Lisa Torbert – Owner, Massage Artist, Yoga Instructor, Holistic Addiction, MS Community Counseling

Bloating Night Sweats Weight Gain Mood Swings Cold Hands Anxiety, Stress Depression

Digestive Problems Hot Flashes Headaches Fibroid Tumors Fuzzy Thinking Breast Tenderness Excessive Worry

Sometimes the first faint knocks of perimenopause start with an increased feeling of irritability. This is the start of what 40 million women are currently going through. Perimenopause (change in women’s estrogen levels), has been described by many women to be much worse than menopause itself (the ending of menstruation). So lets look on the bright side; maybe it is a time to re-create the second half of our lives. Many women go out into the world and discover themselves in a new business or go back to school. It is a time when women can give up some of their care-giving, a time we are meant to “mother ourselves.”

For some, perimenopause can be a gift, the courage and push to make positive changes. It can fuel that drive with an incredible energy, demanding to be heard. Others do everything in their power to resist change, often clinging to old patterns of nurturing others, which they have done their entire lives. They paddle upstream instead of going with the flow of the current.

Have you ever considered that our hormones actually contain a message for us and give us the opportunity to make those changes? Perimenopause has been described as the mother of all wake-up calls. Women have been given monthly wake up calls for over thirty years, PMS, giving us great perspective. However, we ignore these subtle hints and hit the snooze button instead of dealing with our unresolved issues. Perimenopause is our time to renegotiate some of our habitual habits and relationships.

Our emotions cleanse our mind and body, so if we carry a heavy load of emotional baggage our hormonal shift can intensify our physical symptoms. Perimenopause can be described as PMS times ten. Some of the many physical symptoms include bloating, breast swelling and tenderness, mood swings, weight gain, headaches, fibroid tumors, cold hands and feet, digestive problems, depression, night sweats, insomnia, hot flashes, fuzzy thinking, excessive worry, anger, anxiety and stress.

One of the most powerful tools for building and protecting our health is decreasing our stress. Yoga and meditation are essential. We have got to find a way to help bring our body and spirit connection together. If you want to stay well, protect your muscles and bones, then exercise is essential. Exercise is important for building muscle (which burns more fat) and strengthens our bones, muscles, joints, etc.

My personal experience with perimenopause has been very experimental. I have changed my diet, have regular acupuncture treatments, take a natural supplement (with 20 different natural ingredients), practice yoga, exercise, and take Calcium and Chinese herbs. This has worked quite well for me, diminishing most of my very uncomfortable symptoms.

Eat This, Don’t Eat That

I think weight gain is probably the most frustrating part of perimenopause. We inexplicably begin to gain weight. Many women are horrified that the pounds start creeping on when we don’t seem to change our diets. There are just some foods that are going to be harmful during menopause: that’s right chocolate, sugar, alcohol and too many simple carbohydrates (which are made up of sugar). Ever wonder why chocolate makes us feel better? Well, it contains Phenylethylamine (PEA), an internal stimulant and antidepressant, which explains why chocolate puts us in such a good mood. So I am afraid ladies the best choice is to eliminate these foods, at least for awhile. Try adding foods such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains to normalize blood sugar levels and balance hormones. Women can also add soy, flaxseed, apples, carrots, oats, plums, olives, potatoes, tea, and sunflower seeds. These particular foods contain phytoestrogens, natural hormones found in plants. These foods offer some beneficial effects because they provide hormones similar to the ones found in our bodies.

Finding our voice and our balance is a journey. Remember that our emotions are our inner guidance system and they are meant to move us. It is a time to experiment with our body, mind and spirit and find what works for us.

Note: Whenever trying food supplements or herbs always consult an expert. Some supplements may not combine well with certain medications or other supplements and some people may have an allergic reaction, although it is rare.

Lisa Torbert is the owner of Heather’s Holistic Health. She is a Massage Technician, Yoga Instructor, Holistic Advisor and Addictions Specialist and has a Masters in Community Counseling, Call for a FREE consultation with alternative solutions for Menopause, Addictions and Weight Gain.