We’ve all heard about menopause.  We’ve all heard about the symptoms that some women experience: hot flashes, dry mucous membranes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, decreased libido.  We typically associate these symptoms with decreasing levels of hormones: mainly estrogen and progesterone.  While this is true, it is not the whole story.  Our hormonal system is complex, and while we usually think of “hormones” as our reproductive hormones there are several others, all of which have important functions in the body.  When we are thinking of menopause relief we have to look at hormones beyond those of the reproductive system.

The main hormonal system I want to bring to your attention is that of the adrenal glands.  These small glands sit above our kidneys and are comprised of two main sections.  The outer section produces two main hormones important to this discussion: cortisol (2, in figure) and DHEA (3), both are derived from cholesterol (1).  In general, cortisol is active during stress and DHEA is active during relaxation.  More specifically cortisol increases our blood sugar, stores fat around the belly, suppresses the immune system, decreases inflammation and inhibits proper thyroid function.  DHEA, on the other hand, regenerates tissue, restores our energy, improves our mood, increases immune function and builds bone and muscle.

As you can see in the figure, DHEA leads to the production of sex hormones (4).  During and after menopause (5), when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, the adrenal glands step up to take on this job.  BUT, when we are chronically stressed (which is common in our fast-paced, North American society), our adrenal glands are too busy producing cortisol. In fact, your body will choose to produce cortisol over DHEA in the face of chronic stress! This is compounded by a natural decrease in DHEA with age.  Don’t get me wrong, cortisol is an important hormone.  However, when it is chronically elevated at the expense of DHEA then it becomes a problem.  Without DHEA, we cannot produce our reproductive hormones after menopause.  Our menopausal-induced reproductive hormone deficiency is made even worse by our chronic stress!

What does all this jargon mean for your menopausal symptoms? I hope I have made it clear that stress relief is an important part of menopause relief.  Give your adrenal glands a chance to support the normal hormonal pathways. The adrenal glands LOVE routine and the best ways to support them include:

• maintain steady blood sugar levels.  Eat a small meal containing fiber and protein every 2-3 hours.
• get adequate sleep at the right time – go to bed at 10 pm in a completely dark room.
• exercise regularly.
• avoid stimulants, including sugar and coffee.
• practice deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
• consume adequate essential fatty acids, minerals and protein.
• see your local Naturopathic Doctor for the perfect treatment plan to suit your menopause relief needs.

It is important to support our adrenal glands all the time as they have a big job to perform.  However, it is especially important to support them as we age because their job gets even bigger!

Naturopathic medicine is a safe, effective and natural approach to you and your family’s health.  Naturopathic doctors can and will empower you to live a healthy lifestyle while treating and preventing disease.  Find more information on the services I offer at Arbour Wellness Centre at Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor.

Medical practitioners test the blood pressure in millimeters of mercury. A high systolic blood pressure level is any number higher than 140. A high diastolic blood pressure level is any measurement more than 90. People who measure above these numbers over multiple medical screenings are considered to have stage one hypertension. Stage 2 hypertension is a diastolic measure above 100 and a systolic blood pressure level of more than 160. People who have stage 2 hypertension are considered to be in a medical emergency. Find out more about dangerous blood pressure levels.

What Do We Look For And What Can We Do About It?

Dangerously high blood pressure level do not always have a known cause. Nor will an individual with high blood pressure levels necessarily notice any symptoms. Consequently, high blood pressure is often described as the “silent killer.” In fact a person can have high blood pressure levels for several years without even recognizing it. The only way to establish whether or not you have high blood pressure is with regular medical screenings. It is not until a person develops stage 2 hypertension that they begin to notice that anything is going wrong.

A person with critically high blood pressure levels may notice a strong headache, queasiness, weakness, and vision problems. If you notice any of these symptoms and you know, or suspect that you might have dangerous high blood pressure levels, go to your doctor immediately.

The Possibilities

If high blood pressure is left unchecked it can do serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys. People with dangerously high blood pressure levels, who do not receive the needed treatment are at very high risk of eye damage, stroke, aneurysm, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, and even death. Therefore regular blood pressure screenings from a health care practitioner are critical.

What Are The Treatment Choices?

If two or more successive tests indicate that you have hypertension, then there is a much that you can do to improve your condition. A healthy low-fat diet and regular exercise can help to lower your blood pressure. Even a moderate healthy weight loss can help correct the problem of your high blood pressure.

You should also eat less salt, reduce drinking alcohol, and stop smoking if you partake in any of these habits. Many medications are also available to treat high blood pressure levels. Diuretics are helpful for people with stage one hypertension because they reduce the amount of sodium in the bloodstream and reduce blood volume.

Your health care professional may also prescribe calcium channel blockers, which lower high blood pressure levels by reducing the tension of the the muscles of the artery walls. Beta blockers are another choice since they lower the heart rate and decrease the strength of heart contractions to reduce some of the pressure. Then there are ACE inhibitors which inhibit a hormone called angiotensin, which is a chemical that makes the blood vessels tighten and can therefore exacerbate hypertension.

To learn about the full range of medicines available to treat dangerous levels of your own blood pressure, talk to your health care provider. Alternative programs are also available for natural control of your blood pressure results. There are exercises which reduce tension and stress.  Acupuncture and meditation can also reduce your stress levels and bring down your blood pressure levels.