Perimenopause Naturopath
Many women think their perimenopause symptoms are caused by a busy life but naturopathic therapies can help to relieve symptoms. I have found that an approach tailored to each woman can address hormonal changes and significantly improve your overall quality of life.
Improved quality of life and relationships
The right naturopathic hormone management can help you get better sleep, more energy, regular “normal” periods, improved moods, and more.
Face menopause with an informed approach
Your menopausal symptoms are temporary and manageable. I'll help you understand your body gain the knowledge to aproach menopause positively.
Reduce the risk of associated illness
Don't ignore the signs: if eft untreated, menopause can increase the risk of mood disorders, heart disease, dementia and osteoporosis.
From perimenopause to menopause and beyond
Perimenopause usually starts in your 40s and lasts 4-6 years on average. It can be as short as one year, or as long as 10.
Often referred to as “second puberty”, Perimenopause symptoms may include mood changes (irritability, anxiety, depression or nervous tension), difficulty concentrating, memory loss, insomnia or sleep disturbances, fatigue, migraines / headaches, dizziness, weight gain, night sweats, period changes, vaginal dryness, low libido, painful intercourse, breast changes, sensitivity to alcohol and caffeine and a reduced ability to cope with stress.
These symptoms typically disappear once the ovaries have officially "retired" and you fully move into menopause.
The initial consultation
Before we meet for the first time, I'll ask you to complete some preliminary health questionnaires and provide any recent medical test results and investigations.
During our first consultation I’ll take time to determine how perimenopause is impacting your life. I’ll explore your personal and family history for risk factors that may predispose you to complications of menopausal hormonal changes. We’ll talk about your sleep, stress and emotional wellbeing, gut and liver health, diet and lifestyle.
We'll have enough time to formulate a detailed plan for the best way to begin right away. You'll leave the appointment with practical nutritional and lifestyle recommendations to get you on your way to feeling better.
Functional testing and treatment plan
If necessary, menopause testing can eliminate the guesswork by monitoring hormone changes and help predict the onset of menopause. I use a blood test that measures the levels of key hormones that change with perimenopause. This menopause blood test can also be used to monitor Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Now that you have a treatment plan, you can start implementing my recommendations. I generally allow 3 weeks for this stage, to allow adequate time to see some changes and identify any obstacles. During this time you might need to track your symptoms and menstrual cycle and record a food/lifestyle diary.
Follow-up consultations
Three weeks later we will meet for your first follow-up consultation. By now you will have implemented some of the diet and lifestyle changes and started on naturopathic supplements. We will have the results from any menopause testing and can discuss your progress and ongoing goals.
We may need to adjust the prescription of supplements, set new goals for your treatment, and schedule future appointments. I will give you an idea of how long it will take to see results.
Ongoing support
As a minimum, I recommend at least two follow up appointments over three months before we get you on a maintenance plan. Menopausal symptoms tend to come and go in waves and the goal posts are constantly changing as the hormones are erratic. Once we get stabilisation of symptoms many of my clients check in with me every six months or as needed to adjust the treatment plan.
Understand and control menopausal symptoms
$
220
1st COnsult
Includes:
1 hour initial consultation – $220
- Diet and lifestyle assessment and health review
- Detailed personalised treatment plan
- Functional testing if necessary*
- Prescription of nutritional, herbal and therapeutic supplements*
40 minute follow-up consultations – $110 each
- Modified plan for the next stage of treatment
- Motivational coaching and education
- Adjust or repeat prescription of supplements
- Implement the next stage of your treatment
As a minimum, I recommend at least two follow up appointments over three months, but many of my clients continue to work with me for longer to keep working on their health goals. Additional consultations are available depending on your circumstances.
Maintenance consultations are 15-minute mini-appointments ($55) as needed to check-in, make minor modifications to your treatment plan, re-prescribe, and review pathology / investigations.
* Functional testing and supplements not included in consultation price.
Qualified clinical naturopath
Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy)
Torrens University Australia
Australian Natural Therapists Association
Professional member
Registered for Pathology and Hormone Testing
Functional health practitioner
Naturopath and Herbalists Association of Australia
Accredited naturopath
Complementary Medicine Practitioner Association Council
Registered member
Australian National Register of Accredited Natural Therapists
Registered member
Menopause and perimenopause: what's the difference?
Women’s attitudes vary immensely when it comes to menopause. Some embrace it as a natural experience and find it liberating, while others see it as a nightmare of uncontrollable moods and hot flashes. Some women don't even realise they're going through menopause and dismiss their symptoms as the unavoidable side-effect of stress and lifestyle choices.
It starts with perimenopause
Perimenopause is a normal and natural hormonal transition at the end of your reproductive stage of life. At around 40 years of age, your progesterone levels start to decline as the signalling to the ovaries start to slow down and ovulation becomes erratic and irregular. This causes unevenly changing levels of estrogen in the body and intermittent symptoms.
You might be surprised to hear that perimenopause can cause symptoms similar to, or even more intense, than those of menopause.
Take the mystery out of menopause
Menopause begins one year after your last period. It can cause hot flashes, weight gain, and insomnia. Symptoms which vary in their impact, ranging from no symptoms to severe symptoms that diminish your quality of life.
Research has shown naturopathic treatment to be effective in supporting the erratic hormone fluctuations and reducing the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.
I tailor treatment to your symptoms and personal circumstances. Treatments may include nutritional and herbal medicine, and practical evidence based dietary and lifestyle recommendations.
Menopause testing can eliminate the guesswork by monitoring hormone changes and help predict the onset of menopause. I use a blood test that measures the levels of key hormones that change with perimenopause. This menopause blood test can also be used to monitor Hormone Replacement Therapy.
What you can expect from working with me
Dietary and lifestyle review
We start by reviewing your personal circumstances and providing guidance on making sustainable practical changes that will work for you.
Coaching, counselling and education
I want to help you understand how your hormones affect your experience of menopause. I see my role as coaching and motivating you to make sustainable changes to get results. You will gain knowledge and resources to enable you to manage your own health and wellbeing independently when our journey together is over.
Nutritional and herbal supplements
Aiming to achieve the best possible outcomes, I often prescribe high-quality, nutritional, herbal, and therapeutic supplements. With deep working knowledge of supplements to address many kinds of health issues, I am familiar with all the major suppliers in Australia.
Functional testing and investigations
Further testing and investigations may help uncover the causes of your symptoms and point us to the best treatment pathways. As a fully qualified and certified general health practitioner, I can refer you for further testing and investigations. I am registered with a range of pathology partners Australia-wide, including Australian Clinical Labs, NutriPath, InterClinical Laboratories, RN Labs, Genova Diagnostics, and MetaBiome.
Personalised treatment plan
Working closely with you one-to-one, we will create a tailored treatment plan with dietary and lifestyle recommendations designed to support your hormonal health and improve your quality of life.
