By WIN Provider: Dr. Helen Kim, Naturopathic Doctor
During perimenopause and menopause, your body experiences decreases in estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries, which results in the end of menstruation. This gradual process has a variety of symptoms that can negatively impact daily life. These include insomnia, hot flashes, mood disorders, cognitive decline, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction.
Women going through menopause are also more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes, so taking care of your health during this time is crucial.
Our WIN Health Naturopathic doctors can help with symptom management, as well as developing individualized treatment plans to help support your overall wellbeing during this time of transition.
The Impact of Stress
The Adrenal glands’ primarily role is to produce stress hormones. During menopause, your adrenal glands take over some work from your ovaries and produce small amounts of estrogen and progesterone. The body is wonderful at adapting to these new changes for the most part. However, during times of stress, the adrenal glands put prioritization in creating the stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline), choosing survival over fertility. This creates further imbalances in female hormones resulting in the worsening of hot flashes and mood concerns. Therefore, it is important to address your adrenal gland health during menopause.
Nutrition
Diet plays a large role in your health during this period. Your diet should be high in fresh fruits and vegetables, and should also include moderate amounts of lean proteins, raw nuts, and whole grains. Menopausal symptoms can be greatly reduced by minimizing your consumption of red meat and dairy products, saturated and hydrogenated fats, refined carbohydrates, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.
Naturopathic Support
What does Naturopathic support look like during perimenopause and menopause? Your WIN Health Naturopathic doctor will help to:
Identify and address underlying factors in your lifestyle (e.g., diet & nutrition, lifestyle factors, sleep, stress) that may be contributing to your menopause symptoms
Minimize specific symptoms that impact quality of life (e.g., hot flashes & insomnia) using acupuncture & botanical formulation
Balance hormones via herbal remedies
Address age-related risks such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular concerns.
If you are currently experiencing perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms or would like more information, book an appointment with our Naturopathic doctor, Dr. Helen Kim at our Niagara Falls clinic.