Menopause positives

woman in 50sAlison Cullen, nutritionist at A. Vogel, and a Healthy Soul expert, offers hints on how to cope well with the menopause.

The menopause is a tough time for your body. As hormone levels fluctuate, the adrenal (nervous) system is weakened making it difficult to cope with symptoms.
Eat Right: Eat regularly – skipping meals can affect blood sugar and won’t help you maintain a healthy weight. Boost your reserves by eating well – avoid processed food and refined carbs (white sugar, white bread, pasta). Eat plenty of fruit, veg and wholegrain. Foods containing phyto-oestrogens are also a good idea so try broccoli, oats and fermented soya products.

Sleep Soundly: Sleep is fundamental to good health – we simply can’t function without it. If you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep due to worry or night sweats, try sage to reduce the sweats and a herbal remedy such as Dormeasan Valerian-Hops drops to aid sleep.

Drink Water: Dehydration can make symptoms worse. Drink at least 1.5 litres of still, plain water a day.

Exercise gently: Walking 20 minutes a day can help boost endorphins, the body’s happy chemical. You could also try lifting mini-weights while watching TV.

Stop smoking: Aside from all of the other benefits associated with quitting, removing nicotine from the body can help improve your resilience and health when you’re going through the menopause.

Cut caffeine: Caffeine can weaken your immune system and also make you feel jittery and anxious, making things like hot flushes worse.  Avoid coffee (try an alternative like Bambu) and stick to a maximum of two cups of tea a day.

De-stress: One of the best things you can do is take time out for yourself – this isn’t self-indulgent! Research has shown that daily relaxation or meditation can reduce symptoms really quickly. Make 30 minutes relaxation a day a priority.

Take a deep breath: Controlling your breath can help with your overall stress levels. Deep, slow breathing can often shorten the duration of hot flushes too.

Talk it out: You don’t have to struggle on alone! Talking to family and friends or other women going through the same thing can be a great stress reliever.

Prepare early: In order to prepare our bodies for the menopause we need to start thinking about this way before we start experiencing symptoms – ideally in our mid-30s. Read up about the menopause and make a plan. Eat well, get more sleep and cut down on things that are bad for you. Not only will you feel better immediately, you’ll be arming yourself for the future.

Help is at hand from A. Vogel’s Menopause Health Hub and Helpline: www.avogel.co.uk/menopause   Tel: 0845 608 5858

A. Vogel Menosan can be purchased at: www.superfooduk.com, £10.54 for 50ml.  Put in the promotion code: HSoul1 to get 5% discount.

 

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