Getting older is not for the faint of heart, and for women, reaching a “certain age” can come with a whole host of symptoms which can range from occasional discomfort to downright debilitating.
Women’s Health during Menopause
Most women enter perimenopause or menopause between the ages of 45 and 55; with the supply of eggs in the ovaries now exhausted, the menstrual cycle wanes and eventually ceases, and oestrogen levels drop.
While the experience of menopause is different for every woman, it is quite common to feel that your health, vitality and energy levels are suffering as a result of:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Night sweats and hot flushes
- Anxiety and depression
- Aches and pains
- Brain fog
- Digestive issues
- Low libido
- Reproductive dryness
- Painful, heavy or irregular periods (Perimenopause)
- Mood swings
- Hair thinning
They say that women in their 40’s and 50’s are in the “prime of life” – but it’s hard to feel that way when you are dealing with symptoms like these!
Some women breeze through menopause with little to no symptoms; others have issues that come and go; but many struggle with symptoms for years.
However, just because you’ve reached a certain age, doesn’t mean that you should assume it’s “just menopause”. While these types of women’s health issues could very well be related to the change of life, there could be other factors at play.
Naturopath for Women’s Health
A naturopathic approach involves treating you as a whole person, not just as a collection of symptoms. When you see our award-winning naturopath, you can be confident that no stone will be left unturned to get to the heart of your women’s health issues – whether that’s due to hormones, or something else entirely.
There are many natural ways of treating the symptoms of menopause. For example herbs such as Rehmannia help to cool the body, while Black Cohosh and sage will reduce or eliminate flushes and sweats.
Tony’s approach to treating menopause is to help with the immediate symptoms such as the flushes and sweats, but he also likes to work on the underlying drivers of these symptoms.
Did You Know!!!
When a woman’s cycle stops her oestrogen drops significantly and this is one of the main reasons behind the symptoms of menopause. At this point the adrenal glands are meant to compensate by producing small amounts of oestrogen, therefore ‘keeping symptoms at bay’. If you have had a stressful life, worked hard, raised kids etc … then your adrenals are often too tired to do this extra job, can’t produce the oestrogen required, and therefore you have symptoms.
There are many ways we can naturopathically nourish your adrenals. If we nourish the adrenals not only will you get rid of flushes and sweats but we will also increase your energy levels, reduce stress or anxiety, plus increase your bodies coping mechanisms.
This approach not only gets rid of your symptoms but works on the underlying drivers of those symptoms.
In addition to increasing your energy levels and eliminating menopausal symptoms, if necessary, we can also help you lose weight.
Most woman typically lose between 1-1.5kg of weight per week.
This will help improve energy levels, self-esteem and reduce your risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cholesterol issues and cardiovascular disease. Reducing fat typically results in a lowering of menopause symptoms plus improves general help and vitality. For more information on how we can help you lose weight and feel great, see our article on “How a Naturopath can help me Lose Weight“.
If you are experiencing other symptoms, then Tony our Naturopath can also help bring your body back into balance using proven, natural treatment approaches. This may include other testing options or other treatment options …
Naturopathic Testing and Treatment Options
Hormone Testing: When it comes to women’s health issues, hormone testing is often the first port of call. The human body has a delicate chemistry so even small fluctuations can have big consequences – no wonder many women suffer during menopause! The good news is that our naturopath can prescribe natural herbal remedies that are effective in addressing hormone imbalances, thus reducing troublesome symptoms.
FSM Frequency Specific Microcurrent: Our naturopath is trained in FSM (Frequency Specific Microcurrent), which is a non-invasive, painless treatment that reduces pain and inflammation, anxiety and stress. FSM uses specific electrical frequencies to encourage natural healing in your body; you can read more about its effectiveness in our blog post “FSM Therapy for Natural Pain Relief”.
Food Intolerance Testing: As you grow older, certain foods may no longer agree with you – even if you’ve never had any issues before. You may think you are doing the right thing by consuming “healthy” foods such as bananas, nuts, capsicum or avocado, not realising that they are in fact the culprit causing you to feel unwell!
A simple food intolerance test at Capalaba Natural Health will assess your reaction to 59 common food items. Once any intolerances are detected, we will work with you to create a dietary plan that eliminates the triggering foods – and our patients are frequently amazed at how quickly this gets rid of bloating, abdominal pain and discomfort.
Check Essential Minerals and Heavy Metals: Ensuring we have the right balance of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium in our bodies is vital for optimum health. Magnesium deficiency for example can cause muscle cramps or annoying restless leg syndrome, preventing you from enjoying a good night’s sleep – which can further impact on your overall wellbeing.
But not only will a deficiency in these minerals lead to health problems, they are often exacerbated by excess heavy metals. By testing the levels of minerals and heavy metals in your body, our naturopath can then advise you of the best way to eliminate the toxins, and address any mineral deficiencies that are affecting your health.
Naturopath for Menopause Redlands
If you live or work in the Redlands area or in nearby suburbs on Brisbane’s southside, your nearest naturopath for women’s health issues such as menopause is located at Capalaba Natural Health.
So, take the first step towards a healthier and happier lifestyle and contact us today on (07) 3823 3103 to book a consultation today. We look forward to hearing from you!
