What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the period in time and transitional phase leading up to menopause. Typically, perimenopause starts in your 40s but it can begin earlier for some women. Perimenopause occurs as your hormones decline and become erratic — and this causes physical and emotional changes in your body.
For some — perimenopause can last several years until menopause is reached, which is defined as 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.
Symptoms of Perimenopause
Symptoms of perimenopause are unique to each woman, but you may be experiencing perimenopause if you are…
✔️ Experiencing irregular periods and unpredictable menstrual cycles.
✔️ Struggling with hot flashes and night sweats that disrupt your daily life and sleep.
✔️ Feeling unusually anxious, irritable, or depressed and suspect hormonal changes might be the cause.
✔️ Noticing a decrease in your libido or experiencing discomfort during intercourse.
✔️ Dealing with unexplained weight gain, particularly around your abdomen, despite maintaining your usual diet and exercise routine.
Ways to Manage Perimenopause
To successfully manage perimenopause, I always recommend a combination of lifestyle changes and medical treatments:
✔️ Healthy, whole foods diet: Focus on balanced nutrition with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
✔️ Regular movement: Try weight-bearing exercises like walking or strength training.
✔️ Stress management: Techniques such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help.
✔️ Healthy sleep habits: Create a calming bedtime routine and avoid screens before bed.
✔️ Avoiding triggers: Identify and avoid foods or activities that trigger hot flashes, such as spicy foods or alcohol.
Treatment for Perimenopause
Treatment options vary from women-to-women as symptoms and severity are unique to each woman. Some typical treatment recommendations are:
✔️ Hormone therapy: Estrogen or a combination of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can help balance hormone levels.
✔️ Vaginal estrogen: Creams or tablets can relieve vaginal dryness and discomfort.
✔️ Lifestyle changes: Maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper sleep can mitigate symptoms.
✔️ Supplements: Supplements to help reduce inflammation, improve sleep, support depressive symptoms and manage blood sugars.
[Sources: Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine]
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Managing Perimenopause
Whether you’re wrestling with irregular menstrual cycles and low energy, struggling through brain fog and night sweats, or at your wits end with belly weight gain and reduced libido — the perimenopause symptoms you’re experiencing don’t have to take over your life.
At Cordillera Wellness Collective, I work with you to not just take your symptoms seriously — but take the road back to health seriously too. My one-on-one coaching packages take a functional, root-cause approach to healing and include:
✔️ An in-depth virtual consultation followed by regularly scheduled virtual check-in calls.
✔️ Functional lab testing including GI Map and a Comprehensive Blood Panel of 20+ Labs
✔️ Personalized supplement treatment plans (+25% off pharmacy-grade supplements)
✔️ Nutrition and Lifestyle action plans
✔️ Prescription medications