Navigating Menopause and Perimenopause: A Functional Medicine Approach
Menopause and perimenopause are natural stages of a woman’s life, but they don’t have to mean discomfort or declining health. At Vytal Health, we view this transition as an opportunity to enhance your well-being, not just manage symptoms. Perimenopausal issues like irregular periods, mood swings, and weight gain can start years before menopause, but functional medicine addresses the root causes by looking at hormones, lifestyle, and overall health. With menopause often marking the start of the last third of your life—and women now living longer than ever—why spend that time struggling with symptoms when you can thrive? Our personalized approach helps you restore balance and vitality, so you can live this phase to the fullest.
Understanding Hormonal Changes
During perimenopause (the transition leading up to menopause) and menopause, sex hormones—primarily estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—fluctuate and eventually decline. These changes trigger many common symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. Rather than only treating these symptoms, functional medicine examines how these hormonal shifts impact your entire body.
Sex Hormones: The Role of Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone
- Estrogen regulates menstruation, mood, sleep, joints, vaginal health and supports bone and heart health. Its decline contributes to hot flashes, bone density loss, and cardiovascular changes.
- Progesterone helps balance estrogen, supporting mood, calm and sleep quality.
- Testosterone, though often overlooked, plays a role in energy, libido, and maintaining muscle mass.
Fluctuations in these hormones during perimenopause cause irregular periods, mood swings, and weight gain. Functional medicine involves testing hormone levels to assess your unique hormonal landscape. Based on the results, we tailor treatments, such as bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT) nutrition and lifestyle modifications, to align with your body’s specific needs.
Fluctuations in hormones during perimenopause can lead to irregular periods, mood swings, and weight gain. In functional medicine, we take a comprehensive approach that starts with testing your hormone levels to assess your unique hormonal landscape. Based on these results, we create a personalized plan that may include bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT) when appropriate, but we also emphasize the critical role of nutrition and lifestyle modifications.
Blood Sugar Regulation: The Hidden Hormone Disruptor
Blood sugar regulation becomes even more crucial during menopause. As we age, the hormone insulin—which controls blood sugar—can become less effective, leading to insulin resistance. This can result in weight gain, especially around the abdomen, increased cravings, energy crashes, and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
At Vytal Health, we focus on balancing blood sugar through dietary and lifestyle adjustments. We recommend a whole-foods diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, and lean proteins to help stabilize glucose levels, prevent energy dips, and reduce the risk of insulin resistance.
Stress Management: Essential for Hormonal Health
Stress hormones, particularly cortisol, play a key role in how the body responds to stress and can greatly affect menopausal symptoms. Chronic stress can cause cortisol levels to become too high or too low, disrupting the balance of sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone. This can worsen symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain (especially around the abdomen), anxiety, and sleep issues. Managing cortisol through stress reduction techniques, proper nutrition, and lifestyle changes is essential for maintaining hormonal balance and overall well-being during menopause.
Since eliminating stress is unrealistic, the focus should be on building stress resiliency. This involves a combination of targeted nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, mindfulness practices, and supplements. By nourishing the body, adopting healthy habits like regular exercise and quality sleep, practicing mindfulness, and using supportive supplements, we can better manage stress and recover more quickly from its effects.
Bioidentical Hormones: A Personalized Approach to Hormone Replacement
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) offers a natural alternative to conventional hormone treatments. These hormones are chemically identical to the ones your body produces, making them more compatible with your system and often resulting in fewer side effects.
At Vytal Health, we tailor bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) to your unique hormone levels, symptoms, and genetic factors, such as how your body metabolizes estrogen and other hormones. Before recommending BHRT, we consider whether you may only need vaginal estrogen or a patch/oral option for example. This personalized approach ensures that BHRT is a safe and effective solution for managing symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.
Supplements for Menopause and Perimenopause
In addition to hormones and lifestyle changes, functional medicine looks to supplements that can support hormone balance and alleviate symptoms. However, it’s important to work with a functional medicine provider to ensure the right supplements are chosen for your specific needs, as not all supplements are created equal. For example, certain forms of maca root are more appropriate during this stage of life, and taking the wrong type could be less effective. Additionally, there can be drug-nutrient or nutrient-nutrient interactions that require careful consideration. Key supplements include:
- Maca root: Specific forms can help regulate hormones and reduce hot flashes and fatigue.
- Magnesium: Supports relaxation, stress reduction, and better sleep.
- B vitamins: Aid in managing mood swings, energy levels, and cognitive function.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Help reduce inflammation and support heart health.
- Adaptogenic herbs: Like ashwagandha or rhodiola, which balance cortisol and manage stress.
By working with a functional medicine provider, you can ensure supplements are personalized to your needs, helping to avoid unnecessary or potentially harmful interactions.
Food as Medicine: Eating for Hormonal Health
A nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet is foundational in functional medicine for managing menopausal symptoms. We focus on:
- Whole, unprocessed foods: Rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- Healthy fats: From sources like avocados, olive oil, and nuts, which support hormone production.
- Cruciferous vegetables: Like broccoli, kale, and cauliflower, which help detoxify excess estrogen.
- Phytoestrogen-rich foods: Like flaxseeds and organic, whole- food based soy, which mimic estrogen and help alleviate hot flashes.
- Protein and fiber: To maintain muscle mass, support blood sugar regulation, and promote satiety.
Our functional medicine nutritionist will guide you through making dietary changes that fit your body’s needs and lifestyle, optimizing your nutrition for this life stage.
Working with Our Functional Medicine Nutritionist
Every woman’s experience of menopause is unique, which means nutritional needs vary. Our functional medicine nutritionist Cindi Lockhart will work closely with you to develop a personalized eating plan that supports hormone health, manages symptoms, and helps you feel your best. Whether you’re struggling with weight gain, hot flashes, or low energy, a tailored nutrition plan can make a significant difference in your well-being.
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach to Menopause
At Vytal Health, we believe menopause and perimenopause don’t have to be a time of suffering. Our functional medicine approach integrates hormone testing, stress management, personalized nutrition, and bioidentical hormones to help you navigate these transitions with grace and vitality. If you’re ready to explore a personalized approach to managing menopause, schedule a free call with our care team today.