How Can Lymphatic Massage Help Women During Peri-And Menopause With Hot flashes, Panic Attacks And Vaginal Dryness ?
The lymphatic system can change during menopause due to a decline in estrogen and progesterone levels, which can cause the system to lose elasticity. This is known as "Vascular Stiffness" and can make it harder for blood to return to the heart from the lower extremities, especially when sitting or standing for long periods of time.
When lymph flow is blocked or impeded, it can lead to tissue swelling, also known as edema, This can cause a buildup of toxic waste and potentially disrupt nerve synapses. For women going through menopause, this can lead to a number of symptoms, including; Aching legs, Bloating, larger limbs, Tingling, and Difficulty shifting weight. #Progesterone is important for hormone balance and the lymph system acts as a delivery system for it, a well-functioning lymphatic system may help reduce side effects of menopause, because sometimes hormones can wreak havoc on our bodies.
"In short, the health of a woman’s lymphatic system will have a direct impact on her ability to move progesterone around the body. Because progesterone is so critical to hormone balance, it may be more important than ever for our lymph to be moving freely, serving as a delivery system for progesterone, to balance out estrogen.”
Some complementary treatments that may help in moving the lymphatic system easily, # 1 a healthy eating plan of fruits, vegetables, high protein and fiber at every meal 80/20 Weight Loss . Passive exercise such as daily walks, yoga and stretching along with manual lymphatic drainage massage therapy to help manage blocked lymph flow.
Some foods and remedies that may help increase estrogen levels include:
Soy and legumes
Tofu
Tempeh
Soy Milk
Edamame
Chickpeas
Flaxseeds
Dark Chocolate
Garlic Oil Supplements
Red clove
Vitamin D
DHEA Supplements
Cold Water
While your doctor may recommend hormone replacement therapy for low levels of estrogen, there are several ways you may be able to boost it naturally.
What is Hormonal Imbalance?
As you probably already know, hormones are chemical messengers swirling around your body. They affect your reproductive cycle, your fight-or-flight reactions, bloating, and acne.
Progesterone is the primary hormone involved in fertility and menstruation.
Most people don't know that a healthy lymphatic system allows the free flow of progesterone in a woman's body. Our bodies need progesterone because it balances estrogen levels. When the lymphatic system malfunctions, or when progesterone's flow is impeded, excess estrogen builds up.
This can lead to high estrogen levels - aka "estrogen dominance" — and a host of other problems like:
Headaches
Sleep troubles
Mood swings
Memory problems
Uterine fibroids
And in the most serious cases, breast cancer
Lymph is a colorless fluid that swirls around in your body. Unlike your circulatory system, which relies on a heart to pump blood around, the lymphatic system has no pump. That means you're in charge of moving lymph throughout your body with:
Daily exercise
Massages
Deep breathing
And good stretches throughout the day
There’s a great deal of evidence out there to suggest a well functioning lymphatic system can help reduce the dreaded side effects of menopause, with lymphatic massage being the one complementary treatment that can deliver significant improvement.
A 2017 study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science reported the effects of lymphatic drainage on women experiencing typical menopausal symptoms including water retention, mood swings, insomnia and fatigue found that after just a single lymphatic massage the stress-related hormones cortisol and DHEA were significantly reduced with positive mental and physical effects being reported.
Due to the inability of healthy gut flora to facilitate the removal of excess oestrogen, levels of #xenoestrogens found in foods and plastics, and other endocrine disruptors, and the overuse of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), most women have too much oestrogen stimulation relative to progesterone. Oestrogen and progesterone work so closely together that it’s imperative that they stay in balance.
In fact, the majority of struggles with hormonal imbalances affecting both the female brain and body may be associated with oestrogen dominance.
Peri & Menopause Symptoms
Hot Flashes - sudden sensation of feverish heat through the body particularly on the face.
Night Sweats - associated with hot flashes during the night, they can be disruptive to the sleep cycle
Fatigue - feeling tired-all-the time making simple tasks difficult and impacting on productivity and mood
Memory Loss - oestrogen and progesterone are both believed to play a role in memory, therefore decreasing levels may contribute to memory lapses.
Loss of Libido - disinterest in sex can occur due to fluctuating hormone levels which can cause pain associated with vaginal dryness and depression which can also affect sexual health.
