Menopause and perimenopause: what you should know

Is progesterone the secret for menopause symptom relief?, During the menopause transition, progesterone helps to relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes and weight gain.

What is perimenopause?, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Perimenopause is the natural transition between healthy, reproductive function and menopause, or 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Perimenopause can begin anywhere between your mid-30s and 50s, but the median age is 47.5 years, with menopause occurring at an average age of 52. As a key stage in […]

Are hot flashes related to blood pressure?, By Dr. Mary James, ND If you have been experiencing hot flashes and you’ve also been told by your doctor that your blood pressure is running high, you may wonder if there is a connection between the two. Research into this topic tells an interesting story. One study that looked into the possible connection between […]

The perfect drink for menopause,   We love green tea for so many reasons, but especially because it’s so beneficial for women in menopause. The antioxidant compounds in green tea help relieve inflammation and stress. Green tea also helps improve memory and cognition, keeps your bones healthy and strong, and boosts metabolism — making it easier to prevent menopausal weight […]

5 best herbs for menopause, Dr. Mary James explains how herbs work in the body to balance hormones in menopause, and names her top favorites for effectiveness.

Is progesterone the secret for menopause symptom relief?, During the menopause transition, progesterone helps to relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes and weight gain.

14 signs of early menopause, Reviewed by Dr. Sarika Arora, MD You may be mystified when you notice what turn out to be the first signs of early menopause: irregular periods, weight gain, fatigue, changes to libido or hot flashes. You think, what’s going on? I’m only in my 40s — it must be the beginning of perimenopause. But when […]

Natural remedies for dry skin in menopause — that work!, Here are 5 ways to get your glow back naturally, even when the cause of your dry skin is hormonal imbalance.

3 yoga techniques to relieve menopausal symptoms, Find relief from your worst menopause symptoms with these 3 easy yoga poses.

Dry eyes in menopause – and natural ways to prevent them, Are dry eyes driving you crazy – and nothing seems to help? More than 60% of women experience dry eyes in menopause. Here’s what you can do.

7 herbs to reduce your menopause symptoms, Plants and herbs are more powerful than you may think when it comes to reducing your worst menopause symptoms. Here are the 7 best to try.

A few things to know about post-menopause, Most women don’t know what to expect after menopause. Here’s the scoop.

7 surprising symptoms of perimenopause, There are surprising symptoms of perimenopause such as ringing in your ears or heart palpitations. Here’s the list of little-known symptoms and what to do about them.

7 ways to unleash your creativity in menopause, As creative energy flows, it produces feelings of increased intuition and insightfulness for discovering who you’re meant to be at this stage of life in menopause.

4 dos and don’ts to be happy in menopause, To be happy in midlife and through menopause, you should focus more on the everyday things that you can control or reprioritize. Here are a few areas to start with.

3 ways tea makes menopause easier, As studies show, the antioxidants in tea help relieve inflammation and stress, two triggers for menopause symptoms pick a tea and drink up for symptom relief.

5 tips to relieve hot flashes and night sweats, From years of experience, we’ve found these 5 tips are the most effective when it comes to relieving hot flashes, night sweats and other common symptoms.

Increase your libido and sex drive in menopause, When I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Mary James, ND, sex educator Barbara Carrellas and Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD, to discuss libido changes in perimenopause and menopause, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

What is post menopause?, Once you’re “postmenopause,” it’s frustrating and discouraging to still be experiencing hot flashes, fuzzy thinking and all the other menopausal symptoms you hoped to leave behind. What’s more, postmenopause can bring on a new set of disturbing concerns, such as urinary incontinence and bone loss. Many postmenopausal symptoms can still be blamed on hormonal imbalance. […]

Vaginal dryness — you have options, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD Many patients come to me first when vaginal dryness causes difficulty with their sex lives. But oftentimes this isn’t their only problem; the soreness, burning, and itching that accompany vaginal dryness can make it uncomfortable to sit, stand, exercise, urinate or even work. Vaginal dryness can affect our everyday […]

Stop suffering from urinary tract infections, By Dr. Sarika Arora, MD Whether it’s “honeymoon cystitis” or recurrent bladder infections, any type of urinary tract infection is something we’d all love to avoid. Women of every age come to see me for help with urinary tract infections (UTIs) — some have minor problems, some more severe. Some women suffer only on rare […]

Urinary incontinence —, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Urinary incontinence is extraordinarily common for women — but nobody wants to talk about it. I know, because I’ve experienced it. In fact, nearly all women suffer at some point in their lives from some form of urinary incontinence. Bladder control issues can take us by surprise, changing from […]

