Category: Menopause and Perimenopause

by Marcelle Pick, OB-GYN NP

• Stop your symptoms with optimal nutrition
• Try herbal remedies that work as adaptogens for your hormones
• Find exercise you love to help reduce fat and help estrogen and progesterone ratios
• Take steps to reduce your stress
• Understand that our emotions play a vital role in our health

Natural alternatives have been a hot topic with many women who visit my office. When we talk about menopause and perimenopause, many of my patients are still unsure about using these alternatives to relieve perimenopause and menopause symptoms. If “natural” treatments are gentler, how can they help alleviate such powerful symptoms such as fuzzy thinking, hot flashes and/or insomnia?

I want to give you peace of mind and assure you that the natural approach is highly effective for many — even if you are experiencing severe symptoms.

Natural treatments for menopause and perimenopause work in a completely different way than prescription drugs. The natural approach works with your body, which means that it can actually prevent or reduce the severity of nearly all of your symptoms rather than just relieving them temporarily!

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A truly natural approach addresses symptoms at their source

At the clinic, we believe that to get to the root of your perimenopause and menopause symptoms, it means taking all the necessary steps toward relief to help correct the symptoms you are experiencing. Natural treatment addresses imbalances between the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Another benefit is that you don’t have the added risk of side effects carried by commonly prescribed medications such as antidepressants.

Try taking the steps I recommend in the way that best fits your lifestyle.

1.  Nip your symptoms in the bud with optimal nutrition

The most effective (and enjoyable!) medicine that exists, is in the food that you eat. You should strive to eat a balance of good fats, complex carbohydrates and protein. Also, make sure to have plenty of fruits and vegetables at every meal, including breakfast. It’s best to eat three meals a day and two or more snacks in order to keep your blood sugar stable. The most important thing to remember is to reduce carbohydrates especially refined carbohydrates and sugars.

Optimal nutrition is achieved by making sure that you are consuming enough vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. There are natural supplements you can add to your daily regimen, which is especially important if you feel overwhelmed with your daily life and it is hard to eat in the healthy way that is recommended. Many women live a fast paced life and they find it hard to eat enough healthy foods in order to take in and absorb enough of the key B vitamin folate. If this is the case, this can be accomplished by supplementing with Metafolin (5-MTHF, or l-methylfolate), the biologically active form of folate that’s much easier for your body to process and use.

2.  Use herbal remedies that act like our own hormones

Food is medicine and there is incredible strength in plants and herbal remedies that have been known to prevent menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms. It is amazing that many plants and herbs can adapt to the needs of your body. It is possible for them to do this because they share various molecular features with our own hormones, allowing them to support our hormone production, make it slower, or even mimic what our own hormones do depending on the body’s unique needs.

Some herbs that can help reduce menopause symptoms include black cohosh, passionflower, chasteberry, wild yam and ashwagandha.

3.  Exercise to reduce the fat that can upset estrogen and progesterone ratios

Most women tell me that they feel as if they are gaining weight steadily during perimenopause and menopause, especially around their stomachs and abdomen. It is particularly frustrating for these women because the weight sticks to unusual places and their scales refuse to budge. One of the reasons that this is so common is because fluctuating estrogen levels tend to cause your body to hold on to fat. On top of this, fat actually produces estrogen, which can create even more fat. Therefore, the cycle continues.

Just as I am an advocate that food is medicine, I also believe that movement is medicine too. You can make such a positive impact on your health though, by walking, dancing, yoga, swimming, biking or whatever other form of exercise you enjoy. And you should enjoy it or you will not continue with the program you begin. Moving your body has a major impact on your weight, other menopausal symptoms and your overall health. Gentle exercise can be helpful too, especially if your adrenal glands are overworked and you constantly feel fatigued. Most importantly—do something you enjoy!

4.  Restore yourself to decrease the stress that intensifies your symptoms

Many women are prescribed antidepressants for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. Because of the Women’s Health Initiative, the answer to many symptoms are antidepressants. More and more women have a deep sense and feeling of being stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, and depressed during the menopause transition. We see this frequently, but in most cases we believe antidepressants are not the best answer for menopause symptom relief.

Stress can be the culprit behind additional imbalances in hormones and neurotransmitters that affect mood as well as mental function, thyroid function, digestive function, and especially blood sugar imbalances. Stress has also been linked to symptoms such as hot flashes and low libido.

The physical effects of stress make nurturing self-care especially important. One of the most effective, inexpensive and amazingly simple ways to reduce stress is deep breathing. Think how easy just taking a deep breath several times a day is.

5.  Understand how emotional wellness plays a vital role in your overall physical health

Have you ever heard the term “As you think, so goes your life”?  Well this is definitely a time that this term can ring true. Your thoughts and feelings have a dramatic impact on your health, so why not make it a positive effect? One method is to keep a journal to help you become aware of what you are feeling and to identify any patterns you are feelings. A journal can help with your individual emotional and physical health. There is a lot of negatively out there today, so it’s helpful to start the day with a positive affirmation. I find that listening to things like the news too often can have a negative impact on my thinking, so that is a choice that I make daily.

Find the natural and powerful combination that works best for you

For many women, perimenopause and menopause offer them the opportunity to change, to become a different person, one that is less interested in what people think of them, and one that is much more able to speak up for herself. Many women who are going through menopause and perimenopause may even discover a certain freedom and they find that their life is better in certain areas then they could of ever thought it would be.

I’ve always found that when women make natural adjustments to their lifestyles, not only do they feel much better but also feel in control of their menopause symptoms. I want you to feel inspired and encourage you to start to make these small yet important changes, as they can create some remarkable results. Add a morning veggie/fruit smoothie, start your day with a morning ritual, ensure that you remember to breathe each day (put up signs to remind yourself if needed) and make a commitment to take your supplements every day.

With a little bit of time and trial and error, you’ll discover the combination of natural steps that works relieves your symptoms!

