The Beginner's Guide to Perimenopause

Perimenopause?  What now?!

You've noticed changes. What on earth is going on now??  Could it be.... could it be .....PERIMENOPAUSE?

New to this word and this whole game? You're not alone. We've got you!

We're going to break it allllll down:

Perimenopause: the word:

>>'peri', Greek for "around" or "near" + menopause (which marks a point in time which is when you've had 12 months and no period).

Perimenopause tends to happen in our 40s and can last between 4-9 years (strap in, gals!).  The physical symptoms you experience are thanks to major changes to our oestrogen levels.

Behold! The absolute outrageousness of our hormones during peri:

What are the Symptoms of Perimenopause?

You'd better sit down for this one.

You could experience one, several or (perish the thought) all of the following perimenopause symptoms:

• Misbehaving periods
• Heavier than usual bleeding
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Dry vajay-yay
• Mood swings
• Itchy skin
• Migraines
• Trash sleep
• Brain fog
• Weight gain
• Low libido
• Aching joints
• Bloating
• Anxiety
• Low energy.

Oh JOY.

The Stages of Perimenopause: which one are you in?

There are different stages of perimenopause. Take a gander of the following and see where you think you are:

VERY early perimenopause: Regular period but with signs of change.

EARLY perimenopause: Irregular period - cycles vary in length by 7 or more days.

 LATE perimenopause: Skipped period: 60 days without flow.

 FINAL PHASE (Menopause): 1 year no period, congrats! You've reached menopause.

Find out more here about whether you could be in perimenopause.

Want to know more about the stages of perimenopause? Tap here.

Okay so great! What can help me through Perimenopause??

• Move every day: whatever brings you joy that gets you moving- do that.
  
  
• Bye, bye sugar - swerve that sugar low. Experiment by giving it a miss for 4 weeks - how do you feel?
  
  
• ...and Le Booze while we're at it: yes, we know, we know. But, stick with us, it really does blow up symptoms, like big time.
  
  Just for now, until this is all done - drop it or cut it. You can make up for lost time when you're done.  Just set low expectations, experiment and see how you feel...  If you feel better, stick with it!
  
  
• Eat well: we're talking lots of fresh veg, moderate protein, some fruit and good fats.  Focus on great gut health - this is so key!
  
  
• Find a good GP to support you: ask around, seek one out.
  
  
• Find your perisisters and talk it out: seriously, it really helps to know you're not the only one going through it ❤️.  Want to join our gorgeous Perisisterhood? Click here and we'll see you in there 😉
  
  
• Get onto the magnesium: it's the Peri Powerhouse. Find out more about how it helps, here.  It's also why we included it in our Peri Chai Latte blend and Peri Hot Choccy Sleep 'n' Soothe.
  
  
• Know that this is temporary: perimenopause is a life phase, it's gonna go away, things will change and you're going to feel good again. You've got this!

Have questions? We LOVE questions!  Drop them in the comments below and we'll do our very best to answer asap.

Ange and Michelle x