October has been Menopause Awareness month and has included World Menopause Day (18^th October), with the theme this year being Cognition and Mood.  Awareness events aside, there’s been quite a buzz recently on the subject of Menopause.  Many women suffer from a very uncomfortable transition from peri into menopause and post menopause, and historically have really struggled to get their voices heard or to get help.

Menopause Support[1] (www.menopausesupport.co.uk)  has some interesting statistics:

“A survey report from the Fawcett society published in May 2022, based on data from the largest ever survey of menopausal and peri-menopausal women in the UK, reveals a shocking lack of support for menopause by healthcare providers and in the workplace.

• 77% find at least one menopause symptom ‘very difficult’
• 84% experience trouble sleeping
• 73% experience brain fog
• 69% of women experience difficulties with anxiety and depression due to menopause
• 44% of women experienced three or more severe symptoms

Almost half (45%) of women haven’t spoken to their GP surgery about their symptoms”.

But while women have been suffering in silence for years, suddenly big industry has realized that there’s billions of dollars-worth of money to be made from “commercialising” menopause.  We now have special menopause underwear and clothing, “menopause” labelled cosmetics and personal care products (and all of these at price premium!) and hundreds of different menopause supplements.  Big Pharma has also been quick to respond to this trend and prescriptions for HRT increased in 2021-22 by 35% to 7.8 million over the previous year![2]

So should you be rushing off to your GP to get HRT at the first hot flush?

There are still divided views about the safety of HRT which we will not go into here. But the latest thinking seems to be that HRT is safe for women in their 50’s actively going through menopause.  The jury is still out on its safety for older women post-menopausal in their 60’s, or for women with a family history of breast or oestrogen dominant cancers.

There has been an increased interest in Bio-Identical hormones and Body-Identical hormones and these may be worth exploring for those that can afford it (they are not available on the NHS).

It is worth saying however, that menopause is a natural state rather than a medical condition.  It is a state of transition that women have been going through since the creation of human beings.  What has changed is that whereas historically (and still in some cultures) menopause signals a time of slowing down into the wisdom of maturity, in the Western World it is often a time when women are trying to run faster than ever before – juggling jobs, homes, children, grandchildren, elderly parents, and are expected to cope with all that AND hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, gut issues, poor sleep, mood swings, dry skin etc.  And for some women those symptoms can be really debilitating.

So whether or not you decide to go down the HRT or bio-identical hormone route or just leave it to nature, there are some nutritional and lifestyle interventions that can help listed below.

Diet

A healthy diet becomes more important now:

• Vegetables are your number 1 anti-ageing weapon. They protect against all the degenerative diseases, have anti-inflammatory properties and protect the integrity of the skin.  Eat a minimum of 5 veg per day of different colours and no more than 2 low sugar fruit (berries, apples/pears, citrus).
• Phyto-oestrogens such as lentils, soya, flaxseed, chickpeas can be helpful and cruciferous veg such as cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, radishes and kale contain compounds which promote the breakdown of oestrogen to beneficial metabolites.
• Our need for protein increases as we get older, helping to build new cells and repair damaged cells. It is important for brain function and helping to stabilise blood sugar levels. Include good quality protein with each meal (grass fed meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts & seeds, soya etc)
• Protein and healthy fats at each meal with also help regulate blood sugar levels which often become dysregulated as we age leading to metabolic conditions such as diabetes, fatty liver, obesity etc.
• Healthy fats include the Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids which are vital for hormone balance, the health of our nerves, brain, heart, joints, skin, metabolism and mood. Best sources are Omega 3’s are oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, pilchards, herring, trout), pasture fed meat, walnuts, almonds.  The Omega 6’s & 9’s can also be helpful from seeds, other nuts, olive oil, avocadoes
• Come to Homefield and experience for yourself the healing power of food, and learn from our talks, demonstrations, movies and one-to-ones with our experts how to develop the habit of healthy eating

Also Read: How To safely Detox From Sugar

Hydration

Drink 2 litres of non-sweetened, non-caffeinated fluid per day. Dehydration can contribute to hot flushes, fatigue, irritability, slow metabolism, headaches, constipation. Cold drinks (with ice?) can be more helpful than hot if you’re suffering from hot flushes.

Look after your liver

• The liver is under a lot of strain at this time so ease the pressure by reducing alcohol, caffeine, sugar and saturated fats.
• Bitter green veg are great for cleansing the liver – watercress, spinach, chicory, endive, radiccio, artichokes etc.
• A detox break at Homefield is gives your liver a perfect cleanse and reboot!

Exercise

• Exercise is important to keep joints flexible, to boost a slowing metabolism, and to improve mood and cognitive function. Make time for regular exercise.  Research repeatedly shows that moderate exercise taken regularly is better than a lengthy gym session once per week. [3]
• As we get older, we lose muscle and it gets replaced by fat. Keep actively building muscle by doing some resistance exercise using weights, resistance bands etc.  A 20-30 minute brisk walk each day with wrist and ankle weights can make your walk more dynamic and help keep muscle active and growing.
• If you are less physically active that you used to be, and cannot increase the exercise, can you get away with eating less food?
• Fall in love with movement at Homefield with our Nordic Walks, Yoga & Pilates classes, and our Fitness Classes

Sleep

Sleep is often disturbed during menopause.

If you suffer from hot flushes during the night:

• Try to sleep next to an open window
• Use cotton bedding and night wear, and a lighter duvet. (You can buy duvets with a lighter and a heavier side – great if your partner has a different body temperature to you!)
• Get rid of all electrical equipment from the bedroom, e.g. use a battery operated clock rather than your phone or an electric clock. Turn off your phone, laptop, tablet, television etc.
• Use blackout curtains, make sure your bedroom is quiet
• Try to get an early night at least 3 times per week and read a good book to wind down

Also Read: Tips To Get a Better Nights Sleep

Lifestyle

• If you are suffering from “the sandwich generation syndrome” ask for help! Don’t struggle on your own to do everything.
• Take time to assess your priorities – how can you gut down on stress and stressful situations.
• Our Mind, Body Restorer package is perfect to bring your body and mind back into balance. Our Yoga, Pilates and Sound Bath classes are perfect to help release tension and stress.  Also consider booking individual sessions of NLP, Hypnotherapy, Sound Bath.

Take time to put yourself first

Finally, this is an important transition for you.  Make yourself and your health the top priority.

You will be much better able to manage this transition and keep the plates spinning if you allow yourself time to look after yourself.   Book yourself into Homefield for 5 or 7 days complete rest and relaxation.  Check out our wonderful packages, experience our gorgeous organic juices and food, book yourself some pampering treatments, get advice from our experts, fall in love with movement, fresh air and exercise, and soak away tension, aches and pains in our beautiful spa.

[1] FACTS – menopausesupport.co.uk

[2] NHS publishes new HRT official statistics (nhsbsa.nhs.uk)

[3] Exercise answer: Research shows it’s how often you do it, not how much – ECU Newsroom