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by Marcelle Pick, OB-GYN, NP

Foods to ward off hot flashes for simple, natural relief

•  Protein — the foundation for hot flash relief
•  Healthy fats — how they help
•  High-fiber phytonutrients — fewer flashes
•  Balanced nutrition for hormonal equilibrium

I’m thrilled to say that it’s been a while since I have had to think about hot flashes, but I remember those days well. However, I am always reminded and quickly remember when my patients tell me their stories. One of my patients shared with me what happened to one of her friends. She was dining out at a Mexican restaurant with her daughter and baby granddaughter. The combination of the spicy food, sangria, and the stress of the irritable baby and the scene of her daughter trying to nurse in a crowded noisy space was enough to give any woman a hot flash. The experience left her having intense hot flashes, so she left the restaurant without even saying a word to her daughter, ran out to her car and turned the A/C on full blast!

This story reminded me that just as a nursing baby is affected by what it’s mother eats because it is passed to the baby through their mother’s milk, we too are affected by the foods and drinks that we put into our bodies. There is a wealth of great advice about how to deal with the symptoms of menopause, but you don’t hear much about how food can be our greatest ally in combating many of our menopausal symptoms. Certain foods can calm us or make us more irritable, or simply push us off-balance. Through working with thousands of women, we’ve observed that certain foods and drinks do seem to bring on hot flashes and night sweats, while others work well to subdue them.

You might be asking yourself, “What is the best way to eat when you’re dealing with hot flashes?” Let’s take a closer look at how foods affect the continual balancing act that occurs between your major and minor hormones, so that you can minimize the intensity and frequency of your hot flashes — and enjoy nourishing, delicious meals in peace.

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Most importantly — get your protein

Our bodies involve complicated balance of hormones that are greatly affected by our environment and the foods that we ingest. Healthy hormonal and emotional balance can be achieved by ingesting healthy foods. These nutritious foods can provide not only good information for our bodies—it supplies all the raw materials your neuroendocrine (nerve–hormone). Protein is one of the raw materials required to make and balance hormones, so it is wise to include some with each meal and snack that you eat. I explain why protein is so important in my book Is It Me or My Hormones?

Hot flash snack foods and beverages

We’ve assembled some ideas to help you get started on resetting your hormonal balance.

• Roasted soy nuts — look for non-GMO, with sea salt or other natural seasonings
• Raw broccoli, cauliflower, and celery sticks dipped in Creamy Tofu-Garlic Dip (see recipe below)
• A bowl of old-fashioned oatmeal, topped with 3 tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds and soy milk
• Broccoli sprouts, generously sprinkled atop a salad or tucked inside a whole grain wrap or omelet
• Icy soy smoothie, blended with your choice of deeply-pigmented berries
• Soothing chamomile tea, iced or freshly steeped

“Humans need a steady source of protein for the constant rebuilding that goes on within the body, including hormone production. Without protein the body ceases to regenerate, and hormone production declines and/or becomes imbalanced.”

A simple and easy way to increase your protein intake is it to add whole, non-GMO soy foods to your diet. You will also reap the sizeable benefits soy isoflavones have to offer menopausal women. We understand here, though, that soy is not for everyone, but when it comes to quelling vasomotor symptoms, we’ve seen such favorable results that we regard soy as a menopausal superfood. We regard it so highly that we often suggest a smoothie for breakfast that includes a soy shake. See our articles on soy for menopause symptoms to learn how genistein, daidzein, and glycitein — soy isoflavone “active ingredients” — work.

Some other wonderful sources of plant-based protein include freshly crushed flax seeds, nuts and nut butters (like almond butter or cashew butter), lentils, and other legumes. These foods offer protein, healthy fats, and fiber, as well as additional phytochemicals that your body needs to synthesize, properly metabolize, and keep hormones in balance. Wild-harvested seafood and organic/grass-fed meats, eggs, and yogurt are great examples of quality sources of animal proteins and healthy fats.

Creamy Tofu-Garlic Dip

1 14-oz tub of soft or silken tofu
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
½ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp iodized sea salt
1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic

Whip all of the above ingredients in a blender or food processor, transfer to a covered glass refrigerator dish, and chill.

Use as a dip for your favorite raw or steamed veggies, chips, or pita.

Yes — you need fat!

Believe it or not, women need fat to support hormonal balance in menopause! I want to give you comfort in know that eating healthy fat won’t make you fat. Cholesterol is an important type of fat that comes in different forms — not all of which are “bad.” Read our articles about estrogen imbalance for an illustration of the hormone-generation process called steroidogenesis. It reveals that cholesterol serves as the mother molecule to all our steroid hormones — both sex hormones and stress hormones.

We also can’t live without the essential fatty acids (EFA’s), because essential fatty acids are healthy hormone-balancing fats. Olive oil, nuts, fatty fish like salmon, and avocado are all examples of foods that are rich in these EFAs. In order to prevent symptoms like hot flashes, we must have balance between all our hormones. New research suggests that omega-3’s in particular can help diminish the frequency of a woman’s hot flashes. For more information and to learn more about the truth about fat and cholesterol and omega-3 fatty acids, refer to our articles on this topic.

Sautéed, steamed, or raw: pile the vegetables on!

For women with hot flashes, it is very important to include fruits and vegetables into their everyday diet. If we take a closer look as to why, we see that the fiber they contain is completely indispensable to a woman’s digestion, healthy weight, and yes, hormonal balance. Fiber not only “keeps things moving,” it’s the preferred food of your GI flora. Feed them well and they’ll help you properly absorb nutrients and metabolize your sex hormones. Fiber also prevents you from having sharp spikes of insulin. Insulin is one of the body’s major hormones, so once it is in check, it makes balancing all of your other hormones, especially in menopause, that much easier.

“Phytochemicals” are a component of many fruits and vegetables that are essential to women in perimenopause and menopause. These wonderful, helpful phytochemicals are just a part of fruits and vegetables. The most important for women are those that contain phytoestrogens. These are the plant kingdom’s version of a woman’s estradiol, but they are not estrogen molecules. They also don’t increase a woman’s own estrogen, but instead gently work with your body to recalibrate balance at the cellular level. We explain and illustrate this adaptogenic, protective mechanism in our articles on phytotherapy for hormonal balance.

