Lisa Edmondson, Nurse, Women’s Health and Hormone Lead, Master Holistic Health Coach
In recent years, a growing number of women in New Zealand — and around the world — are reporting more intense and disruptive perimenopausal symptoms than ever before. Hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, brain fog, fatigue, and weight gain are becoming not just common, but increasingly hard to manage.
At Global Health, one of the number one issues we see in our female clients is hormonal imbalance — and its intricate connections to emotional wellbeing, protein synthesis, and overall metabolic health. The good news? Advances in epigenetics offer a science-backed, personalised path to restoring hormonal balance and reclaiming vitality, whether before symptoms appear or after they’ve taken hold.
Why Are Perimenopausal Symptoms Worsening?
Perimenopause — the natural transition before menopause — has always involved hormonal shifts. However, multiple modern factors are amplifying the severity of these changes:
- Environmental Toxins: Persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals from plastics, pesticides, and household products interfere with estrogen and progesterone balance.
- Chronic Stress: Elevated cortisol from prolonged stress impacts the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, worsening hormonal fluctuations.
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Modern diets often lack key nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and amino acids needed for hormone production and detoxification.
- Poor Sleep & Light Exposure: Disruption of circadian rhythms can alter hormone secretion patterns.
- Hormonal Contraception: Long-term use of oral contraceptives or hormonal IUDs can alter a woman’s natural hormonal balance. While these options can be effective and necessary for many women, their impact on endogenous hormone rhythms may make perimenopausal transitions more challenging for some.
The cumulative effect? More women are entering perimenopause with already stressed systems — making symptoms more intense and recovery more challenging.
Understanding Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen dominance occurs when estrogen levels are high relative to progesterone — even if estrogen levels are technically “normal.” This imbalance can contribute to:
- Heavy or irregular periods
- Breast tenderness
- Mood swings or anxiety
- Weight gain (particularly around the hips and thighs)
- Increased risk of fibroids or endometriosis flare-ups
Factors such as poor liver detoxification, chronic inflammation, and high stress can all reduce the body’s ability to metabolise estrogen efficiently.
The Epigenetic Advantage in Hormonal Health
Epigenetics is the science of how lifestyle, nutrition, and environment influence the way our genes are expressed. While we can’t change our DNA, we can modify how it’s “switched on” or “off” to support better health outcomes.
At Global Health our Epigentics Hair Scan provides an in-depth assessment of your nutritional status, toxin load, and key physiological systems — including metabolism, adrenals, and hormonal pathways. This data empowers us to create personalised protocols that address the root causes of hormonal imbalance, rather than masking symptoms.
Innovative Therapies to Support Hormonal Balance
- Ozone Therapy
- Supports cellular oxygenation, detoxification, and immune modulation.
- May help reduce inflammation that worsens hormonal imbalance.
- Oxygen Therapy
- Enhances mitochondrial energy production, improving mental clarity, emotional stability, and resilience during hormonal transitions.
- Red Light Therapy
- Stimulates cellular repair and collagen production.
- May improve mood and reduce inflammation in tissues affected by estrogen dominance.
- Epigenetic Hair Scan Analysis
- Offers a comprehensive view of nutrient needs, toxin exposure, and metabolic efficiency.
- Informs targeted interventions for restoring hormonal harmony.
Hormones, Emotions, and Protein Synthesis — The Hidden Connection
At Global Health, we often see that hormonal imbalance isn’t an isolated issue — it’s linked to emotional health and protein synthesis.
- Emotional Impact: Fluctuating hormones influence neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, affecting mood stability.
- Protein Synthesis: Adequate protein is essential for producing hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters. When synthesis falters, hormonal repair processes slow down, and emotional resilience suffers.
By addressing all three together — hormones, emotions, and protein synthesis — we help women create a foundation for lasting hormonal stability.
Taking Action — Before or After Symptoms Appear
Whether you’re starting to notice subtle changes or have been struggling with symptoms for years, the earlier you take action, the better your long-term outcomes. Epigenetics empowers you to take control, applying personalised strategies that support your unique biology and environment.
Perimenopause and menopause are natural life stages, but they shouldn’t rob you of your vitality. Understanding the underlying causes — from estrogen dominance to environmental stressors — allows for a targeted, personalised approach to restoring balance.
Through Epigenetic Hair Scan Analysis, Ozone Therapy, Oxygen Therapy, and Red Light Therapy, Global Health offers women in New Zealand a complete, science-backed pathway to hormonal health and emotional resilience.