Signs and symptoms of menopause, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD During perimenopause and menopause, it can be surprisingly difficult to see that all the symptoms you’re experiencing are related, especially when they arise separately over months — or even years. The average woman has eight different menopause-related symptoms. But she may never connect the dots to realize that the […]

Can you relieve menopause symptoms naturally – without taking hormones?, The answer is short but clear: yes, you can almost certainly get rid of your menopause symptoms, naturally and without drugs. In fact, you can feel the best you’ve felt in years. (Why do we say “almost certainly”? Because there are a few women — in our experience, less than 10% overall — who need […]

Treatments for vaginal dryness — natural estrogen products and more, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD Many women suffering from vaginal dryness find relief by using locally-applied, natural estrogen products. As opposed to oral hormone replacement therapy (HRT), locally-applied bioidentical estrogen can help relieve persistent vaginal dryness without passing large amounts of estrogens throughout the rest of your system. For most of the products below […]

New research on hot flashes, brain fog & exercise in menopause, By Dr. Mary James, ND Research on menopause — and women’s interest in it — keeps growing. But as new information rolls out at such a dizzying pace, it’s impossible to keep up. With everything so accessible now, where do you start and when do you stop? And, it doesn’t help that newer studies often […]

Talking to your doctor about menopause & perimenopause, We recently surveyed more than 900 women and found that while 80% had gone to their doctors for help with menopause, more than 60% weren’t able to have a supportive, honest discussion about menopause options. There are many reasons why this is the case: Medical practitioners may still regard menopause as a disease that they […]

Rekindling desire — the soul of your libido, Remember the freedom we felt in our late teens and early 20’s? Back then, it seemed like life was an endless summer, wide open with possibility. Whether you came of age during the sexual revolution, when there were few restrictions on love-making, or soon after during the discovery of AIDS and the emphasis on protection, […]

Solutions for menopause & perimenopause, Get relief — naturally. “I just have to say thank you. It has made such a difference in my life to be able to sleep through the night, as well as to be free of the hot flashes during the day.” — Justine, customer Millions of women come to our website looking for relief from […]

Quick relief tips for these 5 top menopause symptoms, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD If you haven’t felt like yourself lately because of menopause, it could help to take a closer look at your symptoms. Even if you’re still getting your period, significant hormonal changes may have already started to interfere with your life. In fact, you may be well into perimenopause or […]

Post-menopause – what happens after menopause, The secret that most women don’t know about menopause and the years afterward is that it can be the most enlightening, satisfying and passionate time of your life. Before you scoff at this idea, consider the freedom that goes along with being in menopause. You can use this liberating time to finally release old patterns […]

What is perimenopause?, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Perimenopause is the natural transition between healthy, reproductive function and menopause, or 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Perimenopause can begin anywhere between your mid-30s and 50s, but the median age is 47.5 years, with menopause occurring at an average age of 52. As a key stage in […]

Perimenopause weight gain — causes and solutions, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND As many women enter perimenopause (approach menopause), they often find themselves experiencing unexplained weight gain and/or changes in fat distribution — especially around the waist. Methods of weight management that worked for them for years may now be oddly ineffective. In fact, weight gain in the abdomen is one […]

5 Steps for natural menopause symptom relief, Are you choosing natural alternatives in many areas of your life, but still unsure about using them to relieve perimenopause and menopause symptoms? After all, if “natural” is supposed to be gentler — how can it be powerful enough to relieve symptoms like fuzzy thinking, hot flashes or insomnia? We can assure you, the natural […]

Menopause sex breakthrough — better sex in 4 steps, Most of the women we talk to are relieved when we ask how their sex lives are going because many need help — and they want it fast. They know that a healthy sex drive is a sign that the body is in balance but many are not having much sex, and even worse, they […]

Top 10 menopause myths — busted!, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD Menopause will make me fat. Menopause will wreck my sex life. Menopause will make me a “raving maniac.” Have you been told these common myths about menopause? When we talk with women, we hear so many negative misconceptions it’s not surprising that women are upset and reluctant to head […]

Menopause in different cultures, For many of us, this is the menopause we think we know or fear: insomnia, fuzzy thinking, anxiety, hot flashes, loss of libido and more. Western women apparently suffer greater menopausal symptoms than other women around the globe. We hear a lot about the biological explanations for these symptoms, which are certainly valid. But how […]

How to look great in menopause — our best tips, Feeling great about the way you look in menopause is a big part of staying healthy and positive going forward. Some of the top complaints about appearance in menopause are: Dry, wrinkly skin Thin hair or hair loss Brittle, peeling fingernails Weight gain These discouraging symptoms erode your self-confidence during perimenopause and affect how you […]

