When reproductive hormones fluctuate in menopause, what women may not realize is that this shift is powerful enough to throw thyroid hormones into imbalance too. If you’re struggling with symptoms like low energy, fuzzy thinking, hair loss and unexplained weight gain, don’t dismiss it as “just” menopause. Some hormonal symptoms of menopause and low thyroid overlap, but for some women, low thyroid is actually their dominant problem!

3 questions to ask yourself to uncover thyroid issues in menopause

Here’s what to ask yourself — and what to do — to help uncover a hidden thyroid issue:

1. Are you experiencing telltale signs of low thyroid? Weird weight gain? Fatigue? Low sex drive? It’s hard to know what’s going on when so many thyroid symptoms are similar to those in menopause. This overlap occurs because your thyroid and reproductive hormone pathways are so interconnected.

However, there are also telltale symptoms of low thyroid issues that generally don’t overlap with menopause. If you are experiencing any of these, it’s a good idea to check in on the health of your thyroid:

• Feeling cold all of the time,
• Thinning/brittle hair or hair loss,
• Yellowing of the hands,
• Dry, flaky skin and/or
• Brittle or ridged fingernails.

2. Is your thyroid test really “normal”? For many women with thyroid symptoms, a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test is the first step in figuring out if low thyroid is indeed present. A TSH test measures how much thyroid stimulating hormone your brain is releasing to stimulate thyroid hormone production. If levels of thyroid stimulating hormone are high, it generally indicates your thyroid is not producing enough active thyroid hormone, which leads to uncomfortable symptoms.

Unfortunately, you may be told your numbers are “normal” even as your symptoms become progressively worse. Many women with mild and moderate symptoms actually have subclinical hypothyroidism (low thyroid) in which test results appear in the “normal” range, or are right on the border, according to conventional practitioners. For example, while the “normal range” for labs that test TSH may be as high as 4.0mlU/L, we generally like to see TSH blood level tests come closer to 2.0 mlU/L. Anywhere in the middle is this state of subclinical thyroid dysfunction that triggers symptoms.

We suggest taking thyroid supportive steps if your levels are above 2.0 mlU/L, if your TSH levels have been gradually rising over the years, or if you are having symptoms of low thyroid (our approach: let your symptoms be your guide!). This way you have an opportunity to rebalance your thyroid without medication.

3. Is a sluggish thyroid sneaking up on you? Act now before it’s too late. Thyroid issues are “sneaky” even if you’ve been taking good care of yourself. In fact, you may have lived your entire life without realizing you were vulnerable to thyroid imbalance, until the extra stresses of hormonal imbalance in menopause expose a low thyroid issue. This can be especially scary for women who have been working to stay healthy and don’t want a lifetime of medication. The good news is that there are many natural options to support your thyroid function, especially if you get started sooner rather than later.

Supporting your thyroid naturally in menopause

Starting with a gentle, natural approach may help to restore normal function and decrease any thyroid symptoms that overlap with menopause symptoms. Depending on the degree of imbalance, you may benefit from a natural menopause support supplement or a natural thyroid supplement or a combination approach. As part of a whole body approach to wellness, also try some of the following simple measures for restoring thyroid function:

Nourish yourself. Your body needs a wide range of nutrients every day to manufacture and metabolize thyroid hormones. Be sure to eat foods that include Vitamin A, Vitamin D, zinc, iodine and selenium. It’s also a good idea to get EPA and DHA (e.g., fish oils). Selenium and Vitamin D are especially helpful in protecting against thyroid autoimmunity.

Healing herbs from Mother Earth. Medicinal herbs can not only help women in perimenopause or post-menopause to recalibrate the ratios between estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, but can support healthy thyroid metabolism as well. We recommend bacopa, hops and sage, which are all found in our T-Balance Plus, to support healthy metabolism within the thyroid gland and throughout the body.

Manage the level of stress in your daily life. Chronic stress has powerful, detrimental effects on your endocrine system. You may not be able to eliminate all stressors in your life, but you can take measures to minimize the impact of stress through moderate exercise, meditation or other mindful practices.

Learning to say “no,” taking time out each day to quiet your nerves, ensuring a good night’s sleep and minimizing stimulants can all work to keep your adrenals — and, by extension, your entire endocrine system — healthy.

If you have several weird and uncomfortable symptoms, don’t underestimate the influence your thyroid may be having over the way you feel every day. If you suspect your thyroid may be behind your symptoms, take our Thyroid Quiz to see what’s up.

The post Is it menopause, low thyroid — or both?! appeared first on Women's Health Network.

Long after menopause has come and gone, women often find that hormone-related symptoms — from fatigue to brain fog to weight gain — make an unwelcome reappearance. Sex hormone production downshifts after menopause, so what’s driving these “breakthrough” hormonal symptoms?

When my patients come to me with this question, here’s the visual I use to help them understand what’s going on…

Imagine you live in a city. When it’s nighttime, you see streetlights and lights shining from buildings, but you don’t really see too many stars in the sky.

Now, imagine you leave the city and move to the desert. There are no lit up buildings around you, no streetlights. It’s just the dark desert. Look up and get ready to gasp as millions upon millions of stars blaze brightly overhead. Where did all these stars come from? Well, they were there all along! You just couldn’t see them because the city lights obscured your view.

During perimenopause and menopause, imbalances in estrogen and other sex hormones can be so dominant they’re like bright city streetlights that drown out your ability to notice problems and symptoms related to your other hormones. Once menopause is over and sex hormone symptoms fade into the background, these other underlying hormonal imbalances are unmasked and can blaze brightly, finally catching your attention.

Hormonal symptoms that most commonly flare up after menopause are often related to imbalances in the adrenal glands and thyroid hormones — either one or the other, or both. Low thyroid and adrenal hormone imbalances may have been churning away in the background for years, but only now have become visible.

