Menopause has a funny (or not so funny) way of creeping up on a woman. One day she’s going about her life as usual, and the next, she feels like an alien has inhabited her body.
If you’re reading this, you may be suffering from some (or all) of the symptoms below. Menopausal symptoms don’t have to be unpleasant, and definitely should not be debilitating. Many of these symptoms most likely indicate a deeper root issue. Some of the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include:
- Hot flashes
- Night Sweats
- Low/No libido
- Vaginal dryness
- Stubborn fat
- Irritability
- Mood imbalances
- Insomnia and frequent waking
Why Some Women Have Menopausal Symptoms and Others Don’t
Menopause occurs when there is a decline in ovarian hormones and ovarian function. It is meant to be a transitional process that occurs without symptoms. Many people assume hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are only important in terms of reproduction. But women still need these hormones to build muscle and bones. They are also important for cardiovascular health and more.
When the ovaries gradually start to decline during “healthy” perimenopause, the adrenals kick in and are supposed to produce hormones that the ovaries stop producing. The adrenals’ job is to take over and keep things running smoothly. However, when the adrenals are not functioning properly, this gradual transition doesn’t occur. Menopause then becomes another task for the adrenals, and the adrenal glands are just too depleted to step in and do their job. This is when menopausal symptoms start to rear their ugly head.
Why do our Adrenals fail us?
We live in a society that has normalized chronic stress, and the “hustle.” Years of this type of lifestyle, along with the increase of toxins in our air, food, and water, gradually causes a dysregulation of the nervous system, and basically the entire stress response system. By design, our stress response system was made for immediate response to an acute stressor. This is also known as the fight or flight response. The response is life-saving when done on occasion.
Nowadays, however, there are so many demands on women in our society, that the chronic stress takes a toll on their physiology. When exposed to this chronic stress over time, the suppression of the “rest and digest” organs and systems leads to dysfunction, autoimmune diseases, and adrenal fatigue.
During perimenopause, the adrenals are expected to produce hormones that the ovaries no longer produce.
When your limbic system detects any kind of stressor, the adrenals are in charge of moving energy away from “rest and digest” functions and toward the survival functions. This is when we start to see the first signs of menopausal symptoms (aka reproductive hormone imbalance). Adrenal health directly affects ovarian hormone health. When chronic stress occurs, Adrenal Fatigue is the result. The stress response is working overtime, and the adrenals just can’t do their job as they should. They cannot provide the estrogen and progesterone needed to ease the transition into menopause.
The Early Signs of Hormonal Imbalance (before perimenopause)
Even before the onset of perimenopause, many women experience some form of ovarian hormone imbalance that often indicates the presence of Adrenal Fatigue. They may have experienced one or more of the following in their younger years:
— PMS or PMS-D
— Breast Tenderness
— Miscarriages or infertility
— Estrogen dominance
— Low libido
— Debilitating Cramps
— Anxiety and depression
— Menstrual irregularities
Ovarian hormone imbalance and the accompanying symptoms can show up as menopausal symptoms when they are likely stemming from Adrenal Fatigue. “Quick-fixes” like HRT, BHRT, and herbs do help a lot of women. But this help is temporary, like a band-aid. Taking these hormones can lead to other complications. It’s important to control the symptoms, while investigating the root cause, for complete and permanent healing.The good news is that adrenal dysfunction is responsive to treatment, so women can look forward to maintaining their strength, energy, and vitality, for years to come.
Why Most Doctors Overlook the Adrenal-Menopause Link
Many standard hormone panels measure estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) & luteinizing hormone (LH). Most doctors just look at these hormone levels and stop there. Conventional doctors convince their patients that night sweats, hot flashes, and mood imbalances are part of a “normal” process of aging. Even many functional specialists miss the link between hormonal imbalance and adrenal fatigue.
Instead of addressing the root cause, both conventional and alternative practitioners prescribe gels, pellets, patches, etc, but the severe symptoms of menopause are the result of a completely different root issue. Without addressing the hormone imbalance from adrenal fatigue, true homeostasis (balance) will not be found. You may feel better temporarily, but in the long-run, you will experience side effects or the return of symptoms on a deeper level.
Is HRT Necessary?
No. Hormone Replacement Therapy is not necessary for menopausal symptoms if you’re treating the root cause of the imbalance (Adrenal Fatigue). Replacement hormones may help relieve symptoms temporarily, but won’t completely help the issue.
Menopausal women are not meant to have the hormones of a younger woman. Our bodies are not meant to go back in time, nor can we trick our organs into thinking they’re younger than they are. This approach can cause negative consequences down the line, such as ovarian issues or even cancer. For lasting relief, it is necessary to treat the root causes of hot flashes, night sweats, and mood imbalances, instead of just treating the symptoms.
Final Thoughts
Treating the root cause of your hormonal imbalance is the only way to achieve real and lasting results; if we treat only symptomatically, then more serious health issues can and most likely will occur in the future. Healing menopause symptoms once and for all means healing the entire dysregulated stress response, not just the adrenals, and definitely not just your hot flashes or low estrogen.
Here at Shape Lounge, we offer a customized approach to help you heal the root of your hormonal imbalance, which includes looking at the hormones associated with the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the HPA axis, and the limbic system. Please reach out for a free consultation.