Now let’s face it, menopause gets a bad rap.
But it’s actually the time before it – perimenopause that generates the change and uncertainty for us. For most of us, we only begin to learn about perimenopause from hindsight and experience of ourselves and our friends.
Why uncertainty?
Perimenopause can begin for some of us sometime in our 30’s – 40’s, but it is more likely to begin in our 40’s, see uncertainty, unlike most things in our super busy lives this isn’t planned or scheduled. Unpredictability is the signature of perimenopause. Perimenopause can last for up to ten years.
The bringer of the change is a drop in our oestrogen levels, just like in the picture below. Our body loves to be in balance; when our oestrogen levels drops things start to go out of kilter.
Random things start to happen with our body’s in response to our changing hormone levels. There are over forty (some say sixty) potential symptoms of peri-menopause. It’s commonly reported that we only recognise just 5 symptoms and that 9/10 of us don’t know what we should be looking out for, no wonder it’s possible to feel like your life is falling apart. Changes to your menstrual cycle can be the start, but also, might not be your starting point. I’m going to share many of the different symptoms with you.
Typical symptoms
As you look down this list, you’ll see there is a huge array of symptoms, which is why our peri-menopause experience varies so much between you and your friends.
I like order (this won’t be a shock to most of you), and for information to be easily accessible. With this in mind, I’ve broken them down into physical, emotional & psychological, digestive and then cognitive. You’ll see in the table below there can be a whole lot of physical shenanigans going on, due to the changing oestrogen levels. You’ll probably also notice that there are many similarities to depression, inflammatory illnesses such as IBS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, but also from my own experience, there are massive similarities with post-concussion syndrome when it comes to cognitive aspects of peri-menopause.
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My words of wisdom
My parting wisdom and everything from my peri-menopause experience are that simple lifestyle changes do really work, making a huge difference for you:
- Get active – exercise can help combat weight gain, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and boost your mood
- Follow the PFC eating plan to balance your hormones and keep you properly nourished
- Notice your symptom triggers and reduce them with the end goal of cutting them out
- Track your symptoms; I have a symptom tracker here for you to download
- Sort out your life stress; this is possibly the most important act of self love that you can do
Did you know that menopause is just a single day? It’s actually the 12-month anniversary of no periods, then after that, you are post-menopausal.
How can working together help me through peri-menopause and menopause?
As we, transition into peri-menopause and we lose the sense of our familiar self, and some of our self-confidence as we go on a hormonal roller coaster of a ride.
Working together, I can help you understand how to restore the delicate balance of hormones, supporting you with a combination of nutritional advice, supplementation, and effective stress management tools & techniques.
I can help you make sense of what is going on for you and your body allowing you to flourish rather than flounder. I can find patterns in your symptoms flaring up and what has gone on with your life choices and behaviours and help you make positive changes.
I can also help you prepare for when the time comes to talk to a healthcare professional about your menopause journey so that you go to your appointment armed with empirical evidence that can be easily reviewed by your GP.
A bit about me & my background
Claire is a Health, Wellbeing and Rehabilitation Specialist at Restoring Balance; a sports scientist and Coach who is also a multi-disciplined therapist specialising in person-centred care. Claire has also held a number of senior leadership roles in high-profile safety-critical industries, where she has championed workplace health and wellbeing, and is peri-menopausal herself.
Claire’s work is very different to many therapists – working with you as a whole person using a unique combination of mind, nutrition and movement to overcome both physical and emotional blocks; not just where you feel pain or have dysfunction, allowing you to live life again. Claire can help you with:
- Balancing your hormones
- Understanding your cycle and how to work with it and not it against it
- Peri-menopause and menopause coaching
- Improving your pelvic floor function
- Calming your stress & anxiety
- Improving your digestive health
- Changing your mind-set
- Improving your emotional health
- Relieving pain
- Increasing mobility, balance, stability, co-ordination
- Post-operative rehabilitation
- Post-operative scar care
I work both online and in person from my home-based clinic on Hayling Island, Hampshire.
