A woman’s menopause can last between six and thirteen years. Some women have hot flashes. Some women have mood swings. Some women seem to become a totally different person. And yet, with the challenges that menopause can bring, it is also a time for incredible self-development and reflection. Author Christiane Northrup, M.D., in her book “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing,” writes, “Whatever we call it, no other stage of a woman’s life has as much potential for allowing a woman to understand and tap into her own power…” The era of menopause is a powerful chapter in any woman’s life, but unfortunately, much of what society says regarding menopause has created fear surrounding this transition.
Menopause does not need anymore stigma. Nore does it need criticism. What it needs is understanding and respect. When approached in a healthy way, menopause is an opportunity to experience what your body really needs and wants, whether that’s related to emotional states, stress levels, exercise routines, or food choices. Northrup encourages women to embrace this opportunity by remaining open to what emerges in the years leading up to menopause, called perimenopause, and menopause itself. She writes, “If we’ve been pressing the snooze button on any parts of our lives that need attention, the years surrounding menopause will bring them to our attention.” Starting small is a great place to begin. ‘The Change’ does not have to upturn everything in your life. It is one of many shifts in the expanse of your years. But looking at this time frame of roughly ten years as an experiment is a way to create new habits and break old ones. As your body begins to lower its estrogen levels, there is a profound metamorphosis taking place. Your first job is to be present to this shifts.
BE AWARE
A fundamental factor in any life transition is the importance of listening and responding to your body. There will be indicators of change--in energy, in emotions, in diet, in libido, in body weight, and many other areas. One American woman, Katherine, describes her first few years with perimenopause. “For me, when I first started perimenopause, I noticed a huge difference in my energy levels,” she says. “I realized I needed to change my schedule. I actually started waking up earlier because I felt like I could get more done, and then I would go to bed a lot earlier. I had to honor my body when I needed to take naps on the weekend.” Changes in energy levels is one of the things to monitor. What do you need as your body is evolving?
Another area of change is the dreaded term: hot flashes. The cause of hot flashes is still up for debate, but when they begin, the blood vessels near the surface of the skin start widening, in an attempt to cool off.[1]Some women sweat; others, like American Suzanne, feel a feverish heat. “I could be walking down the stairs and suddenly, I’d feel them. It was like something was turned up inside me, but on the surface I looked ok. Most times my face wasn’t red, and I didn’t sweat or anything, but inside, I felt like I was burning up.” As hot flashes are still a mystery of this transition, that actually invites a lot of experimentation. For example, while over 80% of American women experience hot flashes, under 20% of Japanese women do. Why? Differences in genetics, daily life, food, and health all play a part. It’s important to investigate what your body responds to during this time. Your body is in metamorphosis as a large portion of your hormones are dying off. Rather than fearing this symptoms, experiment with exercises, eating habits, and changes to diet that may help.
MOVE A LITTLE
One of the ways to address the changes in the body during menopause is to continue, or begin, exercising. Women in their 40s and 50s begin to lose muscle mass, and may acquire more fatty fat in the abdominal region. [2]Taking time to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day is an important way to keep your body active. Exercise has many different forms. It can be a local Zumba class at a gym, or walking up the stairs rather than taking the elevator. It can be long walks with your dog along the river or an exercise video during a lunch break. Though squeezing in time for exercising may feel like the last thing you want to do, it’s a vitally important way to reinvigorate the body, combat the accumulation of fat, and improve circulation in all of your systems.
EAT SLOW, EAT WELL
Another important area of focus is food and hydration. Many researchers are looking at not only what you eat but how. Ayurvedic medicine from Southern India is one of the oldest forms of practiced medicine and slow chewing has always been advocated as a way for the body to separate what the body can’t digest from what it needs for nutrients. [3]A recent study showed correlation between slow eating and eating less, and another study claims that those who eat slower can burn more calories over time than those who eat fast. All of these methods are responsive to the body, especially when your body is going through perimenopause or menopause.[4]
NUTRIENTS AND VITAMINS
As the body begins to lose muscle mass due to the processes of aging, it’s all the more important to fortify bones and muscles. Water is vital. Consuming quantities of water throughout the day is a natural way to hydrate, which is important especially during menopause when vaginal dryness and dry skin are common complains. Another area of focus is bone strength. With the loss of estrogen, bone loss can be sped up. A calcium supplement is one way to reinforce bone strength. Calcium can come as a supplement or also through milk and nonfat yogurt. Working in tandem with calcium is vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body better absorb calcium. It can be taken as a supplement in areas where there isn’t a lot of sunshine in some seasons. These supplements should always be taken after consulting with a licensed professional about what works best for you body. [5]
WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK DURING MENOPAUSE
Regarding what to eat, a typical healthy diet seems to do the trick: vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, whole grains like oatmeal, barley, quinoa and brown rice, and soy-based foods. Soy has lots of isoflavones,substances believed to have similar but natural effects to estrogen supplements; therefore, it could work as a natural hot flash inhibitor. [6]Minimizing smoking and alcohol during this period can also reduce symptoms like hot flashes. Caffeine in coffee has been linked to aggravating hot flashes, and studies show that women who smoke have more hot flashes than those who don’t.[7]
Changing any habits is never easy, but during the time period when your body is going through its own shift, it is a golden opportunity to try out new habits and break old ones. Think of your body as if its going through a metamorphosis, because it truly is. The habits that you break and make can help pull you toward a menopausal experience that reaffirms your connection with your body, rather than an experience of stigma, shame, and frustration. Day by day, change by change, your body will adapt as you listen to it, respond, and stick with the new practices that can make you look and feel better.
[1]https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-hot-flashes#1
[2]https://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/home-remedies-for-menopause-hot-flashes.aspx
[3]http://time.com/4736062/slow-eater-chew-your-food/
[4]http://time.com/4736062/slow-eater-chew-your-food/
[5]https://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/home-remedies-for-menopause-hot-flashes.aspx
[6]https://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/home-remedies-for-menopause-hot-flashes.aspx
[7]https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/healthy-aging/eating-right-during-menopause
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