The types of phytoestrogens best known for their potential to reduce menopause symptoms and reduce disease risk include isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans. As noted above, soybeans are a classic example of an isoflavone rich food. The menopausal super food most abundant in lignans is flax seeds. We recommend 1–3 tablespoons a day, always freshly ground, stirred into soups, salads, smoothies, or porridges. To enjoy the benefits of coumestans, brew up some red clover tea in the evenings. This also helps you to sleep. You can also enjoy them on top of your salads with alfalfa sprouts. Phytoestrogens are also found in members of the parsley family, such as fennel and celery, as well as garlic, onions, and all sorts of seeds, nuts and legumes.

Broccoli for hormonal balance?

The antioxidant compound known as sulforaphanes is especially potent in young broccoli sprouts. It is theorized that by activating phase II detoxification enzymes, sulforaphanes help balance the hormonal estrogen scales There are present studies looking at how the body metabolizes estrogen, and linking this to breast cancer, not the estrogen levels themselves.

Another important family of vegetables is the cruciferous: greens such as watercress, collards and kale, plus cabbages, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, radishes, and their relatives. All the cruciferous are ultra-rich in the phytochemicals plant scientists call glucosinolates. These sulfur-containing compounds get converted in the body — because of your digestive enzymes and friendly intestinal microflora — into potent detoxifying molecules called isothiocyanates.

You don’t need to understand the chemistry to reap the benefits, though. Simply take in a big helping of greens daily. Three-day-old broccoli sprouts top out the charts, so throw them into your salads and enjoy. By supporting your phase II detoxification pathways at the molecular level, this modest step helps balance hormones and reduces hot flashes.

Every season brings a myriad of new shapes, colors, texture, and tastes to savor at every meal. The seemingly endless variety of plant based foods is wonderful, so enjoy the abundance.

For the time being, leave these things on the shelf

Eating a diet high in white sugar, white bread, pasta, or any foods that are highly refined and/or processed, will induce more hot flashes. I also warn women to also stay away from such things like caffeinated drinks, chocolate, red wine, aged cheeses, and dishes that are deep-fried or overly spicy are other typical hot flash triggers for many women. To create better health and hormonal balance and reduce hot flashes I strongly suggest tapping into the endless variety of plant based foods that you can pick up at your local farmers market or natural food store.

Because there is never one size fits all, the problem is that foods that affect other women may be completely different from the foods that affect you. That’s why I would suggest keeping a food journal of what and when you eat and drink, and how you feel afterward. You can pick up one at the store, or you can keep one digitally on your computer. If you notice a connection between certain foods you love and your hot flashes or another unpleasant symptom, save it for a special occasion. You can also try it at a later date, after you’ve been symptom-free for a while, to see if you’re better able to tolerate it then. Our bodies are changing every day, and as we care for ourselves as time goes by, the better we will begin to feel. You may even see your devotion begin to shift away from certain foods and habits and more toward yourself!

Balanced nutrition, balanced body

Our Nutritional and Lifestyle Guidelines can provide you with further specifics on eating for hormonal balance.

Your body needs its stores of vital nutrients replenished daily. This is especially important during hormonal transitions like menopause. A balanced diet of quality protein, healthy fats, and phytonutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, together with regular exercise, adequate sleep and stress reduction, are all that’s needed to regulate healthy hormonal and neurotransmitter balance in most women. You can also take a top-quality multivitamin-mineral complex and omega-3 supplement, not only to ensure that your nutritional bases are covered for today and tomorrow, but that the inevitable swings of hormonal change are less dramatic and unpleasant. You may also benefit from a variety of delicious recipes for hormonal balance featured in my book, Is It Me or My Hormones?

For those of you who continue to experience hot flashes and night sweats, a well-formulated phytotherapeutic supplement can make all the difference.  Isoflavone-rich, non-GMO soy foods can provide additional gentle endocrine support to moderate sex hormone fluctuations. A majority of women seeking natural relief from menopause symptoms find their hot flashes are reduced remarkably well with this combination approach. All through our life our bodies engage in a constantly shifting, dynamic balancing act — which means that whether or not we’re passing through a major transition like menopause, the path to better health and balance is always within reach.

Thankfully, there are many natural ways to quiet the unwelcome symptoms of hormonal imbalance – hot flashes, night sweats, and the anxiety, irritability, fatigue, and sleeplessness that can sometimes accompany them. Nourishing yourself well with each new day is simply the easiest place to begin.

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

Menopause often starts with hot flashes. Or does it? When you reach menopause, you’ll gain weight, won’t you? A lot of people agree that menopause changes a woman’s life in some rather unwanted ways. But menopause doesn’t have to be a time of confusion and anxiety. It may be a time in your life to experience fantastic wellness and a great deal of happiness. You don’t have to believe the un-truths that have circulated for years.

Are menopause myths affecting your health? With so many negative stories being told, it isn’t surprising that women begin to feel anxious about menopause, sometimes even before they’ve had any symptoms. We also see women make choices based on their belief in these un-truths, which often oversimplify symptoms and treatment options.

The truth is that menopause does have challenges. But these challenges are not insurmountable, when women understand their body and the hormonal changes that occur during menopause. Distressing symptoms don’t have to be the norm; you can feel your best!

At Women to Women, we’ve helped thousands of women make choices that complement their individual health. We want to help you understand the truth about menopause with our informative articles.

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Myth #1:  Menopause begins at 50

Menopause begins at 50…or at 42…or 36…or 61. The average woman begins menopause at 52, but you may start your transition anywhere from your 30’s to your 60’s. Menopause is technically defined as the absence of a menstruation for a period of one year. Women sometimes say they didn’t know they could start having symptoms many months before the onset of menopause. You may even still be having periods when you start to experience unusual fatigue, hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, and weight gain. If you are having these symptoms, you might be in perimenopause, the shift leading up to menopause. Perimenopause can last from a few months to up to 13 years prior to menopause. Some women experience more symptoms during perimenopause than during menopause itself. This is because your sex hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone naturally fluctuate more during this time. And these hormones are very sensitive to abnormal adrenal function which occurs with ongoing stress. You can learn more by looking at our articles on perimenopause.

