MENOPAUSE
Menopause was never a subject discussed between mum and me. Almost a taboo area really. So I had no clue at all what to expect, or when to expect it. It was all pre-google, after all. (How did we find out anything back then
anyway?) And I just kinda never gave my menopause a second thought.
anyway?) And I just kinda never gave my menopause a second thought.
That is until the night sweats started… I was 49. I didn’t even know what it was to start with.
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I’d wake from an awful stress dream and soaking wet. I’d always been a really good sleeper, until this. Plus the need to go to the loo a lot through the night too. Getting a good solid night’s sleep became a problem.
Then the hot flushes began. That creeping tingle up the back, a sudden raging thirst, which I knew would be the start of a massive eruption of heat that lasted 2-3 minutes.
I’d stand in front of the open freezer to cool down.
Or outside in my PJs when it was freezing out there (lovely!!).
Whilst I didn’t gain weight, my waist started to thicken.
This was an absolute disaster for someone like me who wears lycra in public on a daily basis.
My waist has gained 3 inches My self-confidence plummeted.
One of my worst menopause symptoms was the afternoons of overwhelming tiredness. You may not believe this, as I work as a fitness trainer. But I’d teach a class in the morning, then come home for lunch. By 3 pm my energy levels were at absolute zero. I then had to walk the dog 3-4 miles. AND get ready to teach possibly another 2 exercise classes in the evening. It was like hitting a wall of fatigue by 4 pm.
Looking back 10 years I see my aging process more clearly. I can now identify what helped me through my menopause, and what made menopause symptoms worse.
My Self Help Remedies for Menopause Symptoms
All this helped me with mood swings and that horrible feeling of being out of control that comes with hormonal imbalance.
🔥 TRIGGERS
I noted I had various triggers, which I tried to manage.
I noted I had various triggers, which I tried to manage.
- Alcohol. I love a beer. But I limited my drinking it to only 3 days a week as it definitely made my menopause symptoms worse. I used a soft drink option of sparkling water and a dash of fruit juice as a substitute. That way I had a brief respite.
- Hot spicy food, curries, etc. I had to manage the consumption of these as they made me so much hotter. Sometimes I got away with it as others were sweating too. haha
- Hot baths. To be avoided!
🔥 SLEEP
- I invested in sleeveless cotton sleepwear. I bought myself a lovely Victorian-style slip nightdress or two. Bare arms and lots of legs definitely helped. We sleep in a cool room anyway.
- I also get tried to get to bed before 10.30 pm where possible. That helped offset the sleeplessness.
🔥 CLOTHES
- I wear lycra for work. Some of my exercise wear was getting tight. So I upped the size of clothes for confidence. I think it’s better to invest in a larger size and have it slightly loose than see lumps and bumps around the midriff and knicker line.
- Investing in a designer brand also helped. I usually wear Sweaty Betty exercise wear. It’s pricey, but lasts forever. I have some pieces which I’ve been using for 10+ years. I get great designer brands with discounted prices at TKMaxx too. And eBay. People like me sell stuff on there!
🔥 FATIGUE
- Staying hydrated helped. The night sweats and hot flushes made me dehydrated – and this made me tired.
- Foods containing gluten or highly refined brought me right down into a slump an hour later. A good quality high protein quick lunch – like eggs, nut spreads on oatcakes, jacket potatoes, and cheese – gave me energy without too much of a huge energy dip. (I’m vegetarian so wouldn’t have chosen salmon or ham).
- I include flaxseed, seed oils, and whole seeds in my weekly meals, for extra Vitamin E. I don’t believe in vitamin supplementation. A good healthy and varied whole food eating pattern should cover it. I cook for us from scratch most of the time for the best diet possible.
- Eating healthy most of the time helped me avoid weight gain too. I’ll never say no to a piece of birthday cake or cheesecake. But they are treats only.
- Just resting more helped me too. I gave myself permission to have some downtime. For me, that means OUTSIDE if possible. Its what makes me feel good.
🔥 DISTRACTION. (Game-changer!)
- Once I realized the signs of a hot flush coming, I tried to distract myself. Thinking about something else definitely made it dissipate faster!
🔥 MINDSET
- I believe Mindset was key in helping me through my own menopause. I listened to my own thoughts in my head.
- I tried to welcome it as a natural progression – that was difficult at first when I was fighting it. Recognizing it for what it is gave me some feeling of control.
- I analyzed the process. I think that understanding is key. And it’s pretty fascinating really. We are products of our hormones. And when we lose one, it has a marked effect on us. It’s weird, but this helped me cope with my changes too.
I decided I was lucky …
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Everyone is different, and we all
have a different story to tell. I count myself very lucky that my symptoms were not more debilitating. I hear some terrible accounts for some poor women who are unable to function at all. I hope that some of my simple self-help techniques to cope with menopause are ones that you’ve thought of too. Or ones you’re willing to just try. I am here to help you too. Just contact me now if you need help with any of your menopause symptoms. 🔥
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