RN-BSN
Historically, the medical field has placed significant focus and research on the female reproductive years in terms of menstrual cycles, puberty, pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and postpartum. Women can access an abundance of information on how to navigate these life stages, as they have been more commonly routine to discuss with your medical provider.
Menopause, on the other hand, has been heavily overlooked as a stage of life where monthly menstruation ends and women are stigmatized as hot, sweaty, and angry. Another big issue is that menopause across the board isn’t being addressed properly in residency programs, leaving our medical professionals unequipped and disempowered to treat symptoms of menopause.
Over the past decade, more research has been done on menopause treatment, including hormone replacement therapy. There is heightened awareness that our medical providers need to be educated on what can be done about menopause symptoms. Providers are learning that not everyone needs hormone therapy, but they should be “comfortable with understanding the risks and benefits of hormone therapy and who would be a good candidate for it, as well as the non-hormonal options available for management of menopause symptoms,” according to a PBS NewsHour report.
As menopause awareness and research has improved, there is another stage that occurs prior to menopause that remains widely ignored: perimenopause.
Perimenopause, according to South Beach Wellness Center, is the “transitional phase” preceding menopause and typically occurs in a woman’s mid-40s about eight to 10 years before menopause. The onset range varies, as some women start perimenopause as early as their mid-30s. There are a variety of researched treatments that women can implement to enhance the quality of their lives as they age through perimenopause into menopause.
Heat shock therapy is an increasingly popular practice that involves exposing the body to heat for therapeutic benefits. According to Plunge, heat therapy increases circulation by expanding the blood vessels, which reduces pain and relieves cramping or muscle aches. Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) assist with maintaining protein homeostasis to “repair and refold damaged proteins, ensuring our cells maintain their structural integrity and function under adverse conditions.” HSPs also play a role in preventing protein damage and misfolding, which “can lead to various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer.” Sauna therapy and exercise are two common and powerful methods to activate HSPs. In terms of perimenopause, HSPs help boost the growth hormone, which women lack as they age, and improve cardiovascular health.
As women lose estrogen, there is a gradual change in the microbiome. Women have to work harder to diversify gut bacteria. According to the Gut Health Doctor, dietary changes are instrumental as women go through perimenopause, as they need to make a conscious effort to feed the microbiome more fiber (i.e.. plants, protein, and probiotics). Since women are losing a lot of protein in perimenopause, they need to increase protein intake and resistance training. Women should strive to be around healthy people as much as possible, according to Save Yourself with Dr. Amy Shah, as research shows that people share a microbiome with people they spend the most time with.
Walking is a wonderful and therapeutic low-stress movement for people at all stages of life, but there is no doubt that walking is especially beneficial in perimenopause and throughout the aging process. As people age, they tend to walk less and be less active overall. So walking more (10,000 steps or more) is encouraged to improve physical and mental health, plus avoid gaining those extra menopausal pounds. Walking outdoors in sunlight is ideal, but walking indoors on a treadmill still has tremendous benefits. Research shows again and again that walking improves metabolism, improves mental health, and reduces stress.
During perimenopause, many women will start to experience sleep disturbances, so paying attention to circadian rhythms takes priority more than ever! According to Dr. Amy Shah, it’s important for women to get sunlight in the morning (at least 20-30 minutes of natural light), get adequate sleep (improve sleep hygiene with minimizing noise, blocking out light, etc.), and fall asleep/wake up at the same time daily.
Nutrition is a powerful key to relieving perimenopause symptoms. As mentioned above, women’s gut health changes as they age, so it takes a proactive approach to counteract the potential bloat, weight gain, and fatigue that typically comes with perimenopause. Gut bacteria depend on estrogen and progesterone to flourish, so as those hormones decline with age, women should prioritize good nutrition with protein, plants, fiber, and probiotics. Women can rapidly change the state of their gut health and hormones by changing their nutrition.
Women should feel empowered as they go through perimenopause instead of being confused by the lack of information. Healthcare providers need to equip themselves with the tools necessary to help women adjust to changing hormones and alter their lifestyles. Too many women go through this journey with misinformation and helplessness, but focusing on a holistic approach is the first step to managing symptoms and regaining control over their bodies.
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