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Understanding hormones

Balancing Progesterone and Estrogen during Menopause


Menopause indicates the transition of a woman’s body from being fertile to becoming infertile. Ovulation stops, and the menstrual cycle terminates. The changing levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone are the main instigators of these bodily changes.

Hormonal imbalance can have unpleasant physical and emotional symptoms, like headaches.

In the stage leading up to menopause, the levels of progesterone and estrogen in the body fluctuate. At this time, it is likely that the body will experience a degree of hormonal imbalance. This hormonal imbalance can have unpleasant physical and emotional symptoms, including vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, headaches, fatigue, and mood swings.

However, there are a number of possible treatments for imbalances in estrogen and progesterone during menopause. These include lifestyle changes, alternative medicines, and hormone replacement therapy. Read on to learn more about how to balance your levels of progesterone and estrogen during menopause.

Lifestyle Changes

Although changes to lifestyle will not address estrogen and progesterone imbalances on a hormonal level, they can help combat the physical and emotional symptoms that occur. Eating healthily and drinking plenty of water will help remedy sensations of bloating, dehydration and headaches. Getting regular cardiovascular exercise is a good way to fight fatigue, and it can also help alleviate the insomnia or sleep difficulties that you may be experiencing as a result of menopausal hormone imbalances.

Alternative Medicine

Herbal supplements are an effective way of treating menopausal hormonal imbalance.Alternative medicine, such as herbal supplements, is an increasingly popular and effective way of treating hormonal imbalance during menopause. Phytoestrogenic herbs can be a useful remedy, as they contain components that are molecularly similar to the body’s natural estrogen. These herbs mimic estrogen when introduced into the body. Therefore, they can supplement estrogen deficiency and balance estrogen and progesterone on a hormonal level. Phytoestrogenic herbs are not recommended for long term use, because they can hinder the body’s natural hormone production abilities. Non estrogenic herbs, like Macafem, nourish the body and encourage the hormonal system to reach a balanced state naturally.

Hormonal Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT – which involves introducing external hormones into the body – is a controversial treatment for hormonal imbalance. The hormones counter-balance the fluctuating levels of progesterone and estrogen, and take immediate effect in preventing the symptoms of menopause. They are advantageous, as they can be taken in the exact quantities that the body requires. However, recent studies have shown that they may increase the risk of side effects such as cancer, stroke, and heart conditions.

There are many possible treatments for the menopausal imbalances of progesterone and estrogen. It is important to find the correct treatment, or combination of treatments, for your specific symptoms and for your body. A useful way to decide which treatment is right for you is to begin with the less invasive treatments – changes to lifestyle and use of alternative medicine – and then progress to HRT only if necessary. For more information on hormone levels during menopause, and other hormonal and non-hormonal treatments for progesterone and estrogen imbalance, click the link below.

Reviewed on Thursday, June 20th, 2013

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