Lets face it, talking about our bodies candidly was a very taboo subject when we were born in the 70’s and 80’s. The first time I heard the word “menopause” was while my mother was sweating profusely and swallowing primrose oil capsules like a drug addict. I never cared to ask her about it, because I thought she was an “exaggerating old bitch“. And she didn’t care to educate me because she was still trying to figure it out. The only wisdom she ever imparted was when I was 20 – “remember your metabolism slows down after 30, which means you have to watch your weight”. “Yeah whatever mom… I’m gonna be skinny forever and eat whatever the hell I want!!”

Fast forward 19 years – one child later and 85lbs heavier – and I was convinced I was going through menopause, or what doctors call “peri-menopause” – the pre-version to menopause which can start in your 30’s.
I Googled my symptoms like a crack addict, and even though I could tick half the boxes on the list, my menstrual cycle – despite it being consistently irregular – was still showing up to play every month like clock work. I knew there had to more to it… but what!?
Since my husband was – and still is – a health freak, I decided to jump on his bandwagon of bee pollen and vitamin consumption, with the hope of some reprieve from these mysterious symptoms. I religiously swallowed things like cod liver oil, primrose oil, multivitamins, biotin… the list was endless.
Let’s just say I still have a drawer dedicated to pills, potions and concoctions that did NOT make me feel any better! Truth be told, they were making me feel worse, and I was still suffering from the following symptoms:
Sleepy
Very low libido (my poor husband)
Lethargic
Serious insomnia (for months)
Hot flashes
EXTREMELY miserable
Achy knee joints
Back pain
Poor circulation in both legs.
I had to go back to Dr. Google for another check up… with a slightly different result this time… something called “hormone imbalance” popped up!

What exactly is hormone imbalance?
Hormones are our body’s chemical messengers. Produced in the endocrine glands, these powerful chemicals travel around our bloodstream telling tissues and organs what to do. They help control many of our body’s major processes, including metabolism and reproduction.
When we have a hormonal imbalance, we have too much or too little of a certain hormone. Even tiny changes can have serious effects throughout our whole body.

Were you prompted to do a blood test (that came back “normal”)?
Were you prescribed pills from a far more legitimate doctor than my Dr. Google – but you still don’t feel “quite right”?
Are you suffering from information overload when it pertains to hormones and imbalances, you are not even sure where to begin?
Everyone has a list of eating habits and types of activities that are beneficial.
There are so many blogs dedicated to the best smoothies and exercise regimes.
There are way too many vitamins to take, and yoga poses to try.
It all gets a little too confusing!

HERE ARE 6 EASY TO FOLLOW TIPS (WHICH WORKED FOR ME):

COLLAGEN – Our joints need collagen to stay supple. Collagen constitutes one to two percent of muscle tissue and accounts for 6% of the weight of strong, tendinous, muscles. The fibroblast is the most common cell that creates collagen. Gelatin, which is used in food is collagen that has been irreversibly hydrolyzed. Collagen has many medical uses in treating complications of the bones and skin.
As a side note: I find marine collagen type 1 & 3 more effective – and the capsule form is far more palatable to consume than a powder or a tonic.

MAGNESIUM – Magnesium is a mineral found in the earth, sea, plants, animals and humans. About 60% of the magnesium in your body is found in bone, while the rest is in muscles, soft tissues and fluids, including blood. In fact, every cell in your body contains it and needs it to function.
There are plenty of health benefits to including Magnesium into your daily routine.
I prefer to use a Magnesium Body Butter. After much trial and error, I discovered Magnesium oils applied directly to the skin can burn!!
It is a good idea to buy a mixture that contains shea butter and a carrier oil. Rub this on your joints and pain points, including the soles of your feet every night, and you will start to feel the difference after a month or so (or until sufficient magnesium has been absorbed into your body).
As a side note: You can buy the collagen capsules, but it is not advised to ingest over 350mg because you may have an adverse reaction. This is why applying it to the skin is easier and safer for the body to absorb because it bypasses the digestive system.

DRY BRUSHING – Dry brushing is a combination of exfoliation and massage that involves taking a dry bristle brush and moving it over your body in slow, circular motions two to three times a week.
The firm bristles of the brush give your skin a thorough exfoliation, while the pressure helps to stimulate your circulation and lymphatic drainage, which in turn is supposed to help the body eliminate toxins.
As a side note: I strongly suggest you brush only in the mornings. I found that doing it at night made me a little too energetic to enjoy a good nights rest.

WALKING – Yes ladies… you heard me right! Coming from someone who abhors any form of exercise, I can legitimately say that whether it’s a casual stroll or brisk walk, you will definitely feel the positive effects.
The stress hormone known as cortisol can create inflammation and hormonal imbalance.
Walking outdoors can help balance hormones.
Walking in forest environments can not only reduce cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, but boost the immune system, according to research published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine.
Get yourself a fitness watch like a Fitbit Versa, and make it more entertaining by listening to music and attempting to meet your step goal for the day.

SMOOTHIE – A delicious smoothie in the morning with a banana, frozen berries, some matcha powder (or fresh spinach leaves), a handful of flax seeds (or chia) and a splash of almond milk, contains all the right nutrients your body needs to kickstart the day.

WATCH YOUR CALORIE INTAKE – Many of us are not even aware that we are either over-eating or under-eating for our height, weight and age.
I use the My Fitness Pal app (available on Android and IOS). It helps to keep track of the percentage of fat, protein, carbohydrates and sugars consumed in each meal.
We don’t always realize how imbalanced our diet really is!

Make these simple additions to your daily routine like I did, and you may start to feel like a whole new woman!
Your menstrual cycle should return to normal; you will probably say goodbye to insomnia; circulation and joint pains should be a thing of the past; your libido will hopefully increase (wink wink); you should have a ton of energy, and you may just lose a few pounds in the process.
Talk about a win-win for us ladies!