The Menopause Plan

Thousands of women approaching the age of fifty will discover they will start to have problems, that relates to their hormones.  This is due to their body entering the menopause.  Dealing with these problems, on a daily basis will require the menopause plan. Plan how you’re going to confront you’re menopause problems and getting a good understand, of how these changes will affect you’re day to day life.

The Menopause Plan

The menopause plan is how I would describe, the steps you should be taking to make the transition as smooth as possible. Most doctors, after taking a few tests would recommend (H.R.T) hormone replacement therapy. This is great and will help to re-balance you’re hormones but like most treatments.

Making smart healthy changes to you’re lifestyle, will also pay dividends. Dividends that you will find helpful and comforting during turbulent times.  Listen to your body and learn how to cater for it’s symptoms with the menopause plan.

What is the menopause and who will suffer from it?

I’d like to start with the question at hand and that is, what is the menopause. I believe getting a good understanding of what the menopause is. And how it can and will affect you’re day to day life, is very important. The menopause is a process that takes place in women, usually around the age of 50. Some women might enter this stage in life earlier and some later.

But what is evident is that it will come. In a woman s life this stage is natures way of pointing out the end of menstruation and therefore, infertility. During this stage in life an imbalance of hormones are noticed, this might be of Oestrogen or Progesterone. This can cause a variety of symptoms, such as hot flushes, brittle bones, hot sweats, low sex drive, vaginal dryness, sleeping issues, sore breasts and mood swings.

When these symptoms arise, they can be quite disruptive to all involved. Having and putting the menopause plan into action is you’re best solution to the symptoms. Especially, when you’re symptoms can last up to ten years!

Understanding HRT. (Hormone replacement therapy)

Hormone replacement therapy is the procedure women can go through, to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. It involves replacing the lower hormone, as a women reaches her menopause years.

This means replacing which ever hormone is lacking, which will be you’re Oestrogen or Progestogen. One of the first things to bear in mind is that this treatment isn’t for everyone.

Women who suffer from or have a history of high blood pressure, blood clots, ovarian cancer, womb cancer or have liver disease are advised not to take it. H.R.T also carries a risk of breast cancer, which increases after 12 months of use.

A majority of the symptoms will pass after a few years and for some it’s not a day too soon. Implementing a varied menopause plan is advised.

H.R.T can be taken in a number of ways, tablets, patches, gels and vaginal creams. The best way forward is to start you’re menopause plan, as soon as you notice symptoms.

The best diet to elevate the symptoms of menopause.

You are what you eat! For women who are transitioning through the menopause, these words will have great meaning! Your food cannot stop you from the symptoms of the menopause, but it can elevate them. The main foods that should be consumed and consumed in the right quantities are:

• Calcium. Dairy products such as milk.

• Iron. Meat, eggs, nuts and fish.
  

• Vegetables.
  

• Fruit.
  

• Water.
  

The benefits of a healthy, nutritious lifestyle, as never been more important. Calcium is important to help maintain healthy bone density. Which can drop during menopause, leading to brittle bones. Calcium can be found in dairy products and in certain fish, especially fish that contains bones, such as salmon and sardines.  The recommended amount per day is 1,200 milligrams. This should feature high in the menopause plan, but also bear in mind that vitamin D also plays a vital role in the absorption of calcium in the human body!

Protein is important for daily body tissue repair and growth. Protein is also rich in iron, especially red meat. Women should aim to consume 8 milligrams per day. This can be found in a variety of foods:

• Eggs contain 1.2 milligrams each.
  

• Salmon contains .99 milligrams per 100 grams.
  

• Red meat (Beef) contains 2.7 milligrams per 100.
  

The menopause plan is all about thinking ahead and taking the appropriate action, to ensure a smooth transaction through the menopause.   Vegetables, menopause or not should be a part of a healthy lifestyle. Vegetables and fresh fruit are very high in fibre.

• Women should aim to consume 21 grams of fibre each day.

Implementing the menopause plan – Foods to avoid during menopause.

To give you’re body a fighting chance of controlling you’re menopause symptoms, there’re certain foods and drinks you should also avoid. Alcohol should be drank in moderation, now we’ve all heard that a glass of red wine per day is good for you. But, approaching or during menopause, alcohol should be limited to 2/3 times a week.

One of the symptoms of menopause is hot sweats, this particular symptom can be increased by the consumption of spicy foods, such as curries. It would also be a good idea to reduce you’re intake of caffeine, which is among the list of trigger foods.

The menopause plan – Exercising to keep strong.

Exercise should feature in the menopause plan, for reasons that are quite simple. Women during the menopausal years are prone to put on weight and suffer from brittle bones. Both of these problems can be prevented or managed with a physical workout plan.

Depending on the severity of you’re symptoms, running, circuit training or swimming can be done. This will help you to burn unwanted calories, burn body fat and release endorphins to deliver that feel good feeling.

Weight training twice a week, will help you to avoid suffering from brittle bones. Especially, load bearing joints such as hips and knees.  The best solution would be to start you’re menopause plan now, adapt a healthy lifestyle and tweak it to manage you’re menopause symptoms.

The conclusion to the menopause plan.

We are all individuals, we have different tolerance levels and needs But when it comes to the menopause, most women will experience the same symptoms. The menopause plan is you’re plan for the future. Develop a great understanding of you’re body and take the relevant steps to ensure it can for fill you’re daily needs.

Most if not all you’re daily requirements can be found in foods, that you probably already eat. But you can always top up by consuming B supplements such vitamin B12 or B6. Both of which are renowned for helping to alleviate menopause symptoms such as hot sweats.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the menopause plan, I’d like to think you’ve learned a lot about yourself and are now taking the appropriate steps to stay fit and healthy. I would like to say, I’m not a doctor and all I have written is from my knowledge and research of the menopause. My plan is to keep you as healthy as possible!

To your health UTG.