Menopause is a natural stage of life that every woman will come to experience, typically around the age of 50. It is the natural process that occurs when a woman no longer needs to reproduce and her ovaries stop producing the sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. Unfortunately for many women, this process is not as harmonious as it could be. Why is that?

"Of the over 3,500 females who responded, 86% had moderate to severe hormone health concerns."

From one of our health questionnaires, we found that of the over 3,500 females who responded, 86% experience moderate to severe hormone health concerns on a daily basis. 

"Menopause is a natural process that occurs when a woman no longer needs to reproduce and her ovaries stop producing the sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone."

One very important part of hormone health is the journey to menopause.

Here we'll walk through this hormonal transition period, explaining how and why it happens, what you can do to help support your body and ease the classic symptoms of menopause.

What is Menopause?

The female body produces oestrogen and progesterone in order to fulfil the biological need for our species to reproduce. Females are born with their eggs and around the age of 50, the stores of viable eggs are depleted. The body knows this, and adjusts by lowering levels of oestrogen and progesterone.

Without adequate levels of these hormones, ovulation cannot occur. Without ovulation, there is no need for the monthly build up of endometrial lining and no monthly bleeding.

Menopause is signalled when a year has passed without a menstrual cycle—meaning it can only be diagnosed retrospectively.

So, what’s Peri-menopause?

The period leading up to menopause is called peri-menopause.

Perimenopause is a transitional stage in a female's reproductive life that begins about 4-5 years (and sometimes longer!) before menopause. Some lucky women cruise through peri-menopause and barely notice a thing, however the majority of women will experience a variety of symptoms.

"Perimenopause is a transitional stage in a woman's reproductive life that begins about 4-5 years (and sometimes longer!) before menopause."

Some of the most common symptoms include;

• Irregular periods
• Hot flashes
• Insomnia
• Night sweats
• Weight gain
• Mood changes
• Breast pain
• Joint pain
• Headaches

These symptoms are attributed to fluctuating oestrogen levels.

READ MORE: Best ways to prepare for peri-menopause.

From the onset of peri-menopause, the overall trend of oestrogen hormone levels is downward, however it is not a direct line and has many micro-fluctuations along the way.

Kind of like a plane plane gradually landing in a turbulent storm.

Oestrogen dominance is a hormonal imbalance commonly seen in clients at the  BePure Clinic. Entering menopause from a state of oestrogen dominance is like landing a plane from 35,000ft… There’s going to be some serious turbulence on the way down!  

How do I know if I'm in Peri-Menopause?

It can often be difficult to know when your body has entered peri-menopause as its symptoms have plenty of crossover with PMS symptoms. For example, menstrual migraines are associated with a drop in oestrogen levels and, as discussed above, this certainly happens in menopause. 

For most women, the main indicator of peri-menopause will be irregular periods, however every woman is different, and will have a different experience.

What to Expect after Menopause

After menopause has occurred, you will no longer have a monthly period.

Oestrogen is the hormone responsible for our libido, energy levels, and mood and this natural decrease in oestrogen can cause menopausal women to experience varying degrees of these symptoms. Even though oestrogen isn't required for reproduction, post-menopausal women still need a small amount of oestrogen and progesterone moderate the balance of mood and testosterone.

"There is more research coming out that shows pre-menopausal behaviours and lifestyle can impact the severity of menopausal symptoms."

Symptoms of low oestrogen include:

• Decreased libido
• Fat storage will shifts from hips to belly
• vaginal dryness
• Increased risk of osteoporosis

The drop in oestrogen also means that relatively within your body you will have an increased proportion of testosterone which can be associated with masculinising effects.

While these symptoms are not the most pleasant there is more research coming out that shows pre-menopausal behaviours and lifestyle can impact the severity of menopausal symptoms. For example, women that were anxious over worked and sleep deprived experienced more regular hot flashes during menopause. 

There are many ways you can support your body and improve your health during this hormonal transition phase.   

7 Steps to Easing into Menopause

1. Boost essential nutrient intake

We know that both vitamin B6 and magnesium can help with the common menopausal symptoms. Increasing calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E will help with declining oestrogen levels. You can find high levels of all these key nutrients in our BePure One and BePure Magnesium Restore.

2. Take a herbal remedy

Vitex is a lovely herb for hormone regulation. Combine with adrenal adaptogens withania and rhodiola for a lovely hormone balancing and nourishing formula. Take a look at some of our other herbal remedies.

3. Add in phytoestrogens to boost oestrogen levels

These are plant-based oestrogens such as soy products (tempeh), flaxseed, sesame, oats and barley. Most premenopausal women are battling against too much oestrogen and I for them I'd recommend reducing soy, however moving through menopause these phytoestrogens can provide us with beneficial additional oestrogens which can help with mood, libido and bone density. Research has shown that phytoestrogens can have a positive effect on hot flashes and symptoms associated with vaginal dryness.

4. Support the parasympathetic nervous system

Hot flushes and other symptoms of menopause can be worse when women are stressed, overworked and sleep deprived. While it can be difficult for many women to reduce their daily stressors, you can help balance your stress by spending time calming your parasympathetic nervous system. Here are some tips to help you slow down and balance your nervous system.

5. Develop a relaxing sleep routine

This takes time and will be unique to you but putting this in place will help you get to sleep better and stay asleep for longer. Insomnia is another symptom of peri-menopause and we believe that a soothing end to the day can help

6. Put your own gas mask on first

Attending to troubling personal or work relationships, perhaps by seeking professional advice, will also help to reduce stress, improve sleep and enable you to live a happier life.

7. Increase intake of organ meats

This is an incredibly nutrient dense food source with high bioavailability. Liver in particular, is great for adrenal support. While not the most delicious cut of meat, it is easily added to meals like Shepherd's Pie, lasagna and meatloaf.