can you get pregnant during perimenopause

Can I Get Pregnant During Perimenopause?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Fertility, Perimenopause/ Menopause, Preconception & Fertility Leave a Comment

I’ll jump straight to the point: yes, some women can get pregnant during perimenopause, but others will have a hard time becoming or staying pregnant because of. Perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause or the cessation of your period for at least 12 months. During perimenopause, hormonal shifts cause irregular menstrual cycles, making it more difficult to predict …

What age does perimenopause start

When Does Perimenopause Start and How Long Does It Last?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

Perimenopause, the transition between reproductive years and menopause, signifies the beginning of hormonal changes lasting from a few months to several years. While it won’t last forever, it can seem like an eternity if you’re experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, and mood swings.  Even before you reach perimenopause, your body gives you hints that things are …

diet for perimenopause

What is The Best Diet for Perimenopause

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Food, Perimenopause/ Menopause, What to Eat Leave a Comment

As we reach our mid-thirties, a common time for perimenopause to begin, nutrition needs change. Incorporating the specifics of a perimenopause diet is an effective way to create a healthy body composition, reduce age related disease risk, and enable you to have the energy and health you desire. In this article we will cover: The frustrating and sometimes life-altering symptoms …

Health Risks of Low Hormones

Health Risks of Low Hormones, Premature Menopause, and Menopause

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

You might be surprised to learn that your ovarian hormones, including estrogen, have more to offer beyond the menstrual cycle and reproduction. These hormones affect all tissues and systems in the body and are integral to the health of your brain, heart, bones, and more. That’s why there are real health risks that come with low hormone levels in women.  …

Gut health and menopause connection

Connection Between Gut Health, Menopause, and Perimenopause

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Gut-Hormone Connection, Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

Perimenopause and menopause mark a significant shift for your body, one most women have come to associate with frustrating inconveniences. Weight gain, hot flashes, digestive issues, low energy and depression are just a few of the things we’re told are inevitable as our menstrual cycles cease, and progesterone and estrogen levels plummet. Menopausal symptoms can leave many women feeling out …

What Causes Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal Dryness and the Vaginal Flora

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Gut-Hormone Connection, Perimenopause/ Menopause, Sexual Health Leave a Comment

Vaginal dryness is a women’s health symptom that often goes overlooked. Women may feel uncomfortable discussing dryness with their partner or provider and suffer in silence. Or they may believe vaginal dryness to be a normal part of being a woman or getting older.  If you are experiencing vaginal dryness, you are not alone. It is widespread, affecting up to …

Keto for Women: The Risks, Benefits, and How It Impacts Hormones

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Food, Perimenopause/ Menopause, Thyroid, What to Eat Leave a Comment

Questions about the keto diet fill my inbox and DMs daily, so it’s time to get the facts straight. The ketogenic (keto) diet is a high-fat, very-low-carb diet that shifts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body uses fat instead of carbs for energy. If you follow the research, the health benefits of keto are pretty …

The Best Herbs for Menopause

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

Entering the season of menopause can bring up so many different emotions for a woman. It’s a time of immense change that can mean a new chapter of freedom and wisdom. Unfortunately, the symptoms associated with menopause can seriously impact how a woman experiences this shift, ranging from bothersome to completely debilitating. Menopause means you’ve not had a menstrual period …

progesterone weight gain

Does Progesterone Cause Weight Gain?

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Menstrual Cycle, Perimenopause/ Menopause, Period Problems Leave a Comment

Hormones. It’s easy to blame them for everything, from mood swings to food cravings to those extra pounds that don’t quite make sense. While weight fluctuation can be totally normal and healthy, truly unexplained weight gain can point to a hormone imbalance and might be your body’s way of asking for extra help. If weight loss is a goal, it’s …