We’ve all heard of menopause, but do you actually know what it is and what it’s doing to your body? We’re here to demystify this phase that all women go through at some stage or another!!

 

What us Menopause?

Menopause can be defined as when a woman stops getting her menstrual cycle and it is generally “diagnosed” after you have gone a full year without menstruating. Menopause normally occurs between the ages of 40 – 55. If you have a hysterectomy at any age, you may experience menopause early. It is a completely natural process that all women go through so even though it may sound scary it is completely normal!!

It’s caused by a decrease in the production of hormones that control the menstrual cycle, and as you can imagine, this doesn’t come without side effects! There are 34 symptoms of menopause, and many people don’t actually realise how much menopause affects your body and mood! From weight gain, to depression, the thought of menopause can be quite intimidating, but it’s a completely natural process that women all over the world go through. Reaching out and talking about your experiences with friends and family or finding effective ways to manage the symptoms by talking to your doctor can be really helpful.

 

How does Menopause affect your Body and Mood?

As you get older, and become increasingly less fertile, your ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone. Your body reacts to this decrease in hormonal production in a multitude of ways. Some of the most common symptoms of menopause are hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, hair loss, weight gain, depression and there are many more. The symptoms that are caused by menopause can usually last up to 4 years after your last period. It can really impact a woman’s mood, and self-confidence and if they don’t understand what’s happening, it can be really scary!

Though menopause can have an adverse effect on a woman’s mood and body, this is a totally normal, biological process that everyone goes through.

In order to maintain your health as you transition to a new phase of your life, you should:

1.) Eat foods rich in calcium, vitamin c and vitamin d in order to keep healthy and protect your bones, as menopause can increase chances of osteoporosis.

2.) Eat lots of fruits and vegetables in order to maintain a healthy diet, and again to protect your bones.

3.) Avoid trigger foods – some foods may trigger hot flushes or night sweats, so avoiding these can be useful!

4.) Eat foods which contain high levels of phytoestrogens – these are foods that contain high levels of estrogen so this help to balance out your hormones in your body and may alleviate some of the symptoms you are experiencing.

If you are finding menopause is having an incredibly large impact on your life, there are many things you can do in order to manage it. When visiting your doctor, discuss your symptoms and they may suggest Hormone Replacement Treatment or Tibolone among other things in order to help you manage this confusing time!