08/06/2023
Imagine if you were prepared for menopause before it happened!
Research shows that women who arm themselves with the right information and put plans into place, take action, manage symptoms better and are happier, as they journey through perimenopause into menopause.
Here’s 5 things to help:
❤Know the symptoms - these can be different but typically include:
Hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, low energy, loss of libido, anxiety, low mood, middle weight gain, poor sleep and a change to your menstrual cycle including heavier or lighter periods and an increase or decrease in frequency.
❤It’s a process - with a beginning and an end. Not everyone knows when they started, as not everyone experiences symptoms but usually symptoms worsen as you progress through the phases of which there are 4:
Phase 1 - The very early stage, cycles are still regular but may start to shorten.
Phase 2 - Early menopause transition onset of irregular periods.
Phase 3 - Late menopause translation from the first cycle of more than 60 days.
Phase 4. Late menopause, 12 months from the final period.
❤Is it actually menopause - before you go blaming menopause make sure that there isn’t another reason you are experiencing symptoms. In midlife there are many reasons that you may experience symptoms including; thyroid disorders, stress and depression. Whilst these can all be impacted by perimenopause and fluctuating hormones there could be other factors to take into consideration.
❤Diet & Lifestyle choices - supporting your hormones with the right nutrition and making some tweaks to your everyday routines can go a long way to helping you through perimenopause into menopause. In fact some ladies say once they addressed their diet and lifestyle the transition was a breeze!
Reducing caffeine and alcohol, prioritising sleep, stress management, movement and me time all help!
❤You don’t have to tough it out - help is out there! If symptoms are getting you down or affecting your job, speak to your GP about HRT or get support from a perimenopause nutritionist who can guide you with diet, lifestyle and supplements that you can take alongside or instead of HRT.
Are you prepared?