Naturopathic Menopause Program

Approximately 25 million women enter menopause each year, and the number of post-menopausal women world-wide is expected to increase to 1.2 billion by the year 2030. This means that you are not alone! There are countless women looking to learn more about what they can do to reclaim their right to vibrant health during this time of transition, and our team here at Advanced Women’s Health is here to help.

Did you know?

Perimenopause can occur for up to ten years before the onset of menopause (which is defined as one year after your last menstrual period). This means that women in their late 30s can begin to notice symptom changes that are likely reflecting their changing hormones behind the scenes.

Common symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause include:

• Night sweats and hot flashes
• Insomnia or trouble sleeping
• Weight gain and weight loss resistance
• Mood changes
• Migraines
• Vaginal dryness or atrophy
• Hair and skin changes
• Joint pain

What is also important to discuss is that during menopause, women are at an increased risk of developing:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Mental health challenges (including depression or anxiety)
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Dementia or Alzheimer’s
• Osteoporosis

You deserve options when it comes to your care. Understanding your risks and exploring appropriate treatment options can help you to achieve whole body wellness during this transitional time.

Connect with your Naturopath

The Advanced Women’s Health Menopause Program

At AWH we realize that you are unique and therefore you need a plan that is customized to your individual needs. Our goal is to help you identify and understand the cause of your concerns and treat them directly. We are committed to ensuring that you stop relying on temporary “band-aid approaches”! It is crucial that we build a foundation and fix any core issues that may be contributing to your menopausal symptoms, as this will help to promote whole body wellness in this new stage of life. Our 3-phase plan will be customized to address the contributing factors specific to you. We are also happy to work collaboratively with Medical Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, and other healthcare professionals that are part of your healthcare team to ensure that you have comprehensive support along the way.

This program is offered both through telemedicine to all Ontario Residents, and in person at our Ancaster clinic.

Phase 1 – Understand & Customize

This phase consists of your first two visits – the first appointment involves comprehensive history taking which helps us to understand your symptoms and goals, and the second appointment is where we use your lab results to customize your treatment plan.

Your first visit helps us to lay the foundation that is needed to build the best treatment plan for you. Your Naturopathic Doctor will take the time to listen to your symptoms and understand your health story. We strive to foster a safe space in which you can feel heard and supported! Not only will we focus on your hormones, but we will also tackle the other factors that are contributing to these changes (stress, insulin resistance, thyroid function, and more!)

At the end of this appointment you can expect to leave with:

• Basic diet and lifestyle recommendations
• Personalized herbal and/or nutrient recommendations\
• An understanding of Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy as a treatment option (depending on personal risk factors & goals of treatment)
• Lab test recommendations that may include FSH, LH, androgens (Testosterone & DHEA), female sex hormones (Estradiol & Progesterone), a full thyroid assessment, inflammation and autoimmune investigations, insulin and glucose testing, lipid panel.

After we receive the results of your testing your ND will explain all of the findings in detail at your next visit. No blanket normal statements here, we want to ensure you understand what it all means. From that point we will customize a treatment plan to fit your specific needs.

Phase 2 – Tweak & Monitor

During Phase 2 we are following up on symptoms and progress to ensure that we’re on the right track with your treatment plan, while also working on the other areas contributing to hormonal connections and changes.

Menopausal symptoms are related to much more than just hormones, so those are tackled head on by investigating the following:

• Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress
• Gut problems such as bloating, constipation, loose stools, pain
• Liver and gallbladder concerns including fatty liver
• Skin issues
• Energy and sleep concerns
• Stress management

Three months after initiating your plan we will also re-test to ensure that the imbalances you were experiencing have improved from not only a symptom perspective, but using lab data as well. This allows us to make sure that you are improving as expected and making your way into Phase 3.

Phase 3 – Flourish & Maintain

By this point in your journey, you are likely to feel more radiant and confident! Phase 3 is all about ensuring that you have the tools and resources to maintain what you have achieved. If you have been prescribed Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy, this will look like a semi-annual check-up to review safety labs and renew your prescription accordingly. For others this may involve a check-in every few months to review symptoms or tackle new challenges as they arise.

We understand that life happens, and we all fall off and experience setbacks at times – that is why this phase is designed to keep you on track, judgement free! This can include layering in support from the other members of our AWH team, including Acupuncture, Osteopathy, or Psychotherapy. No matter what this looks like for you, we are here 100% of the way to offer continuous support so that you can continue to thrive!