7 things to do to prepare for menopause
Your impression of menopause is possibly one that looks a little daunting, but you don’t have to dread it. You can do things to help prepare for it and to feel calmer about the situation to come. The lifestyle choices you make can help keep the upcoming symptoms in check. Here are some of my tips:
First and foremost, get in the right mindset. How you’re feeling about yourself and about life, affects your stress levels which then has a knock on effect on your relationship with food, your sleep routine and whether you get any activity into your day. Having a more positive take on your present and future, will really help reduce stress levels. I say it all the time, but make time for yourself – have time to relax and recharge and have time to do things that you enjoy and make you happy.
Look at eliminating the toxins in your life. We encounter a ridiculous amount of toxins in a day, from the deodorant and the face creams we use, to the food we put in our mouths and the air we breathe. Go for the most natural products you can afford and ones with antioxidants to fight those free radicals.
Look after your gut. Eat plenty of phytochemicals (found in cruciferous food) which help with liver detoxification. Give your body more fibre and eat a range of plant based foods to help feed healthy bacteria. Eating fruit and veg in all colours of the rainbow will ensure you get a really good variety of vitamins and minerals too
Follow good nutrition principles. Keep a check on alcohol and caffeine intake as this affects liver function. Reduce consumption of processed foods and sugary products to ensure that your blood sugars don’t rollercoaster. Include complex carbs as these can help calm our nervous system, but be sure to have the right balance of carb/fat/protein. Include good quality protein as this helps build and repair muscle tissue. The more lean mass you have the better your metabolism will work, meaning less weight gain. Bone density drops as we age so be sure to supplement with calcium products. This is not to say that you should give up the things that bring you joy!
Exercise. Get out and get moving. Opt for a mix of cardio, strength and flexibility. Not only will these help you with your cardiovascular health and bone health they will release those happy serotonin hormones, thereby helping with point one about looking after your stress levels. With both muscle mass and bone density decreasing as we age, it's important to work on the strength aspect, which will both help these factors, in addition to helping with your metabolism. And working on your mobility/pilates will really help you move better and be less susceptible to twinges/breaks!
Sleep well. Broken and short sleep has a knock on effect on our mood and appetite. Ensure you have a good bedtime routine that winds you down and puts you in the right position for both getting to sleep and staying asleep. Get the right temperature and the right light levels.
Do your research. Unlike with puberty, we don’t get a school education on this life stage, so it’s down to us to research what to expect. If you know the symptoms to look out for and the possible treatments then you’ll be much better prepared to deal with them when they rear their heads.
Well that was a bit of a whistle-stop tour and there's plenty more to say on the matter, but in summary, you ultimately want to work on your nutrition, movement, stress management, sleep and your mindset. These are the 5 pillars I work to and recommend to all my clients. NB: If HRT is the route you want/need to take, I would still highly recommend working on these alongside, as HRT isn't a miracle cure for everything.
And, we all go through peri-menopause differently. Some may sail through without too much problem, others may get every symptom going. Some may go through it quickly, for others it may be a few years. But it’s a natural process and it shouldn’t be something to be feared. Not talking about it doesn’t make it go away I’m afraid, so be open to conversation. If anything, the conversation will make you feel better, as you’ll realise you’re not going through this alone.
If you've got any other tips from your own experience then please let us know
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