Seven Steps to Address Perimenopausal Symptoms
1. Good diet that’s heavy on organic foods and low in saturated fats
2. Vitex, or chasteberry, to increase progesterone naturally and help balance excess estrogen
3. Black cohosh extract, like that found in Remifemin, to control hot flashes and night sweats
4. Blood sugar stability
and past president of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. “Diet and lifestyle are absolutely essential to a healthy hormonal system,” which she explains in her book, Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Woman’s Guide to Safe, Natural, Hormone Health. “The biochemistry of the body is based on vitamins and minerals. If we compromise food and lifestyle choices, we are not getting the nutrients necessary to have a healthy endocrine system.”
Weight gain is a particular con- cern during perimenopause. In their book, From Belly Fat to Belly Flat, Dr. Randolph and Genie James, co-founders of the Natural Hormone Institute, advocate a specific eating plan to override belly fat and related accumulating effects of excess estrogen. “In perimenopause, progesterone pro- duction usually declines rapidly, more than 120 times faster than estrogen or testosterone production. That’s what aggravates the symptoms,” Randolph notes. “Because women in perimeno- pause are usually still menstruating, they think their hormones are okay.” “The more body fat you have, the more estrogen tips the hormonal imbalance,” says Lucille. “Those fat cells hold on to toxins and place more burden on the liver, making it unable to effectively metabolize those extra estrogens,” which are stored in body fat and brought into the body as xenoestro- gens. “At the end of the day, estrogen is a messenger, and its message is to tell cells to grow and proliferate. That’s what we don’t want.”
When estrogen becomes domi- 38 Collier/Lee Counties
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5. Stress management, as well as adrenal support via an adrenal glandular supplement
6. Regular exercise
7. Bioidentical hormone replacement, if symptoms become too uncomfortable
Source: Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Woman’s Guide to Safe, Natural, Hormone Health, by Dr. Holly Lucille
nant, several things happen, including a more rapid release of insulin from the pancreas, which triggers sugar crav- ings. “It’s not a willpower problem,” Randolph assures. “Too much estrogen causes you to pack on the pounds in the belly area, and belly fat produces more estrogen. It’s a vicious cycle.” Lucille considers perimenopause the opposite of puberty and counsels, “While we are dealing with these changes, bringing some hormones on board for a short time can be a valuable tool.” However, she cautions, replacing anything isn’t the issue. “You have to look at the big picture,” she avers. “Put-
Foods to Reduce Estrogen Dominance
d Cruciferous vegetables and green leafy vegetables with indole-3- carbinol to decrease xenoestrogens, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, celery and kale; two to three servings a day
d Any citrus fruits, which have d-lim- onene to promote estrogen detoxifica- tion; one serving a day
d Insoluble fiber as an estrogen binder, such as oats, berries, dried beans and apples; two servings a day
d Lignans as estrogen binders, such as flaxseed, sesame seeds and flaxseed oil; two to three tablespoons a day
Source: From Belly Fat to Belly Flat, by Dr. C.W. Randolph, Jr., and Genie James
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