Perimenopause is a time when fluctuating hormones produce rapid and significant disruptions throughout the entire body. It can last as long as ten years and during this time, women experience a range of distressing symptoms that are often mismanaged.
Hot flushes alert us to transition but they are just the tip of the iceberg.
Estrogen and progesterone are sex hormones with many functions beyond the endocrine system. Receptors for these hormones are found throughout the body including the gut, brain, immune system, fat and muscle tissue, and the skin.
Estrogen in particular, is a potent antiinflammatory hormone that helps maintain body homeostasis.
When estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate during perimenopause, and eventually decline in menopause, the protective effects of these hormones are lost. This results in significant changes in the composition of the gut microbiome, activation of inflammatory pathways and metabolic disruptions within all organs.
Symptoms can develop rapidly and impact all aspects of your life.
The gut microbiome becomes disrupted, leading to increased permeability of the gut wall and leakage of foreign particles into the bloodstream. These particles activate inflammation within the gut and systemically, causing widespread symptoms.
As inflammation increases it can trigger autoimmune, allergic and chronic inflammatory pathways. This can lead to a range of new onset inflammatory symptoms or conditions.
Inflammatory cells accumulate within organs involved in metabolism, such as fatty tissue, muscles and the brain. This impairs glucose and lipid metabolism, making it harder to release stubborn fat and sense satiety signals.
Inflammation in the brain, termed neuroinflammation, disrupts neurotransmitter balance and places the brain in a heightened stress response. With time the brain connections rewire and can become fixed.
Fluctuating hormone levels and changes in hormone receptors affect the function of all systems of the body. Their impact on the immune system, circulation and the brain is responsible for many of the common symptoms of perimenopause.
Skin sensitivity increases due to an increase in inflammatory cells within the skin, in particular mast cells that release histamine. Inflammation also degrades collagen, disrupts hair follicles and impairs regeneration.
Chronic inflammation damages mitochondria, the organelle responsible for cellular energy and repair and regeneration. When mitochondria become dysfunctional, energy production declines and aging cells accumulate.
Inflammation damages the walls of blood and lymphatic vessels, causing “leaky vessels”. This leads to leakage of fluid into surrounding tissue, impairs the flow of blood and lymph and disrupts the clearing of lipids from fatty tissue.
The rapid onset of inflammation can alter the function of sensory nerve endings. This leads to fluctuations in the perception of sound, taste, light and smells, Increased sensitivity to light, sound, or smells
All these changes are influenced by diet and lifestyle, which is why symptoms fluctuate.
They generally tend to worsen with certain foods, a sleepless night or during times of stress. This is why it’s not just about hormonal deficiencies – it’s about getting the foundations right.
Symptoms of perimenopause can continue well beyond the transition if the right approach isn’t implemented.
Hormone replacement combined with the right diet and lifestyle modifications can bring rapid resolution of symptoms and bring balance to the body for the long-term.
Hormone replacement therapy can alleviate hot flushes, improve mental clarity and slow certain degenerative processes.It forms an important component of multimodal menopause management.
However, the benefits of hormone replacement are limited when it comes to addressing changes in the gut microbiome and the subsequent inflammatory and metabolic disruptions.
These need to be managed at their source - with the right diet and lifestyle.
Implementing the right diet for you will help restore a healthy gut microbiome and reduce inflammation, resulting in weight loss, improved energy and mental clarity, and a resolution of many perimenopausal symptoms.
Diet is also key for preventing age-related chronic conditions and improving overall quality of life.
With the right diet and lifestyle, perimenopause becomes a time of transformation - when you look and feel your best, inside and out.
Every woman’s experience through menopause is different so a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works in the long-term. The key lies in personalising your diet and including supplementation to address the changes unique to your body.
Personalised nutrition and comprehensive nutrients during peri and post-menopause don’t just improve one part of your body, they restore balance across your entire system. From reducing inflammation to improving metabolism and brain function, and regenerating your skin and hair, the right approach can bring everything back into balance.
Long-term results, without the need for appetite suppressants!
Perimenopause requires an advanced approach to nutrition and exercise.
During perimenopause there is a rapid loss of muscle mass and gradual bone loss, coupled with an increase in fatty tissue.
These changes in body composition mean that what worked when you were younger, is unlikely to work through the transition and beyond.
The Bio-Alai Personalised Nutrition Program comes with a personalised plan that considers your specific needs, focusing on the nutrients that best support hormonal balance, gut health, immune system, metabolism and muscle growth, brain function and skin regeneration.
The program includes a 12-minute exercise plan designed to improve body composition in the comfort of your living room!
Nutrients are needed for every biochemical reaction in the body.
As we age, the body’s ability to absorb and process nutrients declines, so do our natural repair mechanisms. Nutrients play a key role in clearing out damaged cells and restoring optimal function.
The right supplements can significantly improve health and vitality during the transition and beyond.
My Alai Multisystem Support contains active ingredients at doses that restore balance to the gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, support metabolism and brain function and improve the health of your skin and hair.
A simple, once-a-day dose makes it easy to start feeling better at any age!
Answer 11 quick questions to help us assess your unique nutritional needs and personalise your program.
Proceed to checkout, enter your email, and complete your purchase of only $149 to receive your Personalised Nutrition Plan and access to the complete program.
Review your Personalised Nutrition Plan and access the Bio-Alai platform for resources that support your journey to better health.
