The Biology of the Menopause
Let’s start with looking at the Biology of what happens to our bodies during the menopause. Our levels of oestrogen and progesterone decline during the menopause. This has a direct knock-on effect on our adrenal, thyroid and pituitary glands (which also produce hormones). In addition, the presence of oestrogen receptors throughout our bodies means that the menopause can affect our whole bodies. As a result, our bodies are trying to re-establish a hormonal balance, resetting the status quo of our body. We’ve tried to break things down to make it easier for you to understand why your bodies can descend into chaos around the menopause. Introducing our ‘4 Reasons for the Menopause Madness’…exploring how hormones, vitamins and inflammation can drive menopause symptoms.
Menopause Madness
Reason number 1: When oestrogen levels decrease during the peri-menopause, signals are transmitted to our ovaries. Two ‘master hormones’ that our pituitary glands produce are the guilty suspects here. This increases the sensitisation of our body cells to oestrogen, including fat cells. Fat cells that store excess oestrogen can result in a condition known as ‘oestrogen dominance’ which can then reduce progesterone levels. Reduced oestrogen levels can be linked to a lack of sleep, increased inflammation and feelings of stress. Interestingly, increasing our levels of exercise or reducing our food intake can actually make our progesterone levels worse. This reiterates how our lifestyle can impact on our menopause symptoms.
Reason number 2: Lowered oestrogen levels in our bodies can affect our levels of vitamin D. Lower levels of vitamin D can result in more hot flushes, memory loss and soreness in our muscles (due to fluctuations in calcium levels). A reduction in our vitamin D levels can then impact on our levels of melatonin. Melatonin is also sometimes referred to as the ‘sleep hormone’. Having reduced levels of this hormone can result in insomnia and indirectly affect our mood too.
Reason number 3: Our pituitary glands working ineffectively can result in increased levels of anxiety, memory loss and stress. These are all very common symptoms of the menopause.
Reason number 4: In a word, inflammation. Oestrogen-expressing cells such as the liver, gut, muscles and blood vessels could account for increased inflammation. The onset of the menopause and the accompanying change in the hormone environment could also be the trigger for ‘invisible inflammation’ which could have been lying dormant in our cells for several years.
The Solution to Your Menopause Symptoms
There is a way that you can cope with the symptoms of your menopause. It comes in the guise of a researched and proven to work programme by Dr Wendy Sweet. She has created a well-researched doctorate programme that helps to reduce the symptoms of the peri-menopause and menopause. Dr Sweet is also the founder of The Lifestyle-Change Programme, MyMT™, focusing on different lifestyle-based strategies we can use to deal with our menopause symptoms. We are delighted to be able to offer these strategies to clients of The Healing Place through our Menopause Wellness Programme. Here we combine Reflexology with lifestyle changes to help you manage your menopause symptoms. Want to know more? Read on.
The Menopause Wellness Programme
The Menopause Wellness Programme targets the symptoms commonly caused by the menopause, helping you to regain control of your life. You’ll learn how to sleep (naturally) and control your circadian rhythm helping you to repair and heal. You’ll find out how to improve your gut and liver health, in turn helping to reduce inflammation. Finally, you’ll learn techniques that will help you to change your lifestyle in ways that complement the change in your hormone environment. Having weekly Hormonal Reflexology sessions alongside The Lifestyle-Change Programme, MyMT™ could help you treat your menopause symptoms without the need to take medications or supplements.
We are offering two 12 week programmes:
Hormone Reflexology plus MyMT™ Transform Me which focuses on weight gain (belly fat) due to the menopause. Hormonal Reflexology will help to reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.
The Hormone Reflexology plus MyMT™ 12 Week Circuit Breaker programme is for leaner women. These ladies may be suffering from poor sleep, hot flushes, feelings of anxiety and sore joints. Both programmes will help you feel better and give you the tools you’ll need to cope with your menopause symptoms.
To find out more, call us on 0774 047 3987 or send an email to info@thehealing-place.com.