Why do so many women develop low thyroid and adrenal imbalances?

My patients are often surprised to find out that thyroid and adrenal issues may have been developing right alongside perimenopause and menopause. However, when I tell them the likely trigger for these underlying hormonal imbalances, it suddenly makes a lot of sense.

The root cause of adrenal and thyroid issues? It’s our old friend chronic stress.

Stress can “tip the scale” toward hypothyroidism

Your thyroid plays a key role in helping you metabolize food, store and use energy, manage your weight and temperature control, and think, talk, and sleep.

In many ways, stress is like kryptonite to healthy thyroid function. When women are chronically stressed, overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol in the adrenal glands can suppress pituitary function and keep thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from being released. When left unchecked, this can develop into low thyroid.

Symptoms of low thyroid include low energy, depression, fuzzy thinking, worsening memory, hair loss, and easier weight gain. Because many so many of these symptoms of hypothyroidism overlap with menopausal symptoms, it’s often difficult to tease them apart. You may have experienced both menopause and thyroid symptoms for years, but didn’t realize it until your menopause symptoms faded. Further complicating matters is the fact that low thyroid function can also exacerbate menopause symptoms.

High cortisol levels push adrenals into state of imbalance

When chronic stress leads to unnaturally high cortisol levels, the constant requirement for the adrenals to be on “high alert” producing more and more cortisol can eventually lead to a state of adrenal fatigue and a cascade of adrenal-related symptoms, including extreme tiredness, trouble sleeping, mid-section weight gain (aka belly fat), weakened immunity, and low sex drive.

Again, these symptoms of adrenal hormone imbalance often overlap or mimic symptoms of sex hormone imbalance and low thyroid, making it difficult for women to understand the root cause of their symptoms. And guess what? Feeling so bad and not really understanding why just drives more chronic stress — which then just worsens all these symptoms. It’s like a never-ending loop.

Post-menopause is a golden opportunity to finally fix your hormones

Hormonal symptoms are disruptive, but with menopause symptoms mainly out of the way, you can now become laser-focused on righting the ship on thyroid and adrenal issues. Here are three tips to take on these imbalances and find symptom relief:

Get to the root of what’s going on. A good first step towards understanding whether it’s your adrenals or thyroid — or both — driving symptoms is to take our free Hormonal imbalance quiz. You can also determine if there could be some sex hormone issues still lingering. It’s a great tool and easy to use.

Give your hormonal systems natural support to rebalance and regain proper function. Natural supplementation can be highly effective for both adrenal and thyroid issues. Our T-Balance Plus thyroid support formula is designed to nourish an underachieve thyroid, protecting it from stress and helping it to restore normal TSH production. Our stress supplement Adaptisol is formulated with powerful adaptogenic herbs that soothe the hardworking adrenal glands and support balanced cortisol production, helping to relieve stress-related symptoms.

Up your stress reduction game. These are stressful times we’re living through, so it’s a really good idea for your health and your hormones to find more ways to build stress-relieving practices into your day. One simple way to start is deep breathing for a few minutes every day. Deep breathing stimulates your vagus nerve, which triggers your body’s relaxation response. Here’s an easy guided technique for deep “belly” breathing.

You know when I love to practice deep breathing? It’s when I am at my home in Arizona, close to the desert. I breathe deep and look up at the endless stars and think.  Seeing our lives clearly can make all the difference.

Can’t sleep? Read: 3 steps to better sleep when you’re stressed

The post You’ve gone through menopause, so why are your hormonal symptoms back? appeared first on Women's Health Network.

Table Of Contents:

1. What are my chances of getting pregnant after menopause?
2. You can still get pregnant during perimenopause
3. Am I menopause or pregnant? Common menopause and pregnancy symptoms

What are the chances of getting pregnant after menopause?

Menopause is reached when a woman’s menstrual cycles have stopped for 12 months. This milestone also represents the end of monthly ovulation and a woman’s ability to naturally become pregnant. 

Can a woman still have a child once she’s gone through menopause? It’s possible. While ovulatory cycles cease once you’re in menopause, there’s still a chance for pregnancy via IVF (in vitro fertilization) and implantation of a fertilized donor egg. 

In many ways, women have two biological clocks. One clock counts down your ability to ovulate and use your own eggs for pregnancy. This clock on natural fertility runs out in menopause. The other biological clock relates to your body’s ability to allow for successful implantation and gestation of a donor egg (or your own eggs that were previously frozen). 

According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, any woman of any age can get pregnant — with assisted reproductive technology — provided that she has a “normal uterus” even if she no longer has ovaries or ovarian function.

So, with IVF after menopause, what are your chances of becoming pregnant after menopause? According to a study of post-menopausal pregnancy in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in a small group women, aged 50 to 63, who became pregnant via IVF and donor eggs, researchers found that after 121 attempts at IVF, there were 45 births. Given today’s advances in reproductive technology, if you are willing and able to undergo hormone treatments to prepare your body for pregnancy, pregnancy may be possible later and later in life.

You can still get pregnant during perimenopause

Perimenopause typically begins eight to 10 years before menopause, when the ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen and progesterone. Perimenopause usually begins in a woman’s 40s, but can start in her 30s as well. 

Can women get pregnant during perimenopause? Yes, though it may take a little more trying compared to getting pregnant in your 20s. For healthy couples in their 20s and early 30s, around 1 in 4 women will get pregnant in any single menstrual cycle. By age 40, around 1 in 10 women will get pregnant per menstrual cycle.

The reason for this gradual lowering of fertility can be related to women’s hormones. During perimenopause, reproductive cycles often become irregular due an underlying hormonal imbalance, making it more difficult to pinpoint ovulation.