Myth #2:  Weight gain is inevitable in menopause

Weight-gain is an absolute in menopause but you don’t have to allow it! After gaining over 100 pounds in perimenopause, Jenny started a program and lost 20 pounds. Weight-gain becomes more complex during menopause, that may be true and is no longer simply “calories in, calories out.” As you transition into perimenopause and menopause, your ovaries make fewer sex hormones, and you might experience hormonal imbalance. Your body may respond by trying to protect itself. Its preferred method of protection is to store fat, especially around the waist, hips, and thighs. Fat stored in these areas also produces more estrogen, which in turn, leads to more fat production. The more estrogen deficient you are the more it seems that the fat continues to accumulate around the hips and thighs.

However, despite these changes taking place in your body, you can still achieve a healthy weight. One of the best things you can do to help yourself is eat! We’ve seen many times how excellent nutrition and lowered carbohydrates helps women balance their hormones and heal naturally. Jenny told us, “I no longer feel hungry all the time, I’m almost down 20 pounds from my all-time high! I have more energy, can exercise more and the weight is coming off faster. I feel better than I have in 15 years!” What can you do to achieve or to maintain your healthy weight in menopause? Learn more in our articles about perimenopause and weight gain.

Myth #3: There’s no difference between natural menopause and “surgical” menopause

It’s critical for women to know that natural menopause and surgical menopause are indeed very different. When a woman undergoes a total surgical hysterectomy, she experiences an immediate and significant change in hormonal balance, literally overnight instead of the slower transition of natural menopause. Removing the uterus and cervix, along with the ovaries and fallopian tubes, significantly alters blood flow and hormonal production. For example, women who have had their ovaries removed have twice the risk of low testosterone, which affects their sexual desire and enjoyment. With a partial hysterectomy, when only the uterus is removed, changes may be less severe, but are unpredictable. It is not at all unusual for a women to just have her uterus removed to find herself very quickly beginning menopausal symptoms, even though the ovaries remain, some women experience extreme menopausal symptoms right away, some notice only a few minor symptoms, while other women feel much improvement.. We know women have many questions about surgical menopause, both before and after surgery. You can find answers to many of them with frequently asked questions on hysterectomy and hormonal balance in women.

Myth #4:  Sex drive will decrease with menopause

Sex can be enjoyable and healthy at any age! But we hear from women that they’ve been instructed, even by their doctors, that a decrease in libido is a “normal” part of aging. In my practice it is a major concern for many women. As women in our 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s — that doesn’t sound normal to us! Decreased interest in sexual activity is often a sign of hormonal imbalance, which can cause both physical and emotional symptoms that have an effect on your sex life. This does not have to happen as it can greatly affects the intimacy of the relationship.

For example, approximately 50% of post-menopausal women will experience vaginal dryness which can make sex painful. Then of course many women are no longer interested in sex. And if intercourse hurts, you’ll likely see a drop in your sexual desire, too. But this doesn’t have to happen! Changes in your hormonal health can be difficult to discuss. The information in our articles about hormonal imbalance and low libido can help you get started.

Myth #5: The first sign of menopause is hot flashes

Hot flashes are an inevitable part of menopause. Correct? Sometimes. Despite the fact that menopause and hot flashes are almost synonymous in the media, your first sign of menopause could be any of these symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irregular periods
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Weight gain
• Hair loss
• Cravings
• Fuzzy thinking
• Low libido
• Forgetfulness
• Heavy menses
• Loss of sexuality

With such a wide variety of symptoms, it’s no wonder women may not connect them to perimenopausal hormonal imbalance. We see people in our office and hear from them online desperate to find answers to their symptoms. It takes searching the internet for “anything that was a clue” to help them find some answers. You can find relief too, starting with Menopause symptoms?  Get relief — naturally.

Myth #7:  After menopause, your body doesn’t produce hormones

No matter how far past menopause you are, know that you still have hormones! Most of the production is from the adrenal glands. In fact, in menopause 50% of the estrogen and progesterone are produced by the adrenals. Some reproductive hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, do decrease once your reproductive cycle ends because they’re needed less. But that doesn’t mean they’re not needed at all! Your body still produces them, but in smaller amounts. For some women, the symptoms of hormonal imbalance disappear or decrease post-menopause. For others, symptoms continue and include vaginal dryness, hot flashes, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections and weight gain. All women can benefit from knowing that the risks for osteoporosis and heart disease increase greatly after menopause. However, by taking care of yourself, you can enjoy a long and healthy life. Learn more about your hormones and what changes occur throughout your lifetime with our informational articles on perimenopause, menopause, and menopausal symptoms.

Myth #8:  The older you are when you get your period, the older you’ll be when you go through menopause

For many women, just the opposite is true. If you started menstruating later than usual, you may begin menopause earlier. Predicting the age you’ll begin menopause is very difficult , but here are some questions for you to think about:

• What was your mother’s age at menopause? When she began the changes is a good indicator of when you’ll stop too.
• Do you smoke? Smoking may mean earlier menopause.
• Do you drink daily. Drinking alcohol may mean later menopause.
• Have you been pregnant? More pregnancies suggest later menopause.

Whether you are weeks, months or several years away from the changes, there are things that you can do that will help greatly with the transition. Find out what support you need with our free Hormonal Health Assessment.

Myth #9:  Menopause only causes physical symptoms

Have you been feeling down or blue? Could you describe yourself as a “raving maniac” at times? Are you more irritable and anxious? You’re not alone. Many women experience unnerving changes in their emotions, memory, and concentration during perimenopause and menopause due to sudden shifts in hormones. Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels may cause mood swings. Drops in progesterone may cause increased irritability and moodiness.

