Menopause Survival Guide
For most women, menopause begins in the late 40s or early 50s. Along with it comes a variety of symptoms including mood swings, hot flashes, low libido, sleep disturbances and more. There are many things you can do to reduce the symptoms experienced during this time, and it happens to be the perfect time to reinforce healthy lifestyle changes.
So, we’ve compiled 7 tips for surviving the menopause. Most of all, think of it as a natural part of life rather than an illness.
- Exercise regularly
Regular exercise – at least 20 minutes a day – is proven to improve energy levels, metabolism and provide better sleep. Some women find it hard to achieve sleep during menopause but exercising regularly is a great way to encourage better sleeping habits and reduce stress. In fact, exercise will help keep your weight in check and will protect you against disease too. - Eat right
Try to focus on eating lots of fruit and vegetables each day in order to prevent certain menopause symptoms. It’s a great way to lose weight and prevent bone loss and disease. Additionally, you need to figure out your trigger foods. Certain foods are notorious for triggering hot flashes and night sweats but for each woman it’s different. It’s recommended to keep a food dairy to identify which foods are problematic. Common triggers are often alcohol, caffeine and foods high in sugar. - Hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy should be considered to rebalance hormones during menopause and prevent the side effects that come with it. This means estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Yes, we said testosterone. You may be familiar with adding estrogen and progesterone but testosterone is just as important. Women – just like men – experience a decrease in testosterone levels as they age. This has an impact on libido, energy, strength and mood. More and more doctors all over the world are administering testosterone replacement therapy in women due to the great results during clinical trials and personal experiences. A good doctor and monitoring hormone levels during hormone replacement therapy is essential. - Maintain a healthy body weight
It is common to gain weight during menopause and so it’s a good idea to achieve and maintain a healthy weight in order to keep symptoms at a minimum. - Drink more water
Lowered estrogen levels can cause vaginal dryness but drinking water can help with this problem, as well as helping to reduce bloating and weight gain. - Try taking natural supplements
A lot of women turn to natural supplements to combat symptoms. Evidence is mixed and personal but it’s worth trying out blach cohosh for hot flashes, probiotics, DHEA, evening primrose oil and more. - Practice good sleep hygiene
If you’re having difficulty sleeping and staying asleep, it’s important to maintain a good bedtime routine by avoiding screen time close to sleeping, lowering the lights in the evening, avoiding healthy evening meals as well as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
Menopause can be a difficult adjustment but looking after your physical and emotional health will go a long way in reducing symptoms.