Woman & Home Feel Good You – September 2019

MENOPAUSE SELF

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%‘Avoid or reduce sugar,

dairy and red meat, cut out

processed foods, white carbs

and caffeine,’ says nutritional

therapist Angelique Panagos.

‘Eat fibrous wholegrains

and healthy fat. Eat

regularly.’

IMPROVE

YOUR DIET

THE SYMPTOMS TO

WATCH OUT FOR...

If you’re experiencing any of

these, it’s time to get help

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF

PERIMENOPAUSE

%Irregular periods %Headaches

%Bloating %Breast tenderness

%Hot flushes %Dry skin %Weight

gain %Thinning hair %Poor sleep

%Mood swings %Anxiety

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF

MENOPAUSE

%Hot flushes %Night sweats

%Insomnia %Low mood

%Depression %Anxiety %Fatigue

%Panic attacks %Palpitations

%Reduced sex drive %Problems

with memory and concentration

%Dry skin %Vaginal dryness

AVOID TRIGGERS

‘The most common symptom of

menopause is hot flushes,’

says Kathy Abernethy,

menopause specialist

nurse. ‘Avoid known

triggers such as spicy

foods, caffeine,

alcohol, smoking and

stress to reduce their

severity. When going

out, give yourself enough

time to get ready.’

TAKE UP YOGA

‘Yoga, breathing and mindful meditation

techniques can help you to create a

greater sense of calm and emotional

balance,’ explains yoga teacher Petra

Coveney. YouTube is filled with easy-

to-follow yoga videos – we love the

accounts Yoga with Adriene and Yoga

with Kassandra.

TRY BREATHING FOR...

...Beating stress

Sitting upright, breathe in through your

nose for four seconds, pause and hold

your breath for seven seconds. Exhale

through your nose for eight seconds.

Repeat 10 times.

...Hot flushes

Smile with your mouth open.

Allow the teeth to touch.

Rest the tip of your

tongue behind the teeth.

Then suck in air through

the sides of your mouth,

close the lips, gulp the air

and breathe out through your

nose. Repeat five to 10 times.

...Insomnia

Sit on the bed and lift your hips up on

a small pillow. Raise your legs up against

the wall. Arms out at the sides. Focus

on your breath. You’ll soon feel sleepy...

JOIN A SUPPORT

GROUP

‘Going through menopause can often

feel lonely,’ says Debbie Killingback,

founder of support group Hot Flush Club.

‘Joining a group where you can talk to

other women who are at the same life

stage offers a chance to discuss

sensitive subjects openly.’

Visit hotflushclub.com for

more information.

TOP UP ON

NUTRIENTS

‘The decline in

oestrogen that

accompanies

menopause

accelerates the

loss of calcium, which

may increase the risk of

osteoporosis. Low oestrogen

puts you at greater risk of developing

cardiovascular problems. So ensure

you’re getting all the essential nutrients,

from your diet, or from supplements.

Key nutrients include calcium, vitamin D,

magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin C,’

says Dr Marilyn Glenville, nutritionist

and author of Natural Solutions to

Menopause (£12.99, Macmillan).

You could try these supplements:

%Healthspan MenoSerene, £17.95 for

60 days supply, healthspan.co.uk

%A. Vogel Menoforce Sage Tablets,

£12.99 for 30 tablets, Holland

& Barrett

%Pukka Womankind Menopause,

£16.95 for 30 capsules, ocado.com

DEAL WITH MOOD

CHANGES

‘If you’re more anxious and moody,

or find yourself flying off the handle

for no reason, and you’re in your 40s,

consider that this might be the start

of perimenopause,’ says consultant

gynaecologist Miss Tania Adib

(themedicalchambers.com). ‘The

“calming” hormone, progesterone,

starts to decline during perimenopause,

causing changes in mood. The drop in

oestrogen can also trigger depression,

low mood and anxiety. Some women

find taking HRT helpful in alleviating

symptoms. Cognitive behaviour therapy

(CBT) and other psychological therapies,

along with mindfulness, can be useful.’

Visit thinkwell-livewell.com where you

can access mindfulness, hypnotherapy,

CBT and guided meditation techniques.

SPEAK UP AT WORK

In a recent survey*, four in 10 women

said hot flushes at work had a negative

impact on confidence. ‘Your symptoms

can affect your ability to perform your job,

and your working environment can

impact your symptoms,’ says Julie

Dennis, menopause at work trainer.

‘Ask HR if you need a fan,

or to move to a different

desk. It’s important that

women speak up, so

that menopause is no

longer seen as a

taboo subject.’

‘Studies show acupuncture

can help to reduce menopausal

symptoms, particularly hot

flushes and anxiety,’ says

Sarah Stanley, TCM

acupuncturist.

NEEDLE

AWAY

SYMPTOMS