Anxiety: Too much stress and worry can leave us feeling drained and anxious so it’s important to create a balance. Give yourself time to relax and think about the things in your daily routine that are important to you and consider the things your grateful for. Meditation and mindfulness tapes are a great way of coping with anxiety or even getting out and having brisk walk. Talking to someone is so important as it stops your anxiety escalating.
Bone health: Women can lose around 20% of their bone density after menopause. This puts post-menopausal women at high risk of osteoporosis (weak bones) and fractures. Calcium and vitamin D will help maintain healthy bones and good sources include dried fruit, fish with the bones in and dairy products.
B- Vitamins: B6 and B12 /B9 ( folic Acid) are important Vitamins in the menopause as they are responsible for Red Blood cells and the nervous system.
Chemical menopause: is a type of induced menopause. Induced menopause, due to the abrupt reduction of ovarian hormones, often causes the sudden onset of hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms such as dryness of the vaginal lining and a decline in sex drive.
Digestion: Looking after your digestive health is key during menopause when hormonal changes can cause bloating and excess gas. Chewing your food fully to support better digestion and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine found in coffee and tea will help to promote healthy digestive function.
Exercises: is so important in menopause for our physical health as well as our mental health, with research showing that women who exercise regularly tend to live longer and have better moods than those who don’t. Even walking daily can help especially mood swings. Walking, bicycling, and dancing are all good examples of cardio exercise. Cardio exercises burn a good amount of calories, helping to prevent weight gain — which many women experience during menopause. It also helps ward off heart disease, a condition that’s more common among women of menopausal age.
Fatigue: One of the main causes of fatigue during menopause is changing hormone levels that regulate energy levels in the body. Getting a good night’s sleep is therefore key. Practising relaxation techniques before bed such as gentle breathing exercises can aid a restful night.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): symptoms of GERD include: A burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), usually after eating, which might be worse at night. Chest pain ,Difficulty swallowing. Regurgitation of food or sour liquid. This is common in menopause as our digestive systems become sluggish.
Hot flushes: Whilst triggers can vary from woman to woman, avoiding spicy food, alcohol, smoking and stress can help greatly reduce the frequency . Maca powder is a natural supplement that helps reduce them.
Itchy skin: Keeping your skin moisturised is one of the most effective ways of relieving this common problem during menopause. When taking a bath or shower, use warm water instead of steaming hot as this can strip your skin of essential oils.
Joint and muscular pain: Gentle stretches to boost flexibility can help ease painful joints, as well as ensuring you get plenty of calcium and magnesium in your diet. Alternative treatments such as massage or acupuncture help many women with their joint pain symptoms too.
Loss of libido: Changing hormone levels can often reduce libido. If you lose intimacy with your partner, your sexual desire will naturally reduce. It is important that you can communicate well with your partner to increase your emotional bond.
Mood changes: are one of the most commonly experienced symptoms of menopause, and a good diet plays an important role. Make sure you’re getting a good balance of protein, fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates such as beans, brown rice, nuts and seeds to keep your body balanced. The menopause can lead to changes in your mood, anxiety and lower energy. This is due to your body adjusting to the decline in levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Lack of sleep due to night sweats may also lead to mood swings.
Night sweats: can cause sporadic sleep so it’s important to adapt your sleep routine. Practising relaxation techniques before bed such as meditation and gentle breathing exercises can help your body feel ready for sleep.
Oestrogen: levels reduce in a woman’s body when going through the menopause. The latest guidance states that for most women under the age of 60, the benefits of taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) outweigh the risks – helping you tackle hot flushes and mood changes completely.
Progesterone is a female sex hormone. It’s produced mainly in the ovaries following ovulation each month. It’s a crucial part of the menstrual cycle and maintenance of pregnancy, after you ovulate each month, progesterone helps thicken the lining of the uterus to prepare for a fertilized egg.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid. Although testosterone belongs to a class of male hormones called androgens, women also have testosterone. Women’s ovaries produce both testosterone and estrogen. Relatively small quantities of testosterone are released into a woman’s bloodstream by the ovaries and adrenal glands.
Painful sex: as a result of vaginal dryness can be one of the most distressing symptoms of menopause. Treatments such as oestrogen creams can help, and now more long-term solutions are available; safe and pain-free CO2 laser treatments specifically for treating intimate issues linked to menopause. When estrogen levels are high in comparison to progesterone levels, the uterine builds causing heavy periods as the lining sheds.Missed periods can also cause a build up in the lining causing heavy bleeding the next time you have a period . When bleeding is heavy, periods might last longer, they become harder to predict, this can be embarrassing and disruptive . Heavy bleeding can also cause fatigue and increase the risk of other health concerns like anaemia and fibroids.
Premature Ovarian Failure (POF): is a condition in women where the ovaries stop producing eggs unusually early, before the age of 40. This is different from the menopause, which generally occurs around the age of 50. It is relatively rare, occurring in one in 1,000 women under the age of 30 and one in 100 women under the age of 40.
Relaxation: Try practicing mindfulness as a way to relax and quiet your mind. Sit comfortably, focusing on your breathing, and bringing your mind’s attention to the present moment without drifting into concerns about the past or the future. This form of relaxation has become increasing popular in recent years.
Skin: Oestrogen plays an essential role in our skin’s health and appearance. It works by activating key skin cells to produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, essential ingredients for maintaining healthy, vibrant and younger-looking skin. The low oestrogen levels associated with menopause can result in up to 30% loss of collagen in the first 5 years after the onset of menopause, this declines even further by a steady 2.1% in the following years. This significant reduction in collagen results in skin laxity, wrinkles, dryness and dullness, all of which ages the skin.
Thinning hair: Using a gentle shampoo and avoiding brushing hair while it’s wet as that’s when hair is the most delicate. ** Follicles etc
Urinary tract: infections are more common in menopause as the lining of the urethra (the tube that drains your bladder) becomes more sensitive. Drinking plenty of water to help flush out the bacteria from your urinary tract will help, as well as drinking cranberry or lemon juices as these have mild antibiotic properties and may help to ease infection.
Vaginal changes: during menopause are common and should not be ignored. If you’ve noticed the appearance change, or pain or itching it could be signs of vaginal dryness. Painful sex as a result of vaginal dryness can be one of the most distressing symptoms of menopause. Treatments such as oestrogen creams can help, and now more long-term solutions are available; safe and pain-free CO2 laser treatments specifically for treating intimate issues linked to menopause.
Weight gain: Hormonal and physical changes during the menopause make many women more likely to gain weight. According to the British Heart Foundation, our portion sizes have increased by more than 50% in the last 20 years, so try using your hand to measure your portion sizes: A portion the size of the palm of your hand should be your protein, two fist-size portions for your vegetables/salad, one fist or less is your carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta etc.).
Falling oestrogens level can cause a problem with carbohydrate metabolism making it very easy t o gain weight .. loss of muscle mass slows down the metabolism . eating the same amount of calories without increasing physical exercise will cause weight gain.
Yoga: is a beneficial exercise for both mind and body. It’s also great for our core strength and improving our pelvic floor muscles, which can weaken as we age. Mediation, Stress relief, Pelvic floor and Strengthens bones.
Zinc: There is much more to a healthy immune system than just Vitamin C. Zinc, along with iron, copper and vitamins C, E and B-complex can all help to maintain a healthy immune system. Good sources of zinc include shellfish, liver, oxtail and corned beef, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, nuts, wholegrains and cheese