As our female bodies prepare for the transition of peri-menopause to menopause (when the periods have stopped for more than 12 months), it’s important to be aware of many physical changes taking place.
Before menopause when women are fertile, oestrogen is produced mainly in the ovaries. Ovaries are grape-sized glands located by the uterus and are part of the endocrine system. After the cessation of the menstrual cycle, the body still makes small amounts of oestrogen by changing hormones called androgens into oestrogen. Androgens are produced by the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys. A hormone called aromatase changes androgens into oestrogen. Aromatase is produced mainly by fatty tissue.
Oestrogen
is no longer important for reproduction as we mature, but it still plays a key
role in other bodily functions:
- It maintains blood vessels and vascular health
- Supports skin function, skin texture and hydration
- Retains salt and water for hydration and fluid balance in the body
- Increases bone strength and calcium for bone health
- Decreases cortisol and stress responding mechanisms
- Manages gastro-intestinal tract by:
- Improving smooth muscle function of the intestines and the stomach
- Reducing bowel motility
- Increasing cholesterol in bile
- Promotes lung function by supporting alveoli
- Assists thyroid function
- Regulates immune function
- Increases platelet adhesion and coagulation
- Supports brain health
Inflammation and
oxidative levels increase with age, making us more susceptible to a variety of age-related
conditions. The drop of oestrogen at midlife will increase oxidative stress and
inflammatory cytokines in the body. Cytokines are messengers in our bodies, creating
certain reactions in our system and they play an important role in immunity. It’s
vital to support all bodily functions with a clean, fresh and versatile diet.
High acidity which promotes inflammation and vice versa can be targeted with an
alkalizing diet, which means cutting out junk food or things that come out of a
packet. It also means having fewer animal products, sugars, grains and alcohol.
Hot Flushing
Hot flushes and night sweats are experienced by 70% of women undergoing menopause. Fluctuating amounts of oestrogen upset the body temperature thermostat and the brain signals that the body is too hot. It’s similar to a stress response that is activated and hence the dread and anxiety that sometimes accompanies hot flushes.
A stress response involves
the release of adrenaline and cortisol and these key hormones prepare our body
for fight or flight which causes an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and
a boost in energy supplies. This is important in a situation where there is
threat but is unhealthy when it becomes our normal state of being. High levels
of adrenaline and cortisol in the system will not only deplete the adrenals
glands but also have an adverse effect on our health.
High stress levels in
menopause reduces the body’s ability to make androgens which convert into oestrogen.
Ongoing stress situations will also deplete serotonin levels and hence create
depression and mood disorders.
Body Weight Gain
As these hormonal
changes take place leading up to, during and after menopause, women lose their
waist because we gain more fatty tissue around our abdomen. Its natural and
acceptable to increase healthy body weight by around 5kg post menopause. Too
much abdominal fat, however, will adversely affect our health and could result
in a condition called ‘Metabolic syndrome’ which results from overweight and is
associated with abdominal obesity, blood fat disorders, inflammation, insulin
resistance, full-blown diabetes, and increased risk of developing
cardiovascular disease. During menopause where our bodies are switching from a
childbearing to a non-reproductive phase, to be under- or overweight can be an
additional complication.
Migraines With or Without Aura
Headaches are more common in females because of their highly sensitive hormonal balance. Due to stronger fluctuation of oestrogen in menopause and particularly related to the ratio of progesterone and oestrogen, headaches might become more predominant during the transition of peri-menopause to menopause.
Sleep Disturbances
Sleep
disturbances are often a primary complaint in menopausal women. Staying asleep
without waking is a bigger problem than falling asleep. Sleep problems are not
necessarily a primary symptom of menopause but can be aggravated by:
- High levels of stress
- Poor health in general
- Mental illness
- Sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome
- Hormonal changes
A structured sleep routine is best to assist the chaos of peri-menopause, so the brain can easily release the hormones needed at the right time. For instance, establishing a routine of going to bed and waking at the same time assist your body in balancing the circadian cycle. You can find information on sleep here.
The body must cool
down for sleep so use layers of natural fibres in bed, rather than one big
doona that might overheat you. Tire your body before going to bed, turn off the
screens (TV, Phone, other electronic devices) and calm your brain with
meditation, light reading or any other relaxation technique that works for you.
If there are primary sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea, you will need to
address these too.
Bone Health
One
of oestrogen’s benefits is to protect your bones and help keep them strong and
healthy. When oestrogen levels drop, many women lose bone density and a loss of
bone strength and mineral density make women susceptible to fractures.
Many
lifestyle factors are important to good bone health: Stop smoking (if you still
are), lose weight (if you are too heavy), clean up your diet, get moving and
have your prescription medication regularly assessed by your medical
professional as some medication will affect bone density.
Vitamin
D is a hormone and assists the absorption of calcium and is important for bone
health and 15 minutes of sunshine on arm and legs can go a long way when it
comes to good health. Eggs, tuna and salmon also contain a healthy dose of
Vitamin D.
