As a woman, you may feel like you have to be your biggest advocate when it comes to your health. Many women’s health concerns are brushed off as anxiety or no big deal, but when you start walking the path of perimenopause, you can feel like there are no answers available to you. Perimenopause can begin in your late thirties or early forties and last anywhere from two to ten years!
You may be thinking, ten years of this? But there are things you can do to naturally deal with the effects of perimenopause on your mental and physical well-being. This transition is one of the health issues that every woman will walk through at some point, so whether you’re in perimenopause or want to be prepared, keep reading for the best natural ways to cope.
Weight Management
One of the most frustrating symptoms of perimenopause is unwanted weight gain, even when eating healthy and exercising. Some ways to combat your peri weight gain are trying different types of exercise, like strength training, cycling, resistance training, and pilates.
The exercise routine that has worked for you in the past is no longer working, so keep switching things up until you find a style that delivers results. Getting enough sleep also helps with weight issues as well as taking a hard look at your habits – you may have to ditch the fast food and sweet treats you used to be able to consume with reckless abandon.
Period Woes
During perimenopause, your cycle can become irregular, making it hard to keep up. They may start coming closer together, further apart, and they may get heavier or lighter. While some women opt for birth control to help with their period and hormone levels during perimenopause, a copper IUD may be your best bet if you’re searching for natural methods. You can also keep a non-toxic menstrual cup in your handbag or car to be ready when you find your cycle showing up unexpectedly.
Multivitamin Supplements
Your health and hormones are erratic during perimenopause, but hold on tight because, like all things in life, this too shall pass. One of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health is to take a multivitamin supplement to ensure your body gets the nourishment it needs, even if you’re making healthy food choices. Irregular cycles can cause some perimenopausal women to become anemic, so iron in your multivitamin can be a game-changer. The magnesium in a multivitamin can also help with the heightened anxiety that is common during the perimenopausal season.
Anxiety Control
As mentioned above, anxiety is common during perimenopause. Currently, around a quarter of American adults suffer from an anxiety disorder, but even women who never dealt with it develop it during perimenopause – specifically health anxiety.
Perimenopause causes many physical symptoms you’ve never had to deal with, like cold or hot flashes, dizziness, heart palpitations, and abdominal pains, which would make anyone nervous. While your GP should check out any new symptoms, if your doctor confirms they’re due to peri and your health is fine, controlling your anxiety naturally with products like Ashwagandha, GABA, Magnesium, and Passionflower is a great starting point.
Natural Skin Care
Your skin is likely to change during perimenopause, the same way skin changes due to hormones during puberty. You may experience dryness, wrinkling, and thinning skin. The drop in estrogen is to blame for your skin woes, so adding a natural collagen supplement to your morning tea or coffee can do wonders for maintaining skin plumpness and elasticity.
Additionally, you may find your skin is more sensitive to products than it was in the past, so investing in high-quality, natural, toxin-free skincare products will help you through perimenopause and your overall health.
This can be a difficult time for women because they feel like they are at the mercy of their hormones regarding their physical and emotional health. While the support of an understanding partner, family members, and friends is essential during this time, arming yourself with the knowledge of how to take control of your health can give you power and peace of mind as you navigate this new season of life.
