Last week was an awful week!

I was emotional, uncomfortable in body, my body hurt, I was tired,  felt sick to my stomach, and I looked like I aged a few years in week because of my dark circle and aging skin.

I thought I was dying!

So now that I am 40, I am the lucky recipient of two gifts…..PMS and Perimenopause!

Some months it is an easy week before my period and I hardly know I am going to start my period and then other months it is awful.

Being a Vata, Fall is always a season that really throws my hormones for a loop.

Once I realized what was going on, I was able to make a few lifestyle changes and change a few of my supplements and it made a world of difference.

Perimenopause

This is the time in a women’s body  (usually starts around 35-40) when her body starts to prepare for her last menstrual cycle (sounds good to me).  Progesterone levels start to drop first and then the estrogen begins to decline.

This can be so hard for some of us because we don’t feel like we are old enough to start this process and then we aren’t sure what to do or what exactly is going on.

Some women start to put on weight, have some crazy mood swings and/or severe decrease in energy.

Which hormones are responsible?

Low Progesterone can cause…

• night sweats
• heavy periods or extremely light periods
• anxiety
•  excessive worry

Low Estrogen made cause… (this is what I was feeling last week, all of them!!!)

• poor memory
• more wrinkles
• mild depression
• droopy boobs
• vaginal dryness
• sun spots start to show
• more stress
• body aches

Testosterone starts to decrease which causes…

• low or no sex drive
• low confidence
• loss of muscle mass
• loss of pubic hair
• feeling of helplessness

Lovely Cortisol always plays some roll and can…

• make you tired in the day and wide awake at night

Why the heck does it get worse?

Usually starting around the age of 40 a women’s body has maxed out on the amount of stress, toxins, and burden that it can bear.

This is why it all of the sudden feels so critical to make some changes….you will do whatever it takes to feel normal again.

Where to start?

A great place to start is with your stomach (there is an article on this).  Yep, this is where it all starts! Take it or leave it.  But you have probably had plenty of times where you are realizing there are just somethings you can’t eat anymore without not feeling well.

Cutting out all processed foods is a great place to start.

Shop the perimeter of the store. Increase your vegetable intake.

Cutting out or limiting all processed sugars and flours (these increase insulin a cause so many problems)

Cutting out red meats also helps balance hormones, especially cortisol.

Exercise is a great way to quickly and naturally balance all hormones.

Taking supplements such as ashwaghanda for sleep, chasteberry for PMS, or take a great mix that I love. Biofem PMS or Biofem Transition.

Meditate or breathe deeply at least once a day!  It is free and will really help with balancing all hormones. Quiet your mind and watch your thoughts! You maybe having a bit of stuff going on in your mind that is causing a lot of the issues as well.

Be patient!

If you start any of these or all of them, be patient and stick with it.  Your body may take a little bit to show signs of balance.  Remember that it took a while to get to the place you are now, so be patient.

Let me know if you need help with figuring any of this out.

🙂
Dana

 

 

 

Please don’t tell me I am the only one!

Right around the age of 35, I noticed my face starting to age very quickly!! It seemed to be less wrinkly at different times of the most, but it was still aging quicker than I was liking!

After figuring out what was going on, my skin was worse during the time my estrogen levels were lower!

So needless to say, I jumped right on it to balance my hormones and anything else that needed it.

What is going on?

The facial skin has more estrogen receptors than anywhere else in the body. So when hormones are out of balance, the face is usually where you will see it.

Wrinkles are caused by..

• low levels of estrogen
• stress
• junk food (high in omega-6’s)
• sleep deprivation
• toxins
• smoking
• ultraviolet rays
• etc..

All of these factors cause the mitochondria in the cell (the powerhouse) to become damaged.

Wrinkles being one of the results of the damage!

What to do?

It is easier said than done, but if you are stressing, find a way to bring your stress down (meditation is great).

Cut out the junk food!

Figure out what is going on with your sleep.

Remove toxins from life… use natural skin products, natural cleaners, wool dryer balls, candles and air fresheners.

Watch yourself in the sun.  I love the sun, but just take the proper precautions when in it.  I always take astaxanthin (see below).

What supplements to take!

