There are places in the world, known as the Blue Zones, where people live over 100 years—fit, productive, and free of chronic disease. In these regions, women transition through menopause gracefully, without major symptoms or synthetic hormone use. In contrast, many women in the U.S. experience significant symptoms from their 30s to their 60s. Why?
Is it the connection to the 5- elements of Nature? The SUN, the EARTH, the structured WATER, the oxygenated cells in the BODY and the Vibe of JOYFUL PURPOSE connected to Nature and Tribe? Is it the balanced life leading to a nervous system that allows them to burn through less adrenal and thyroid hormones, thus sparing the ovaries from being depleted? Is it their nutrition? Let’s explore!
Why Women in Blue Zones Transition into Menopause Without Symptoms
The morning sun triggers the Cortisol-Awakening Response, vital for adrenal and ovarian hormone production and daily energy. Grounding with the earth regulates cortisol rhythms. Structured water—spring water or blessed water—impacts the endocrine system differently than tap water. Slower breathing and a less hectic pace enhance oxygen delivery. And a life driven by joyful purpose creates a “joyfield” that nurtures every cell in the body.
How Modern Living Disrupts a Healthy Transition into Menopause
In the USA, we spend more than other countries and rank lower in health indices and life expectancy. In contrast to the lifestyle of the Blue-Zones, our Modern-Living has our nervous system in constant activity, in a state of a Chronic Stress Response, Fight or Flight. With constant nervous system activity, we are making cortisol and burning through our fuel tank of key nutrients and other hormones (like progesterone).
This depletion starts as early as our teens with progesterone deficiency, leading to symptoms like anxiety, irritability, panic attacks, sleep issues, PMS, heavy bleeding, and mood swings. These symptoms are the number 1 reasons for a prescription of Xanax and Oral Contraceptive Pills. It is also the number one reason for a hysterectomy, when there are many other options.
But the story is much deeper than the fact that women experience completely avoidable suffering. Once we realize that every organ in the body has receptor sites for estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, we realize that hormone decline means organ decline means dis-ease. These receptors are present on the cells of the heart. blood vessels. bone. nerves, muscles, skin, and most cells in the body. So, when the hormones get imbalanced, women acquire an increased risk of heart attacks. strokes, cognitive decline. osteoporosis and breast cancer.
What can you do?
My personal journey was altered drastically when I went from a doctor doing few surgeries a month, to few surgeries a year, to no surgery with the use of bioidentical progesterone, magnesium and life-balance. Modern living is indeed our greatest disease. Women living balanced lives, for example in Blue-Zones, barely experience Menopausal symptoms.
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Slow down your Nervous System to preserve your reserve.
- Life Balance= Hormone Balance. Try exercise to Simplify Life. Imagine that you are the sun. When you tend to your fire, you automatically warm the other planets. This is the mostunselfish thing that you can do, and it preserves your hormones.
- Connect to the 5 elements of nature and to your tribe.
- Take a Lipid Soluble Magnesium. My favorite is with Magnesium Acetyl-Taurinate
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Consider Hormone Restoration.
Replacement of low thyroid, insulin, and cortisol is the medical standard. So, it seems logical to also replace low estrogen. progesterone and testosterone; however, the evidence leaves clinicians at a loss for clear direction because of conflicting results from studies using varying types of hormones. A comprehensive analysis of data shows that restoration of normal physiologic ratios of hormones is beneficial in alleviating symptoms and, more importantly, degenerative disease.
The WHI study, published in 2002, scared women off of hormones because they used horse estrogen, oral estrogen, and synthetic progesterone, all molecularly non-identical to human and all known to increase cancer and clots. One of these, Medroxy Progesterone Acetate, is still a popular prescription, although it should be banned, especially when you realize that there are human-identical, bio-identical hormones, made from wild yam and soy, which the body recognizes.
Bio-identical hormones are exactly identical to the hormones of the human body, molecule by molecule, so they fit the hormone receptor like a key fits into its lock; the body can not distinguish between a bio-identical hormone and the hormones it makes itself. They are often created from soy or yam. Estrogens used by skin are protective. A body of literature suggests that transdermal estrogen decreases thrombosis, blood pressure, triglycerides, and vascular resistance as opposed to oral estrogen which increases thrombosis, blood pressure, CRP, triglycerides, gallstones proteins.
So the French decided to use bio-identical hormones and estrogen by skin. What did they find? Better quality of life. Better bone, heart and brain health.
Closing thoughts:
Deficiencies which affect our health start early in life. The best way to protect you from symptoms and organ decline comes from incorporating the lifestyle practices above into your life early. I have in fact had patients come off hormones just with that. Progesterone is the first hormone to decline. It starts in the 20’s causing symptoms as mentioned above. If progesterone is needed, remember that if you measure the progesterone level, the normal range does not matter. The optimal range is above 5 ng/ml at any point in the cycle. If you have symptoms, find a practitioner to correct symptoms with bio-identical progesterone. Stay tuned for The Hormone Code: What Lies Beneath is the Adrenal-Thyroid Dysfunction.
Learn More about Dr. Sangeeta Pati and her Take My Power Back initiative here.
About The Author
Sangeeta Pati, MD, FACOG, ABOIM
Dr. Sangeeta Pati is a double board-certified physician by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Board of Integrative Medicine. She brings over 13 years of experience in conventional medicine and an additional 20 years in regenerative and integrative approaches, including bioenergetics, immunology, hormones, nutrition, detoxification, heart/mind balance, and body balance.
Educated at the University of Maryland and Georgetown, Dr. Pati began her career with roles at NASA, the NIH, and the Safe Motherhood Project, followed by years in private practice. She later shifted her focus to integrative medicine, dedicating her work to helping people reverse debilitating conditions by applying the foundational practices of long-living cultures in the Blue Zones. She is a trainer, mentor, speaker, and author of proven self-healing protocols.
Dr. Pati is on staff at Orlando Regional Medical Center and serves as affiliate faculty at UCF Medical School, mentoring students from UCF, NUNM, and ACOM. She sits on the editorial board for the Journal of Restorative Medicine and the medical advisory board for Health Intelligence Magazine.
She has delivered over 100 presentations at top integrative medicine conferences including A4M, AMMG, PCCA, and IFIM. Over the years, she has trained more than 5,000 health professionals and treated over 15,000 patients using her 5-Point Model System, which addresses hormones, nutrients, detoxification, heart/mind alignment, and body balance—leading to an 85%+ reversal rate of chronic conditions when optimal levels are achieved.
Her work has been featured in Orlando Business Journal, University of Maryland Bulletin, and several media outlets. Dr. Pati is currently developing a Residential Wellness Center in Costa Rica focused on lifestyle, nutrition, meditation, detox, and sustainable healing.