Exercise
is important for our cardiovascular health as well as for bone density and weight
bearing and resistance training is best for stronger bones. Walking, skipping
or tennis and other forms of exercise improve our metabolism and help maintain
good physical range and function.
Breasts
In
Australia, breast cancer rates are high but thankfully most women affected by
breast cancer will not die from it. Breasts are loaded with oestrogen receptors
and when oestrogen is in the blood stream, the receptors will soak it up. This
will generate cell growth which is how our breasts grow initially during
puberty but if there are excessive amounts of oestrogen, it can stimulate
cancer growth. Excessive oestrogen levels may result from HRT (Hormone
Replacement Therapy) or many years of taking the contraceptive pill. Another
cause could also be starting periods at a younger age or finishing at an older
age because the system would have a longer exposure to extra oestrogen.
HRT
can be derived from bioidentical hormones (they are identical chemically to
those our bodies produce naturally and are made from plant oestrogens) and
these are different to the traditional HRT, which is composed of the urine of
pregnant horses and other synthetic hormones.
Breasts are still
important for post-menopausal hormone production. As women age, the fat cells
in their breasts tend to produce greater amounts of an enzyme called aromatase.
Aromatase promotes the production of oestrogen by changing androgens to oestrogen.
We require a good balance of aromatase in breast tissue, so we have the right
amount of oestrogen.
Heart Health
Oestrogen plays an
important role in cardiovascular health:
- It dilates blood vessels
to lower blood pressure - It increases good
cholesterol (HDL) - It decreases platelet
clotting - It lowers fat deposits in
arterial walls - It triggers chemicals to
keep the blood flowing - It regulates insulin
Its assumed that
overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system resulting from lower levels
of oestrogen after menopause can cause irregular heartbeats and palpitations.
Cardiovascular risk
factors are higher post menopause and must be addressed early. Many
cardiovascular factors are related to our body weight and the way we eat. The
better you monitor your weight and ensure that it’s within the accepted
dimensions, the better you will feel overall. It’s almost as simple as that.
Brain Health
Haziness,
forgetfulness, brain fog, losing words are all part of the process of change
when the body stops producing oestrogen in the ovaries and instead adopts to
the post-fertile phase of womanhood.
Oestrogen, as you may
have guessed already is an important ‘brain player’. It regulates neuronal
biochemistry. The structure and function related to cognitive and emotional
processes. Research is not quite able yet to pinpoint exactly to what extent
oestrogen is involved. Oestrogen is so important to brain function that it has
its own endocrine gland – the hypothalamus – to produce oestradiol which is a
type of oestrogen to support brain function. This production buffers the supply
of oestrogen in times of great female hormone fluctuations like puberty,
pregnancy and menopause.
Oestrogen also impacts
our cognitive function and hence the ‘symptoms’ that sometimes accompany the
peri- menopausal and post-menopausal phase. Oestrogen is involved in memory,
problem solving, information processing, reaction time, language and emotional
regulation, so you start to see why we experience brain fog, forgetfulness,
memory loss and similar cognitive functions. The good news is it doesn’t last!
Change of life means
that our bodies are making changes to our chemistry that are no longer relying
on oestrogen production in the ovaries. Oestrogen is such an important hormone
and messenger and supports many functions, so it’s important that those ‘system
changes’ are done properly and over time.
The onset of menopause
is truly the start of a new era and there is nothing wrong with celebrating it
with a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Having the right amount of oestrogen
floating in our system is the key to a happy, healthy and vital life beyond
menopause.
In Chinese Medicine Theory
From a Chinese
medicine perspective, menopause is the onset of Yin deficiency. Yin embodies
the principles of passivity, female, earth, dark, cold and more. So, when Yin
is deficient it allows the rise of Yang which causes some symptoms like hot
flushes, night sweats, irritability etc. So, for instance to address a Yin
deficiency situation, we supplement the body with Yin-type nourishing herbs and
acupuncture protocols to ultimately boost the potential lack of oestrogen in
our bodies. Frequently there is a variety of patterns in menopausal women as
everyone presents differently. Nevertheless, the changes that our bodies
undergo with peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause can be similar. It’s
important to understand also that it’s not a condition, it’s simply a
modification and adaptation to a new situation.
Chinese medicine
includes several modalities such as acupuncture and Chinese herbs. We have a
range of formulas that we use depending on your situation and the way we tailor
those formulas to your need is based on a treatment strategy that we agree on in
support of your situation. Most women respond positively to both acupuncture
and or Chinese herbs.
What you eat every day is your responsibility, but we will certainly address dietary optimization and most importantly, we understand that menopause is an important (and exciting) phase in a woman’s life and we are here to support you. We have done so with many other women in the past, and we can confidently say that the results have been very positive.
If you suffer from symptoms accompanying the female transition, please get in touch with a registered Chinese medicine practitioner. We are known for giving you the time you deserve and a treatment plan that will assist you in a smooth transition from peri-menopause to menopause and beyond.
