(BPT) - When Sara Pereda began experiencing rapid weight gain, high cholesterol, restless leg syndrome, sleepless nights and hot flashes in her late 30s, she knew something wasn't right. She turned to her doctor of many years for answers. However, they couldn't identify the root cause of Sara's symptoms.

Concerned that Sara's health concerns were signs of prediabetes or autoimmune disorders, they ordered tests but stopped the search there. What Sara and her doctor didn't realize at the time was that she was in perimenopause.

What is perimenopause?

Although many people have heard of menopause, perimenopause (the transitional period leading up to menopause) isn't as well known. Menopause is diagnosed when a woman hasn't menstruated for 12 months straight due to depletion of ovarian follic

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