Stress can steal your oestrogen!
It used to be something that was unspoken or alluded to vaguely as ‘The Change’ but nowadays it seems that menopause is constantly in the news – whether it be doom-laden headlines such as ‘Why the menopause is a menace for your marriage’ or Mariella Frostrup declaring ‘Why no woman should have to choose between heating and HRT this winter!’ I think we would all agree that awareness of something that affects half of the planet directly (and the other half very definitely by proxy!) can only be a good thing, as long as it’s done in an informative and positive way and so very much welcome today’s World Menopause Day.
So what can help us through the menopause? Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) works by rebalancing our hormones including boosting levels of oestrogen which naturally decline as a result of the menopause, causing all sorts of symptoms including brain fog, anxiety, hot flushes, depression and insomnia. HRT suits some people but others, especially those who have had breast cancer, may need other methods. Some people may benefit from a nutritional approach and adopting a more wholegrain way of eating such as the Mediterranean diet. However it appears that just reducing our stress levels can have a really positive impact too.
We know that when we are stressed, our bodies produce cortisol to get us ready for the fight/flight response. However we are now becoming aware that cortisol works in balance with oestrogen so if we are stressed, causing an increase in our cortisol levels, this makes our declining oestrogen levels go down even further! So reducing stress is a really important way of helping us to balance our hormones and so may reduce the symptoms of the menopause.
Solution focused hypnotherapy can definitely help with symptoms of perimenopause and menopause itself because it is so beneficial for reducing levels of stress (through emptying our ‘stress bucket’) which can have such a beneficial effect on people’s physical and mental wellbeing.
If you would like further information, please contact me for an informal chat on 07790 683403 or email me at info@kayhendyhypnotherapy.co.uk.