Perimenopause
A Symptom Label, Not a Diagnosis
The term peri menopause is not a medically defined disease, nor is it grounded in identifiable pathology. As Dr. John R. Lee, a pioneer in natural hormone balance, emphasized, many so-called perimenopausal symptoms—hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, and irregular periods—are the body’s cry for hormonal balance, not evidence of a disease state.
Much like PMS and chronic fatigue syndrome, the term peri menopause often serves as a convenient label when conventional medicine lacks answers. We view it not as a diagnosis, but as a transitional phase that, with proper support, can be navigated with strength and clarity—not confusion.
…and when time-honored protocols are followed, completely avoided
After more than 30 years of clinical experience, we’ve identified the real cause. Perimenopausal symptoms are the result of a growing imbalance between a woman’s 27 different estrogens and her master hormone, progesterone. As women age, toxins tend to accumulate in the body, especially in fatty tissues where hormones are stored and regulated. These toxins, combined with lifestyle stressors and declining progesterone levels, contribute directly to the symptoms labeled as perimenopause.
When progesterone levels decline
When progesterone levels decline, as they often do under stress, poor sleep, sedentary living, or chemical exposure, its stabilizing influence weakens. The result is a hormonal environment dominated by unopposed estrogen, creating chaos in a woman’s body and mind.
Environmental toxins
Environmental toxins, especially xenoestrogens found in plastics, pesticides, processed foods, household cleaners, cosmetics, and even tap water, act as endocrine disruptors. These foreign estrogens mimic the body’s natural hormones and further tip the scale, sabotaging progesterone’s ability to maintain balance.
Here’s the truth
Here’s the truth. Women who avoid these estrogenic toxins, manage daily stress, sleep deeply and regularly, move their bodies, and support their natural progesterone levels with bioidentical progesterone do not experience perimenopausal symptoms. Not ever.