Menopause is a natural process that shouldn’t be feared because there are ways to help mitigate its effects on your health even before it starts. By understanding more about the process beforehand, you’ll have time to mentally prepare with things like changing your diet or doing exercises that can really help when the time comes.
You can also speak with people who have gone through this before, and learn from them what they went through so you know what to expect for yourself.
Menopause is something that most women have to deal with at some point in their lives. For some, this is seen as a natural part of ageing. Others, though, see it as something to do everything they can to stave off for just a few more years. Either way, there are signs throughout your life that you aren’t getting younger and the inevitable will happen sooner or later.
During menopause, a woman’s body stops producing hormones that are important for reproduction. Most women experience menopause during the middle of their lives, and this begins with changes in menstrual cycles that cause a woman to have irregular periods or even none at all. The ovaries stop releasing eggs and become smaller.
Women experience different things when going through menopause, and everyone has different physical symptoms. Some of these include hot flushes, which start out as flushes that can be a sudden rush of heat followed by the skin turning red and getting sweaty and warm. Other signs are night sweats that may happen randomly throughout the night or even in your sleep without you realising it. Some women may also have mood swings, where they may feel really happy or sad for no apparent reason at all.
The more advanced signs are associated with a decrease in female hormones and an increase in the male sex hormone androgen. Some of these tell-tale signs include having an increase in body hair, especially on your face or stomach, as well as weight gain around the waist. Thinning hair and even baldness can be early signs of menopause, too.
To maintain good health as you get older is important to anyone that wants to stay fit and healthy long into their golden years. Menopause doesn’t have to be something that a woman lives in fear of having no control or say about the symptoms that she gets. There are plenty of things you can do to keep your body as healthy as possible as your hormones begin to fluctuate during this time period.
Choosing the right diet is key to making sure that your health stays in tip-top shape for as long as it can. Choosing a diet rich in antioxidants and nutrients will help to keep your body from degenerating as quickly. Eating plenty of plant-based foods, which have plenty of vitamins and minerals will help you get the nutrition your body needs to remain at its best during this time.
It’s also important that you’re getting enough calcium in your diet with a supplement if you can’t consume it through dairy products. The risk of bone fragility increases at this time. This makes it important to take calcium for stronger bones and joints so that you don’t have any falls or fractures.
Exercising is also something that’s necessary as you get older to not only stay fit but also to keep your heart healthy. Making exercise a priority so that you’re not just getting enough to maintain health, but to help your body stay as healthy as possible is important for anyone who wants to enjoy their life in their golden years.
Be sure before starting a regular exercise routine, though, that you get the okay from your doctor first if you haven’t exercised in years or are new to physical activity.
Another thing you can do to help your body is to keep hydrated, especially if you’re having hot flushes or night sweats. Be sure that you have a full water bottle by your bedside at all times so that when the need arises, you won’t have to get up from sleep and drive yourself into dehydration.
When can you expect this to happen? The average age for this condition to start is 51, but you might see some early signs during your 40s. But remember, this is a natural, beautiful part of womanhood, so learn to love its natural changes as they happen.
A lot of women try to face menopause alone because they don’t think their family and friends will understand what’s going on. But you don’t have to face menopause, or life for that matter by yourself. You have plenty of friends and family that understand what you’re going through and will be there to help. Menopause doesn’t have to be something that a woman lives in fear of.
For support, it’s always good to speak to your GP about any concerns you may have. You’ll also find plenty of support on the Internet from others that are going through this too. This can be a scary time in a woman’s life, but it doesn’t have to be something that makes her lose sleep at night.
You can also get advice on wellbeing from the professionals at your local gym who will advise you on diet, supplements, and exercise.