Preventing irritability in perimenopause, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD Irritability and intense mood swings are extremely common symptoms of perimenopause and hormonal imbalance — just being in perimenopause increases your chances of having both problems. And for women with a history of PMS, these symptoms can become even more pronounced during the hormonal transition to perimenopause. Irritability is […]

How long does menopause last?, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD Whether you’ve just experienced your first hot flash or have been trying to cope with symptoms for months, you’re probably wondering “how long does menopause last?” After all, not knowing what to expect makes every symptom that much more difficult. And it’s upsetting and confusing because symptoms can come […]

How do I know if I’m in menopause?, Reviewed by Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD As we move through hormonal changes, so many women ask “How do I know if I’m in menopause?” That’s because the symptoms you’re dealing with today can be frustrating and confusing and you want to know what’s causing them. Some of the confusion is linked to the fact that […]

Help for hot flashes and night sweats — causes and natural solutions, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Hot flashes and night sweats are episodes of sudden and profuse heat sensations that spread quickly through the upper part of the body. They are usually followed by heavy sweating and can dramatically disrupt your life, interfering with sleep, social connections, work, travel, exercise, sex — and much more. […]

Herbal remedies for menopause symptom relief, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND We understand how disruptive menopause symptoms can be to your life — hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, irritability, irregular periods, and worse — feeling exhausted most of the time. The good news is that when a woman comes to us looking for menopause symptom relief, we feel confident […]

4 food rules that relieve hot flashes, Certain foods and drinks can actually bring on hot flashes and night sweats. But if that’s the bad news, then the good news is: the right food choices help prevent them. From caffeine and red wine, to Mexican food and sugary treats, some foods and ingredients are well-established hot flash triggers. Choosing the right foods […]

Feel younger in menopause, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Menopause symptoms can make you feel much older than your years, especially when you experience these common symptoms: Joint pain — generalized joint pain and muscle soreness can make you feel achy and “creaky.” Hot flashes — flushes of heat or night sweats put you on a temperature roller […]

My hormone tests returned “normal,” so why don’t I feel that way?, Q: I experience painful swelling and lumps in both breasts for two to four weeks out of every month, so I elected to visit my ob/gyn earlier this month. I thought I would get some direct medical feedback from her, but now I’m more confused than ever. I did have a full blood analysis done, […]

I recently stopped taking estrogen — why am I losing so much hair?, Q: What can you tell me about the hair loss I am experiencing since I stopped taking estrogen replacement? Is the problem hormone–related? Will my hair grow back? A: Female hair loss can often occur after a sudden shift of hormones, such as following childbirth, at menopause, or after surgery. So it is quite possible […]

What is post-menopausal bleeding?, Q: Why is post-menopausal bleeding considered different from the irregular bleeding so common in perimenopause? What’s the big deal with occasionally spotting after menopause? A: Any time a woman has gone 12 months with no period due to menopause, and then bleeds again ’ no matter how slight or brief ’ it is considered post-menopausal […]

Is there any way to predict when I’ll go through menopause?, It is difficult to predict exactly when a woman will enter menopause. Our genes are the number-one determinant of our “reproductive span,” so the best predictors we currently have are our mothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins. If you transition into menopause naturally, there is a good chance that you will have your last menstrual period […]

Is menopausal hair loss permanent?, No, menopausal hair loss doesn’t have to be permanent. The root causes of hair loss during menopause can be a variety of imbalances in the body, including high stress levels, and there is a genetic component to this as well. One of the major shifts that can take place during perimenopause is an increase in […]

If my periods stop during chemotherapy, am I in menopause?, Not necessarily. Whether or not chemotherapy will send you into menopause depends on several things — mostly upon your age, but also your state of health, the location and staging of the cancer, and the type and dosage of chemotherapy you are receiving. If your body is not close to menopause prior to starting chemotherapy, […]

Just how hot is a hot flash?, Q: Can a women experience a fever during a hot flash? Is the increase in temperature dangerous? I feel like I’m going to spontaneously combust! A: One woman in our office says she gets “hotter than the hinges of Hades” during her hot flashes. But surprisingly enough, it has been demonstrated that a woman’s core […]

How do I prevent growing facial hair in menopause?, Growth of facial hair during menopause is typically caused by an increase in the ratio of androgen (testosterone) to estrogen. This does not necessarily point to a problem, but the increase in facial hair can be bothersome. One of the best ways to prevent androgen excess is by eating a balanced diet rich in quality […]

How can I help my husband understand what I’m going through?, Q: I’m a 40-year-old female, now married for 17 years and starting to experience early menopause. I’m finding myself to be very emotional lately, crying more now than ever before. I’m not depressed — at least not often — but I do experience times when I feel that no one understands me. I’m not on […]

