Holistic doctor Frances Pitsilis is the author of the book Women's Wellness. Photo: Supplied: Upstart Press
Diet, stress management, supplements and hormone replacement can help women "buffer" themselves against the symptoms of menopause, holistic doctor Frances Pitsilis says.
The Women's Wellness author told Saturday Morning that those experiencing negative symptoms should look at their lifestyle choices first.
Her recommendations for optimum wellbeing included getting enough sleep, of exercise, managing stress and working out the right diet - which may be gluten- and dairy-free.
It was also wise for people to train themselves not to grab sugary and starchy foods for a moment of relief, a dopamine hit or an energy boost.
Well Woman: A Prescription for Lifelong Health
Energetically, those foods picked people up only to later dump them down, she said, and also kicked off an insulin surge in the body that could lead to weight gain.
A protein-rich diet low in sugar and starch could keep energy levels up through the day and help women not gain too much weight over perimenopause and menopause.
She also recommended taking a multivitamin that included methylated folic acid, fish oil and 1000mg of Vitamin C as a good daily "foundation".
For women experiencing sleeplessness or hot flushes, the natural compounds magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate could be helpful, she said.
"[Magnesium] helps you hold on to your bladder so that you don't have to get up and have a pee, and then you wake up with more energy."
Melatonin is another natural compound that could be an effective sleep aide, Pitsilis said, and as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory it was also very good for the skin, especially hyperpigmentation.
A GP could prescribe New Zealand-sourced melatonin, which was generally three times more potent than what was produced overseas, which could assist with a good night's sleep, she said.
Around the time of menopause, the natural decline of the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in a woman's body could fuel hot flushes, night sweats, a dry vagina, insomnia, anxiety and depression, she said.
If antidepressants and synthetic hormones proved unsuccessful in addressing those symptoms, and only if it was really necessary, Pitsilis recommended women explore hormone replacement therapy as the last line of defence.
Apart from people who had gone through hormone-related cancer - including breast cancer - who must avoid HRT completely, Pitsilis said she had seen many women get great relief from their menopause symptoms after using HRT patches, which had been proven safer than pills.
While the potential dangers of declining oestrogen got a lot of air time, a lack of progesterone could also contribute to sleep problems, anxiety and depression in women, she said.
HRT could help to improve women's mood and cognitive function, she said.
"We know that oestrogen helps the brain a lot. Actually, all of the hormones help the brain. I've got patients who don't want to come off [HRT] because they've gone from not functioning very well to functioning really, really well."