A best friend of mine recently phoned me up and said she had been feeling really peculiar. She had been experiencing a lot of tingling in her legs, she couldn’t focus on any tasks and generally did not feel like herself. She was so worried about the tingling legs (she even thought she may have MS), that she went to the doctor and after a few minutes of describing all her symptoms, the doctor concluded that at 49 years old she was probably going through Perimenopause. My friend had absolutely no idea what the doctor was talking about. This is a very intelligent woman who works in Occupational Health and she had never heard this word before! I couldn’t believe she hadn’t realised that she may be experiencing hormonal issues but I suppose I’m very aware of all these symptoms as I live, eat and breathe health and wellness after 40!
Her doctor didn’t really give her any idea how to alleviate her tingly limbs or her brain fog but I suggested a few tweaks to her diet and some useful supplements to take! Having experienced tingly fingers myself from time to time and a foggy brain with low concentration levels (I seemed to lose the ability to be able to read a newspaper article), I know what to eat to get me back on track.
So what exactly is Perimenopause? Several years before Menopause, the ovaries gradually begin to produce less oestrogen. Perimenopause usually starts in a woman’s 40’s and can last years! Perimenopause ends when a woman has not had a period for 12 months.
If you are experiencing some of the following symptoms, then you are probably perimenopausal (but of course, please do check in with your doctor to assess your situation):
– Irregular or erratic periods (some heavy bleeding; some light bleeding; some mid-cycle spotting)
– Hot Flashes and/or Night Sweats
– Fatigue
– Breast Tenderness
– Sleep issues
– Mood swings
– Lower sex drive
I’m still in perimenopause and have finally found some really useful foods and supplements that help me cope with this often debilitating phase of life. Embrace this phase of your life!