A Holistic Approach to Managing Perimenopause & Menopause
At Dr. Lana Wellness, we view perimenopause and menopause not as a decline - but as a powerful transition that deserves personalized care and support.
Hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, mood swings, sleepless nights, and libido that’s gone quiet—perimenopause and menopause bring changes that can feel disorienting and isolating. Menopause itself officially occurs when a woman's ovaries stop producing estrogen, and she no longer has periods and is a natural biological process that all women go through, but the physical and emotional symptoms of menopause can affect emotional health, lower your energy and disrupt your sleep, and alter your sex life, among other symptoms.
Holistic Approach to Menopause
Dr. Lana’s whole-body holistic approach focuses on methods that can be used to alleviate your menopausal symptoms naturally and instill preventative practices to optimize health as the body changes along with the decline in hormonal production . As women after menopause are at an even higher risk for specific medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, a whole-body health evaluation and care is paramount during perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Lana will do a deep dive into your family medical history to gather genetic, mental, physical, and environmental information to help you manage the side effects of menopause as best as possible.
What is Menopause?
Menopause marks the official end of a woman’s reproductive years and is defined as going 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. This natural biological transition occurs as the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone. However, the hormonal fluctuations leading up to menopause- known as perimenopause - can begin years earlier and trigger a wide range of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms.
Common symptoms may include:
Hot flashes and night sweats
Mood swings, anxiety, or depression
Fatigue and sleep disturbances
Brain fog and memory changes
Vaginal dryness and low libido
Irregular or heavy periods during perimenopause
Our Whole-Body Approach to Menopausal Wellness
Dr. Lana’s whole-body, naturopathic approach to menopause focuses on:
Balancing hormones naturally through nutrition, botanical medicine, and lifestyle adjustments
Supporting adrenal and thyroid health to help smooth the transition
Addressing sleep, mood, and energy with targeted herbs and micronutrients
Reducing long-term health risks such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline
Improving sexual wellness and vaginal health through natural solutions
Your plan will be informed by your health history, family risk factors, and functional lab work, allowing us to tailor your care to the unique needs of your body and mind at this stage of life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Menopause
-
Perimenopause can begin as early as the mid-30s, though it's most common in the 40s. Early signs include irregular periods (shorter or longer cycles), heavier or lighter bleeding, sleep disruptions, increased PMS, mood changes, brain fog, and new or worsening anxiety. These reflect the beginning of estrogen and progesterone fluctuations before periods actually stop.
-
Stress and perimenopause can produce overlapping symptoms—fatigue, mood swings, sleep problems, and brain fog. Functional hormone testing (including estrogen, progesterone, FSH, LH, and cortisol) can clarify what's driving your symptoms. We often see perimenopause and adrenal stress occurring simultaneously, which is why a comprehensive assessment matters.
-
Several botanicals have strong evidence for reducing hot flash frequency and intensity, including black cohosh, red clover, and sage. Dietary changes such as reducing alcohol, spicy foods, and refined sugar, and stress reduction practices also make a significant difference. Acupuncture is another well-studied option with a good safety profile for hot flash management.
-
Yes, and this is frequently underrecognized. Estrogen plays a key role in serotonin and dopamine regulation, so as levels fluctuate and decline, mood symptoms often emerge or worsen. This is not 'just hormones'—it's a neurological response to a significant physiological shift. Targeted naturopathic support can meaningfully improve mood stability during this transition.