Written by Dr Meghan van Drimmelen

I believe that supporting women throughout mid-life starts with education and empowerment.  Helping my patients understand how hormones effect their health and wellbeing, as well as taking the time to go over all hormone testing and treatment options is a HUGE part of my practice.

Here are some common questions that come up in my practice around menopause:

What's the difference between peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause?

Peri-menopause is a period in a women’s life where ovarian function and sex hormone production slowly starts to decline.  This natural transition can start as early as your late 30's or early 40's, and can be associated with changes in length and flow of your menstrual cycle, more pronounced PMS, hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, depression, low energy, foggy thinking, insomnia, loss of skin tone, vaginal dryness, and loss of sex drive. 

Menopause is defined as a women’s last menstrual period, which is confirmed after a woman has not menstruated for 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause is 51. Hot flashes and night sweats often become more severe at this time. Other symptoms such as vaginal dryness, low libido, loss of skin tone, mood and cognitive changes, as well as sleep issues can also persist.

Once a woman has gone through menopause, she is considered to be post-menopausal.  During the post-menopausal period many of the bothersome symptoms listed above start to slowly decline. However, each individual differs, and for some, these symptoms can persist for a number of years significantly impacting quality of life.  

What kind of therapies are used by Naturopaths to support women during peri- menopause, menopause and post- menopause?

When re-balancing hormones throughout mid-life, Naturopathic Doctors commonly use Bio-identical Hormone Therapy, Diet & Lifestyle recommendations, Herbal Medicines, Vitamin & Mineral Therapies, and/or Acupuncture.  Treatment plans are tailored to the individual, and are based on current symptoms, medical history, risk factors and hormone lab results. 

What's the difference between bioidentical hormones and synthetic hormones?

The molecular structures of bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones that are made in the body, while synthetic hormones are not. There are many Health Canada approved bioidentical hormone preparations.

What type of hormone testing do Naturopathic Doctors typically recommend?

Naturopaths recommend a variety of hormone tests - including blood, urine, and salivary hormone testing. The type of test recommended depends on the hormone being tested, the individual's symptoms, medical history, and how much information we want to get. Here are some examples of when and why I order certain tests:

I recommend blood testing for thyroid hormones - this method of thyroid testing is the gold standard. Blood testing is also commonly used to look at baseline levels estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and pituitary hormones such as follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).

I often recommend salivary hormone testing for adrenal hormones (cortisol and DHEA-S). Salivary hormone testing measures the amount of hormone that is available to target tissue (ie. the bioavailable hormones), which better relates to symptoms of excess or deficiency when looking at stress related ailments.  

The most comprehensive functional testing I recommend is urine hormone metabolite testing, which looks at sex, adrenal and thyroid hormones. This type of testing offers an in-depth evaluation of your overall hormone balance, including how you metabolize your hormones, which allows for assessment of cancer risk factors and detoxification pathways.

If you would like to learn more about your hormones fill our my Hormone Questionnaire! This is a great tool to see whether or not your hormones are to blame for your bothersome symptoms. 

To book an appointment with a Naturopath at Juniper Family Health please contact the clinic at 778-265-8340 or info@juniperfamilyhealth.com or click here to book online.