My doctor says I’m not menopausal. So now what?, Q: I was on your website and did the Hormonal Health Profile. Well, my results weren’t very encouraging — I fell in the severe category. The support I give myself is considered seriously inadequate and the demands I place on my body are almost overwhelming. Those are the results the profile gave me. What I […]

Is there a difference between hot flashes and night sweats?, Research suggests it’s likely there are physiological differences between the two, but specific physiological differences between menopausal hot flashes and night sweats are not really clear-cut. Some women experience one or the other, and others have both. In either case, the body and brain are not communicating effectively about temperature regulation. We do know that […]

Can I delay menopause to preserve my fertility?, Q: I didn’t think I ever wanted to have children. Now that I’ve found the right partner and things have changed in my life, I feel differently. I’m 45 and would like to try getting pregnant, but wonder if I might be too close to menopause. Can I put off menopause to get pregnant? A: […]

Can menopause be delayed?, Menopause is a natural process in women that cannot be delayed. Many women feel that if they could only put off menopause, they could delay the aging process altogether. This idea stems from our preconceptions about menopause — that once we go through “the change” and become postmenopausal that we are officially old. Yet we […]

Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) stop menopause from happening?, No. We can’t stop menopause. Beginning two to ten years before your periods truly end, your ovaries will begin to fluctuate in the amount of hormones they produce. Ultimately, once in menopause, they will stop releasing eggs and slow their production of progesterone and estradiol (ovarian estrogen). This decline in hormone production can happen gradually […]

Are herbal alternatives safe to use for menopausal symptoms?, Q: It seems as though every time I turn around there is conflicting information in the news about various herbal alternatives for menopausal symptoms… black cohosh, dong quai, chasteberry — the list seems to go on and on. One day an herb is being touted as effective for hot flashes, bone loss, or irregular periods, […]

Frequently asked questions on menopause, perimenopause, and post-menopause, Over the years we’ve fielded scores of questions from women regarding the perimenopausal transition and menopause. The information one woman needs varies considerably from the next, as there is such a wide spectrum of changes women undergo. Because we understand this variation of experience, we try to anticipate our readers’ and patients’ questions and share […]

What is estrogen dominance?, In this article Why estrogen dominance is about progesterone and testosterone, too When ratios aren’t normal: Three experiences Resolving estrogen dominance — the Women’s Health Network approach Estrogen gets a bad rap for so many things. Women hear that too much estrogen causes breast disease, and too little causes everything from hot flashes to hair […]

Ending confusion, fear and worry about menopause, In this article What does being ‘in menopause’ really mean?” “Why does my doctor say I’m fine when I still don’t feel like myself?” “What choices do I have to feel better?” If you’re confused about menopause, you’re not alone. Our Advisors and Wellness Coaches hear from thousands of women each week who are struggling […]

Do you have menopause brain?, By Dr. Mary James, ND Do you have menopause brain? An astonishing 60% of women in perimenopause and menopause answer “yes” to that question — and they’re scared. They’re struggling with fuzzy thinking, poor focus and unsettling memory problems that make life harder every day. A majority of women in menopause say their brain function […]

Demystifying perimenopausal weight gain, Perimenopausal weight gain feels different for many reasons. The excess pounds seem to go on more easily and are much, much harder to lose — no matter how often you diet or exercise. Gaining weight in perimenopause is also extremely common — nearly 80% of the women who took our Menopause & Perimenopause Quiz last […]

Crashing fatigue in menopause, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND If you’re in menopause, you may have experienced sudden fatigue that grips you with a rush of exhaustion, and even muscle weakness. This is crashing fatigue, and it can shut down your life fast. Crashing fatigue in menopause causes abrupt loss of energy, and intense lethargy that can come […]

Birth control pills in perimenopause, Reviewed by Dr. Sarika Arora, MD “Is it me, or is it the Pill?” Many women I see in my practice have been on the Pill for decades, and can’t make heads or tails of what’s going on when they begin to notice perimenopause symptoms. Others worry about the synthetic hormones in their birth control […]

5 best foods for menopause, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Getting the right nutrients in perimenopause and menopause can have two key benefits: symptom relief and better health. For too many women, hormonal imbalance in menopause means hot flashes, irritability, skin and hair changes, depression, low libido and debilitating fatigue, along with an increased risk of bone loss and […]

Phytotherapy – A doctor’s view on plant-based medicine, Reviewed by Dr. Mary James, ND Many of us have become conditioned to view pharmaceutical drugs as the only ‘real’ medicine. Many people today may be unaware that phytotherapy, or plant-based medicine, dates back as far as the Neanderthal period. On top of that, at least 30% of pharmaceutical drugs are directly derived from plants. […]