Tips for Hormone Changes in Women

Around the age of 35 women experience a decline in the production of the hormone progesterone. Progesterone helps maintain the lining of the uterus during a pregnancy so the baby can be provided nutrients and develop. As the need to conceive and carry a pregnancy recedes, a decline in estrogen levels occurs as well. However, both hormones don’t lower at the same rate and estrogen levels will often spike at different times of the month to compensate for the lower progesterone levels. This then creates an imbalance. This stage of life when hormone levels begin to change is called perimenopause and leads over the years to menopause, a ceasing of the menstrual cycle, which occurs on average around the age of 51.

 The imbalance and decline in progesterone and estrogen during perimenopause and post-menopause creates a variety of symptoms because progesterone and estrogen receptors are found in tissue and organs all over the body and have a role to play in the functioning of those cells. Besides the reproductive organs, estrogen and progesterone receptors are found on the brain, in the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones, in the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system, the liver, the thyroid, and the adrenal glands. So, when something happens to alter the usual pattern of estrogen and progesterone throughout each month, as it does in perimenopause, a woman will notice it all over her body and she may not even know that changing levels of estrogen or progesterone are involved in the symptoms being experienced. 

Symptoms of Perimenopause and Post Menopause

Ways to Improve Side Effects of Hormone Changes

• Cut out sugar to help with belly fat, mood swings, healing and dry skin/wrinkles.  Sugar impacts estrogen levels, creates an imbalance with progesterone and causes inflammation.
• Eat 25 grams of fiber a day to reduce the reabsorption of estrogen.
• Strength Train 2-3x week to maintain or rebuild muscle to help with maintaining body weight, helping joint pain, and bone density.
• Do 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a week to help with weight management, bone density, insomnia, depression, mood swings.
• Drink 2 or less alcoholic drinks a week to help with hot flashes and weight gain.
• Eat 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight to maintain or rebuild muscle.  Muscle helps metabolism, joint pain, bone density.
• Eat more foods with Zinc, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Magnesium to promote progesterone which is a ‘happy, feel good’ hormone.
• Talk with your doctors about hormone replacement therapy to help mitigate symptoms of mental health, vaginal dryness, urinary issues, bone density, memory, hot flashes. Hormone Replacement Therapy may be appropriate for women under 60 and those within 10 years of menopause. Estrogen creams may be appropriate for women at any age for urinary and vaginal symptoms.
• Be sure to get 1000-1200mg of calcium a day through food or supplements to maintain bone density.