Dealing with Dry Skin as you Face Menopause
You didn't know there was a club called Hormone Harmony, did you?
Of course there is! Sheesh, we certainly need a place where women can go ask everything we want to know about perimenopause and menopause.
We wanted a group like that when we were 12 and wondered what in the world was going on in our bodies, and we're back in our 40s and 50s back with the same questions.
I sat and read Dr. Anna Garrett's ebook Perimenopause because I wanted to know if some of the issues I was dealing with was due to physical changes that come with perimenopause, my own stubbornness, or can I blame my husband? (just kidding).
And so, let's see what Dr. Garrett has to say about aging and perimenopause:
What to expect with Your Hair, Skin and Mind when You're Perimenopausal
"Where's my hair!?"
As we age, we experience hair loss or hair thinning. According to Dr. Garrett, "hair loss, one of the most outwardly noticeable and distressing perimenopause symptoms, is caused by estrogen deficiency because hair follicles need estrogen to sustain hair growth." Have your thyroid, iron and testosterone levels checked. You might also be deficient in Vitamin B. By the way, CHIN HAIRS are also common! I can relate!
“Wait, why did I come into this room?”
You can't find your car keys. You miss an important appointment. You're in the middle of a sentence and all of a sudden you're fumbling for words. "...these memory lapses are common in perimenopause and are usually related to low levels of estrogen and/or high stress levels" says Dr. Garrett.
"I'm so itchy."
Here's why: your estrogen level is dropping, collagen production is slowing down. When you run low on collagen, your skin feels thin, dry, and less youthful-looking. The way to fix it? Address this hormonal imbalance.
Here are a few other issues Dr. Garrett tackles:
* PMS or perimenopause? How to know if your mood swings, food cravings and other symptoms are due to one or the other?
* Can I have lab tests done to tell me if I'm perimenopausal? * Are there things I can do to help with my symptoms?
* What's up with my weight gain?! The answers are in her book.
Here's one more freebie I like that I'll share from her book. Do this: Slay a Goal. Do something hard. I just joined a fitness class. I've thought of joining Toastmasters or something similar.
This is 244 PAGES of research she's done. If you're in your 40s or 50s, this might be the book you decide to open to find out that YOU'RE NORMAL and there's help to get you through it.
By the way, the Hormone Harmony Club I told you about earlier is on Facebook, and you can join it here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hormoneharmonyclub/ I just joined today and am blown away by the community and help that's going on in that group.
While you get to the core of your skin issues, make sure to try our Beesilk Lotion Bar to combat dry, itchy skin.