Also, be mindful that menopause is a developmental milestone in women’s life.. It’s sometimes referred to as adolescence in reverse. Many women begin to reflect on who they are and what they want to do with the rest of their life. Learn more about how to cope effectively with physical and emotional symptoms of hormonal imbalance with what’s hormonal imbalance got to do with it?

Myth #10: The best way to get through menopause is to take hormones

It’s important to remember that you always have choices when it comes to your body and to your health. Being aware of your options is especially crucial when considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT) because of the potential risks and side effects. Consider starting with the natural approach. Our experience shows the most effective and lasting way to manage the symptoms of hormonal imbalance is to listen to your body and begin to make dietary and lifestyle changes to build a strong foundation. You may also benefit from pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements and phytotherapy. For most women, optimal nutrition and herbal remedies area all they need to feel fabulous again. Others may benefit by adding bioidentical hormones under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.We want to inspire you and also encourage you to explore your options!

We’re available to help you make the best choice for your individual health. You now know more of the truth about menopause, as well as some natural options for feeling better. Want more information about menopause or other health issues that are important to women? Our website gives you free access hundreds of articles. You’ve seen how your symptoms – if listened to – are your bodies way of getting your attention and asking for help — and we’re here to support you with our information and guidance that has worked for thousands of women just like you. See what some of these women have to say. Want to get started now? To assess your symptoms, take our on-line Hormonal Health Assessment.

by Marcelle Pick, OB-GYN NP

Fatigue. Weight gain. Hot flashes. Low libido. Hair loss. We hear from dozens of women each day at Women to Women who are experiencing symptoms of menopause. According to these women these symptoms are the most troubling and motivate them to find help.

As one friend shared with us on Facebook, “People should NOT tough it out or chalk their symptoms up to ‘getting old.’ There is HELP.”  Listed below are some beneficial hints for acquiring the relief you need. Some symptoms are a touch more complex and may respond best to an additional comprehensive approach.

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Fatigue

What you’ve said:  “Ever since my periods stopped, I’ve had so much fatigue. It varies like a roller coaster, but at times I’m so physically exhausted I can’t do anything. I want to stay home all the time.”

Why fatigue happens: Sporadic sleep is one of the most common problems we see during perimenopause and menopause. Hormonal balance depends on sufficient rest and optimal nutrition. And your ability to rest and make good dietary choices directly affect your hormonal balance. Relief tip: Take two minutes a day to just breathe. Find a relaxing spot where you can be alone for a little while to reflect. Take time to notice your breathing, each breath, in and out. When we take a little time to return to our center, and to reflect on our own needs, we can start to find an infinite supply of energy.

Weight Gain

What you’ve said: “I’ve had it with gaining weight, depression and feeling tired all the time. I can’t work out when I have don’t have any energy.” Why it happens: Changing hormones can alter how we store weight. When your body undergoes stress (such as in menopause) it stores up calories as part of its “survival mode.” The typical American diet doesn’t help. Relief tip: Try to decrease your intake of refined carbohydrates. Try eating more high-quality protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and some fruit. Be mindful of carbohydrates. By including extra fiber and healthy protein in your diet, you can help your body retain steady blood sugar levels, and you’ll be less likely to store away those calories as fat.

Hot Flashes

What you’ve said: “I’ve started perimenopause early. Hot flashes especially affect my scalp. I have sweat running down my face and neck from my hair.” Why hot flashes happen: When you experience a hot flash, the heat-regulating sensor in your brain picks up a signal that your body needs to get rid of heat. Perceived stress can bring on a hot flash in a second. So can some foods and drinks, such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and hot spices. Relief tip: Wear layers of clothing. Try choosing several thin layers of clothing so you have the option of removing the layers if you start to feel warm. It sounds very simple, but it really can reduce stress to plan what to wear ahead of time.

Low Libido

What you’ve said: “I’m so tired of not being interested in sex.” Why low libido happens: Physical changes, such as vaginal dryness, may make sexual activity painful. It’s not uncommon for women to experience a decrease in libido during menopause. Relief tip: Know your options. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and make sure you’re getting enough omega-3 essential fatty acids to help support cell membranes. If this doesn’t help, vitamin E suppositories can help restore thin vaginal tissue. It’s important to be informed! You have more options than lubrication!

Hair Loss

What you’ve said: “I started losing handfuls of hair in the shower. I knew then that I had to find help.” Why hair loss happens: Our hormones are connected to the growth and shedding cycle of our hair in an intimate way. An imbalance between estrogen and testosterone can contribute to thinning hair. Some women only begin to notice this during menopause or perimenopause. Stress also plays a role here, as it affects the scalp and it affects the adrenal glands which in turn affect your hormones. Relief tip: Vitamins and minerals are essential to healthy hair. Be sure you’re getting vitamins B (especially B6 and B12), C, D, and E, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, and fish oil with essential fatty acids. Don’t forget the trace minerals as well.

Why wait another day to rid yourself of these bothersome symptoms? Too tired to do what you need to do during the day? Concerned about your hair loss? Frustrated by having your jeans feel tight? Women to Women’s Menopause System can help with these symptoms and so many more! Order today!

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

• “What does menopause mean for my body?”
• “Why does my doctor tell me I’m fine when I know something’s just not right?”
• “What options are there to help me feel like myself again?”

If you have questions about menopause, you’re like thousands of other women. At Women to Women, we hear from dozens of women like you each day that are searching to find answers they can rely on. They want to better understand what’s going on in perimenopause and menopause, so they can ultimately feel better. Many also are concerned because they have been told the only “answer” to troubling symptoms is prescription medication. As both a practitioner and a woman who has experienced this first-hand, I would like to tell you the facts about what menopause really means for you, and also about the many relief options that are available to treat your symptoms.

Having facts you can trust will help you end the confusion, fear, or worry you might be having, and I know you’ll feel better physically, too. To help me, I’ve asked Paula, a nurse at Women to Women, to share some of the most common questions she hears from women like you related to menopause.

“What does the term being ‘in menopause’ mean?”

Paula: It can be difficult to understand that your symptoms may be inter-related. Some women may say, “I’m not in menopause yet since I’m not having hot flashes or night sweats”. However, when you ask about other symptoms, they say, ” Yes I have fatigue, irritability, poor concentration and weight gain.”

