Natural Solutions for Early Symptoms and Hormonal Balance

By Jamie Bussin

According to holistic nutritionist and author Aeryon Ashlie, women are entering perimenopause as early as their mid-thirties. This is relevant because the symptoms of perimenopause are those that are frequently misunderstood as symptoms of menopause. We discussed the natural treatment of those symptoms in Episode #317 of The Tonic Talk Show/Podcast. This is a digest of that conversation.

Menopause occurs when a woman has gone a year without a period; whereas perimenopause starts when the hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to decrease. For most women this starts in her late 30’s, but as Aeryon noted can occur as early as 35. Women typically begin to notice the symptoms in their 40’s.

What are the symptoms of perimenopause?

Vasomotor symptoms, aka hot flashes and night sweats are common symptoms of perimenopause. But other symptoms include:

  • Breast tenderness
  • Worsened premenstrual symptoms
  • Lower sex drive
  • Fatigue
  • Irregular periods
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Mood changes
  • Disrupted sleep
  • Cognitive difficulties

According to Aeryon; “a lot of women tend to be estrogen dominant, so we tend to have more estrogen in our body due to the fact we have a lot of xenoestrogens, be it from stress,  birth control, the makeup we’re using, the skin cleaner, the cleaners in our homes, the plastics …all of that stuff.”

But you want a better balance between progesterone and estrogen because progesterone regulates the highs and lows of estrogen.

Aeryon believes that a period is a gift to women – like a regular report card that can be tracked as a sign of good or poor health. Premenstrual symptoms such as cramping, heavy bleeding, and fatigue aren’t normal. And if you are experiencing those symptoms you might consider factors in the previous month such as stress, exercise, sleep patterns, regularity of bowel movements.

The treatment of these symptoms is actually a form of preventative medicine that might delay or reduce serious conditions later in life such as dementia, osteoporosis, muscle mass loss and type 2 diabetes.

Everyone is different. You may not experience any symptoms of perimenopause, or only some or unfortunately more. But whatever the combination of symptomatology it is incumbent on you to consider the causes. According to Aeryon stress and the way you handle stress is the cause of many of the common symptoms of perimenopause.

What should you do?

Foremost, Aeryon recommends regular blood tests and hormone testing to obtain the accurate information to edify your treatment decisions. She started that testing when she was 35 – hormonal testing every 3 years. Now at 50, those tests are annual. The earlier one starts collecting the information, the better – in order to establish more accurate baseline hormone levels which are unique to each individual. For some, who have extended healthcare benefits, they might consider requesting more comprehensive urine testing, known as “the Dutch test”.

Aeryon also recommends monitoring your stress levels and considering the sources of that stress. Pay attention to your thoughts and feelings. Practice gratitude and mindfulness. Even something as simple as breathwork; taking breath in, holding breath for a couple of seconds and breathing out through your mouth. “Clinical studies have shown 15 minutes of breathwork twice a day reduces hot flashes, pms, headaches and helps mood and stress tolerance.”

Your diet is important too. Many women 50+ don’t consume enough protein. Aeryon’s rule of thumb is that women should consume one gram of protein for every pound of body weight, daily.

Resistance training is crucial to maintaining muscle mass and helps with bone density and mobility too. She recommends lifting heavy weights three times a week. Be sure to focus on the strength of  your pelvic floor muscles as 50% of women experience prolapse. Do your Kegels and exercises like bridges.

Lastly, consider your brain health. 60% of middle-aged women report issues with cognition. Neuroplasticity is something that can be maintained as we age. Engage in learning new activities or using apps that challenge your cognitive skills.