Bonza Health Blog
Gain the tools and understanding you need to help manage the challenges of perimenopause and beyond.
Women experiencing perimenopause or menopause can reclaim their health and vitality. At Bonza Health, we help women see hormone changes as a natural midlife transition and provide the doctor-backed information women need to navigate hormonal health conditions with confidence.
Check out our latest blog posts from our leading physician’s best tips and tools for easing hormonal symptoms, special announcements on our courses and services, and much more! Be a part of our ever-growing community of like-minded women who are thriving in health -- even with perimenopause or menopause conditions.
Understanding Menopause Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
Understand the complexities of menopause and the role of bioidentical hormone therapy in managing its symptoms with our comprehensive blog. Menopause marks a natural biological shift in women, often leading to discomforts like hot flashes, mood swings, and changes in menstrual patterns. The blog delves into bioidentical hormone therapy—hormones derived from plant sources and chemically identical to those the body produces, offering an alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT). We discuss the differences between compounded and FDA-approved bioidentical hormones, highlighting concerns about safety, regulation, and effectiveness. While advocates tout bioidentical hormones as safer due to their natural similarity to human hormones, the medical community and regulatory bodies urge caution, citing a lack of substantial evidence to support these claims. Our blog provides a critical look at why some physicians may hesitate to recommend compounded bioidentical hormones and outlines the FDA-approved options available. Understand the risks, benefits, and regulatory issues surrounding bioidentical hormone therapy to make informed decisions about managing menopause symptoms.
Why Perimenopause Feels Like a Second Round of Puberty
Understand the surprising parallels between perimenopause and puberty, highlighting how both life stages mark significant hormonal transitions in a woman's life, albeit at opposite ends of the reproductive spectrum. Know similarities and differences of these transitions, focusing on hormonal fluctuations, physical changes, skin issues, and emotional impacts. While puberty represents a phase of growth and the onset of fertility, perimenopause signals a winding down, with its own set of challenges such as irregular menstruation, hot flashes, and mood swings. The post underscores the importance of understanding and adapting to these changes, encouraging a positive perspective on managing these natural, albeit sometimes challenging, life stages.
Understanding Menopause and Its Impact on Skin Health
As estrogen levels plummet during menopause, women often notice significant changes including dryness, thinning, and increased wrinkling of the skin. However, understanding and managing these changes can lead to preserved, and even enhanced, skin health. We explore how estrogen supplementation can rejuvenate the skin by enhancing moisture retention, boosting collagen production, and improving skin thickness and elasticity. Learn about the crucial role of protective measures such as applying sunscreen, and see how advanced dermatological treatments can address specific skin concerns during this pivotal life stage.
Understanding Menopause Hormone Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide
A comprehensive overview of menopause hormone therapy (MHT) touching on key areas such as the significance of MHT in symptom relief, the options available for estrogen therapy, the benefits of combining estrogen with progesterone, and the careful consideration of benefits versus risks. It strikes a balance between providing detailed information on the various forms of HRT, including pills, patches, creams, gels, and vaginal rings, and the critical evaluation of their efficacy and potential side effects.
Perimenopause Symptoms: An Overview of the Greene Climacteric Scale and Hormone Therapy Decision-Making
The Greene Climacteric Scale is introduced as a critical tool for identifying the right time to seek medical help, highlighting its role in assessing the symptom burden women face during the perimenopausal phase. Perimenopause, a natural transition occurring typically from the late 30s to early 50s, involves a range of physical and psychological symptoms due to decreasing estrogen levels. The blog underlines how these symptoms can vary greatly among women, affecting their daily lives and well-being differently.
Menopause and Mental Health: Beyond the Textbook Definition
The recent review by Brown et al. (2024) in The Lancet, which challenges the notion of an increased risk for depressive symptoms during the menopause transition based solely on the criteria for major depressive disorder, highlights a crucial oversight in understanding the mental health complexities associated with this pivotal stage in a woman's life. This narrow focus disregards a spectrum of mental health challenges that, while not always fitting neatly within the confines of major depressive disorder, significantly impact the wellbeing of many women navigating the menopausal transition. In clinical practice, the narratives of women expressing feelings of not being themselves or sensing that something is amiss are far too common, reflecting a broader range of emotional disturbances such as anxiety, irritability, and transient depressive moods.
The Role of Estrogen in Muscle Strength and Sarcopenia Prevention in Perimenopause
Explore the pivotal role of estrogen in muscle strength and how to prevent sarcopenia during perimenopause in our comprehensive blog. As women transition through perimenopause, they face fluctuating hormone levels, including a decline in estrogen and progesterone, impacting their muscle strength and overall health. We discuss maintaining muscle mass, risks, and broader implications of sarcopenia, and why it's a significant concern for women's health during this stage. We offer actionable strategies for sarcopenia prevention and management, emphasizing the importance of strength training, adequate protein intake, and the benefits of counting macros for optimizing nutrition and muscle health.
