387641 Perimenopausal 031519

Perimenopause

PLAYBOOK AND RECIPE GUIDE

Hi, I'm Dr. Michelle,

host of the Perimenopause Summit, Naturopathic Physician, the founder of Glow Natural Wellness, and the creator of The Glow Protocol. My mission is to empower women of all ages to embrace their limitless potential, and live the lives they deserve in the bodies they desire.

I was diagnosed with Primary Ovarian Failure at age 20. I was just becoming a woman, and I felt as though my womanhood was stripped from me. I was told that having a child "wasn't in the cards" for me and that I had the hormonal output of a 55 year old woman. In essence, I was in very early menopause. Doctor after doctor echoed this horrible news. I felt betrayed by my body, but refused to throw in the towel. This began my menopause mission and my health journey.

After many years of tears, prayers, and failed attempts to heal, combined countless hours of study, testing, experimenting, I became an expert in female hormone health, metabolism, epigenetics and natural medicine. This led me to help thousands of women understand their bodies, uncover the root causes of their symptoms, balance hormones naturally and improve their quality of life. In the process, I was able to uncover the root causes of my own imbalances and dysfunctions and on April 5, 2015, I gave birth to Paxton Emerson Sands- with no intervention, nearly 20 years after my ovarian failure diagnosis. This happened, despite doctor after doctor telling me that there was nothing that could be done.

I share this with you as a message of hope, inspiration and empowerment. No matter your age, symptoms, diagnosis or history, you hold limitless potential inside of yourself to heal, balance and thrive.

Virtual Hugs XoxoXo, Dr. Michelle

Perimenopause PLAYBOOK AND RECIPE GUIDE

1

This guide includes three parts

Part 1: Perimenopause Myths and Truths

Part 2: Strategies for managing Perimenopause Symptoms -including some of my favorite herbal remedies to common perimenopause symptoms

Part 3: Over 25 delicious energy boosting, age-reversing and hormone balancing recipes

Perimenopause PLAYBOOK AND RECIPE GUIDE

2

Perimenopause misconceptions:

Misconception #1: The ovaries are responsible for our menopausal experience.

Truth: The adrenals, gut, and thyroid are the major players here. The adrenal glands help to regulate the production of thyroid hormones. And, just like every other organ in the body, the ovaries require thyroid hormones to maintain a healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone. Without a healthy gut, proper estrogen metabolism and hormone conversion is impaired.

Misconception #2: Unrelenting peri/ menopausal symptoms such as heavy and/or irregular periods, weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, sleep disruption/insomnia, migraines, loss of libido, uterine fibroids, and worsening PMS are normal.

Truth: It is normal to experience 12-18 months of mild symptoms prior to menopause. These normal symptoms of perimenopause include irregular periods and mild hot flashes. That's it, just two symptoms! All of the other symptoms are common, but not normal and likely due to imbalances, toxicities and deficiencies.

Misconception #3: The symptoms of perimenopause are soley the result of declining estrogen.

Truth: In actuality, the first hormone to drop is progesterone. Estrogen levels should remain constant, or even increase a little. Estrogen and progesterone should counterbalance each other, but when that delicate dance is disrupted we can be left with estrogen dominance, the exact opposite of the conventional belief. Lower progesterone levels can shorten cycles and cause heavier bleeding, and can also cause issues with falling asleep and create more anxious feelings for no reason. Progesterone is the hormone that makes us feel grounded and keeps a hold on anxiety, without it we can feel edgy, anxious, and airheaded.

Treating this imbalance with birth control pills or supplemental estrogen is like throwing gasoline on the fire. Many other hormones are at play here as well, including: testosterone, insulin, cortisol, human growth hormone, thyroid hormones, prolactin and vitamin D.

Perimenopause PLAYBOOK AND RECIPE GUIDE

3

Misconception #4: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the only way to manage menopausal symptoms.

Truth: While low dose bioidentical hormone therapy may be helpful for some, it is not the only answer for most women. Assess the stress in your life and also thyroid, gut, and adrenal function. Put in the foundational work, then move on to hormone replacement, if necessary. Even those who do decide to implement bioidentical hormone replacement therapy will get far more benefit by working on the foundations in conjunction.

Misconception #5: Menopause signals the end of our youth and relevance in the world. Truth: The old saying "perception is reality" applies here. If a woman enters this time of life with health and happiness, she will be able to embrace this transition with joy and ease. If she perceives this as a time of ill health and sadness, she will likely experience

disruptive symptoms and look to others to "fix" her. Women are hardwired to put the

needs of others before their own. This can be a time of spiritual and emotional awakening making way for unapologetic self-care, which will make for a more vibrant experience.

Effective strategies for managing peri/menopausal symptoms:

Balance blood sugar by balancing macronutrients at every meal, e.g. protein, fats, and carbohydrates, managing stress and optimizing sleep.

Get your good fats, especially your Omega 3's. Watch the sugar and caffeine intake. Encourage regular elimination by getting lots of fiber and water in your diet and movement

in your day. Support the liver with targeted veggies, garlic, herbs and spices to aid in efficient estrogen

metabolism and energy balance. Ensure that your Vitamin D levels are no less than 50 ng/mL.

Perimenopause PLAYBOOK AND RECIPE GUIDE

4

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download