Aging may be a natural part of life, but for most people, getting older brings with it some unpleasant changes that aren't necessarily welcome. For women, these changes can be especially dramatic, thanks to a significant decline in the hormones estrogen and progesterone during perimenopause and menopause.
These declines usher in an array of changes — not just an end to periods, but also uncomfortable and troubling symptoms, like fatigue, irritability, and low libido. Faced with so many changes and challenges, it's not always easy to age gracefully — but a holistic approach featuring hormone replacement therapy can definitely help.
At her practice in Santa Monica, California, Shamsah Amersi, MD, helps women navigate the aging process and its effects with customized, patient-centered therapies that consider a woman’s entire health and life. In this post, learn more about the effects of hormones on aging and how her holistic approach can help you.
While menopause typically occurs around age 50, its symptoms can begin much earlier — sometimes in your early 40s or even your 30s. Because estrogen and progesterone play so many roles in a woman's health and wellness, declines during these years can cause widespread symptoms far beyond the hot flashes and night sweats familiar to so many of us.
Many women notice changes in sleep, along with daytime drowsiness, irritability, and general moodiness, as well as problems with memory and concentration — also known as "brain fog." As estrogen and progesterone decrease, the vaginal walls become thin, brittle, and inflamed, leading to vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and a marked change in sexual wellness and satisfaction.
The constellation of symptoms varies from one woman to another, shifting from year to year along with the ongoing decline in hormones. Systemic health risks, like osteoporosis and heart disease, increase during this time, as well, and it becomes much harder to manage weight, particularly around your belly.
Because estrogen and progesterone influence so many aspects of a woman's health, it’s not surprising that most women find they need a combination of medical therapies and lifestyle changes to manage their symptoms and feel “normal” again. That’s why a holistic approach is so important.
For many women, aging gracefully begins with stabilizing hormone levels, typically through hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Today, there are numerous HRT methods, making it easy to find the option that best suits your lifestyle. HRT is dosed based on your symptoms, weight, and other factors, and adjusted over time as these factors change, ensuring you always enjoy optimal benefits.
HRT helps support your body's overall health and natural rhythms — but it's just part of the holistic approach to aging. The term "holistic" derives from the Greek word "holo," meaning "whole," and that's what this approach does: it considers your whole health and all the factors that affect it.
Dr. Amersi considers key factors, such as nutrition, sleep patterns, stress levels, physical activity, personal and family risk factors, and even gut health. All of these factors can impact your physical and emotional well-being, especially as you age and hormone levels decline.
Moreover, these factors don't act independently — they interact with multiple aspects of your health, making a holistic approach not only attractive but also necessary.
A good example: Your stress levels can affect your ability to get quality sleep, which in turn disrupts "hunger hormones," leading to overeating, weight gain, and metabolism issues, as well as your risks of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
A holistic approach takes each of these factors into account, looking at your "whole health" instead of simply relieving individual symptoms.
Aging gracefully doesn't mean embracing every new trend that appears on social media. It means working in tune with your body, giving it the support it needs to maintain optimal function, enhance overall wellness, and reduce health risks, all while improving your quality of life.
If you're ready to learn how to face the challenges of aging gracefully head-on, we're ready to help. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Amersi at her office in Santa Monica, California, today.
