Stress and Menopause…triggering words both

Stress has a huge impact on your endocrine system (ovaries, adrenal glands, thyroid).  Your Hypothalamus (hormone control centre in the brain) is very sensitive to stress, so much so that it can stop you having periods altogether for a time if it perceives you are under immediate threat. 

When you enter menopause, the adrenal glands begin producing estrogen, partly taking over for the ovaries when they are becoming less efficient at this. Your adrenals are also responsible for your stress hormones of course: adrenalin and cortisol amongst others.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone, and makes you more alert, pushes up your blood sugar and provides your muscles with energy.  For short-term situations, this is very useful.  Long term activation is not so great.  It takes protein from your muscles and organs, weakens your immune system, and unbalances your blood sugar regulating hormones: insulin and leptin.  It also steals…..progesterone!  It does this to make more Cortisol, as your hormones are all made from the same base material – steroids.  (We’ll talk about Pregnenalone in a later blog)

Normally, your cortisol should peak in the morning, then drop down at night for sleep.  If you’ve had a really stressful time in your 30’s and/or 40’s, this may set up a chronic deficiency of beneficial reproductive hormones, and an over-taxed and tired pair of adrenal glands – none of which is beneficial for a gentle transition through menopause. 

·         Stress plays a role in suppressing the function of the hypothalamus in the brain, which controls the pituitary gland which, in turn, controls the thyroid and adrenal glands and the ovaries; they all work together to manage hormones.

·         Stress is more likely to alter the regularity of the cycle in the years leading up to menopause.

·         High levels of stress also make you more susceptible to infections such as bacterial vaginosis due to suppression of your immune system.

·         Chronic stress can cause chronically high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). Cortisol actually blocks progesterone receptors which can lead to low levels of progesterone in relation to estrogen. This results in symptoms of estrogen dominance.

So just stop being stressed. (Sorry, that was a small joke). We understand that stress is a part of modern life, and due to the complexities of family, work, health issues and more these days, it’s almost a given for most people. So what do we do? The Naturopathic toolbox is replete with tools for supporting your brain and body to deal with stress. We have the class of herbal medicines called “Adaptogens” (one of which you may have heard of before, “Ashwaganda”, but there are many others); we have beautiful and easy lifestyle tools that are ready to use; we have empathetic, one-to-one sessions in which you can be truly heard, and we have the latest in functional testing to help you really get a handle on what is going on for you, the individual. No assumptions in our clinic.

If you’re propping yourself up with caffeine and/or alcohol, running on empty (or in the red line), with challenging sleep patterns, fatigue, nausea, bloating, joint pain, hot flushes, or any of the other truly debilitating symptoms of menopause, we’ve got you.