Did you know that menopause actually has three phases: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause? I didn’t. As a result, I have a passion for educating women about midlife stages, so they’ll be empowered to make the best choices for their lives, specifically during the years of change (aka hormonal chaos). I previously discussed the first phase – perimenopause. Now, let’s take a deep dive into the second and final phases: menopause and postmenopause.
RELATED: All About Perimenopause
What are menopause and postmenopause?
Menopause is the result of the natural decline in the hormones produced by the ovaries. You officially enter menopause when you haven’t had your period for 12 consecutive months. When you hit this mark, your ovaries will produce little to no amount of estrogen or progesterone.
Unfortunately, your ovaries also stop releasing eggs. So, you won’t be able to reproduce or become pregnant anymore. Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 – 58. If you’re wondering when this will happen for you, take a look at your mom’s menopausal journey, as yours will likely look much the same.
Interestingly, the onset of menopause also indicates the final phase – postmenopause. Though postmenopausal symptoms should cease within a year or two, postmenopause will last for the rest of your life
Induced menopause can also happen for women with Premature Ovarian Failure, and women who’ve had a medical procedure or treatment such as removal of both ovaries, certain drug therapies, cancer treatments like chemotherapy and pelvic radiation, or a pelvic injury that could have seriously damaged one’s ovaries. I have even worked with clients whose hormone levels are considered menopausal because of synthetic hormonal birth control methods.
What are the common signs and changes?
As your estrogen levels drop, you might start experiencing symptoms of menopause. Some of these can occur while you’re still at the perimenopause stage.
- night sweats
- hot flashes
- depression
- anxiety or irritability
- feeling out of control
- mood swings
- insomnia
- sleep disturbances
- fatigue
- bloating, weight gain (especially around the middle), inability to lose weight
- vaginal dryness, itching or burning
- frequent urination
- headaches
- palpitations
- low libido
- decline in sexual function
- cognitive difficulties
- backaches, stiffness, joint pain
- dry skin, hair
- facial hair growth
- increased UTIs
- increased yeast infections
Once you are postmenopausal, your hormone levels will remain at a constant low level, which puts you at risk of certain health issues. Menopause does not cause these conditions, but the depleted hormones, in essence, mean that you aren’t receiving the same protective benefits estrogen provides. These health issues include, but are not limited to:
- osteoporosis
- cardiovascular (heart) disease
- depression and other mental health and cognitive conditions
- changes in vaginal health, such as atrophic vaginitis (the drying and thinning of vaginal tissues)
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How to reduce the risk of these health conditions
Osteoporosis
Did you know…
- that a woman’s risk of breaking a hip is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer?
- worldwide, 1 in 3 women over age 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures
- of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, about 8 million or 80%, are women
Bone health is pretty serious business. Thankfully, there are some things we can do to have the healthiest bones possible. I encourage you to do all you can to maintain the health and strength of your bones.
- Take a calcium supplement like Bone Guard Forte’ by Perque (which includes many important cofactors)
- Eat foods that are rich in calcium – dairy foods (if you tolerate them), collard greens, spinach, mustard greens, Swiss chard, turnip greens, seaweed, bok choi, broccoli, kale, salmon, sardines, mineral water, or bone broth
- Exercise. It’s never too late to start and it’s one of the best ways to maintain bone health. Walking, Zumba, resistance bands and weight training are all beneficial.
- Reducing inflammation with dietary and lifestyle modifications goes a long way. Schedule a free call with me to find out how you specifically can work to reduce inflammation.
Consider having a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) to find out which minerals you might be lacking. Keep in mind that this is not a quick fix and can take months to correct.
You might even want to consider Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, since estrogen is effective in the prevention of osteoporosis, as it’s shown to increase bone density, reduce bone breakdown, increases production of calcitonin, accelerates calcium resorption, reduces calcium excretion, and more.