The number and quality of a women’s eggs may also be a factor. In general, a women begins puberty with between 300,000 – 500,000 eggs. This number drops to around 25,000 at age 37 and continues dropping to 1,000 or fewer by age 51. In addition to fewer viable eggs, women in perimenopause may be more likely to experience an “anovulatory” cycle in which they do not ovulate at all. Male fertility also declines with age which may add to fertility issues in older couples. 

Still, with all this said, pregnancy is very much a possibility throughout perimenopause and more and more womenn are becoming pregnant during this stage of life. In their late 30s and 40s, women may find themselves at a good place in their career, or have the financial security they feel is needed before having a baby. Some women are finally with partners they want to have children with, or have decided to have a child on their own.

Important note: If you do not wish to become pregnant, birth control needs to remain a crucial part of your sex life in perimenopause. Some women may choose to continue taking birth control pills or explore their birth control options and switch to a non-hormonal form of birth control.

What are the risks?

According to the CDC, the number of first-time births among women ages 40 to 44 more than doubled between 1990 and 2012, and is still rising. The vast majority of women in this age group go on to experience completely normal and healthy pregnancies and births. However, older moms-to-be are also at higher risk for certain complications in pregnancy. These include: 

• high blood pressure and the related pregnancy complication preeclampsia
• gestational diabetes
• birth defects, such as Down syndrome
• miscarriage
• low birth weight

If you do plan to get pregnant when you are in your 40s, it’s a good idea to have a fertility check up with your healthcare provider and start taking a prenatal multivitamin before trying to conceive.

Am I in menopause or pregnant? Common menopause and pregnancy symptoms

A confusing part about reproductive health when you are older is telling the difference between symptoms of menopause and signs of pregnancy. There is often overlap between the two, but if you learn the differences you will have an easier time understanding what’s going on inside your body. 

Common menopause and pregnancy symptoms

Changes in your menstrual cycles

Skipping a menstrual period is often the first telltale sign that a woman may be pregnant. Missing a period could also be a sign that a women has entered the menopause transition. If you’ve been having intercourse, you may be inclined to take a pregnancy test. If not, look for other hormone-related signs that confirm menopause, such as hot flashes and low libido

Mood changes

Surging and fluctuating hormones in pregnancy and menopause can both lead to mood swings and irritability. In pregnancy, mood changes may cause you to be unusually emotional and weepy. In perimenopause, irritability, anxiety and depression are more the norm for mood changes. Are you crying one minute and laughing the next? It’s time to check in more with your body and whether your mood is related to perimenopause or pregnancy. 

Fatigue and sleep changes

Hormonal changes in pregnancy and menopause can also result in fatigue and changes to sleep patterns, including insomnia. Whenever you notice changes in your sleep habits, it’s a good time to check in on the state of your hormones.  

Weight gain

Hormonal changes in perimenopause make it easier to gain weight, especially midsection belly fat. Women also gain weight in pregnancy, of course! If you find yourself adding more pounds, you need to pay attention to when and how it all began. Is your weight gain that gradual creeping kind accompanied by other changes, like hot flashes and night sweats? Or are your jeans feeling a little more snug, and you’ve also stopped having your period and are experiencing nausea? 

Breast tenderness 

Many women say they first knew they were pregnant when their breasts suddenly became tender, sore and swollen. Women can also experience breast pain as part of a hormonal imbalance in menopause. Good breast self care is important. If you notice changes in your breasts, let your healthcare provider in on your symptoms. 

Trying to conceive in your 40s? Check in on your hormonal health. What’s happening to your hormones and your body? Take our free menopause quiz to find out what your symptoms are telling you about where you are in the menopause transition.

References

• https://womenshealth.obgyn.msu.edu/blog/pregnancy-possible-during-perimenopause
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19933469/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7299412/

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Black cohosh has a long history as a health remedy. Native Americans used black cohosh as a tonic to support women’s reproductive health; a practice adopted by European settlers. The herb has been studied over the past several decades and we now have a body of modern research that backs up black cohosh’s effectiveness as a natural remedy for menopause symptom relief.   

Table Of Contents

1. What does black cohosh do for menopause?
2. How much black cohosh should women take for menopause?
3. Black cohosh side effects
4. Final Thoughts

What does black cohosh do for menopause?

Black cohosh is used to help ease a wide variety of menopause symptoms, including: 

• Vasomotor symptoms: hot flashes and night sweats 
• Vaginal dryness 
• Heart palpitations
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Vertigo
• Sleep disturbances  
• Irritability and mood swings 

How does black cohosh work?

Phytochemicals in black cohosh have far-reaching effects in the body, including helping with immune function, reducing inflammation and boosting feel good neurotransmitters in the brain. 

For women in menopause, black cohosh appears to have similar effects to estrogen. Does black cohosh increase estrogen? The answer to this common question is no, black cohosh does not increase hormone production nor is black cohosh an “herbal estrogen” as it is sometimes mistakenly called. Rather, black cohosh has adaptogenic properties that increases the effects of estrogen you’re already producing where needed in the body, and decreases the effects of excess estrogen elsewhere.

Recent research on black cohosh 

A growing body of research supports the use of black cohosh in women seeking natural relief for their menopause symptoms and related women’s hormonal health issues. Among recent research findings:

1. Black cohosh reduces hot flashes. In a study of 80 menopausal women who were experiencing hot flashes, those who supplemented with 20 mg of black cohosh daily for 8 weeks reported significantly fewer and less severe hot flashes than before they started the supplement.
2. Black cohosh decreases fibroids. When researchers studied 244 postmenopausal women with uterine fibroids, women who supplemented daily with 40 mg of black cohosh had their fibroids decrease in size by up to 30%.
3. Help for menstrual cycle regulation. In women with irregular periods, especially women with PCOS, black cohosh helped to improve regularity of menstrual cycles. 

How much black cohosh should women take for menopause?

For therapeutic use, women may take anywhere from 20–120 mg of standardized black cohosh extract or powder daily for therapeutic use. For menopause symptoms, taking in 20 mg of black cohosh daily appears to be optimal. 

