Menopause brought with it changes I didn’t understand, every day of the week there was something: mood swings, lack of energy, can’t-cope syndrome, grumpy, a generally unhappy person. A personality change had occurred and I really didn’t like myself anymore. Sleep: I couldn’t sleep peacefully anymore, I was tearing my hair out. I discovered the cause of my symptoms – hormonal havoc! The cure was restorative medicine which balanced my hormones and gave me my mojo back! Restorative medicine is little known has existed for over 30 years in America. Prevention is always the intelligent and smartest medicine – start making changes today. Here are my tips for hormonal health during menopause.
Vitamin D
Low levels of Vitamin D are linked to a higher risk of bone fractures in women after the menopause. Your body naturally produces this vitamin when it is exposed to sunlight – a recommended 40 minutes a day is the ideal way to optimise your Vitamin D levels. The next best thing is a good quality supplement, particularly in the colder months.
Water!
Dehydration can affect the nervous system, which triggers hot flashes. Your body requires water to support its detoxifying processes in the kidneys, liver and blood. If you are feeling hungry, drink a glass of water first. Chances are your body is trying to tell you it needs water and we often get hunger signals mixed up with thirst.
Weight
Around 90% of women gain weight between the ages of 35 to 55 due to fluctuations in the hormone levels. Hormones and weight gain go hand in hand especially when there is cortisol dominance or too little progesterone, testosterone or estrogen. Have a blood test and try to keep your weight in a healthy range.
Eat For Healthy Hormones
A balanced diet containing the right amounts of fats, protein, carbohydrates is crucial for optimum health, and will help keep your weight in check too. Adding phytestrogens, found in plants like soybeans, lentils and alfalfa, before the menopause is a good idea.
Restore with natural hormones
During menopause there is a significant drop in our hormones especially; estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. These hormones play a huge role in protecting the brain, heart, bones and also sex drive. Restore these depleted hormones to optimum levels and you will regain your sex drive and your lust for life. Like me, many women prefer bioidentical hormones, which are made from natural plant sources.
Exercise
Age is not an excuse! Regular exercise will keep your weight at a healthy level, optimise insulin and balance estrogen levels. Women who move little and eat a lot have much higher estrogen(s) levels, and when the ratios between estrogens and progesterone are out, we get a phenomenon known as ‘estrogen dominance’. You don’t want that. Feel-good endorphins will boost your mood and sense of wellbeing, too, which is so important during a time when your mood levels tend to slump.
Body Swerve Plastics
Try to avoid plastic containers when cooking or storing food. They can contain weak synthetic estrogen-like agents which may disrupt the endocrine system. Toxins that leach from plastics can actually make the body work twice as hard at detoxification, leading to illness.
Natural Supplements
Help keep menopausal symptoms at bay by restoring your body with high quality vitamins and minerals. Ideally you should get all your nutrients from a varied diet, but a good quality supplement can help if you’re falling short.
Reduce Stress
Work, health, family and financial issues cause stress, which can blunt hormone production. Take a hot bath, have a massage, eat well and get enough sleep. Sometimes all you need is some designated ‘Me Time’ to help ease those feeling of anxiety.
Get the facts early
Even if you think you’re years away from the menopause or perimenopause, make changes today and you will thank yourself later. Be kind to your body by eating whole and natural foods, exercise, sleep and smile a lot, which keeps stress at bay. Doing this ahead of the onset of menopause means you have already developed healthy habits to see you through. For more information on Menopause and menopause symptoms please visit MenopauseWoman Featured photo credit: stokpic via stokpic.com