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease accounts for around 27 percent of all female deaths and kills more women in our country than all cancer forms combined. I really want you to hear this – heart disease is the #1 killer of women and more women die of heart disease than breast cancer. Are you surprised? According to the American Heart Association, one in three women develop cardiovascular disease. In addition, there’s an increase in the incidence of heart attacks for women ten years after menopause.
Cardiovascular risk factors include:
- Changes in body fat distribution
- Reduced glucose tolerance (can’t eat carbs and sugars like we did when we were younger)
- Abnormal plasma lipids
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased sympathetic tone (more in fight or flight than in rest and digest)
- Vascular inflammation
We can attribute many of these risk factors to estrogen depletion, which is what happens in menopause and beyond. Did you know that estrogen protects the cardiovascular system by reducing inflammation and reducing oxidative stress? So you may want to consider talking to an anti-aging practitioner about Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Thankfully, there are many things you can do to manage your risk of developing cardiovascular disease:
- maintain a balanced and nutrient-dense diet
- exercise regularly
- don’t smoke
- get enough sleep
- manage and reduce stress
Depression and other mental health conditions
Hormonal changes and sleep disturbances can contribute to mental health/cognitive issues. Additionally, a person’s feelings about menopause may come into play. For example, distress about low libido or the end of fertility can contribute to depression during menopause.
While feelings of sadness, irritability, and tiredness are common during menopause, they do not necessarily indicate depression (though many women in this phase of life are commonly prescribed anti-depressants, rather than being listened to or offered helpful advice).
Estrogen is clearly neuro-protective, and we already know that we are experiencing a decline in estrogen during menopause and post-menopause, but there are things we can do to create the best outcome mentally and cognitively. Gut health is a big part of the equation because of the gut/brain connection. Happy gut = happy brain. So do your best to eat nutritious whole foods and avoid processed foods, reduce or eliminate alcohol, stay active, reduce and manage stress, get plenty of sleep – basically all of the strategies already mentioned above.
However, anyone who experiences a low mood for a prolonged period (like two weeks or longer) should see a doctor who will advise about the best course of action.
Vaginal health
Because your body produces less estrogen, your vaginal tissues become thinner and are easily irritated, making intercourse unbearable and painful. This can be helped by using moisturizers or lubricants during sexy time. Avocado oil isn’t just for cooking!
You can also opt for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. It improves symptoms of vaginal atrophy and restores vaginal health by balancing the average pH balance of the vagina, thickening the skin, maintaining natural moisture, and improving bacterial balance.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
You hear about Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy from me often. This topic is pretty controversial, especially for someone with breast cancer in their history (ahem, me!). I simply want to reiterate that deciding to use hormone therapy is a personal choice. The best decision for me has been starting Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, and I’ve been on it for about a year now. I have to say – I don’t know why I suffered so long without it!
Just a reminder – it is of the utmost importance that you are working with medical professionals who share your philosophies. You want practitioners who will genuinely listen to you and be open to doing things your way. Conventional medicine has failed us on many counts, so be proactive and choose wisely, and don’t ever be afraid to fire any medical professional who isn’t up to your standards.
Don’t be afraid to seek out like-minded practitioners to be a part of your health team and leave the others who don’t support you well in the past! It’s essential to be working with the right healthcare team to help you, educate you, and monitor your progress. I would be happy to make a recommendation!
The Takeaway
Menopause is so much more than just your periods stopping. So much more than just ‘getting old’. And much, much more than a list of ugly symptoms. Unfortunately, this is a stage in a women’s lives that we can’t escape. As a woman, we’re all bound to experience it. But, it doesn’t mean that we have no other choice but to go through it and endure the pain or discomfort that comes with it. Instead, let’s decide to thrive during this phase!
There are many ways to alleviate symptoms. It doesn’t have to start and end with “this is it, and it’s all part of aging.” We don’t have to accept that anymore. We can choose right now, today, to commit to doing what it takes to fully embrace and enjoy this phase of life. Let’s leave a legacy for the women coming behind us. A legacy full of relief, hope, health, and enjoyment of life in the mid-life stages and beyond. Let’s do this together. Are you with me?