Vaginal Dryness - due to the decline of oestrogen levels which cause the natural moisture of the vagina to diminish leaving many women in pain during sexual intercourse.
Mood Swings - fluctuating hormone levels can affect neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin, which regulates feelings of calm and the pain-pleasure centres of the brain. Imbalance of neurotransmitters can cause erratic mood swings, such as anger to sadness or extreme happiness to hysterical crying.
Panic Disorder - debilitating emotional episodes with feelings of dread, rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing.
Urinary Tract Infection - changes in the vaginal bacteria due to low oestrogen levels can cause frequent urinary. tract infections.
Bloating – fluctuating oestrogen levels may cause water retention resulting in feelings of extreme fullness, tightness or a swelling of the belly.
Hair Loss due to low levels of oestrogen which is needed to keep hair follicles healthy.
Sleep Disorders – eg. insomnia, sleep-disordered breathing, night sweats due to changing hormone levels and emotional stress of the transition. Low levels of progesterone have also been linked to sleeping problems.
Dizziness – may last only a few minutes or become extended and frequent increasing the risk of falling • Weight Gain – decreased oestradiol not only affects the metabolism, making it difficult to lose weight, but can also diminish muscle and lean body mass, causing fat to redistribute, often collecting in the abdomen.
Burning Tongue – burning sensation on tongue, lips and gums and metallic taste in mouth.
Digestive Problems - oestrogen helps keep cortisol levels low, so low levels of oestrogen = high levels of cortisol which can slow digestion, cause bloating, constipation and abdominal pain and discomfort.
Muscle Tension - strained muscles in the neck, back and shoulders,
Allergies- hormonal fluctuations can impact on the immune system, which can cause increased sensitivity to allergens, rashes, itchy eyes or dry eyes and sneezing.
Brittle Nails - low levels of oestrogen can cause nails to become brittle and dry.
Body Odour Change - low oestrogen levels sends false messages to the hypothalamus that the body is hot and therefore increases sweat production to initiate cooling.
Itchy Skin - When oestrogen levels drop, collagen production slows down, leading to thin, dry, itchy skin all over the body.
Osteoporosis - oestrogen helps to maintain bone density, so when oestrogen levels drop there is an increased risk of weakening of the bone, and decrease in bone density.
Tingling Extremities.
Difficulty Concentrating – due to poor sleep, mood swings and decreasing levels of oestrogen and progesterone, which affect memory.
Irregular Heartbeat – due to overstimulation of the nervous and circulatory systems caused by lower oestrogen.
Anxiety – drop in oestrogen levels causes a drop in serotonin and dopamine production which are mood regulators and increases cortisol release which causes stress.
Depression – low levels of progesterone and oestrogen can result in feelings of sadness that may evolve into depression due to reduced production of serotonin and dopamine.
Breast Pain – due to fluctuating hormones.
Joint Pain - oestrogen helps manage inflammation levels throughout the body so low levels may cause aching/tingling in the fingers, tightness in the hips, soreness in the knees or swelling of various joints, which can lead to arthritis. Diminishing bone density may also contribute to joint pain and soreness.
Electric Shock Sensation - fluctuating oestrogen levels can cause an electric shock sensation.
The primary cause of most of these symptoms is fluctuating levels of #oestrogen and progesterone, which can be treated with hormone therapy, nutritional guidance , Lymphatic Drainage Massage For Menopause can also bring relief from menopausal symptoms.
Massage can be used alongside these remedies. If menopause causes you anxiety, irritability, and fatigue, one of the greatest benefits of massage is relaxation. It is also an opportunity to get back in touch with your body and cultivate a positive body image if you feel stress about your changing body. Improved circulation and lymphatic flow, which can help relieve headaches, leg cramps, muscle and joint pain, and muscle tension. Lower back and abdomen massage can be particularly helpful for relaxing tension and simulating circulation around the reproductive organs.
Different types of massage can meet each individuals needs, for example, an aromatherapy massage can use oils to help promote hormone balance. Deep tissue massage may work best for you if you have a lot of tension or pain and lymphatic drainage massage can be good if you feel bloated or have swollen joints.
#menopause #premenopause #hotflashes #menopausemassage #lymphaticsystem #lymphaticmassage #massage #lymphaticdrainagemassage #nightsweats #moodswings
****** This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult with your doctor.
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