva tests measure total circulating hormone levels.
Based on the understanding of which hormone levels need normalizing, your naturopathic doctor may recommend nutrients or herbs to help your body re-balance hormone levels naturally.
Alternatively, in some cases, your naturopath may prescribe bio-identical hormones as part of your natural menopause treatment. These are prescribed to more directly target hormones that are very depleted. If your naturopath recommends bio-identical hormones, it will be dosed according to your individual requirements. Ideally, saliva hormone levels should be re-tested a few months after initiating bio-identical hormone therapy. Your naturopath does this to ensure that your hormone levels are at their appropriate and optimal levels.
Measuring your hormone levels helps to guide your menopause treatment.
How would my visits work for the natural treatment of menopause?
- Comprehensive intake to discuss your menopausal symptoms, hormones, immune system, digestion and other body systems that may be impacting your hormones
- Review your diet to ensure it is appropriate to support your hormone transition
- Review previous diagnostic tests and reports relevant to your health
- Discuss test options that are relevant to re-balancing your hormones
- Recommend a diet and lifestyle plan that is designed to normalize your hormones, reduce inflammation, support immunity and optimize a healthy transition to post-menopause
- Recommend nutrients and supplements to support healthy hormone levels
- Discuss herbal medicine options to improve your menopausal symptoms and balance your hormones
- Discuss the connection between emotions and your hormones and create strategies to improve your stress
- Potentially incorporate acupuncture to re-balance hormones and improve your menopausal symptoms
Hormones play a major role in our moods, well-being and quality of life. Our Naturopathic Doctor can help you to assess the causes of your hormone imbalances so that they can be corrected naturally. Book an appointment or contact Zentai Wellness Centre for further inquiries into menopause treatment.
You can listen to our naturopath, Dr.Makoto Trotter ND on Global News radio 640, explaining what happens during menopause, how it impacts you and advice on natural treatment for menopause: Understanding Your Hormones and How They Change with Menopause.