Menopause and Hormones – Living with the Changes

Menopause is the term used to mark the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It generally describes the lack of a menstrual cycle for at least 12 months’ time. It is a normal condition and includes changes in the body as hormone levels decrease. The most obvious indicator of menopause is the cessation of the menstrual period, but there are other symptoms that include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Reduced bone mass
• Breast tenderness
• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Emotional extremes
• And more

While the symptoms are varied, the decreased hormone function is universal. Menopause is tied to hormones and is not something you can prevent. The best case is learning to live with the changes that affect you most. While many of the symptoms of menopause are undesirable, there are ways to make them less intrusive and more bearable. Here are some practical tips for living with hormonal changes resulting from menopause:

Communicate: Your body is changing and the changes in hormone levels may affect your mood. Communicating with others about the symptoms you are experiencing can help them better understand when you don’t feel quite like yourself. If you are experiencing intense feelings like anxiety or depression, it is a great time to seek assistance from a therapist or medical practitioner who specializes in menopause.

Increase your exercise: If you are used to exercising already, it will benefit you to increase your activity level by 20 to 30 minutes per day. This can help prevent bone loss and help you with your sleep/wake cycle. If you haven’t been exercising, now’s a great time to start. From relaxing activities like yoga and meditation to long walks or hikes, there are low to no-impact activities you can engage in.

Use supplements: From food sources to vitamins to health products, there are supplements that help off-set the effects and symptoms of menopause.

• Calcium, Vitamin D, and Magnesium are beneficial in reducing osteoporosis, giving you more energy, and helping you sleep
• Moisturizers help with dry skin as well as reducing the frequency of using harsh shampoos and soaps

Consider intermittent fasting:   Investigate intermittent fasting to see if it is something that can help you lose weight or maintain your weight as often menopause leads to weight gain, even for women who have not had this happen before.   Another suggestion is lowering carbs especially by cutting out processed foods and sugars.  Both intermittent fasting and lowering carbs address insulin resistance which is a very common response to menopause, and the rise in other hormones, like cortisol.