Perimenopause vs Menopause: Where am I?
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Perimenopause or Menopause: which is it?
My adult menstrual cycle was pretty regular through my thirties, but by forty, my periods became a little more frequent. Maybe every 25 or 26 days instead of 28. I was definitely more irritable and tired. It wasn't just parenting and a busy work schedule doing me in. My hormones were flagging. Even my thyroid was conking out. This was my perimenopause.
Perimenopause lasts years and varies person to person. Symptoms can include irritability, fatigue, anxiety, sleeplessness, and weight gain. They are a result of falling progesterone levels that leave you feeling a lot differently than you did before. Your ability to manage glucose shifts and this fundamentally changes your metabolism. Read brain and body changes that require attention.
These changes impact hormonal balancing throughout your entire body. Consider your bones, thyroid, sexual health, and any autoimmune issues you may have. A tricky time for many.
Western medicine has historically avoided these conversations. But, finally, with more interest in post fertile lives of women, we have more awareness and more options. Most importantly, there is great data on using lifestyle strategies to optimize your wellbeing.
Lifestyle strategies are critical for managing perimenopausal symptoms due to low progesterone. There is nothing more important than consistent quality sleep. Daily exercise that builds cardiovascular and muscular strength thereby improving metabolism. And lastly, a very high fiber mediterrranean diet that mitigates the problem of unintended weight gain. For me, a mirena IUD was really helpful for adding a little progesterone to my waning stores.
Nutrition plays a critical role in managing perimenopausal symptoms. Pay attention to how your brain and body feel after a high carbohydrate meal. And notice how you feel when you've got plenty of salad and protein on board. Eating beautiful food matters.
Menopause does not happen until you've been a year without a period. That's a tricky one for many of us to even assess. Connecting to your body now can make moving into menopause manageable. Get to know strategies that work for you now.
You can feel better. Contact Jill for a free consult at https://www.jillbakerwellness.com/