A diet high in refined carbs and sugar can cause sharp rises and dips in blood sugar, making you feel tired and irritable. This may worsen the physical and mental symptoms of menopause. Regular exercise is also associated with better overall health and protection against diseases and conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis ( 13). In addition to helping prevent muscle loss, high protein diets can help with weight loss because they enhance fullness and increase the number of calories burned ( 24). Additionally, calcium-fortified foods are also good sources, including certain cereals, fruit juice, or milk alternatives.

Menopause - Symptoms - NHS Menopause - Symptoms - NHS

Eat a healthy balanced dietand take part in regular exercise . This can help manage your weight and give you more energy. Exercise can also help with low mood Consider taking a family member or friend along. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who goes with you may remember something that you missed or forgot. What you can doThe perimenopause is a natural process, but it’s not always easy to cope with. If you’re experiencing symptoms, there are some things that you can do that may help. These reads (and I've devoured them all) all shine in different ways – some are personal experiences, some medical, some nutritional, many are a mixture of all of them. How brilliant is it that the word ‘ perimenopause ’ especially has now made it loud and proud onto the covers of books – who’d even heard of what we now know as 'the change before the change' five years ago? I wish I had when I was going through it. Thankfully, there's now an emphasis now on being prepared, controlling your hormones before they control you, which is also the subtitle of The Perimenopause Solution, below.

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Hormone therapy. Systemic estrogen therapy — which comes in pill, skin patch, spray, gel or cream form — remains the most effective treatment option for relieving perimenopausal and menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. Depending on your personal and family medical history, your doctor may recommend estrogen in the lowest dose needed to provide symptom relief for you. If you still have your uterus, you'll need progestin in addition to estrogen. Systemic estrogen can help prevent bone loss. Menopausal symptoms: In depth. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/menopausal-symptoms-in-depth. Accessed March 5, 2021. Though its symptoms can be difficult to deal with, eating the right diet and exercising regularly may help alleviate and prevent them. Adequate vitamin D intake during postmenopause is also associated with a lower risk of hip fractures from weak bones ( 4).Midlife brings with it experience, wisdom and understanding. But for all the upsides, turning forty can also bring about hormone changes, mood swings and wellbeing issues. I know, I’ve been there. Menopause: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline [NG23]. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). www.nice.org.uk updated 05 December 2019 Raglan GB, et al. Depression during perimenopause: The role of the obstetrician-gynecologist. Archives of Women's Mental Health. 2020; doi:10.1007/s00737-019-0950-6. One observational study of 3,236 women ages 50 to 59 found that diets high in fruit and vegetables may lead to less bone breakdown ( 7). Summary Delamater L, et al. Management of the perimenopause. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2018; doi:10.1097/GRF.0000000000000389.

The Perimenopause Solution: Take control of your hormones The Perimenopause Solution: Take control of your hormones

In fact, one study found that diets high in refined carbs may increase the risk of depression in postmenopausal women ( 21).Other supplements. More research is needed on the effectiveness of other commonly used supplements such as probiotics, prebiotics, cranberry extract, kava, DHEA-S, dong quai, and evening primrose oil to help alleviate menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats ( 30, 31). Joylessness isn't listed as one of the symptoms of menopause but for many women, including broadcaster and regular Loose Women panellist Kaye Adams, it's a creeper, that takes hold by stealth as our hormones dip. This common vanishing of mojo is all the more distressing as it's often at odds with the person we used to be. Get free advice from health experts on a wide range of conditions. From causes and symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. FSRH Guideline: Contraception for Women Aged Over 40 Years. Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. fsrh.org, last updated July 2023 Top questions about menopause. Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause. Accessed March 5, 2021.