Along with lifestyle changes, supplementation is a great way to help your body heal more quickly.

If you are suffering from wrinkles that you feel are unjustified (wink!!) here are some suggestions.  Remember to check with your doctor if you are taking medications or have any other health issues.

A good quality Multi-Vitamin!  Be sure that it has…

• Vitamin A- reduces signs of sun damage, increases collagen synthesis
• Vitamin C- helps produce collagen which is needed for elasticity of the skin
• Vitamin E- slows down the aging process by inhibiting antioxidants
• Vitamin D- boost hormones as wells as immune system

Add antioxidants into your day as well.

Astaxantanin is a great one to take before, during, and after being in the sun. It protects and repairs the skin cells from sun damage.

EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) the phytonutrients from green tea, is a great antioxidant.  It decreases inflammation while protecting the cells.

DHEA reduces inflammation while increasing blood flow.  This has been shown to decrease wrinkles as well as increase libido.

Collagen is needed for the connective tissue and elasticity of skin and tissues of the body.  It helps heal the stomach lining for anyone with gut related issues as well.

Omega-3’s are needed daily! Most diets have too much omega-6’s, so unless you eat wild caught fish regularly, a supplement would be great for you.

Vitamin D with K2 is another great combination that also boost elasticity of skin as well as protecting it and building bones.  If you don’t eat grass feed butter or free range eggs on a regular basis, these are great supplements to add in.

How do I know which ones to take?

I always suggest that you follow your gut! Your mind is going to tell you to order all of the supplements listed above.

Take a deep breath, wait a minute, then follow your gut.

Which ones stand out the most?

Now order those those. Be sure when ordering to look for the gold seal, these are the best quality. 

What lifestyles changes do you need to make as well?

If you are having a hard time figuring it out, that is why I am here.

It’s what I do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though you are sleeping, your body is very active!

Your amazing body creates balance through a system called HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis).  Research has shown that there is a connection between the hormone cortisol, HPA axis and sleep.

During sleep, your cortisol levels begin to rise, believe it or not.  Sounds crazy, because you are sleeping, but they rise until the morning when you wake and begin to move.

The problem! We never stop!

A problem arises when  cortisol is high through the day and night!  Never giving the adrenals a break.  And when the adrenal glands never get a break, the body never gets to recover.  This becomes detrimental to health after years of this taking place.

Ever left something out in the yard for an extended period of time? It is gets faded, brittle, weak, and unable to serve it’s purpose.

This is what happens to humans…..they become

• tired, can’t go to sleep but then can’t wake up
• unable to recover from exercise
• low blood pressure
• hair loss
• skin discoloration
• sugar cravings
• etc.

This is all to say that it is so important to support HPA axis function as well as optimal cortisol production and rhythm.

What Helps!!!

Ashwagandha

Once of the best supplements to help with this is Ashwagandha. This herb is an adaptogen that has been shown to reduce cortisol levels in stressed individuals.   A study reported in the 2012 Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine reported that participants taking ashwagandha had significantly lower stress scores than those of the control group.

L-Theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid that also has been shown to help balance the HPA axis.  In a study featured in the 2016 journal Nutrients,  L-theanine significantly decreased salivary cortisol response three hours after taking it.  The interesting part is that it didn’t show up in the saliva within the first hour after ingestion, but three hours after, but against the placebo group, the stress response showed up as a decrease within one hour after taking it.  In people that took it that were relaxed, had a alpha waves show up, it seemed to promote an alert state of relaxation.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola is a root that has been shown to help with anxiety, decrease cortisol levels, improve exercise performance, and many other symptoms.

Other supplements that help with stress and recovery are ginseng, GABA, licorice, and holy basil (tulsi). A combination is always a good choice when addressing cortisol management.

Yoga Nidra

Know as sleep yoga, it is a great way to bring down cortisol levels as well.  It is a guided meditation that has been shown to relax and quiet the mind.  According to Siddhartha Bhushan one hour of yoga nidra is equal to 2-3 hours of restful sleep. 

Try them out! Let me know what you think.

If you need supplements, order them here. Items with  the golden seal are highest quality and you don’t have to take as many!

Need help? Let’s chat and see what we can do together.