Five Tips for Dealing with Menopause . . .

Dealing with menopause is no laughing matter! Some people (mostly men) say it is all in your mind . . . believe me, it is not!

My personal story of going through "the change" was quite challenging and my hope is to share some tips to help women who are about to have to experience this or currently experiencing the change to find some relief throughout the process.

I am 55 years old now, but when I was around 52 I began to experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, horrible mood swings, irritability and no energy. When I approach my doctor on the subject, she simply said, "Yes, it sounds like you are going through pre-menopause. When it gets bad enough, I will give you a prescription." 

There were two thoughts going through my mind when I left the doctor's office: (1) I need to find a different doctor who won't just pushed pills on me, and (2) I needed to research to find alternative means in dealing with the horrible symptoms I was experiencing!

In researching this topic, I found several articles that provided helpful nature ways in dealing with your symptoms, and I want to provide them here to hopefully help anyone dealing with this nature process that happens to all women:

1. No Processed Foods. In a recent study, it was found that diets high in refined carbs may increase the risk of depression in postmenopausal women and diets high in processed foods may also affect bone health. Eliminating processed foods and adding plenty of fruits and vegetables can help prevent a number of menopause symptoms. Fruits and veggies are low in calories and can help you feel full, so they’re great for weight loss and weight maintenance.

2. Drink Lots of Water. During menopause, women often experience dryness. This is likely caused by the decrease in estrogen levels so drinking 8–12 glasses of water a day can help with these symptoms as well as it can also reduce the bloating that can occur with hormonal changes. In addition, water can help prevent weight gain and aid in weight loss by helping you feel full and increasing your metabolism.

3. Take Vitamin D & Calcium. Hormonal changes during menopause can cause bones to weaken and increase the risk of osteoporosis. Calcium and Vitamin D are key vitamins linked to good bone health, so it is important to get a good amount of these nutrients in your diet. 

There are many foods that are calcium-rich, including dairy products like yogurt, milk and cheese. Additional foods that have high calcium level are green, leafy vegetables (such as kale, collard greens and spinach), tofu, certain cereals, fruit juices or milk alternatives. 

Vitamin D can be found in such foods as fish and eggs. Sunlight is your main source of Vitamin D since your skin produces it when exposed to the sun, but, as you get older, your skin gets less efficient at making it. Be cautious with getting too much sun as we are all aware of skin cancer! It may simply be a good idea to either take a supplement or increase food sources of Vitamin D. If you have any interest in learning more about the importance of Vitamin D, take a look at this short video below. 

4. Avoid Trigger Foods. Avoid key common trigger foods and drinks such as caffeine, alcohol and foods that are sugary or spicy. (Be aware, they may be even more likely to trigger you when you eat them at night.) I would suggest keeping a symptom diary to help you determine what foods and/or drinks trigger your menopause symptoms. If you determine that particular items trigger your menopause symptoms, try to reduce your consumption or avoid them completely.

5. Achieve & Maintain a Healthy Weight.  Believe me . . . it is common to gain weight during menopause and such extra weight may affect your menopause symptoms. This can be due to a variety of different reason such as aging, lifestyle, changing hormones and genetics. Gaining excess body fat, especially around your mid-section, increases your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Evidence supports getting regular exercise helps in maintaining a healthy weight among other benefits which include better sleep, increase energy, decreasing stress level and promoting healthier joints and bones.

It has also been proven that regular exercise can protect against diseases and conditions that come along with aging including high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis. For example, one study found that exercising three hours per week for one year improved physical and mental health and overall quality of life in a group of menopausal women. Another important thing to note is in another study of a little over 17,000 postmenopausal women, losing at least 10 pounds of weight over a year were more likely to eliminate hot flashes and night sweats.

One additional tip I would like to share to help with menopausal symptoms is a key supplement I found that made a world of difference! Tre-en-en Grain Concentrate is a whole food supplement that I took and found to be one of the best products to help with my hot flashes, night sweats and low energy level. Our cells are surrounded by special membranes that allow nutrients to get in and waste to get out. If these cellular membranes are starved of vital nutrients (lipids and sterols), they become inflexible and can't perform these critical functions. Whole grain lipids and sterols allow your cell membranes to become their flexible best, making it easier for nutrients to get in and waste to get out.

In an independent study by Texas A&M University when Tre-en-en is present in the diet, overall growth and development, nutrient utilization efficiency, and cardiovascular development improved. (Note: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)

If you are looking for a community to help you with your 2021 health goals whether it be losing weight or setting and achieving your fitness goals . . .  contact me and let’s get you motivated!

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