If you're like me, you have heard of menopause, but didn't really learn anything about it, other than the fact that it exists...? And even then, nothing!

Menopause is the point in time when a person with an ovarian system has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle/period. It’s a natural and normal aging process that occurs when a person's ovaries stop producing reproductive hormones, i.e. estrogen and progesterone. Before reaching menopause, your body moves toward the end of your reproductive years. This is called perimenopause. ​Perimenopause may begin as early as your mid-30s or as late as your mid-50s. Some people are in perimenopause for only a short time, while others are in it for several years. It’s common for hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone) to fluctuate during perimenopause, almost like a rollercoaster.

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Estrogen and progesterone play huge roles in multiple body systems because of the staggering number of places that we have estrogen and progesterone receptors in our bodies. Here are some examples: brain and central nervous system, cardiovascular system, muscles and bones, reproductive system and breasts, gastrointestinal system, immune system, lungs, eyes, skin, and hair, and mucous membranes. Because of these multi system receptors, these hormonal fluctuations can cause a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms to occur. How a person's body reacts to changing hormones can vary from person to person. Please see possible perimenopause symptoms below.