Are you experiencing worsening pre-menstrual symptoms like bloating, headache, food cravings, mood lability, and irritability?

Are your periods becoming very heavy, interfering with your personal and work life?

Are you experiencing excessive hair loss, or changes in your skin like dryness wrinkles, and brittle nails?

Is sex the last thing on your mind (honestly all you want to do is go to sleep) that may be causing stress in your relationship with your partner or spouse?

Are you experiencing new or worsening concerns about your weight? 

If you identify with any of these symptoms,  it could be you are going through hormonal changes of perimenopause or menopause.

Perimenopause – starts 8-10 years before menopause, usually in the mid 30’s- the early 40s, and includes the development of or changes in the severity of pre-menstrual symptoms, new onset or worsening menstrual headache or migraine, insomnia, reduction in or loss of libido and sexual function, and brain fog as well as physical symptoms like heavy bleeding, weight gain, hot flashes, and night sweats. 

Menopause – menopause marks the cessation of menstrual cycling and is diagnosed when women no longer have a period for 12 months. This occurs in most women between 45-55, with the average age being 51.

Women in menopause will no longer make estradiol or progesterone, and will often experience a significant loss of testosterone. Once we are in menopause, we will NOT STOP being in menopause.

It is the SYMPTOMS of menopause that can change or go away over time.

The abrupt loss of estrogen and progesterone, as well as the reduction or loss of testosterone, can cause significant and very challenging changes in mood.

It can also affect sleep, sexual desire, and function, as well as physical changes like hot flashes and night sweats, weight gain, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, pain or urinary tract infections, changes in cholesterol levels and blood sugar, and joint and muscle pain.

Women in menopause often experience brain fog, memory changes, and emotional changes related to shifting relationships with partners, children, aging parents, and friends.

Integrative Health 

Integrative health is the approach I am striving to provide for individuals who come to see me.

My clinical training and experience in primary care, addiction medicine, and functional medicine have allowed me to look at physical and behavioral health conditions, including hormone imbalance,  with a much wider lens.

Medications may be utilized, but do not form the foundation of care.

Exploring the root cause of your symptoms, physical and emotional, and empowering patients to heal themselves forms the foundation of care with Heron Wellness. 

What is Integrative Health? I have been working on this definition for a long time, and after finding a definition of Integrative Health from the California Institute for Integral Studies I have been able to develop my approach to care. 

The components of the treatment process I have developed are based on my training and clinical experiences with patients over the years. 

Patient-centered, coordinated, whole-person care with a focus on healing and wellness of body, mind, and spirit.

Therapeutic Components

Allopathic Medicine – Medications as needed for physical and behavioral health conditions. Coordination with specialists as needed.

Evidence-Based Behavioral Health Interventions – Referral and coordination of care with therapists and psychologists to support their emotional wellness. 

Functional Medicine – Conventional and specialized laboratory testing and evaluation and education and support for implementing positive behavioral changes related to the 5 MODIFIABLE LIFESTYLE FACTORS - NUTRITION, MOVEMENT, SLEEP, STRESS MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY.

Hormone Optimization – Focusing on addressing imbalances in cortisol (fight or flight), thyroid, and sex hormones. 

Complementary Modalities – 5- Needle-Protocol (ear acupuncture), mindfulness, nutraceuticals and botanicals. Coordination with physical therapy, acupuncture, massage, therapeutic yoga, and energy work.

Traditional Healing Practices – Referral and coordination of care with healers in the community.

Hormone optimization using estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone is a complicated and controversial treatment intervention. My functional training, including the use of hormones, as well as my clinical experience enables me to evaluate each woman and their unique presentation, medical history, and personal preferences for management, order appropriate laboratory testing, and develop a treatment plan that is safe, manageable, and effective.

Hormone optimization is never offered without a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses lifestyle components, life circumstances, and the ability to manage and execute the treatment plan. 

Many women find that listening to and connecting with other women who are going through similar experiences can be empowering and validating. Group treatment experiences are available and participation is encouraged. Shared experience and community lead to improved outcomes in physical and emotional symptoms for many women going through perimenopause and menopause. 

Integrative  Health is a treatment approach that is guided by me as a provider, but executed by the individual who is in need of healing. This is not a passive approach to care. This is your journey, and you alone have the power to make the change.

We will create a treatment plan guided by your needs, your current ability, and life circumstances, knowing that this will be a dynamic process, changing with time as you improve, have a setback, or see a new vision for yourself.

This is your work, and I am here to provide you with resources and guidance to improve your functionality, your resilience, and ultimately your best self. 

If you are interested in approaching reproductive hormone changes of perimenopause and menopause with an integrative approach, please reach out to Schedule a Discovery Call.