5 Natural Ways to Handle Perimenopause

Years before the end of your periods, a woman goes through a transitional time that is called perimenopause. This transition – puberty in reverse – occurs as your hormones are gearing down from the high levels needed to reproduce. This transition can take between a year and 10 years, but averages about three years. After a full year without a period, a woman is proclaimed menopausal.

Hormonal changes are responsible for the onset of perimenopause. As a woman reaches the end of her childbearing years, production of her ovarian hormones begins to fluctuate. During perimenopause, many cycles are annovulatory (do not include ovulation) and estrogen levels can sharply rise and then quickly drop. This causes menstrual periods to become shorter, then more and more irregular until they stop.

In the United States, the average age of menopause is 51.

Source – Natural Progesterone Advisory Network

At 45, I experienced a very interesting period in my life. Specifically – perimenopause. I was early. Many women don’t get a taste of this until they are in their 50s.

It was a reality check for me. I always felt young, but was I really? Are you young when you’re dealing with hot flashes, mood swings, missed periods, skin changes and weight gain?

It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself. It’s easy to give up – eat whatever you want, stop exercising, lay around and surrender. But what if you’re not ready for the pasture? What if you still would like to feel vibrant and sexy even if you’re middle aged? It’s possible.

For me, it’s not about looking good for a man. It’s about feeling good for myself. It was about not letting the affects of perimenopause stop me in my tracks. Today, in menopause, I no longer have hot flashes, etc. You’ll get over it.

These are the five things I did to get through perimenopause.

Exercise

Why exercise when you’re putting on weight faster than you can take it off? (That middle aged spread really comes into play during the stages of perimenopause, at least it did for me. ) But, snap out of it and get back to the gym. Will you ever be a size 5 again? Probably not, but you’re not 25 anymore.

Reduce the caffeine

Because I’m a writer, this one was hard for me. “She died from a lack of sleep and too much coffee.” That will be on my tombstone. But hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause are aggravated by caffeine. So, it’s best, at least it was for me, to reduce it or avoid it.

Go for soy

Put soy in your cereal instead of cow’s milk. Soy is good for women experiencing perimenopause because soy is a plant-based estrogen.

Drink lots of water

When I drink water, I feel better. It doesn’t matter what age I am. I’ve always felt better when I drink water. I find the best thing for me to do is to keep bottles of water with me. That way I’m more likely to reach for it. (Maybe it’s something about the bottle.) During perimenopause, water helped to flush me out and keep me feeling hydrated and fresh.

Eat fruits and vegetables

As with water, you’ll feel better during perimenopause if you eat a piece of fruit or a green leafy salad.