The Menopausal Journey - Are You Prepared?

Why Preparation Matters

The menopausal transition, much like any significant life journey, benefits greatly from preparation. If you are going on a long trip, you would plan what to pack, map out your route, check you have everything you need, and make any other essential preparations before you set out because you know that advance planning and preparing will ensure the journey goes as smoothly and comfortably as it can.

It’s exactly the same for the journey to menopause. It’s a health journey that really benefits from some preparation. The more you invest in this, the smoother and more comfortable the transition is likely to be. Every woman should ideally be considering the menopausal transition and making adaptations to their diet and lifestyle, and to address any hormone imbalances at least a decade before this journey begins. This is because the menopause transition is a major upheaval that will exacerbate any underlying health issues or hormone imbalances, making for a rough ride.

Do not despair, however, if you’re already experiencing symptoms; whilst it’s never too early to start thinking about this, it’s also never too late. Anything you can do to support this journey at any point along the way is worthwhile and likely to make a difference.

Stages of the Menopausal Journey

The menopause transition can be divided into several stages: perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. These stages are characterized by different hormonal changes and symptoms.

• Perimenopause: Perimenopause is the period leading up to menopause, usually lasting several years. It usually starts in a woman's 40s. It is marked by fluctuating hormone levels, irregular periods, and menopausal symptoms like hot flushes, insomnia, weight gain, headaches, and mood changes like anxiety. Wondering if you’re in perimenopause?

• Menopause: Menopause lasts only one day and occur when a woman has had 12 months with no menstruation. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. 

• Post-Menopause: Post-menopause is the stage following menopause and lasts for the rest of a woman's life. During post-menopause, the ovaries produce very little oestrogen, but the body continues to produce some oestrogen through other tissues such as adrenal glands and fat cells. Progesterone production also decreases significantly, but small amounts can still be produced by the adrenal glands and nervous system. Menopausal symptoms usually dissipate, however the risk of long-term health issues such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and cognitive decline can still be high. Luckly these risks can be significantly recued if women focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and monitoring bone density and cardiovascular health.

Steps to Prepare for a Smoother Menopausal Transition

Balance Your Blood Sugar

The typical modern diet, packed full of sugary, processed, convenience foods, caffeine and alcohol, which is 100% going to disrupt blood sugar balance, and set you up for a rough perimenopause journey. Taking steps to balance blood sugar is a non-negotiable for female hormonal balance.

Avoid sugary, processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol.

Focus on a balanced diet, and prioritise protein, to stabilise blood sugar and support hormonal balance.

Nurture Your Adrenal Glands

Many do not realise how our fast-paced living can place tremendous strain on the adrenal glands. You may have heard that stress is one of the biggest drivers of many chronic diseases? It will also create complete havoc when a woman goes through menopause, because your adrenal glands take over from ovarian hormone production to produce your sex hormones. They will not be able to do a good job if they are too busy making stress hormones.

Stress reduction is important for just about every aspect of your health, it is an absolute necessity for the menopausal transition, it’s time to act now by slowing down, and prioritising self-care.

Support Your Sex Hormones

Many symptoms of perimenopause initally result from high and fluctuating oestrogen which can contibute to unopposed oestrogen, oestrgoen withdrawal, and declining levels of progesterone, making it crucial to support this area, and phytoestrogens, plant compounds with weak oestrogenic activity, may offer extra hormonal support during menopause. Phytoestrogens might also contribute to lower breast cancer rates observed in Japanese women by blocking stronger, more harmful oestrogens from the environment.

The best way to increase your intake is to focus on traditional, unprocessed, non-GMO, and organic fermented soya products such as tempeh and miso. Other dietary sources of phytoestrogens include kudzu, grains, flaxseeds, brassica vegetables, grape skin, split beans, pinto beans, and lima beans.

Help Your Body Process Oestrogen Safely

It’s not only important to produce enough hormones, but also crucial to make sure we can eliminate used hormones. Many people are unaware that oestrogen isn’t just one hormone, but rather a collection of different hormones, and that these hormones, once used, must be processed and safely eliminated from the body. This is even more crucial for women who chose to take hormone therapy

Eat cruciferous vegetables and berries rich in compounds that help eliminated them.

Support gut health with diverse plant foods and probiotics like kefir and sauerkraut.

If you suffer from PMS, menstrual migraines, heavy painful periods, or irregular periods, it may indicate a hormonal imbalance that needs addressing. These symptoms, while common, are not normal and can worsen during the menopause transition.

If you are taking Menopause Hormone Therapy, you need to monitor levels and make sure you are metabolising and eliminating safely.

Reduce Your Toxic Load

Minimise exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in pesticides, plastics, and cosmetics.

Support detoxification with plenty of water, fibre, protein, and variety of coloured vegetables

Get moving

Maintain regular exercise to support overall health and well-being.

Include strength training to maintain muscle mass which will help you stay slim, prevent osteoporosis and keep your brain healthy.

Consider Hormone Testing

If you struggle with PMS, menstrual migraines, heavy painful periods, tender breasts, or irregular or no periods, it may indicate a hormonal imbalance that needs addressing. These symptoms, while common, are not normal and can worsen during the menopause transition. My favorite is the DUTCH test.

If you are taking Menopause Hormone Therapy, you do need to monitor levels and make sure you are metabolising and eliminating safely.

Summary

Menopause is a transformative phase, not just a set of symptoms. Understanding, preparing and supporting the body's changes can not only make the transition smoother and more empowering, bit also significantly reduced the risk of things like dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, etc. If you’re struggling or want help to prepare yourself for this important health journey Book a Call, don’t worry its free.