Women Get Better with Age

With the right approach the post-menopausal years can be the most creative and satisfying in a woman’s life.  It can be a time of empowerment and booming wellness for women.  New research has discovered that women are happier later in their post-menopausal years as compared to their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.  Most women in mid-life consider menopause to be a normal life transition.  Seventy-five percent of these women said they made some kind of lifestyle change when they entered menopause.  And women with negative attitudes about menopause had worse menopausal symptoms.

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a normal, natural event, confirmed after 1 year of no menstrual bleeding.  Most women go through menopause by age 51 – 52.  Laboratory markers that can predict menopause include:

  • Day 3 FSH levels greater than 25 IU/L
  • AMH levels of less than .5 ng/dL
  • AFC (antral follicle count) less than 4

Symptoms of Menopause?

Classic symptoms include:

  • Hot flashes and night sweats
  • Vaginal dryness, atrophy or thinning of tissue
  • Sleep disturbances

Other symptoms include:

  • Weight gain, loss of muscle mass
  • Vision changes, dry, redness, cataracts
  • Dental issues
  • Hearing decline
  • Skin changes, dry, wrinkles

Disease Prevention

Naturopathic doctors are keenly focused on disease prevention and can support women to prevent osteopenia/osteoporosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and more.

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Hypertension
  • Osteoporosis
  • Type II Diabetes
  • Alzheimer’s / Dementia
  • Cancer
  • Stroke
  • Osteoarthritis

Laboratory Testing

For most women we recommend annual basic blood work to help identify any health issues and prevent future disease.  Basic blood work includes a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, vitamin D, thyroid testing, and ferritin.  These biomarkers help assess any issues with anemia, blood sugar dysregulation, thyroid disorders, cholesterol issues,  and nutrient deficiencies. Hormone testing may or may not be necessary depending on the treatment approach.  We also recommend regular screenings including DEXA (bone density scan), mammogram and colonoscopy.

Natural Medicine Solutions

For the majority of women, naturopathic medicine can effectively manage menopausal symptoms while optimizing a woman’s health and preventing future disease.  Naturopathic medicine utilizes a wide variety of natural therapeutics to enhance a woman’s health.  Therapies include diet and lifestyle recommendations, vitamin and nutrient supplementation, herbal medicine, homeopathy and more.  Natural medicine can be incredibly beneficial in improving a woman’s energy, sleep quality, digestive health, mood, libido, skin, and more.