Menopause occurs when your ovaries do not produce an adequate level of hormones. Your ovaries are your reproductive glands that store and release eggs into your fallopian tubes. They are further responsible for the production of female hormones like progesterone, estrogen, along with testosterone. Estrogen and progesterone play an important role in controlling your menstruation.
In addition, estrogen influences how your body utilizes calcium to maintain the levels of cholesterol in your blood. When menopause happens, the ovaries do not produce any more eggs into your fallopian tubes. At this time, your menstruation ends while compromising your hormonal health. That is the reason why we have come up with a few ways by which you can maintain your hormonal health during menopause.
Hormone Therapy
You can use hormone supplementsat the time of menopause as your body will not produce enough progesterone and estrogen. Hormone therapy can help in boosting the levels of your hormone and relieve menopause symptoms. It can also prevent osteoporosis.
Estrogen, Progesterone/Progestin Hormone Therapy or EPT
Another name for this therapy is combination therapy. It is because of the fact that it uses progesterone and estrogen doses. Progesterone is also available in the natural form that we know as progestin. In case you have your uterus, your gynecologist may recommend this therapy to act like hormone supplements.
Estrogen Therapy or ET
During this therapy, you have to only take estrogen. This also works like hormonesupplements. Doctors prescribe it in low dosage; you can take it as a patch or pill. ET is further available in the form of a vaginal gel, spray, or ring, and cream.
It is the type of treatment that is useful after hysterectomy. In case you have a uterus, you will not be able to take estrogen solely.
How to Bring Changes to Your Lifestyle for Hormonal Health
1. Managing your stress
As per a study in the year 2017, there is a link between hormone levels, the endocrine system, and stress. Even a low amount of stress can facilitate a response from your endocrine system. Stress can lead to a rise in the levels of cortisol and adrenaline. If these hormones are high, they can affect the balance and cause mood changes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems.
That is why you are required to pay attention to the amount of stress you subject yourself to. In addition, you can try out different techniques of relaxation. This includes listening to music that can help in eliminating stress.
Related: SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE HACKS TO MANAGE STRESS
2. Avoid sugar
Sugar plays a significant role in problems such as insulin resistance and metabolic disease. Hence, you must remove sugar from your diet to maintain the levels of hormones like insulin. Some people further avoid specific kinds of sugar.
According to research in the year 2015, honey, table sugar, and corn high-fructose syrup had the same responses. Therefore, you can benefit from avoiding all kinds of added sugars instead of specific types.
3. Having healthy fats
Healthy fats help in regulating your hormonal balance that is involved in feeling full, appetite, and metabolism. A study in 2018 suggests that fatty acids are medium-chain and are found in red or coconut palm oils. This can help in regulating the cells that are responsible for the response of your body to insulin.
Olive oil can further allow you to balance the hormones that regulate your appetite. It can also stimulate the digestion of protein and fat.
4. Eating fatty fish
You can get your omega-3 fatty acids through the consumption of fatty fish that has anti-inflammatory properties. It can also benefit your hormonal health as it reduces stress levels by regulating hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Eating fatty fish can lower insulin resistance that can contribute to PCOS, obesity, as well as gestational diabetes.
5. Controlling dairy intake
Dairy is very nutritious for your body. But, if you are cautious about maintaining your reproductive hormone levels, you have to be wary of yogurt or cream. Having dairy will reduce the number of your protective hormones. On another note, they can lead to missing ovulation.
6. Stop using too much light at nights
When you expose yourself to blue light from your computer screens or cell phones, it can affect your sleep. Your body will respond to this blue light in the same way it does to daylight. And it will adjust your hormones accordingly.
If your body has exposure to bright artificial lighting, it can confuse your body. This will cause it to suppress the melatonin hormone that can affect other hormonal functions in a negative manner. When you avoid artificial lights at night, it will regulate your hormones while restoring the natural circadian rhythm of your body.
7. Getting high-quality and consistent sleep
It is essential for the body to have plenty of sleep as it can otherwise lead to imbalances in your hormones. Thus, poor sleep can affect the levels of hormones such as leptin, cortisol, insulin, and ghrelin. It is also important for you to sleep without any disturbances for your body to go through the five stages of the sleep cycle. So, if you want to want natural hormone supplements during menopause, you must have seven hours of sleep.
8. Exercising regularly
Exercising can have a good effect on your hormonal health. This is because it can lower the levels of insulin and enhance insulin sensitivity. In case you have high levels of insulin, it can cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and inflammation. On the other hand, normal insulin levels can take amino acids and sugar from your bloodstream that can maintain your muscles and energy production.
9. Having adequate protein
Having enough protein will regulate the hormonal release that controls your food intake as well as your appetite. This can bring you a feeling of fullness. And it will eliminate your hunger cravings.
10. Drinking green tea
Green tea enhances insulin sensitivity. Also, it lowers levels of insulin. This is how it controls diabetes and obesity. Let learn more about the health benefits of green tea.
Conclusion
During menopause, you can try ET or EPT to maintain your hormonal health. In addition, you can also make certain life changes to regulate different hormones.
