Perimenopause mayhem

PERIMENOPAUSE….Heard of it? It’s that bit before you go into actual menopause, which is officially 12 months after your final period. Most women hit perimenopause sometime in their 40’s and for some it goes virtually unnoticed, but for others this can be a really horrible time that can last for up to 10 years!

Heavier menstrual flow, irregular periods with shorter cycles, increased headaches/migraines, irritability, mood swings and tender lumpy breasts preceding periods, new night-time disturbances/hot flushes and unexplained weight gain….what a barrel of laughs! No it isn’t, but unfortunately many women suffer through this without realising that there are many solutions to be found in natural medicine.

In a nutshell this is a time when a woman’s oestrogen levels can be higher than ever before, but then also lower than is optimal, and with this hormonal see-saw comes the corresponding symptoms which are often made worse as a result of diet and lifestyle choices. But the great news is that these imbalances are easily addressed with the right guidance and the added support of herbs and nutrients such as Withania, Magnesium, and B vitamins.