HOW TO RESET

ds. “Contraceptive drugs ally induce a temporary chemical opause,” says Briden, author of the d Repair Manual and the Hormone ir Manual (both GreenPeak shing). hen on top of that comes a -induced bleed that means nothing ms of health. As a contraceptive, should be things that are more ted, not hormonal. It’s a very blunt ument. r Jerilynn Prior, Professor of crinology and Metabolism who ributed to my books, makes the that 35 to 40 years of ovulatory s – real menstrual cycles – helps to ent osteoporosis, dementia, heart se and breast cancer. hat’s primarily based on the fits of progesterone, the hormone make after ovulation, which is ely different from progestins that n the Pill. So if we ask, ‘What are en risking by taking contraceptive s?’ the answer is they’re robbed of enefits of their own hormones for ecades that they were supposed ve them.”

For women who’ve grown up and grown older using the Pill, it’s challenging to hear. But Briden, who works mostly in New Zealand and Australia, has noticed an increasing use in period tracker apps among younger women, and recommends them for all ages.

Along with innovations, such as menstrual cups and period underwear that are kinder to the body and planet, body awareness and a more natural approach is growing in popularity with older women too.

In cases where hormonal birth control is needed to ease symptoms, Briden prefers the hormonal IUD, which allows women to ‘cycle’. “My position is just there’s so many other better ways to treat period problems than with contraceptive drugs,” she says.

“I’m pretty confident future generations will look back and think, ‘why were we doing that?’”

TEENAGERS

Teenage girls can suffer as their hormone receptors are exposed to oestrogen for the first time, resulting in heavy periods, pain and acne.

Progesterone can be lower while cycles get established, so oestrogen is felt more keenly – something that also happens in perimenopause.

Briden’s colleague Dr Jerilynn Prior believes it can take 12 years to establish a mature cycle, but many girls don’t get that far. Put on the Pill to “regulate” their periods, their body’s hormonal journey stops before it has started, potentially creating issues to overcome if they come off the Pill to try for a baby.

Switching off the body’s hormones won’t cure underlying deficiences TWENTIES AND THIRTIES

Some women barely notice their periods. Others experience problems related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis (where cells similar to those inside the womb grow outside it), hypothalamic amenorrhea (where periods stop, often due to a deficit of calories) and PMS symptoms such as acne, migraines, depression and anxiety, and painful and heavy periods.

It’s hardly surprising that many doctors suggest hormonal birth control.

But, says Briden, switching off the body’s hormones won’t cure the underlying nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances or food sensitivities that could be causing or exacerbating the issues. Sometimes supplements and dietary changes alone can help, other times they can work in tandem with medically prescribed treatments.

FORTIES AND FIFTIES

Perimenopause can start in a woman’s mid-thirties but most go through it in their forties. It starts with very early perimenopause, with regular periods and often shorter cycles, followed by irregular periods, cycles of more than 60 days, late perimenopause (12 months without a period), then the start of menopause.

It is, according to Briden, an “oestrogen roller coaster,” heralding a “second adolescence” where mood, sleep and skin are disrupted, cycles shorten, oestrogen increases and there are lower

Stress, inflammation and poor nourishment can throw off the body’s hormonal balance and trigger issues, but there are some basic techniques Lara Briden recommends for all her patients, focusing on soothing, cooling and nourishing the body:

„ Schedule two hours of something you love every week. It could be visiting a gallery (Covid rules permitting), walking, swimming – anything to reduce stress

„ Try meditation, massage or yoga

„ Include protein with every meal – including breakfast – to stabilise blood sugar

„ Aim to sleep well for seven hours each night, tackling as a priority possible causes of poor sleep, such as perimenopause symptoms, stress, grief and exposure to blue light

„ Find an exercise you enjoy and make sure you do it regularly

„ Avoid inflammatory foods, such as sugar. Make sure each meal comprises starchy carbohydrates, protein and healthy fat – and eat only until you’re full

„ Try giving up cow’s dairy for a couple of cycles as it’s an inflammatory food for many women – goat and sheep’s dairy is better, while certain cow’s dairy products, including ricotta and butter, are OK

„ Maintain gut health with probiotics

„ Give up smoking and stick to five drinks a week

„ Find out what supplements can help. This varies depending on age, diet, sensitivities and conditions, but Briden recommends 300mg of magnesium glycinate, “the miracle mineral for periods” after food (it’s not advised for people with kidney disease), along with B vitamins and zinc, where there’s a deficiency

levels of calming progesterone. For women who’ve finished having children or are sure they don’t want any, it can be a tempting time to go on the Pill.

But Briden says: “Each and every menstrual cycle is like a deposit into the bank of long-term health, building metabolic reserve and resiliency that lasts even after menopause.”

She explains: “If the period is like a monthly report card, the process of perimenopause is like a final exam. It’s potentially manifesting underlying issues that need to be addressed anyway, in terms of physiology.”

Women in perimenopause still benefit from ovulatory cycles but, with progesterone levels falling and the increase of anovulatory cycles (where no egg is released, so no progesterone is made), they should take extra care to help their bodies metabolise oestrogen as it can sometimes stimulate breast cancer cells and cause them to grow.

Eating a balanced diet with increased protein and avoiding sugar and alcohol help with this, as can taking “body identical” HRT, which is available on the NHS.

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