Black cohosh supplements made from the roots and stems of the plant can come in liquid tincture, pill or powder. Some women may prefer brewing dried and crushed black cohosh as a tea for menopause.  

Black cohosh may be found in herbal supplements for menopause along with other natural ingredients that can work synergistically with black cohosh, including red clover and chasteberry. Black cohosh, red clover and chaste berry are all ingredients in our multi-herbal Herbal Equilibrium supplement for menopause symptom relief. 

Black cohosh side effects

Black cohosh has been studied since the 1950s and is considered safe for women using the correct dosage for their menopause symptoms. At very high dosages and extended use (going more than a year without taking a break), there is risk, though extremely rare, for liver injury and jaundice. Black cohosh should be used during pregnancy only with the advice of a women’s health practitioner as it may stimulate labor. 

Other rare side effects from high doses of black cohosh include: 

• Gastrointestinal upset
• Headaches
• Irritability 
• Increased vaginal discharge
• Menstrual spotting between periods
• Lowered blood pressure
• Breast pain or tenderness

Final Thoughts

Black cohosh can be a safe and effective way for women to find natural relief from their menopause symptoms. Look for multi-herbal formulas like Herbal Equilibrium in which black cohosh has been carefully blended with other ingredients for optimal effects.

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Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life, but it’s one that can still come with some unwelcome surprises — in the form of symptoms ranging from hot flashes, low libido and vaginal dryness to weight gain, brain fog and mood swings.

For many women, the transition through perimenopause and menopause is no walk in the park, especially when symptoms are severe or show up all at once. But there’s some good new in all of this, and it’s that nature provides a wide array of vitamins, nutrients and medicinal plants and herbs that help to significantly to relieve menopause symptoms. 

The “natural approach” to menopause symptom relief works in a completely different way than many conventional medical solutions like synthetic hormone replacement and synthetic drugs. Because vitamins and herbs work with your body to rebalance your hormones and support your overall health, natural supplements for perimenopause and menopause can actually prevent or reduce the severity of nearly all of your symptoms rather than just masking them temporarily.

Natural supplements and vitamins for menopause

In our experience, women are often not aware of the power that vitamins, plants and herbal remedies have to prevent symptoms. In many cases, their strength comes from adaptogenic effects. Certain plants and herbs can adapt to the needs of your body because they share specific molecular features with your own hormones. This can encourage hormone production, slow it down or even mimic your own hormones depending on your body’s unique needs.

Here is a list of the best herbs and supplements for menopause symptoms, plus the evidence behind their effectiveness and relevant safety information.

Black cohosh

Black cohosh is a plant native to North America that has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy for menopause symptoms and other women’s hormonal health issues. The herb has been studied and there is a growing body of research that black cohosh helps to reduce symptoms of menopause, including night sweats and flashes. As one of the best natural mood enhancers for menopause, the herb helps with menopause depression and mood by boosting your serotonin levels. The herb can be taken alone or as part of a multi-herb formula. At higher dosages, side effects may include headaches and GI issues. 

Omega 3s

New research shows that Omega-3 fatty acids help to ease psychological distress and depressive symptoms often suffered by menopausal and perimenopausal women. Taking a high quality Omega-3 supplement also helps to reduce joint pain and protect women’s heart and bone health.

Magnesium

Magnesium eases anxiety and sleep disturbances related to hormonal imbalances in perimenopause and menopause. Magnesium also helps to improve heart health and reduce blood pressure, combat osteoporosis and, particularly if you take magnesium glycinate, help with constipation. Most women don’t get enough magnesium in their diets so taking a magnesium supplement is often key for symptom relief. 

Magnolia bark

Magnolia bark is a powerful supplement for menopause prepared from the bark, leaves and flowers of the houpo magnolia tree. Used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, current research has found that magnolia bark is effective for helping to stop hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, irritability, vaginal dryness and loss of libido during menopause.

Red clover: natural hormone replacement

Red clover is a natural hormone replacement that acts like weak estrogens in your body. Because they complement your own, more potent estrogens, they can help even out erratic levels of both high and low estrogen. According to a study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology International, red clover also helps with other menopause-related symptoms like low libido, anxiety/depression, sleep troubles and fatigue. And there’s more scientific good news: red clover’s compounds relieve PMS and improve both women’s heart health and the appearance of skin and hair as we age.

Wild yam for menopause

Wild yam extract is naturally rich in diosgenin, a plant compound structurally bioidentical to progesterone found in the body. Bringing progesterone levels back in balance will help to offset estrogen dominance and its related symptoms, including hot flashes and low libido. Wild yam extract may be especially helpful for hair loss in perimenopause and menopause.

Chastetree berry 

Chastetree berry (Vitex agnus-castus) helps restore your natural ovulation and progesterone production until your body is finally ready to stop cycling altogether. If you’re experiencing cramping, breast tenderness, food cravings and bloating, it’s often an indication that your progesterone levels are falling while estrogen is staying high. Because chasetree berry helps to gently raise your progesterone levels, it can bring these hormones back into balance and reduce symptoms. 

Ashwagandha: for stress and anxiety in menopause

Hormonal changes in menopause can make whatever stress you have feel that much bigger by exacerbating the physical effects of stress on your body. Suddenly you have less energy, more anxiety, mood swings and maybe even depression.

Ashwagandha is one of the best herbs for stress and anxiety in menopause. Ashwagandha ranks high among natural mood enhancers for menopause because the herb is an adaptogen — another ‘normalizer’ — which makes it a great tonic for the adrenal glands. Ashwagandha can also boost a sluggish thyroid, and it counteracts depression and makes your brain function better, especially for memory issues due to stress.

