Getting Savvy in Menopause makes you MenoWise™
Michelle Robinson FDN-P, WCP, INL, BSc, MBA
Functional gut, fatigue and hormone practitioner, specialising in Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), Early Menopause, Peri Menopause and Menopause.
CONTENT SECTION
As women, our menstrual cycle is like a window into the health of our whole body.
Has anyone really ever asked you about your menstrual cycle? Because how your menstrual cycle is/was can give big clues to how you will go through peri-menopause and menopause and can help identify imbalances now.
How old were you when you started your periods?
Were they regular? What is regular for you? 28 days, 32 days. What is it?
Did you suffer from PMS or PMDD?
Did you have menstrual migraines?
How was your period? Was it heavy or extremely light?
Have you ever had issues getting pregnant?
Did you get pregnant and have problems with the pregnancy or post-natal depression?
All of these questions can help a skilled practitioner to connect the dots in your health journey. When I'm first working with a client, I go through a deep history with them. I want to know where they have come from, where they are now and where they want to be.
This is the kind of deep work that, unfortunately, a GP doesn't have the time to do in their 10 minute slots. But it's in your history where a lot of the clues come through. Illness, physical symptoms and traumas can all play a role in the health and balance of your body.
We are actually blessed as women to have a period. Having a period is a sign of vitality. It takes nutrients and mitochondrial energy to have a period, so if you have/had issues in either of these areas, which could stem from toxicity build up, underlying infections, imbalances, viruses, stress and more.
The first thing we think of when we think of menopause is irregular periods and hot flushes.
These are often the first signs that a woman will notice that make her think she is going into menopause. But they may not be the first symptoms your body is signalling you with.
If you arrive at peri-menopause stressed, depleted and burnt out, you are not going to be in for an easy ride, because as soon as those hormones start yoyo-ing in perimenopause you are going to feel it. It is at this time I see professional women leaving jobs they once loved. Suddenly, they hate their jobs or can't cope with the stress or they find, they are not feeling as sharp as they once did and the pressure mounts.
Peri - Menopause is the lead up to the actual menopause. It can last anywhere from 2 - 10 years before your period stops completely for 12 consecutive months and puts you into Menopause.
It is during this time that your hormones will fluctuate, which can cause a roller-coaster effect of symptoms and issues. Your period eventually changes, they can get heavier or lighter, shorter or longer. You can go for longer timeframes between each period and miss the odd one.
Often, I find women who have had a lot of menstrual cycle problems have more symptoms in menopause. So it can be a good idea to optimise your health as early as you can, by understanding nutrient deficiencies, toxin exposure and overload.
Many women don't even realise they are going through menopause because other symptoms can arise before the period fluctuations. I often find this is the case when women arrive at menopause stressed and burnt out. There is only so long the body can cope with the stressors of life. Remember stress is not just external factors like work, financial issues or relationship stress, there are other stressors on the body too. I talk more about them in this blog: What type of stressor are you?
"1 in 4 women consider leaving their job because of menopause." (1)
If you are struggling with symptoms like fatigue, menstrual cycle issues, digestive issues such as bloating, gas, IBS, acid reflux pain, constipation, skin issues, insomnia, increased anxiety, mood swings, or other unexplained symptoms working book a free call and see if I can help.
(1)https://www.healthawareness.co.uk/menopause/1-4-of-women-have-considered-leaving-their-job-because-of-the-menopause/#
Michelle Robinson
Early Menopause Coach & Burnout Guide
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