Marcelle: First, I want to stress that menopause is a normal, a natural process, something that all women experience. The good news is that this process no longer has to be frightening and confusing. Theoretically, the term ‘in menopause’ means your menstrual periods have stopped. The usual standard is having gone 12 months without menstruating. The average age is 52; but some women enter menopause as early as their 30’s, which is becoming more common unfortunately, or as late as their 60’s.

During menopause and perimenopause, which is the time of transition which leads to menopause, our hormones are in a state of tremendous change. The fluctuations in our hormones cause shifts in our other body systems as well. At times, our bodies have difficulty responding to these changes and can’t readjust properly. This is when we may experience symptoms like hot flashes, irritability, and loss of sex drive, weight gain and fatigue. This can be a very difficult time in a woman’s life.

“Why does my doctor say “everything is alright”, or I’m ‘too young for menopause’ when I just don’t feel like myself?”

Paula: Numerous females begin to question if their age is an problem after they begin to experience a number of menopausal symptoms. Well-meaning friends will advise them they are “too young” for menopause, or their healthcare provider shows them a lab result disproving hormonal imbalance. These women may be discouraged, feeling as though their only alternative is to struggle through their symptoms alone.

Marcelle: Relying only on her age or the level of one specific hormone fails to take into account a woman’s unique hormonal or possibly adrenal imbalance. It also doesn’t consider factors such as her diet, lifestyle and genetic factors that can contribute to her symptoms. So, while your practitioner may be accurate in telling you that a test doesn’t show a specific number, it isn’t really correct to say that everything is fine. Over the years, we’ve found the truest indicator of your overall health is how you feel. If your own natural ability to produce and balance your hormones is impaired or your adrenal glands are over-worked, you’re more likely to have symptoms. Symptoms are your body’s signal, asking you for help.

“What choices do I have to feel better?”

Paula: Women tell us they hear things like, “Try this sleeping pill. I’m prescribing an antidepressant. Try hormones or birth control!” They report they never hear about natural choices. Many women who don’t want to take prescriptions call us. We also hear from women who are on medications that have been recommended, but are experiencing side effects. It’s very confusing! It seems as though antidepressants have even been advertised for relief of menopausal symptoms! This is happening more often since the Women’s Health Initiative results.

Marcelle: Many healthcare providers assume that most women prefer taking a pill, over learning about the benefits of natural alternatives, diet and exercise. At Women to Women, we believe in giving women information and options so they can make decisions that are right for their unique situations. We know from the Women’s Health Initiative that hormone replacement therapy is not the answer for everyone. And sleep aids, antidepressants and birth control pills don’t address the fundamental problems of hormonal or adrenal imbalances.

When women are thinking about the path to choose to address their journey through menopause, we want them to realize there are many natural ways to help their body balance itself. Adjusting diet, exercise, and sleep patterns really are effective. An easy detox can help by flushing out toxins. A good multivitamin added to the right herbs and oils can work wonders. Looking at your family patterns and relationships is also beneficial.

Paula: This is an excellent chance for women to think about their lives. To consider how much better they can feel with some lifestyle changes. Even women who may THINK they eat right and don’t get a lot of sugar or caffeine may still not be getting the nutrients their bodies require. Often, we’re still highly influenced by what television and big box stores are communicating to us.

Marcelle: We began by talking about confusion, but I think a lot of women are relieved to find out this is all fairly normal. Once women understand more about menopause, they’ll be able to trust themselves to choose the best course of action for them as unique individuals. This is one reason we founded the Women to Women. We want to give women a way to share in the knowledge and insight we’ve gained through working with so many women over the years. This helps us consistently provide the most effective and reasonable solutions for women who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause.

Confused about your symptoms?

Take our free Hormonal Health Assessment to uncover what your specific symptoms are telling you.

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by Marcelle Pick, OB-GYN NP

Have you been having trouble sleeping? Maybe you’ve been experiencing hot flashes. Perhaps your clothes don’t seem to fit like they used to or your thinking isn’t quite as clear as it used to be. You are concerned about these changes but they aren’t happening consistently. You might be thinking, what is going on with my body? Could it really be menopause already?

Menopause doesn’t work quite like that. It is a process that doesn’t happen overnight or even over the course of one day. Menopause takes time. Technically, it is defined as occurring exactly one year from your last period. This is why it’s hard to know if you’re at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the process. You might not even be close.

That’s why we’ll go over what it means to be in perimenopause (the time leading up to menopause) and menopause. This way you can find the tools you need to feel better — no matter where you are on the timeline of menopause.

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What’s happening in my body? The biology of menopause

Just as our bodies take 10-12 years to enter puberty and many teens skip periods or have irregular ones, there’s also a transition time to reach the end of your periods. This is why many women are confused about whether or not they are in menopause — there is no bright line marking the onset of menopause. And you can only confirm you’re in menopause when you look back after it’s been 12 months since your last period. And very few of us keep track at that point.

Dissecting a symptom: anxiety

In addition to well-known symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and even vaginal dryness, there are many surprising menopause and perimenopause symptoms. One of the most remarkable symptoms is anxiety, though women don’t often connect it to menopause or their hormones. Of recent, the most frequent complaint I have in my patients is that they are having increasing symptoms of anxiety as they approach menopause.

However, the hormone progesterone, which helps prepare the uterus for a fertilized egg, is also involved with a neurotransmitter in the brain known as, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA is a calming neurotransmitter, helping us handle stress and anxiety. As progesterone levels drop during perimenopause, it can lead to an increased response to stress and — more anxiety. Many women remember the calming feeling of having high levels of progesterone in pregnancy and the calming effect it had on them.

Stress is important to mention when it comes to menopause symptoms as well. When your body has been dealing with long-term stress and anxiety, your adrenal glands (which are responsible for responding to stress and making progesterone and estrogen after menopause, in fact they produce 50% of these hormones after menopause) are called upon to produce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, instead of supporting the body’s changing needs in terms of sex hormones. This shows how your sex hormone levels are linked to other aspects of your health, including symptoms and feelings. Click here to assess your adrenal health.

