The beginner's guide to menopause: 

I'm so used to talking about menopause - I forget other women aren't!

So if you're just getting started talking about or understanding menopause...

Or if you're looking for the elusive info that will help you understand menopause treatments and which ones are right for you...

Here's my guide on

  • Where to start
  • How the whole hormonal puzzle fits together
  • And my three-part plan for feeling great

 during menopause. 


Here's a quick video walkthrough of exactly what you'll find in this blog:

What is menopause - when does it start - how long does it last ?

A: The menopausal transition is the whole time when your  hormone levels are decreasing.  They change from their highest levels (when you're your most fertile) to their lowest levels - after "the moment of menopause" is a couple of years past.  

The moment that is actually called menopause is the day when you have had no menstrual bleeding for 12 months in a row. 

On average, your hormone levels dropping starts around age 28 - really pick up speed around 38 - hit a critical low point where your period stops around 45 or 50 - and then continue to drop until they levels off at your postmenopausal levels 2-4 years later.  

And it's very normal for it to start earlier - or later - or go more quickly or slowly.   (See the PS if you've had a hysterectomy)

What if you've had a hysterectomy?

If your ovaries were removed, you entered "surgical menopause" the day of your surgery, and you're post-menopause from then on.  


If you kept one or both ovaries, you will follow the same hormonal timeline you would have anyway.  You just won't have periods helping to let you know what's happening when. 

What are the most common symptoms women feel during this transition? 

The most common are 

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Brain fog
  • And increased anxiety or stress... 

But these are really common too:

  • Weight gain
  • New food allergies and bloating
  • Body aches, frozen shoulder, or tendinitis
  • Dry eyes, mouth, or skin
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Bone loss or muscle loss
  • Thinning hair
  • Vaginal dryness, low libido, or recurring UTIs
  • And MUCH more

What can you do to relieve symptoms of menopause? 

There are three approaches to dealing with these symptoms:

option 1

 Ignore them till menopause is "over."

option 2

Use symptomatic treatment only.

option3

Treat the underlying hormonal imbalance

or cause of your symptoms

#1:  Ignore them till menopause is "over."

I strongly disagree with this option because

  • The symptoms can be severe and there's simply no reason to suffer through them
  • having severe symptoms means your hormones are out of balance
  • The longer your hormones stay out of balance the more at risk you are for secondary health problems

#2:  Use symptomatic treatment only

This is when you treat individual symptoms, as they pop up, with things like painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-depressants, fans, cooling sprays, and cooling nightgowns. 

  • There's nothing wrong with getting some quick relief this way.
  • BUT - these are band-aids that don't do anything to get at the underlying hormonal cause of these symptoms...
  • In fact they can make other hormonal symptoms more likely, because the side effects of these medications can be dryness and night sweats

#3:  Treat the underlying hormonal imbalance or cause of your symptoms

This is my favorite approach because it:

  • Gives long-lasting relief
  • Actually gets rid of symptoms at their root cause so the longer you do these remedies the less you need them
  • Helps prevent future hormonal symptoms from showing up by bringing the endocrine system into balance
  • If done right can set you up for healthier aging

What about after menopause?   

  • Are you still having hormone-related symptoms?
  • Should you be doing anything for your hormones after menopause? 

Yes!

About 90% of women have what they think are just normal signs of aging after menopause that are actually preventable symptoms of low or imbalanced hormone levels!  

(Especially if you include and address male and female sex hormone and everything they affect like metabolism hormones, blood sugar hormones, stress hormones, and inflammatory chemicals in the body.) 

So if you're still with me and...

After looking at your three options

  1. Ignore symptoms till menopause is over
  2. Use symptomatic treatment only
  3. Treat the underlying hormonal imbalance or cause of your symptoms

You want to do #3...

Here's Your 3-Part Plan for Feeling Great During & After Menopause:

Step 1:

Adopt a hormone-friendly diet & lifestyle

Step 2:

Add in customized herbal remedies and key supplements

Step 3:

If those two steps aren't enough add in gentle HRT

So if you're thinking... 
  • Where do I start if I have multiple symptoms
  • What if I don't have hot flashes
  • Nothing is working for weight loss anymore (no matter WHAT I do)
  • I. Can't.  Sleep.  
  • What if my hot flashes are still going on 15 years after menopause?
  • Can anything really help with vaginal dryness or low libido?

Find out why HRT is not a complete solution - and how to get relief from any and all of these plus more - here's how.... 

Free masterclass

Three Steps to Easing Menopause Symptoms with Natural Remedies

menopause blueprint masterclass
SHOW ME HOW

Get back to enjoying life THIS year!

Thanks so much for joining me today!  Please put your questions & comments in the comments section below, I'd truly love to hear from you!


This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is being provided to you to educate you about Chinese medicine in your diet, lifestyle, and supplements and as a self-help tool for your own use. It is not personalized health advice. This information is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgment.  For my full Disclaimer, please go to https://danalavoielac.com/disclaimer-2/

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