Passionflower

Used by traditional cultures to treat symptoms like irritability, anxiety and insomnia, passion flower contains natural monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which are known to have antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. Passionflower also helps to increase levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical in the brain that induces relaxation and reduces anxiety. A study entitled “Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam,” published in the October 2001 “Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics” found that passionflower was as effective as oxazepam at treating generalized anxiety disorder and had fewer side effects.

Phytoestrogens fight hot flashes

Many fruits and vegetables are also supercharged with “phytoestrogens” that are particularly beneficial to women struggling with hot flashes and other menopause symtoms. Phytoestrogens include isoflavones and lignans, two compounds that work gently with your body to recalibrate hormonal balance at the cellular level.

Soybeans and foods made from soy — like tofu — are phytoestrogen-rich because they contain isoflavones. Flax seeds are another great choice because they’re high in lignans. Grind up 1–3 tablespoons of flax seeds every day and add them to soups, salads and smoothies. You also get phytoestrogens in parsley, fennel, celery, garlic, onions, and all sorts of seeds, nuts and legumes.

Ginseng

Stress makes menopause symptoms worse — and this is where ginseng comes in. Siberian ginseng — also called “eleuthoro” — acts to limit excess stress-induced high cortisol levels in your system by inhibiting the cortisol-boosting enzyme C-Jun N-terminal kinase. Through this action, ginseng helps to protect your body from stress, which in turn diminishes fatigue, improves stamina and helps to regulate blood sugar.  

Dong quai for menstrual symptom relief

Originally used in China, dong quai (Angelica sinensis) was introduced to Western medicine in 1899 and has been used ever since for treating hormonal disorders, especially those related to menstruation. Dong quai has been shown to help relieve menstrual cramps and other symptoms like hormonal headache, insomnia and moodiness. Among natural practitioners, dong quai is thought to be more effective when used in combination with black cohosh.

Herbal Equilibrium

Our exclusive multi-herbal formula helps to actively balance all three problem hormones – estrogen, progesterone and testosterone — for total symptom relief. Designed by doctors, Herbal Equilibrium contains a propriety blend of passionflower, chasteberry, wild yam and ashwaganda for effective adaptogenic support. Additionally, Herbal Equilibrium contains black cohosh, red clover and kudzu, three herbs that form a powerful and synergistic isoflavone-glycoside complex that diminishes symptoms associated with estrogen deficiency like hot flashes and night sweats.

Herbal Equilibrium

For natural relief of hormonal imbalance

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Menopause Weight Loss Combo

During perimenopause and menopause, women tend to gain more midsection fat and have a harder time losing weight. This is due to hormonal fluctuations that: 1. increase fat deposition around the midsection (aka belly fat) and 2. slow down metabolism. This double trouble is why your old diet tricks don’t work. Until you address underlying hormonal imbalances, extra pounds are going to stay stuck. So that’s why we’ve combined Herbal Equilibrium, for menopause symptom relief and hormonal balance, and M-Boost, our metabolic formula for weight loss, cravings and metabolism support, into an easy to take Menopause Weight Loss Combo. Weight gain in perimenopause and menopause is different and our support gives you the tool to finally shed this stubborn weight.

Get the most out of your supplements 

Herbs and other natural menopause supplements work best when you take them regularly over time. Most herbs work by nourishing and rebuilding, which means they need some time to work their magic.

Also keep in mind that supplements are most effective when accompanied by other positive lifestyle choices. So, please, take care of your health in other ways as well, especially a healthy diet, getting to bed at a decent hour and managing that stress level in whatever ways work best for you — in menopause and beyond.

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What if we told you that all it took to erase some of your worst symptoms of menopause was a few simple tweaks to your daily routine? Well, it’s true! Some of the latest research on menopause remedies shows how little changes — we’re talking new habits that take less than five minutes — can help to reduce hot flashes, reverse menopause weight gain, and make achy joints a thing of the past. 

Ready to give these fast menopause remedies a try?

The 4 minute quick fix for menopause joint pain

As many as 77 percent of women experience joint pain during menopause. The reason? Fluctuating estrogen levels. Estrogen is a natural anti-inflammatory for joints, so as levels of the hormone drop during menopause, inflammation and pain can increase.

Quick fix: Walk for 4.5 minutes (aka 4 minutes, 30 seconds) two times each day. According to researchers, a few small bursts of activity in this small time frame are enough to signal the body to lessen the inflammatory response and lubricate joints.

For weight gain and belly fat, take a minute to sip a probiotic-rich drink 

Gaining more weight in menopause, especially belly fat? One of the best ways to beat middle age “meno belly” spread is to boost your gut’s “good bacteria.” Growing research on gut health has found that body weight — and the ability ability to shed excess weight — is related to the amount and diversity of the body’s gut flora. 

Quick fix: In one study on successful weight loss, people with weight to lose who sipped three daily servings of kefir (a probiotic-rich yogurt drink) lost 81 percent more belly fat than those who only cut calories. Kefir boasts 10 kinds of beneficial bacteria that optimize the body’s ability to use food for energy. Other sources for probiotics include yogurt, sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables. Another quick way to get more probiotics? Take a high quality probiotic supplement daily to replenish beneficial flora.

For hot flash relief, pour a cup of tea

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause and perimenopause. More than two-thirds of North American women who are heading into menopause have hot flashes. What can help you find relief?

Quick fix: A recently published study suggests that regularly sipping milk thistle tea can cut hot flashes by up to 73 percent within three months! Researchers credit silymarin, a compound that helps the liver deactivate excess hormones that throw your internal thermostat off balance.

Plus, sipping tea is a relaxing way to spend a few minutes of your time and cut back on stress that could sending your symptoms into overdrive.

Wonder what your symptoms are telling you? Take our quick Hormonal imbalance quiz to find out.

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Nutrients from the foods we eat help our bodies produce our hormones. Some foods are better than others at helping us make our hormones; other foods can actually disrupt our hormones and push us into a state of imbalance. And some foods are true superfoods for hormonal balance.

