A woman’s body is extraordinary, a complex design made to protect and form human life. Through the first stages of her menstrual cycle to the moment life grows inside her, a woman’s body is the prefect representation of strength and beauty. As time goes on, however, those same abilities that make her unique are the same characteristics that begin to betray her in the most disrupting ways. At times, they come in the form of hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, thinning hair and dry skin, headaches, terrible mood swings, depression, and menstrual changes.
This is only the beginning for most women in their forties, and it’s a phase called perimenopause. While the symptoms are not as strong in this stage, they can be just as challenging. On the other hand, the early warnings can be something to embrace, something that enables a woman to start making the changes that her body needs for relief later, when she no longer releases eggs from her ovaries or has a period. This transition, of course, is the final stage of a completely natural but sometimes debilitating, biological process called menopause.
There are several factors that make up the design of the human body: medical history, genetics, the quality of diet, activity level and even stress. We cannot always fight genetics, but we can always lay the foundation for a healthier future.
It’s the nutritionist’s mantra: What we do today will benefit our lives tomorrow.
This work should always begin with the body’s most critical target and gateway to health: the gut. Leaky gut is a condition that develops when there is a malfunction in the intestinal wall, the gateway between the intestines and what is allowed to pass into the blood stream. This barrier keeps foreign things out like toxins and undigested food particles. Mostly, the breakdown is caused by inflammatory culprits such as gluten, sugar, alcohol, and candida overgrowth. While leaky gut affects the body’s digestive tract, it also plays a key role in hormonal balance. If leaky gut is wreaking havoc, releasing toxins into the blood stream and causing chronic inflammation, menopausal symptoms will only worsen. So, what’s the natural solution? The answer is simple. Education and an elimination diet plan with supplement support must not be just an intention but a lifestyle. Though it is the most important, that’s only step one. Beyond gut healing, there are many natural remedies to implement once the uncomfortable signs of menopause strike.
Balancing hormones naturally calls for a full approach, body, mind, and spirit.
- Diet plays a significant role in bringing that stability.
- Essential foods, like healthy fats, rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and nutrient-dense vegetables can help maintain proper gut function and lessen hormonal imbalance.
- Probiotic foods, like Greek yogurt or sauerkraut, are a healthy way to improve the production and regulation of key hormones like Leptin.
- Fiber-rich foods, like organic fruits and vegetables, are a vital piece to cardiovascular and digestive health.
- These foods, though crucial, are only part of the relief process.
- Physical activity, such as a regular exercise plan, is an important habit for managing several factors with menopause, like obesity, bloating, inflammation, and chronic stress.
- Yoga repairs the body, as well as the mind and spirit.
When all three are aligned, a natural healing process begins to emerge, bringing balance to the entire body.
- Studies show that stress and lack of sleep are connected.
- With stress comes higher levels of cortisol, a glucocorticoid class of hormones that are involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates and fats.
- With an overload of cortisol, the natural anti-inflammatory activity is at risk and begins to malfunction.
- It is best, especially when experiencing early menopause symptoms, to get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.
In time, from the proper foods to the right physical activity and amount of sleep, these remedies simply become a way of life.
As in all things, it is best to take a functional medicine approach when balancing hormones. When given the proper environment, the body will heal itself. Nutraceuticals and proper foods can lead to a lifetime of relief and prevention.
The difficult part is that you must recognize that symptoms are the body’s cry for help.
Don’t know where to begin? That has a simple answer, too. Believe it or not, there are people who make it their life’s work to teach gut health awareness and lifestyle transformation to those who want it—they’re called nutritionists.
Call Forum Health Clarkston today to seek the relief you are looking for! 248-625-5143
Adrian Schirr
Forum Health Clarkston
248-625-5143
