A little bit about Menopause
At the very bare-bones of it, Menopause is when a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs and menstruation ends for good. Technically, we define the commencement of menopause as 365 days from the date of a woman’s last menstrual period.
However, as we all know, everyone is different and women’s transitions to menopause are usually gradual with irregular periods, fluctuating hormone levels and a range of symptoms for several years.
Symptoms of menopause, perceptions of menopause, and age of onset vary widely from woman to woman, region to region and by ethnicity. Mainly due to differences in
- lifestyle
- diet
- genetic factors
- reproductive history and pregnancy
- cultural factors: each culture and social group views menopause differently, which affects how women think about their own symptoms and experiences
- social factors, other life demands, challenges and changes.
Female hormone “operation shut down” actually begins during the late twenties, but isn’t really evident until between the ages of 35 to 45 years. Hormones are produced in many places in our bodies, like from body fat, adrenal glands and the ovaries. As ovarian hormone production (namely the oestrogen, progesterone and growth hormones) declines with age, the hormones produced by the other centres become more prevalent and the balance tips. This is why having a lot of excess body fat puts your hormone production even more out of whack and creates systemic inflammation.
Some Typical Symptoms of Menopause
As hormone levels change, so does the body. A perimenopausal woman should be on the lookout for:
- Loss of the menstrual cycle or irregular cycles
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Cardiovascular disease
- Osteoporosis
- Emotional changes (depression, anxiety, irritability)
- Vaginal dryness/infections
- Decline in sex drive
- Insomnia
- Unexplained weight gain
Unfortunately it’s not possible to reverse Menopause itself. Whether you decide to use Hormone Replacement Therapy or not, there are some natural steps you can take to help minimise the effects of these symptoms.
Foods to include to ease Menopause symptoms
For weight management: Eat Less
Many women complain of weight gain when they go through menopause, despite not changing their diet or exercise. Unfortunately however, the simple fact is that as we get older, we just simply need fewer calories. Eating a bit less sounds a simplistic solution but it will help.
Swap our calorie-dense, processed foods (take-aways, biscuits, cakes, white ‘stuff) for nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits, lean meats, nuts, seeds, legumes. Focus on eating whole, natural foods.
At the start you may feel hungry so make sure you include foods high in fibre – fibre helps you feel fuller for longer and is great for gut health. Fresh veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds and legumes are great sources of fibre.
When eating starchy carbohydrates, opt for more complex carbohydrates, such as brown grains, brown/black rice, wholemeal pasta & bread, sweet potatoes, whole oats & muesli rather than white pasta/bread/rice/potatoes or processed cereals like Special K, Just Right or Corn Flakes.
These are higher in fibre which gives them a low glycemic index, helping to balance blood sugar levels and keep you feeling fuller for longer, and you need less of them for the same effect. Because they are typically less processed – the food will have retained more vitamins and minerals than the white options giving your body even more love!
For Hormone Balance (including hot flushes, mood swings, sleep): Phytoestrogens
Phyto or plant oestrogens found in certain foods are oestrogenic compounds (meaning that on a chemical level, they look like oestrogen with some small differences) that bind with oestrogen receptor sites in the body cells, increasing the total oestrogenic effect. By acting in a similar way to oestrogen, they may help in keeping hormones a little more in balance as your own body reduces its production of oestrogen.
For Bone Health: Calcium, Magnesium, Boron Vitamins D & K + Alkaline foods
As we age, our muscle and bone density decrease. Increasing your intake of foods containing calcium, magnesium, boron and vitamins D and K can help maintain the integrity of the skeleton and muscles.
In addition, alkaline foods (compared to acidic foods) help prevent calcium and mineral reserves being leached from bones.
If you do choose to take a supplement then ensure it contains a combination of the above nutrients as they each help each other in absorption.
Dry Skin: Vitamin E, Zinc and Calcium
These nutrients and the oils in nuts and seeds may help prevent dry skin and normalise hormone levels. Legumes, nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and almonds contain vitamin E, zinc and calcium.
Depression, irritability, Mood swings: Tryptophan, Vitamin B and Omega-3-rich foods
Tryptophan is an amino acid and helps manufacture the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin helps moods and may help control sleep and appetite which can make you feel better in yourself.
Other useful strategies to help you feel less irritable are to eat breakfast and not miss meals to balance your blood sugar, ensure you exercise as well and include sources of Vitamin B and Omega-3 fatty acids. Meditation and Yoga are great for dealing with stress.
Exercise for Menopause
As mentioned above, it’s important to maintain muscle and bone density as we age and especially going through menopause. Ensure you are active every day and include weight-bearing exercise, high intensity interval cardio training, small amounts of endurance training and flexibility routines like Yoga.
Exercise to avoid
Chronic cardio (hours on the treadmill, bike and cross-trainer) is unfortunately not going to get you the results you want, and doing 300 sit-ups a day unfortunately won’t help you to rid-that belly fat.
Want to know:
- Exactly which foods contain all of the above nutrients?
- The top foods you need to AVOID during Menopause?
- The best workouts to that will get you to your best health?
- Mindset strategies that will leave you feeling on top of the Menopause Monster?
Enter your name in the form below to come along to our FREE “Kick Menopause in the Butt” seminar THIS SATURDAY 11am, 43 Mercer St, Geelong. Bring a friend!