But can I confirm I’m in perimenopause?

Unfortunately, there is no precise blood test to say whether you’re in a perimenopausal state but there is good news. Your practitioner can check to see if your FSH levels are rising, which makes it likely, but not definitive. According to research, there is much help that can be obtained from using herbs in the form of passionflower, ashwagandha and more. Learn more about perimenopause and early menopause in our many articles on these topics in our Menopause and Perimenopause section.

Common perimenopause and menopause symptoms

Women may notice any of these symptoms five to ten years before menopause is official.

• Irregular periods
• Insomnia
• Fatigue/ loss of energy
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Forgetfulness or foggy thinking
• Thinning hair or hair loss
• Vaginal dryness
• Joint discomfort /stiffness
• Inflammation
• Food cravings
• Digestive symptoms
• Pain with intercourse
• Anxiety and/or sadness
• Irritability and/or moodiness
• Weight gain especially around the waist and hips

If any of the symptoms on this list sound familiar, take our quick Hormone Health Assessment to receive our individualized advice about how to feel better.

For more information on any of these symptoms, read our articles that address these topics.

It’s possible to chart a progression of the hormonal changes that happen from age 35 to 55:

Beginning at around age 35, our hormones generally begin to change — though you probably don’t notice any symptoms at all. At this time, estrogen begins a slow decline and progesterone begins a faster decline. But keep in mind, progesterone and estrogen ratios may increase and/or decrease before they decline permanently. This age is when ovarian follicles (containing eggs) also begin to fall off more quickly. What we generally see in these years is that estrogen goes down more slowly than progesterone and therefore we often times have an imbalance in the hormones.

By their mid-forties, most women have fewer follicles to release eggs during menstrual cycles. As a result, your body increases its effort to create viable eggs from the follicles by increasing follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) using the part of the brain known as the pituitary gland. Estrogen and progesterone ratios may be in flux during this time as well.

Sooner or later, your follicles become less sensitive to FSH and ovulation may not happen with every period. During this time, periods can become irregular. As the pituitary ramps up FSH, other hormone loops connected to pituitary gland function may be affected, including your stress response and thyroid hormones. At this point you may notice more symptoms. We call this stage perimenopause – the time leading up to menopause. That is one of the reasons we use the FSH level to determine the possibility of perimenopausal changes.

Commonly between the ages of 50 and 55, your periods will stop. Once you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months, you are in menopause. Symptoms may continue — or even arise for the first time — as your body adjusts to your new hormone levels.

For more information, read more in our Menopause and Perimenopause section.

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by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

Perimenopause or premenopause is a relatively new term coined in the last twenty years by the medical community to describe symptoms caused by normal hormonal fluctuations that occur as a woman moves closer to her menopause. These symptoms can be broad-ranging and diffuse and differ for every woman, causing a lot of confusion and anxiety. And the younger you are, the more confused and worried you may be.

Symptoms of perimenopause are extremely individual, but the most common include irregular and/or heavy bleeding, insomnia, night sweats and/or hot flashes, worsening PMS, migraine, vaginal dryness and abdominal weight gain on the physical front. On the emotional front, changing hormones are linked to increased bouts of anxiety, depression, irritability and intense mood swings. Many women have experienced chest pain or palpitations from their hormonal imbalance. What’s more, the pendulum can swing wildly between different symptoms, making it hard to describe and diagnose (which often leads to a lot of frustrating doctor visits).

It’s also true that not every woman experiences symptoms (about 40%). I have had patients who breezed through years of transition with barely a sleepless night and those who only felt mildly uncomfortable. I’ve also had patients who began feeling their first symptoms in their late 30’s or early 40’s but ignored them because they believed themselves to be too young to worry about menopause.

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A woman may go in and out of a perimenopausal state for as many as 10-13 years before she arrives at true menopause (the average age of which is 52 in the US).  This means that it is perfectly normal, in fact natural, for a woman as young as 40 to begin feeling foreign and seemingly inexplicable changes in her body and emotions.

The important thing is to recognize that symptoms, at any age, are the body’s way of telling you that it is not getting the support it needs. Because each woman faces different demands, each will experience her own retinue of hormonally driven symptoms,  which may ebb and flow depending on a host of other important factors, such as adrenal fatigue, serotonin depletion and nutritional deficiencies.

All of your inner systems are connected, and the way that they communicate is with hormones. If you are not supporting your hormones through optimal nutrition, detox, good lifestyle habits and emotional release, your systems will begin to break down. This leads to symptoms. Nature intended us to go through hormonal transitions, but it is not natural or necessary to suffer with unbearable, or even uncomfortable health concerns.

I know for a fact from my decades of medical practice that no woman has to put up with the bothersome symptoms of periemenopause at any age, be it 30, 40 50, or 60. For many of my patients, all it takes is the addition of a daily supplement, some simple dietary and lifestyle changes and USP progesterone cream for their bodies to return to homeostasis. Many women find that their periods stabilize, their sleep and libido comes back and their energy and joy rebounds.

Even those women who have been diagnosed with premature ovarian failure should not necessarily despair. I have seen a number of younger women who, with the right support and attention, go on to experience a recurrence of regular ovarian function, even a pregnancy. Conventional medicine puts a lot of stock into blood tests (and, admittedly I do too) but it is always good to remember that perimenopause is a volatile time and numbers are not necessarily your destiny—nor is family history. This is the main reason we don’t recommend over-the-counter FSH/menopause tests.

Wherever you are on your journey through perimenopause, you may be feeling a lot of anxiety—even depression—at the prospect of menopause. Our youth-centric culture has slotted menopause as a kind of ghoulish finish line—the end of youth and fertility—to be avoided or cured at any cost. And the younger you are, the more susceptible to this image you may be.