Here are my suggestions for easy food choices that will help you manage your hormonal symptoms.

Foods to avoid

Are you lethargic and gaining weight? Do you have insomnia? Is your thinking fuzzy, or are you experiencing hot flashes and irritability? If you have are having lots of these hormonal symptoms in perimenopause and menopause, I want you to do a diet dump for the #1 hormone-disrupting foods — processed foods with lots of added sugar! 

I am talking about cookies and all those other sugary treats that we all love to dive into for an afternoon snack. Refined sugar can send your hormones on a roller coaster, feeding into all these symptoms and making them much worse. 

3 superfoods for hormonal balance 

Here are the three hormone-balancing superfoods that I want you to eat more of — apples, cherries and pomegranates. 

These fruits are naturally “just sweet enough” and have so many incredible benefits for helping with hormonal balance. 

Apples

Apples contain a key compound — Calcium D Glucarate — that helps detoxify estrogen from the liver and improve overall estrogen metabolism, needed for hormonal balance. 

What’s more, once the estrogen has been detoxified from the liver, the fiber in apples helps to flush this estrogen out through the colon. Snack on an apple a day to help keep hormonal issues at bay. Add an ounce of a hard cheese or handful of nuts to fill out your snack. 

Cherries

Cherries are such a treat and if you suffer from insomnia as one of your hormonal issues, snacking on cherries can help because cherries are a natural source of melatonin — the “sleep hormone” released by your pineal gland. As you age, you produce less and less melatonin. 

Studies have found that cherries have the ability to increase melatonin levels, total sleep time and quality of sleep. 

Cherries also contain other hormone-balancing nutrients including magnesium and Vitamin C. 

Magnesium helps calm the body’s stress response by preventing the release of stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. 

Vitamin C is an essential vitamin for creating and regulating hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. 

Cherries are a sweet treat on their own, or pit cherries and use to top a cup of plain yogurt. 

Pomegranates

And one more fruit that is has such benefits for your hormones — pomegranate. 

Excess estrogen can cause mood changes, weight gain, headache pain, breast tenderness and even more severe symptoms. 

Pomegranates help by acting as a natural blocker in the body against harmful or excess estrogens. Pomegranates are rich in anthocyanidins — sugarless plant pigments — and flavonoids, which are both important for detoxifying and protecting cells. Pomegranates are high in Vitamin C, and also rich in Vitamins A and E and folic acid which are all important for healthy hormone production. 

Although some women worry about foods with estrogenic properties, pomegranate is a natural adaptogen, increasing levels of estrogen when the body is low but blocking stronger estrogens when levels are too high. 

These three fruits can be snacks, or be incorporated in so many different dishes during meals. Have fun! Who knew balancing your hormones could taste so good?! 

The post Favorite superfoods for hormonal balance appeared first on Women's Health Network.

Finding it difficult to button up your favorite jeans? Midsection weight gain (aka “meno belly”) in perimenopause and menopause is real – and frustrating. It often feels like this stubborn weight just isn’t going anywhere, no matter how much you diet or exercise. 

The secret for how to get rid of menopause belly is actually fairly simple: you first need to address the underlying hormonal imbalance driving this weight gain. When you do, your body can finally let go of this weight – and you can look and feel the way you want!  

Dr. Mary James, ND, one of our Women’s Health Network experts, gives her tips for losing “meno belly” fat in her new video. Watch it now — or read the video transcript below for her easy steps.

[This transcript has been lightly edited and updated for clarity and extended information.]

If you are dealing with “meno belly,” the nickname for stubborn weight that often shows up around a woman’s midsection during perimenopause, I am here to help you understand why this is happening — and more importantly what you can do to lose this weight. 

Belly fat’s hormonal connection 

Perimenopause and menopause are stages of major flux in a woman’s hormone levels. Estrogen may be dropping but also spiking. In this state of imbalance, hormonal or metabolic imbalances that were once simmering invisibly on the back burner can start making themselves known. 

One of estrogen’s actions is to deposit fat onto your hips. As estrogen levels decline, that signal can weaken and fat deposition shifts to your abdomen, resulting in an expanding waistline. Sometimes this happens without weight gain — it’s more about body fat redistribution. If you were pear shaped as a younger woman, you might become more apple shaped as you age. 

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Chronic stress feeds belly fat

Some underlying triggers for this weight shift may be out of our control, but other aspects are very much within our control. One factor that we can influence is stress. Belly fat contains receptors for cortisol, our body’s main stress hormone. When we’re stressed our adrenals release cortisol and this stimulates these belly fat receptors — resulting in the formation of even more belly fat. 

Constantly feeling stressed out may seem like the norm in today’s fast-paced society —but that does not mean that it’s healthy. To tame your cortisol levels, do whatever works for you to slow down and de-stress: unplug, delegate, meditate, stretch and relax. Taking a high quality adrenal supplement also helps to support balanced cortisol levels.

Keep in mind that stress can also be physical, mostly due to inflammation. Chronic inflammation alone can make it hard to lose added weight because it inhibits some enzymes that normally break down fats in the body. So, get some help to optimize your health and tackle inflammation. Take care of gut imbalances and other inflammatory conditions, like thyroid disease or Hashimoto’s. Slowing of your metabolism, weight gain and trouble losing it commonly go along with low thyroid function.

These issues may not produce symptoms until you hit menopause, so it’s a good idea for any woman hitting menopause to get her thyroid function checked, including thyroid antibodies, especially if there’s a family history of thyroid problems. [Take our Thyroid Quiz to learn more about your thyroid health.]

Insulin resistance is a trigger for meno belly weight gain

Insulin resistance can also contribute to weight gain. If your insulin receptors have become less sensitive to insulin, you can have higher levels of blood sugar and lower energy and also increased disease risk for diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Chronic stress and abdominal fat can encourage insulin resistance. This results in higher insulin levels that can make the body more easily turn calories into fat — even if you’re dieting. 

