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Sharon Yeh's avatar

Sharing my experience. I will be 49 this September, I started experiencing on-and-off perimenopause symptoms 1.5 years ago in addition to gut issues. Last summer, I had a chance to travel to Southeast Asia for 6 weeks, and I spent a lot of time outside under the sun and sweating. All my symptoms went away! I meant ALL. I returned to the US, asking what happened to me, and that's how I discovered quantum biology. Based on my experience and what you wrote about melatonin, microbiome, and menopause, there are intricate connections there. I spend hours working outside now and none of the symptoms returned. Still have monthly cycles on time (lol)...

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AM Moon's avatar

Thank you for writing about menopause! I am six years into perimenopause without any HRT. I don’t actually know another woman IRL who is at this stage of life and not on hormones. My mother, my aunts, and my grandmothers all had hysterectomies, so I haven’t actually gotten to witness a woman walk through the threshold of menopause up close. It has been a wild journey thus far. Super, super hard at times, but fascinating nonetheless.

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Amy Jaramillo's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. It's so interesting and did help me connect some dots. Also I think your questions about the menopause and melatonin relationship are great. I love the idea that hot flashes could be the body's way of helping to trigger more melatonin production. What I did notice missing in the pyramid is sunlight exposure, morning sunlight - but perhaps that is encompassed by the red light section.

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Robin Cooke's avatar

Love the information above. My question is about joint pain. I have found that when estrogen decreases it can cause joint issues. I have noticed slight pain at first and now more of a stiffness when sitting in a car for an hour and after sitting at work. When I squat down it is also slow going. Once I warm up and move around I don't feel it as much and am still able to make it through leg day pretty good with weights. Have you heard of this? Thanks!

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Nikko Kennedy ✨'s avatar

Yes, I have seen this. One pathway is increased inflammation and another is reduced collagen integrity, both associated with lower melatonin and sex hormones. Estrogen therapy is only a “bandaid”, not addressing the underlying changes in mitochondrial metabolism leading to the lower hormones and other changes. There is a lot of research on mitochondrial health strategies showing it is indeed possible to improve mitochondrial health with lifestyle, particularly with good circadian sleep and adequate natural daylight as a foundation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5934418/figure/F1/

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