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No one ever said that menopause would be easy, but it can be downright frustrating at times. Between the hot flashes and mood swings, it's no wonder many women feel like they're not living their best life during this time. But before you start feeling guilty about your less-than-stellar state of mind or body, know that you're not alone.
Millions of women are struggling through menopause right now. Read on for some tips on how to make the most of this challenging time. You may not love every moment of menopause, but with a bit of effort, you can make the experience a lot more bearable. And that's something to be proud of.
“Hormones get no respect. We think of them as the elusive chemicals that make us a bit moody, but these magical little molecules do so much more.” - Susannah Cahalan
As a functional medicine wellness center, we often get calls from patients who are confused about why their conventional doctor doesn't think that their symptoms could be related to their hormones. Many women are concerned because they have heard that hormone replacement therapy can help with issues like weight gain, loss of sex drive, and poor sleep. However, many doctors are reluctant to test for hormone imbalances, and patients don't always know what to ask for.
In our experience, it is very common for women's hormonal health to be affected by things like stress, diet, and lifestyle choices. That's why we always take the time to listen to our patients and consider all of the factors that could be contributing to their symptoms. If we do find that there is an issue with hormones, then we can work together to come up with a treatment plan that will help restore balance.
You may be wondering: Could it be my hormones causing all these symptoms, even if my doctor doesn't think so? The answer is yes. Many women come to our center feeling like their hormones are causing symptoms like restless nights, irritability, poor libido and low energy. This is especially common for women who are in the perimenopausal stages.
The Body’s Natural Hormones
So why aren't we looking more closely at hormones?
Progesterone, for one, has been proven to have benefits for sleep quality, anxiety levels, and depression. It is a natural anti-depressant and anti-anxiety hormone that in fact can help improve sleep quality and reduce stress levels.
Estrogen, on the other hand, has a profound impact on heart disease. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. Stroke and lung cancer are second and third, respectively. Breast cancer is number four. Adding up the second through the fourth diseases, the number of deaths combined still don't account for as many cases of heart disease-related deaths. Not only is estrogen beneficial in alleviating the subjective symptoms that we feel when we go through menopause but it is also advantageous to the heart, brain, and our overall longevity.
Lots of things happen with women in menopause. When you stop ovulating, it can have a huge impact on your body. Women may start experiencing weight gain and difficulty sleeping due to the changes in hormones that occur when they do not receive feedback from their cycle for over 12 months - an effect known as "estrogen withdrawal." A woman's anxiety levels could also be higher than normal because there is no natural ebb and flow of these chemicals directing how we feel each day.
Is Menopause Something Women Need to Suffer Through?
The answer is NO. You don't have to suffer through it. Culturally, we’ve been inclined to think that this is going to be the life women need to accept and live with when they reach this stage of life. But did you know that by using bioidentical hormones, we’re taking away the risk factors? And we're taking away those bad symptoms that women are experiencing. A woman doesn't have to accept unnecessary suffering with a lack of libido, mood swings, poor sleep, or lack of energy. We can still have a life of quality.
The FDA approves taking hormone replacement therapy for specific indications in menopause. The average age of menopause is 51. As we see it, women still have many years left to live after age 51 -- so why not try to live it with the best quality?
Vitality Natural Wellness offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) to help mitigate these symptoms. BHRT uses hormones that are identical to the hormones produced by the human body. This helps to minimize the risks associated with traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which uses synthetic hormones that can cause serious side effects.
So, if you’re feeling down about menopause and feel like you’re not living your best life, know that there is help available. You absolutely should not have to suffer through the natural process of hormone changes just because it’s “what women do.” It is possible that your hormones are at fault and there are treatments available to help make this time a little more bearable.
If you want to learn more about how bio-identical hormone therapy could help you feel better during menopause, schedule a discovery call with us today. We would be more than happy to chat with you about your concerns and see how we can help. In the meantime, keep up the good fight. Know that you are not alone in this journey!
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If you’re looking for a more natural way to manage your health, please contact us for a discovery call to see if our approach would be appropriate for your situation.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this email is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional
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