The good news is you can do something about insulin resistance. Strength training to build muscle also boosts your metabolism and makes those insulin receptors more sensitive, helping you to lose weight. Ever notice how men tend to lose weight more easily than women? It’s because they have more lean muscle mass.  

Sleep your way to weight loss

Finally, how much sleep are you getting at night? Is perimenopause robbing you of sleep by causing night sweats and making you wake up at odd hours of the night? Is your system still too wired at bedtime to get into sleep mode, or are you simply just not getting to bed early enough to get seven or eight hours of sleep? 

A chronic sleep deficit — whatever the cause — can promote weight gain. This is because of the effects that sleep has on two hormones that regulate appetite. When you get enough sleep your body releases leptin, a hormone that controls appetite. Not enough sleep means a bigger release of ghrelin, a hormone that literally makes you crave junk food!

You may feel like you just have lousy self-discipline when in fact it’s your body chemistry that’s making it more difficult to eat healthy and to know when to stop. Whatever it takes, really try to make sure you get enough sleep at night. 

Crash diets don’t work — here’s the meno belly diet that does

You’ve probably noticed that crash diets don’t work — the weight just comes right back again. The reason for this when you’re in perimenopause is that weight loss is more complex than “calories in/calories out.” To be successful a meno belly diet requires the added step of focusing meals and snacks around foods that help restore and maintain hormonal balance.

Meno belly diet — six key ingredients

1. Cut the sugar. When your hormones are out of balance in perimenopause, balancing your hormones and optimizing your overall health are virtual requirements for losing unwanted weight and belly fat. Sugar is a trigger for hormonal imbalance, so keep it to a bare minimum in your diet by eliminating sugary processed foods which are notorious for containing large amounts of added sugar as well as unhealthy fats that also harm hormones. If you’re craving something sweet, snack on a serving of fresh fruit. Apples, pomegranates and cherries are considered superfoods for hormonal health because they contain hormone-friendly compounds that can improve hormonal balance — and satisfy your sweet tooth.
2. Eat foods that lower inflammation. As you go through the menopause transition, increasing oxidative damage throughout the body can trigger chronic inflammation. Science tells us again and again that there’s a direct link between chronic inflammation and difficulties with shedding excess weight. You can stop this chain reaction and protect your body from oxidative stress by increasing your intake of antioxidant-rich foods. These include: broccoli, spinach, carrots, artichokes, cabbage, asparagus, avocados, beetroot, radish, lettuce, sweet potatoes, kale, nuts and even dark chocolate.
3. Fill your meno belly diet with fiber. When your body is in a state of hormonal balance it is making hormones in the correct ratios, but it is also metabolizing and excreting these hormones to keep the entire endocrine system humming along. To help promote healthy estrogen metabolism, eat more fiber. As studies have shown, high fiber diets promote healthy estrogen levels by helping the body to excrete excess amounts of the hormone. This is especially important for women with estrogen dominance. High fiber foods include dark green veggies, brown rice, oats, millet, root vegetables and seeds.
4. Pack enough protein. Eating protein provides your body with amino acids, which in turn function as the building blocks of hormones, including estrogen, insulin and thyroid hormones. Protein in meals and snacks also helps to stabilize insulin levels, leading to more even energy levels throughout the day (something that makes sticking to a diet a little easier). To support healthy hormonal balance, aim to eat about 20-25 grams of protein at every meal and about 10-15 grams with a snack.
5. Eat for symptom relief. Foods rich in iron and calcium can be helpful for relief of mood swings, hot flashes and other common menopause symptoms. When you have fewer menopause symptoms, you can get enough sleep (without hot flashes keeping you awake) and better support your body in losing weight. Meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils are good sources for both these nutrients. Foods to exclude or limit because they can trigger hot flashes and other symptoms include alcohol and caffeine.
6. Supplement with medicinal herbs. Certain herbs and other plant medicines have been used for centuries to effectively balance women’s hormones, especially during perimenopause and menopause. These aren’t your usual culinary herbs, so to reap the benefits, look for herb-based nutritional supplements that can address your particular mix of hormonal symptoms.

How to get rid of meno belly with exercise

The good news is that losing a meno belly doesn’t require long, strenuous workouts. In fact, working out at too high an intensity can stress the body and trigger added cortisol production. The best forms of exercise for shedding meno belly fat are those that energize the body and work muscles at a more moderate level. Here are some exercises to try:

Walking. As simple as it gets, going for a brisk 20-30 minute walk on most days of the week is a cardio workout that relieves stress, gently works your muscles and lifts your aerobic output, helping you burn calories and belly fat. You can walk indoors on a treadmill, but try to get outside. Sunshine’s added Vitamin D boost helps your body maintain hormonal balance.

Yoga. Practicing yoga helps to calm your mind and reduce cortisol. It’s also a great whole body exercise for core muscle toning and balance.

Swimming and water aerobics. If your knees and other joints tend to hurt during exercise, try swimming and water aerobics. The buoyancy of water takes pressure off your joints, giving you the ability to exercise without pain. Plus, the added resistance of water gives your workout more muscle-strengthening power.

Strength training. Engage in exercises that focus on the major muscle groups — your arms, legs and core. Try a strength-training exercise like Pilates or hit the gym for a more traditional workout with weights. Regular strength training can help you reduce body fat, strengthen your muscles and burn calories more efficiently.

With so many approaches to try, here’s the encouraging message: just because that meno belly fat hasn’t budged lately doesn’t mean that it won’t when you try a different approach!

Want even more new ideas for stopping hormonal weight gain? Read our article: Demystifying perimenopausal weight gain.

The post “Meno belly” is real – and here’s what works to get rid of it appeared first on Women's Health Network.