Perimenopause: A Critical Time for Chronic Disease Prevention
Perimenopause represents a pivotal stage in a woman's life, typically occurring from the late 30s to early 50s, marked by significant hormonal shifts that can profoundly affect health and well-being. This period is crucial for taking proactive steps to prevent chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and cognitive decline. A holistic approach, integrating lifestyle, functional, and conventional medicine, is essential for managing the physical, emotional, and mental changes during perimenopause.
Menopause: Understanding and Managing the Transition
Menopause symptoms, especially hot flashes are worsening. Learn what you can do to find relief. Dr. Bonza covers remedies including lifestyle habits, natural supplements and traditional medicine. Explore the potential treatment options that will work best for you.
Revitalize Your Energy During Perimenopause with the Top Natural Supplements for Fatigue and Stress Relief
We all have experienced stress in one form or another, and stress directly affects our body’s nervous system and hormones. Women with perimenopause or menopause symptoms should focus on stress management and incorporating relaxation techniques, emotional regulation, and stress-relieving tools into their routines. Learn more about natural supplements that can help you alleviate stress and fatigue and increase your energy levels in this blog post! Visit Dr. Sarah Bonza’s Fullscript Dispensary for other natural supplements you can include in your routine for symptom relief.
Brain Fog Relief For Perimenopausal Women
Brain fog is one of the symptoms that many perimenopause and menopause women experience during their journey; even I had that symptom when I was on my perimenopause journey. But there are natural supplements that help can help you experience relief and alleviate brain fog. Read the blog post for more information!
Beyond the Scale: Fitness Indicators for Menopausal and Perimenopausal Women
Women who have perimenopause or menopause symptoms may experience sudden (and stubborn!) weight gain and changes to their body composition (increased fat, belly bloat, etc.). Let’s look beyond the scale and traditional BMI indicators to discover how we can best measure weight for optimal health and well-being, even during perimenopause and menopause.
The Balanced View on GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Weight Management in Perimenopause and Beyond
In the blog post, we’re going on a deep dive on how GLP-1 Receptor Agonists can help with weight management during perimenopause as well as other symptoms. This can be a beneficial and excellent support option for women suffering from perimenopausal symptoms, including sudden (and stubborn) weight gain.
Understanding VO2 Max: A Comprehensive Guide for Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women
Regular, intentional, and tailored exercise routines are one of the key solutions for perimenopausal and menopausal women who are searching for natural, effective ways to manage their symptoms and improve their experience. VO2 max, although popular in the fitness world, is actually a vital tool for women going through perimenopause or menopause. Learn more about VO2 max and why it’s beneficial for you to know your VO2 levels in this blog post!
Mood Support for Menopause
During perimenopause or menopause, one of the major symptoms you can experience is mood swings or changes in your overall mood. Menopause is often associated with hot flashes and night sweats, which are also common symptoms. But your mood can be affected by fluctuating hormones as well. Read the blog and learn the natural and effective ways you can regulate your hormones and your mood.
Managing Adrenal Fatigue: Tips and Strategies for Perimenopausal Women
Adrenal fatigue is a common symptom for women experiencing perimenopause or menopause, and it’s important to address it with the proper solutions. At Bonza Health, we focus on providing women with holistic, practical strategies to overcome and manage their symptoms with ease as well as better understand their hormonal health and their perimenopause or menopause journey. Learn more about how you can heal from adrenal fatigue in this blog post.
Understanding the Connection Between Perimenopause, Estrogen, and Weight Gain
Weight gain is one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause that we hear from our clients. There’s a hormonal reason for the sudden weight gain women experience, and there are also natural solutions to help lose those pesky pounds that suddenly appeared. Read the blog post for more information on how to manage your perimenopause symptoms and weight! Be sure to sign up for Dr. Sarah Bonza’s Fullscript Dispensary for natural supplements to include in your perimenopause management.
Discover Nature's Secret Weapons Against Hot Flashes and Migraines!
We’re big on natural, effective ways to help women overcome perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. In this blog post, we specifically discuss hot flashes, headaches, and migraines, which are common symptoms for women going through perimenopause or menopause. We share some of the most popular natural remedies to help reduce these symptoms in this post. Check it out!
Discover the Secret Herb Beating Pharmaceuticals in the Fight Against Menopausal Depression!
Natural herbs and supplements can be a game-changer when it comes to balancing your hormones, improving your mental health, and even reducing your perimenopause or menopause symptoms. In today’s post, let’s talk about one of our favorite natural herbs/supplements that can do wonders for your mental health and mood.
Unlock the Secret: This Miracle Molecule Transforms Mental Health in Weeks
We love diving deep into the secrets behind mental health! Check out this blog post to explore biochemistry and discover interesting insights and facts on a specific molecule that can help transform your mental health for the better.