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

Information, signs and symptoms of perimenopause

Up until relatively recently, conventional medicine has had little to offer women suffering from symptoms of hormonal change. Until a woman was deemed to be officially in menopause and could be prescribed synthetic hormone therapy, she was often told that her symptoms were all in her head. Even today, women struggling with hormonal imbalance are frequently sent home with a prescription for antidepressants, rather than being offered real solutions for a very real condition.

In integrative medical circles, there has long been recognition that a transitional period of time exists before menopause, which is different for each woman, when fluctuating hormones may cause her serious distress. Thankfully, conventional medicine has caught up and we now have an official name for this passage in medical textbooks: perimenopause.

Symptoms of perimenopause can begin as early as 10–15 years before menses completely stop. Women in their late 30’s, 40’s and early 50’s may transition in and out of a perimenopausal state many times before they finally enter menopause. If you are currently experiencing symptoms such as irregular periods, heavy bleeding, hot flashes, sleep disruption, headaches and weight gain or any other extreme emotional distress, you may be relieved to know that these are all common signs of perimenopause.

Along with the more obvious changes listed above, many of my perimenopausal patients find their short-term memory impairment or a lack of focus to be very annoying. These cognitive effects of hormonal imbalance are frequently overlooked in mainstream discussions about perimenopause. Yet “fuzzy thinking,” and an inability to multitask can definitely be traced to your physical state, as can increased anxiety, fatigue, depression and drastic mood swings. These symptoms are actually signals being thrown up by your body to make you stop in your tracks and take notice. Women often remark on the brain fog that comes over them after childbirth, affording them only the attention span to focus on their new baby. A similar phenomenon occurs with the hormonal fluctuations leading up to menopause — only this time the miasma of your hormones is telling you to stop and pay attention to yourself!

It may be reassuring to remember that a woman’s body is always in flux, always changing, and never more so than in the years that characterize puberty and perimenopause. In the same way you can be “pubescent” you can also be “perimenopausal.” But these are just words, not a rigid definition of who you are, what your body is capable of, or who you are going to be. 

During perimenopause, the ratio of estrogen to progesterone is frequently in a state of flux, which can manifest along with other symptoms as very heavy (and maybe even frightening) bleeding. In our culture, many women tend to be operating with an internal hormonal balance tipped toward the estrogen side of the scale. This tilt is often the result of a diet high in simple carbs and low in quality protein, a lack of vital nutrients and fats, and chronic exposure to environmental toxins and artificial hormones such as endrocrine disruptors. Prolonged emotional and physical stress, which I define as anything that works against your state of balance, will also upset the hormonal applecart. In today’s fast-paced, disconnected, eat-and-run world, it is no surprise to me that younger and younger women are coming in to my practice with symptoms of hormonal imbalance and perimenopause.

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by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

How to make these the most vibrant years of your life!

• The gifts of menopause and post-menopause for women
• Stamping out the stigma of menopause
• The journey to menopause: midlife transitions
• The Women to Women approach to menopause

It astounds me that women are still being told that (and treated as if) menopause and midlife are a disease — something to be avoided at all costs — when the very opposite is true. Menopause is a gift, a lantern lighting the way to significant transformation in all areas of your life. I want you to know, unequivocally, that you can feel and look better than you ever imagined after menopause, even if your symptoms right now are terrible. It just takes a little help and a lot of self-care. I know this to be true because I’ve experienced it myself and I’ve seen it time and again in my medical practice.

Women to Women sometimes feels like an island surrounded by a sea of negative thinking — especially when it comes to menopause. But from where I sit, the view of midlife is gorgeous: the waters are Caribbean blue, the skies balmy, and the horizon has never looked brighter.

Menopause is a developmental milestone in women’s health — like puberty in reverse — and it’s different for every woman. The word menopause comes from two Greek words: menos or “month” and pausis or “cease”.  At menopause, your ovarian function declines, your menstruation cycle stops, and the monthly spike of reproductive hormones recedes.

This does not mean your body stops making sex hormones altogether — it means you don’t get your period and, if you haven’t menstruated for over 12 months, you almost certainly won’t get pregnant. So go ahead and throw out those tampons and Kotex and buy yourself some nice new underwear. The cessation of monthly cycles can be incredibly liberating.

This doesn’t mean there won’t be some stormy seas. It means that paradise doesn’t come in a pill — it comes from finding out who you really are, what your body really needs, and what you really want to do with this part of your life.

So let’s brave this new sea and swim for shore — I promise you, the water is fine.

The gifts of menopause and post-menopause for women

Once a woman reaches menopause, life gets simpler. Post-menopausal women can maintain regular cycles of energy with much less fatigue. Plus, strange food cravings and binges disappear, as do monthly mood swings and breast tenderness. And there are no more awkward moments walking backwards out of a restaurant with your sweater tied around your hips.

The secret no one tells you is that midlife can be the most radiant, passionate years of your life. Self-knowledge and self-confidence are the true gifts of menopause — they create an inner glow that more than cancels out other physical changes. One patient describes it as finally owning her skin after years of struggling to pay rent.

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You may be asking: what about aging, wrinkles and weight gain? What about becoming metaphorically invisible? Surely there must be something backing up those dried-up menopause clichés. After all, if menopause is so great how come there’s so much bad press?

Well, it’s a fact that everyone gets older every day and this comes with some inevitable physical changes — it’s a price we all pay for getting to stick around. Gravity does exert its pull — but menopause is not the wicked witch. She does not drain women of any vital function nor turn them old, weak, crotchety, or unattractive with a wave of her wand. We do that to ourselves by buying into a prepackaged idea of what being older (and younger) means.

It’s time to retire that tired old stereotype of the post-menopausal woman and take a good look at the real women who are living it.

Stamping out the stigma of menopause

Lauren Bacall once said during midlife, “I am not a has-been, I’m a will-be.”

Just think of the number of highly successful, gorgeous women now in their 50’s and beyond (Kim Basinger, Oprah, Vera Wang, Diane Sawyer, Patti Labelle, Goldie Hawn, Suzanne Somers), and you get an exciting look at the new face of menopause. There’s a reason they’re saying that 50 is the new 30.