In last month’s article, Perimenopause 101, we covered what perimenopause is, what kinds of changes happen in the body, and how you may experience it. 

Now, we’ll touch on the supports that exist for a smooth perimenopausal and menopausal transition.

Conventional & Hormonal Treatments

Conventional medical treatments vary depending on who you are and what you’re experiencing. Medications like ibuprofen for painful periods, anti-depressants for mood changes, and sleep meds for insomnia are commonly used in perimenopause but they don’t address the underlying changes that are occurring. There are other procedures and treatments like surgeries, ablation, IUDs, and hormone therapy that are commonly used as well.  

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) refers to therapy with a single or combination of sex hormones administered orally, vaginally, transdermally, or via injection. HRT can be very effective when bioidentical hormones are prescribed by qualified healthcare. Appropriate testing like bloodwork and imaging as well as using the lowest effective therapeutic dose are a critical part of safe and effective use of HRT. If not used appropriately, there can be an increased risk of clots and cancer. But when used appropriately, HRT can help with hot flashes, vaginal changes, energy, body composition, mood, sleep, skin, and more. 

Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Supplements

Dietary changes, activity levels, mindset, supplements, and herbs can be very helpful to support your metabolism and hormonal changes. Consult with your healthcare team to make sure you’re following a plan that is appropriate for you. Here’s some general information from research on perimenopause, menopause, and aging:

• Alcohol and caffeine can exacerbate perimenopausal symptoms especially hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia. You don’t have to quit these if you love them, but moderating your consumption is a good idea.

• Mindfulness, meditation, self-care, rest, recovery, and stress management go a long way to support healthy aging, hormonal symptoms, and healthy metabolism. This can look different for everyone – yoga, tai chi, walking, music, art, napping, dancing, etc. You do what works for you. 

• Food-wise, getting adequate protein, fiber, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables while cutting back on refined sugars, processed foods, and saturated fat is important for body composition, hormones, and cardiovascular health. The foods to focus on include dark green leafy veggies, berries, lean protein sources, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. 

• Add in lots of fiber and healthy fats like ground flax seeds to help modulate estrogen activity in your body, olive oil to support healthy fat metabolism, and omega-3s to help decrease inflammation and support healthy cholesterol levels. 

• Exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise, is a must for perimenopausal women to preserve lean muscle mass, to support bone health, and also for cardiovascular and hormonal health. Start slow and consider getting help or joining a class for guidance and accountability. 

• Quality sleep and rest are critical and should be prioritized.

• Community care and having a support system in place are important too. Too many women go through this transition feeling lonely, overwhelmed, and unsupported, so sharing can be empowering and rewarding on many different levels. 

• Herbs like black cohosh, wild yam, sage, rhubarb, and the chaste tree can be helpful for hormonal regulation. 

• Acupuncture and other manual therapies can help with symptoms as well. 

Shifting the needle on your health now can help set you up for a smooth(er) transition. Start where you are and move forward slowly – you don’t have to make all the changes all at once!