If you have been experiencing hot flashes and you’ve also been told by your doctor that your blood pressure is running high, you may wonder if there is a connection between the two. Research into this topic tells an interesting story.

One study that looked into the possible connection between hot flashes and hypertension found that women who experienced frequent hot flashes also had a systolic blood pressure that was significantly higher than average. The association was so strong that researchers could use the women’s hot flashes to predict increases in their systolic numbers. Systolic refers to the “top” number of your blood pressure reading. It measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart contracts. 

Another study used hormone-inhibiting blood pressure drugs to reduce hot flashes in women with breast cancer. The frequency of the participants’ hot flashes dropped dramatically — by about 40-80 percent. Researchers noted that participants worried about potential side effects of taking a blood pressure drug for hot flashes.

Is it really all about stress?

So, do these studies mean hot flashes cause higher systolic blood pressure?

Not really.

Lots of things can lead to higher systolic blood pressure, but one good theory holds that like hot flashes, raised systolic blood pressure starts when there’s an increase in central sympathetic nerve activity. This could make sense because that’s the part of your nervous system that activates your fight-or-flight response when you’re under stress. So, what could be going on is that perimenopausal and menopausal women who are under chronic stress (and that’s most of them!) are seeing natural side effects of this stress in the form of hot flashes and high blood pressure — both issues share this common root.

Here’s something else to consider: hot flashes can cause unpleasant facial flushing, and guess what? So can high blood pressure. But facial flushing can be caused by a lot of other things that DO for sure raise blood pressure, including high temperatures, hot water, alcohol, exercise and again, stress. The theory here is that women may think their hot flashes are linked to high blood pressure, but in fact the rise in blood pressure is caused by something else that is happening at the same time as the hot flash.

Hot flashes can be awful but they don’t raise your risk for disease. However, since blood pressure does increase after menopause, it’s a different story. When your blood pressure goes up, so does your risk for cardiovascular problems. You can help stave off high blood pressure and support a healthy heart by eating right, drinking less alcohol, cutting back on salt and getting regular aerobic exercise.

In the end, the hot flash mechanism is still a bit of a mystery. Your best bet for finding hot flash relief is to take steps to balance your hormones and avoid your personal hot flash triggers. You can take steps to lower your blood pressure too!

The post Are hot flashes related to blood pressure? appeared first on Women's Health Network.

Women experiencing hormonal symptoms in menopause and perimenopause often ask us — can plants really help? My hot flashes, fatigue, anxiety and other symptoms are so strong. How can a gentle herb fix that?

Well, first of all, remember that most of our medicines are derived from plants, even chemotherapy drugs. But we’re not just interested in power here, we’re looking for a solution that works with your body. And that’s what’s great about the hormonal effects of plants — a use that we call “phytotherapy” (“phyto” meaning plant).

In menopause, you have a few basic treatment choices. You can get that prescription filled that your doctor may have given you for hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. You’re often expected to take a fixed amount of synthetic hormones that can cause side effects. And once you start taking them, you may end up taking them…for a long time. Your doctor may prescribe bioidentical hormone therapy, which can be helpful, but again can mean long term medication use.

An alternative option is to use herbal remedies. These herbs generally act two ways in the body:

1. Because of their receptor sites, they can have the same effect as your natural hormones, only milder, and so function more like a gentle, natural HRT.

2. The second way herbs help is to support and normalize your body’s own production of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Herbs help to normalize your own body’s hormone production. This is something that conventional hormone replacement therapy in menopause simply can’t do.

You might think about it this way — when you use herbs, you are letting your body drive the car in self-regulating your hormones and bringing them into balance. With hormone replacement therapy, your prescription is in control.

Of course, some percentage of women need HRT. But we recommend you start with the most natural and least invasive approach first, and see if it works for you. Compared to synthetic hormones, herbs are less invasive and generally safe for long term use.

Here are some examples of how some of my favorite herbs for menopause work in the body…

Red clover and kudzu act like weak estrogens in your body. Because they complement your own, more potent, estrogens, they can help even out both the highs and the lows.

When you might still be having the occasional period and your estrogen levels are sometimes very high, one side effect of this kind of hormonal craziness is that your body can’t easily ovulate. When you don’t ovulate, you don’t produce enough progesterone. This creates a situation where you have too much estrogen and too little progesterone to balance it — lots and uncomfortable symptoms can result.

Chastetree berry helps restore your natural ovulation and progesterone production until your body is finally ready to stop cycling altogether. Bringing progesterone levels back in balance will help to offset estrogen dominance and its related symptoms, including hot flashes and low libido.

Any stress in your life? Hormonal changes in menopause can make whatever stress you have feel that much bigger by exacerbating the physical effects of stress on your body. Suddenly you have less energy, more anxiety, mood swings, and maybe even depression.

Ashwagandha is one of the best herbs for stress and anxiety. This herb is an adaptogen—another ‘normalizer’—which makes it a great tonic for the adrenal glands. Ashwagandha can also boost a sluggish thyroid, and it counteracts depression and makes your brain function better, especially for memory issues due to stress.

Black cohosh can also help with mood by boosting your serotonin levels. And it reduces night sweats and hot flashes in many women.

You’ve probably noticed that, unlike most drugs, herbs often work in more ways than one. They also tend to work by supporting your body’s own natural functions.

Keep in mind, though, that herbs work best when you take them regularly over time. Most herbs work by nourishing and rebuilding, which means they need some time to work their magic.

Also keep in mind that supplements are most effective when accompanied by other positive lifestyle choices. So, please, take care of your health in other ways as well, especially a healthy diet, getting to bed at a decent hour, and managing that stress level in whatever ways work best for you — in menopause and beyond.

See how plant-based medicine can help relieve your most troubling symptoms. Try doctor-formulated Herbal Equilibrium today.

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