Most women begin entering what is known as perimenopause in their late thirties and early to mid-forties, which turns into menopause by the late forties or early fifties. Perimenopause causes the periods to get shorter, and a woman's breasts might also feel lumpier, while her mind may also get foggy. A pounding, racing heart is the second most common complaint associated with perimenopause. If a woman doesn't peak estrogen with regularity, then she is probably in perimenopause.

Menopause is clinically defined as the cessation of menstruation for 12 consecutive months. It marks the end of a woman's reproductive years, and this usually occurs naturally around the age of 52 when her ovaries stop producing estrogen, and there are no more eggs that are fertile.

A woman in one of these phases, may be experiencing some uncomfortable and life-interrupting symptoms that could signify a hormone imbalance. Many of these symptoms are caused primarily by the incorrect relationship between progesterone and estrogen levels in a woman's body. These two hormones exist in a delicate balance. The amount of hormones produced may also vary monthly, depending on numerous factors including ovulation, lack of ovulation, nutrition, exercise and stress. Variations can have a dramatic effect on a woman’s health, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms such as depression, hair loss, hot flashes, insomnia, reduced libido, skin changes and weight gain – to name a few.

As estrogen loses its rhythm and decreases over a woman’s lifespan, she may have periods that come at irregular intervals, and include skipping one or several months. During these times, she is no longer ovulating, and cannot get pregnant. There is just enough estrogen to make a very thin lining in the uterus, but not enough to provoke a regular bleed.

Menstrual cycles are not static. They happen in a rhythm – an ebb and flow every month. The loss of this rhythm in perimenopause triggers the destruction of the rest of woman’s eggs, through the action of excessive FSH. Around this time is when the dreaded hot flashes may begin. Hot flashes are the body's reaction to a decreased supply of the hormone estrogen, which occurs naturally as women approach menopause. This is how the body shuts down these cycles and a woman will then enter menopause. This entire process can take up to fifteen years. Menstrual irregularity is most common in the mid-forties as a woman approaches menopause.

Many women have discovered the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to offset the inevitable hormone imbalances and simply feel better, revitalized and more vibrant.

If you are reading this, you may want to know more about the symptoms.

Perimenopause causes a woman's estrogen levels to drop, and she might begin to feel any one or more of the following symptoms that are associated with perimenopause and most often with and menopause:

The clinical diagnosis of menopause is an FSH score in your bloodwork higher than five (5). During the early stages of menopause, many women experience aching joints and muscles, and others get bad if not debilitating "menstrual migraine" headaches, most often caused by estrogen levels dropping during her period.

During early menopause, symptoms could include brain fog and trouble concentrating. Most women experience some anxiety, night sweats or hot flashes. The skin may become dry and fingernails brittle and most women experience a loss of the moisture in the lining of vaginal area which may be associated with itching and irritation. Collagen keeps our skin youthful looking, but when estrogen levels drop, collagen production also drops, causing wrinkles.

For women going through menopause, they may experience absent, short, or irregular periods caused by hormone imbalances. Periods may even come more frequently, every 24 days instead of every 28, or possibly later than normal. A period may be light and last only a few days – and then the following month be very heavy. These irregular cycles vary woman to woman until the period ceases altogether.

Fatigue is second only to pain as the most common symptom. It is defined as an ongoing and persistent feeling of weakness, tiredness, and lowered energy. When estrogen levels drop, vaginal tissues begin drying and become less elastic, often making sex uncomfortable. Hair loss happens because the follicles need estrogen.

Insomnia is another common sign. Weight gain, especially around the middle, is yet another sign of changing hormones causing the metabolism is slowing down. Bloating may occur due to periodic increases in fluid retention and abdominal distension. A loss of sex drive is a problem for some women at this time in their lives.

Women will experience bone density reduction as their estrogen and progesterone become unbalanced. Osteoporosis may also be a problem as thinning and weakening of the bone occur, along with a general decrease in the bone mass and density, thus creating more susceptibility to fractures or breaks. Estrogen is involved in the process of the bone's calcium absorption.

Without restoring the diminishing hormones during the processes of perimenopause and finally menopause, women may be more likely to fall prey to the distressful symptoms and degenerative diseases, as mentioned above.

Slowing the aging process is possible through natural, rhythmic bioidentical hormone restoration. Additionally, the advanced science of hormone replacement now shows that mimicking the rhythms of youth in the protocol is the most effective path toward vibrant wellbeing along with WHN’S Physiologic Restoration (PR) new easy-to-use dispensing system. It is designed to deliver the ideal levels of hormones, essential for optimal health and quality of life -- the premise behind Physiologic Restoration. By mimicking a young woman’s natural release of estradiol and progesterone throughout a 28-day cycle PR enables practitioners to recreate a healthy menstrual period – the most effective sign of proper hormone restoration.

Best of all, most women using Physiologic Restoration are thrilled about leaving the troubling symptoms behind and are elated about feeling their best and truly vibrant selves again.

By Kristin D Atwood

Ms. Atwood is a seasoned veteran of traditional marketing, corporate communications, and public relations with extensive experience, who also works with integrated and online marketing, She has been putting companies and products on the map for many years.