If you are under the age of 45 and experiencing unusual hormone symptoms that you aren’t expecting for a few years yet, you may just be experiencing signs of pre-menopause (also called perimenopause).
It can start with odd symptoms that may not be immediately associated with a shift in hormones and may easily be looked over in those at young ages. However, pre-menopause can begin as early as a woman’s 30s, depending on when hormonal changes take place.
Although it is typically not an issue to worry about, it can be frustrating to deal with pre- menopausal issues on your own. Some traditional western doctors may want to prescribe prescription options with side effects and some may not treat symptoms at all.
However, there is good news! Naturopathic Doctor, Adam Graves, ND, LAc, and his team at Colorado Natural Medicine and Acupuncture help many young women test and treat perimenopause in natural ways.
Our guess is that you have questions regarding what it is and if you are experiencing it, so let’s take a more in-depth look at it…
What are the signs of pre-menopause?
Symptoms can vary from woman to woman, but some of the more common signs we see are:
– sleep issues (whether falling asleep or staying asleep)
– mood changes (difficulty with mood swings and/or anxiety, depression, etc.)
– energy shift (too much or too little)
– weight fluctuations
– fibroids, PMS
– acne breakouts
in addition to other symptoms that many times do not have a clear association with hormone changes at first.
If you are experiencing new symptoms that western medicine is having difficulty explaining or if you are looking for a more holistic approach to dealing with symptoms you are having, we recommend consulting with Dr. Graves. Click here for a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation to discuss what you are suffering from.
How do I know if it’s pre-menopause?
There are a variety of tests that can be done to test hormones. However, it is how the test is analyzed that can determine how out of balance your hormones may be and what should be done about it.
Conventionally, a traditional western doctor will request a blood test. If the results are in the “normal” range no treatment is typically recommended.
With naturopathic medicine however, blood or saliva tests can be administered and the results are analyzed for ideal balance. Just because results may be a “normal” range, doesn’t mean they are performing at an “optimal” level.
For example, in most pre-menopausal women progesterone is low and estrogen is high. Progesterone is a calming hormone and can easily be depleted by stress. When a woman’s progesterone is on the lower end of normal and estrogen is on the higher side of normal, unwanted symptoms can arise – even though both results are within normal range.
Naturopathic medicine focuses on balancing these hormones so they can work complementary to each other, not just in normal ranges working against each other.
These tests may or may not be covered by medical insurance and typically run around $200 or less.
Contact us at (303) 688-6698 to learn about scheduling a hormone test.
What should I do if I am experiencing pre-menopause?
Between lifestyle changes and herbal supplements, we find that there are many natural options for working through pre-menopause.
One prominent factor in hormonal change is stress. Stress depletes progesterone (our relaxation hormone) and as we find our culture becoming more and more stressful earlier in life, it is no wonder that young women are finding themselves with perimenopausal symptoms earlier than expected due to low progesterone levels.
Taking care of your stress while trying to increase progesterone production can make a significant difference in how you feel. Some options that may help you do this can be:
– relaxation techniques (meditation, exercise, yoga, walking, sitting in silence)
– acupuncture (to lower cortisol levels and increase progesterone)
– proper sleep (through lifestyle or supplement options)
– stress reducing supplements such as Integrative Therapeutics® Lavela WS 1265™ or CBD oil
In addition to lifestyle relaxation enhancers, there are a variety of herbal supplements that can increase progesterone and rid the body of excess estrogen.
To detox excess estrogen:
DIM Detox by Pure Encapsulations®
Liver C™ by Mountain Peak®
To encourage higher progesterone levels:
Fem Rebalance by Vitanica
Progon B-L 4X by Bezwecken
For relaxation and lower cortisol levels to encourage an increase in progesterone:
Adrenal Response® by Innate Response Formulas
AdrenoMend™ by Douglas Laboratories
Cortisol Manager™ by Integrative Therapeutics®
Wondering what you should try first? Contact us and let’s discuss what may work best for you and when to expect to see results.
If you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, or the Greater Denver Metro area and think you may be suffering from pre-menopausal symptoms, please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves to talk about what you are experiencing and his recommendations for feeling better.
If you are looking for supplements, you can purchase them through our online service or contact us to purchase them at our office in the retail shop and dispensary.
You do not have to live with unusual symptoms that are affecting your everyday life. You can feel better and find your balance in a natural way. Call us now and let’s get started.
Leave a Reply