Menopause
Schedule an AppointmentMenopause is a natural transition that all women experience and can lead to changes which affect their vitality and overall wellness
The average age in which this naturally occurs is around 48-52 years; however, some women can have an earlier induced-menopause if they have some health conditions, or have undergone surgery. This change is a process which can last months to even years.
We can help address the following concerns and questions:
- I don’t feel like myself lately – how can I get back to feeling optimal and back to my ‘normal’?
- I want to build intimacy with my partner, but I have vaginal dryness and low libido.
- My moods have been uncontrollable and I don’t know why.
- I feel tired all the time, even when I have not exerted much energy.
- How do I manage my hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia?
All of these symptoms may be attributed to the change in hormones that accompanies menopause. These above symptoms are common in menopause, but they can be managed through naturopathic supportive therapies to prevent them from affecting quality of life.
Our goal in this program is to educate and empower you during this time of your life by helping you understand some of the root causes of why these symptoms are occurring, identifying the ones which are applicable to you, and coming up with an individualized treatment plan, catered uniquely to you. We do this by looking at you as a whole person, and bridging the gaps between different systems in your body to solve the underlying causes. Some examples include investigating the role of gut health, the stress response in your body, and inflammation, which all contribute to optimizing hormone function.
Some of the things which we test include the “traditional” sex hormones (estrogen/progesterone), thyroid health, adrenal health and metabolic balance with regards to weight gain. This comprehensive approach lets us determine the best supportive program that balances all areas involved in hormonal health.
Treatment
Custom designed treatment to match your specific health concerns and conditions.
Initial visit
During the first visit of our menopause program, we will go through extensive measures to ensure this process is as comfortable for you as possible. Some of the core testing include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Comprehensive assessment, looking at hormones
- Organ function: kidney function, liver function
- Nutrients: vitamin D, vitamin B12
- Metabolic testing
Foundational treatment plan based on symptoms that will include the following:
- both hormonal and non-hormonal options
- sleep hygiene
- clinical nutrition
- medicinal diets
1-2 week follow up
The first follow-up appointment will occur 1-2 weeks after your initial visit. In this appointment, you can expect the following:
- Advanced treatment plan based on your blood work, including bioidentical hormones, acupuncture, intravenous therapies
- Consider more advanced testing if applicable
- Meal plan accountability option if weight is a concern that you may have
1 month follow up
In the second follow-up 1 month after the initial, you can expect the following:
- New treatment plan based on advanced testing
- Renew any prescriptions that are part of the treatment plan
3 month follow up
At the 3-month mark, you can expect the following for your visit:
- Maintenance plan
- Renewal of any prescribed regimes
- Re-run any diagnostic tools
Here at the Marsden Centre, we take an approach that is individualized to your goals and aim to help make small but impactful sustainable changes through diet, lifestyle, botanical medicine, supplements, acupuncture, and IV therapy, to name a few. These are non-hormonal approaches, which means that they help regulate your hormones without requiring direct hormonal therapy; however, if you have questions or concerns about using hormone therapy as part of your treatment plan, we are also educated in safely prescribing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy as part of your comprehensive naturopathic plan.
When we support someone going through menopause, we always take a proactive approach. In addition, we aim to reduce risks of future health concerns you may have, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes and cancer.