5 things I wish I knew before perimenopause by Co-founder, Wizz

Hindsight is a wonderful thing — or so they say! It is only in hindsight I realise that so many of my symptoms at age 37 were early manifestations of perimenopause. The only things I truly remember are the confusion, the frustration and feeling extremely low. Looking back, I really wish I had more information about what was happening to my body. It was this belief that motivated me to end this suffering for others. I set up Valerie to create a change in the way women “of a certain age” are spoken to. Our experiences are real and will not be silenced.

So, I’m here to share the top five things I wish someone had told me before I hit perimenopause. You can expect to hear about unexplained weight gain, hormonal acne, stress and anxiety, identifying heart palpitations, and understanding the place of supplements in your health journey. Through these insights, I wish simply to make your experience of perimenopause a little lighter than my own. With my fair share of stories, I will spare you the finer details — I could probably write a book…

Thankfully, I’ve been able to manage my weight quite well over the years. More recently, I’m glad to say I still have a positive relationship with my body and the changes it has gone through over time. That said, the one thing I do find frustrating is waving goodbye to a perfect pair of jeans that have served me well for many years, but no longer fit! Sadly, the option of reducing what I eat for a couple of weeks to fit back into them is no longer available to me. And so my lovely jeans reside inside the charity bin…

This story is far too familiar for so many women I speak to. “All calories are equal”, and “Calories in, calories out”, are the hideous mantras we’re expected to follow. As a result of this outdated doctrine, I found that missing meals to reduce calorie intake was having the opposite effect: the less I ate the more weight I put on! Not to mention, the bloating and the moods I experienced as a result were honestly unbearable.

Was I going crazy? No. Because science knows better. It was later I learnt the effects of the blood sugar lows and how the subsequent increase in cortisol might impact my metabolism. It’s no wonder I struggled with my weight the way I did! Nowadays, I adopt a more balanced approach. I focus on regular meals, eating more protein, including a variety of fresh food while reducing processed food. I want to feel healthy rather than restricted, miserable, and in pain without the fuel that my body needs.

There were moments I found myself transfixed in flashbacks to the 90’s, scouring and stripping my face with chemical-ridden lotions and potions that bleached my pillows and my pyjamas. The zits also returned on my shoulders and back, much like they did in my teenage years. The odd one popped up on my jawline, they were deep under the skin, angry and throbbing.

Nutrition-wise, it turns out that not eating chocolate like my dad advised when I was a teenager wasn’t the cure for me after all. But I discovered something else that was quite remarkable. It's called ‘seed cycling’. Put simply, the idea is you eat seeds that suit each part of the menstrual cycle to support your hormones, and here’s how you do it:

• Weeks 1-2 (follicular and ovulatory phase): Consume flax seeds and pumpkin seeds
• Weeks 3-4 (luteal and menstrual phase): Consume sesame seeds and sunflower seeds

I am one happy customer. From anecdotal evidence only, I can tell you it worked wonders. It cleared my acne within a month and if I miss eating them for a few weeks the acne soon returns until I remember to eat them again. You can probably share this lovely tip with your spotty teenagers too! 

It’s no coincidence more women tend to burn out more than men and it seems to often be around their late 30s - 40s (from what I’ve seen, anyway). I was no exception to the rule — anxiety hit me hard too. Over the last four years, my experience led me with no option but to work on the tools I needed to help manage stress and anxiety. These brain-healthy habits now form a daily ritual for me. When I feel anxiety coming over me, I usually turn to breathwork to diffuse it. Some favourites of mine include the wonderful Calm App or another App called Insight Timer. Aside from going on my phone — I also do movements such as shaking, jumping or dancing to shift the negative energy. Finally, I’ll let you into another secret — An absolute gem of a book by James Nestor, called ‘Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art’. It has made me think about my breath every day since I put it down. 

My next leg on the anxiety train took me to researching chest pains and thinking I was having a heart attack! This is probably the most scary symptom I’ve experienced so far, and Dr Google can be nothing short of direct. Yet, this all changed when something led me to then Google my symptoms alongside perimenopause, from this point, my nerves began to cease. There is a lot of readily available information out there relating to heart palpitations and perimenopause. But at this point I still was in my late 30s — perimenopause hadn’t even crossed my mind. 

To conclude, the evidence I found described fluctuations in hormones and drops in oestrogen as a possible cause for symptoms resembling palpitations in many women, and the occurrence of this is well-documented.

Yes, you might expect this, but after undergoing several private tests, it was surprising to discover just how depleted my body could become in essential vitamins and minerals. Supplements weren't even something I considered until two years into experiencing symptoms. And looking back, it’s clear they should have been started earlier! 

Anecdote warning: avoiding salt due to headlines about its negative effects also led to a constant, unquenchable thirst despite drinking 2-3 litres of water daily. In reality, this was flushing out any of my remaining minerals. All of this I believe was compounded by stress and hindered the absorption of nutrients which disrupted my body’s normal functioning. 

Fast-forward to the present day, and after two years of taking multiple supplements daily and ongoing testing practices, progress is being made. But it is, admittedly, taking time for me to reach optimal levels. That’s why I approach Valerie’s Daily Essential with so much excitement. Wholeheartedly, I truly believe that access to this product earlier in my life could have made a huge difference in the symptoms and negative perimenopausal experiences that I came up against.

We’d love to hear from you! Has our advice made a difference? Or do you have your own tips and tricks to share? Let’s keep the conversation going—drop us a DM!

Curious about how Valerie’s Daily Essential Liposomal Shot can support you through perimenopause? Check it out now!

*Please note that the information in this article is primarily anecdotal. Any information including product recommendations, is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a healthcare provider before beginning any treatment.