Navigating Menopause/Andropause Naturally: Hormones, Stress, and More

We’ve nearly made it through another Montana winter, which after the storms of last Summer, may we ease our way into Spring with some gentleness.  As I write this today, the sky has been blue and the snow has flown, but the birds are singing and spring is here!  

There were several topics I considered writing about in this newsletter and what I’ve chosen to write about has everything to do with aging, menopause, andropause, stress, and stress coping mechanisms…because this is what I am seeing day after day.  Not only is there more and more information available about menopause all the time, but there are more and more people offering to help women through this transition.  It seems weekly a patient is telling me about a new book, or a new coach, or a program they’ve come across.  I think it is great and long overdue that this significant and profound shift in female body is finally getting the attention it deserves, and kudos to women for demanding that their health care concerns be heard. At the same time, hormonal changes in men are also getting more and more attention, we are respecting that aging involves hormonal changes and those changes can have profound effects on our health and how we feel day to day. 

The topic of hormones and neurotransmitters is particularly relevant in times of high stress.  Our steroid hormones (Estrogens, Progesterone, Pregnenolone, Testosterone, and DHEA, along with Cortisol and all the metabolites) interact with our neurotransmitters (Serotonin, Dopamine, Epinephrine, Norepinephrine and GABA, and all their metabolites) to create the milieu or environment in which our minds and bodies live on a daily basis.  These hormones and neurotransmitters all interact, and when they are high, low, or waxing and waning throughout the day as we respond to stress we can feel ‘stressed out’, we can find ourselves reaching for alcohol or sugar, and we can find ourselves reacting to people and situations in ways that aren’t always healthy for us and those around us.  

I have spent years working with people to help them understand and balance both neurotransmitters and steroid hormones.  Menopause/Andropause, stress, sleep, and alcohol can be a combination that leads to weight gain, sleep loss, and unstable moods and energy levels.  Sometimes it is important to understand why we are reaching for certain things, like sugar and alcohol or caffeine. They all impact receptors in our bodies and if we spend the time to understand them, we can more easily change behaviors and use new tools such as herbs, amino acids, and other nutrients.  For example, alcohol impacts GABA receptors; so do L-theanine, Passionflower, Valerian, and Glycine.  If you are stressed at the end of the day and using alcohol to cope, we can help you find a plan that will be more supportive of your overall health.  

If you are interested in getting yourself on a new plan, in understanding what your levels of these various biochemicals are, give us a call.  We can do urine, blood, and saliva testing and then use those results to help build a plan for you, tailored to your needs.