03/30/2025
Noticing changes in your body in your mid-to-late 40s or early 50s? Your periods may be unpredictable—shorter, longer, heavier, or lighter than before. Sleep feels elusive, with early wake-ups and trouble falling back asleep. Your libido isn’t what it used to be, weight seems to be creeping up around your middle, and those inconvenient hot flashes are making their presence known.
Welcome to perimenopause—a natural transition that can feel anything but easy.
At this stage, many women, even those who have always preferred a natural approach, start considering hormone therapy, antidepressants, or sleep medications. For some, these are the right choice. But not every woman wants—or can take—hormones. And often, integrative and functional medicine doctors are quick to prescribe them as the first (or only) solution.
While I do prescribe HRT in my practice, I always offer non-pharmaceutical options first. For overall perimenopause support, these adaptogenic and herbal allies can be powerful:
🌿 Vitex – Supports estrogen and progesterone levels in perimenopause and may help reduce hot flashes.
🌿 Ashwagandha – Helps with sleep, stress resilience, cortisol balance, and anxiety.
🌿 Rhodiola – Boosts cognitive clarity, reduces brain fog, and lifts mood.
🌿 Reishi – Supports deep sleep and protects against cellular damage.
🌿 Motherwort – Soothes irritability, calms anxiety, and relieves heart palpitations.
🌿 Lion’s Mane – Supports memory, mental clarity, and helps with depression.
🌿 St. John’s Wort – A natural option for mild to moderate depression.
Perimenopause isn’t just a hormonal shift—it’s a major life transition, and sometimes that means letting the tears flow, honoring the changes, and supporting your body with what it truly needs.
✨ Ready to learn more? Find resources, articles, and advanced protocols in Hormone Intelligence—available at the link in bio!
If you’re experiencing any of these shifts, what’s been the most surprising or challenging change for you during this transition? Let’s talk in the comments.
