Perimenopause has rapidly become a ‘diagnosis’ yet this couldn’t be more of a disservice to women. 

In my clinic, I see so many women diagnosed by their health provider as having ‘perimenopause.’ By Definition 'Perimenopause is the period of a woman's life shortly BEFORE the OCCURRENCE of the menopause’ however perimenopasue is the phase that extends from around 35 years of age until the cessation of menses aka when you stop having a period for more than one year.

Perimenopause is a phase just like puberty or menopause; a transition phase we go through.

Perimenopause is not menopause, a time where we are suddenly infertile nor should it actually come with crazy symptoms like mood swings and low libido.  

However, there are some common symptoms we see during these perimenopausal years including weight gain, insomnia, night sweats before your period, ovulation pain and heavy bleeding.  Whilst they are common, that doesn’t mean they are normal.  These are a result of hormone imbalance which can occur at any time of life, but specifically amplified in perimenopause due to the slow decline of oestrogen we see over time.  

It should be said that this slow decline of oestrogen is normal and something we welcome as we lead into menopause when menstruation does finally stop.  After all who wants to be changing a pad or tampon when they’re 85?

This normal decline of oestrogen means we can see some common symptoms during perimenopause which include;

+ fluctuating cycles between 26 - 34 days

+ night sweats before the period

+ lighter periods

+ shorter periods

These are all a direct result of lowering oestrogen levels.  However what we are commonly seeing is that the impact of stress on the body and the release of cortisol negatively affect this natural decline.  This means that rather than small fluctuations in sex hormones, we start to see big fluctuations in response to cortisol which can feel awful and show up in a variety of these symptoms mentioned earlier (ie weight gain, insomnia, heavy periods etc)

Whilst we can’t stop this slow decline of oestrogen, we can look at how cortisol impacts our sex hormones and do what we can to help regulate it’s impact.  You may also be shocked to learn that the impact of stress and high cortisol levels can have an impact on the gut similar to taking antibiotics.  

This means that not only are our hormones impacted, but our gut is too.

The combination of ‘The ABSOLUTE’ and our MSM help to address symptoms seen at perimenopause as they support the body in a number of ways.  Whilst they can’t take away your external stressors, they can work to make sure your inner landscape is supported and maintained, first and foremost supporting overall gut function. And this is some of the synergy that works its magic;

+ Prebiotics found in our organic ingredients psyllium, chia, flaxseed, slippery elm and partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) help to feed the good gut bacteria and support healthy gut integrity and support hormone regulation which can assist in addressing heavy periods, period pain, sluggish or compromised digestion and more.

+ PHGG has been shown to help support emotional wellbeing and provide mood elevation - many women report PMS, mood swings and low moods during perimenopause.

+ With the addition of MSM helps to reduce inflammation, which not only is a stress on the body but inflammation can contribute to many other associated symptoms including headaches, period pain, ovulation pain, bloating, swelling and weight gain.

+ MSM is known as the beauty mineral and supports healthy hair, skin and nails - something that women report loses strength and elasticity as we progress through these stages. 

+ MSM also supports phase II liver detoxification which can help regulate oestrogen and support the clearing pathways that address heavy bleeding and pain.

Whilst there isn’t one magic thing you can do to support your hormones in perimenopause, we know if you added this one process to your routine with The ABSOLUTE and MSM you would begin to address many factors that are the reality of perimenopause.

Rather than fear this phase of our lives, we have the opportunity to shift our focus to the small additions we can implement to help facilitate this transition. This is just one of the next stages in this adventure called life.

Words by Nat Kringoudis