Decades ago, the word menopause was rarely used; instead my mum would refer to “The Change” when she was talking about one of my aunties who was behaving erratically. Fast forward 40 years and now I’m the one going through it, and while it seems to be acknowledged that “the change” will cause havoc on our bodies and emotions, menopause is still rarely spoken about.
The science tells us that Menopause occurs when a woman’s fertility comes to an end.
This is because our oestrogen and progesterone levels start to steadily decrease until there is too little to maintain our monthly cycles. But that’s not the only symptom of menopause. Oestrogen is needed to help the vaginal walls stay thick and to keep them moist, but our oestrogen levels start to decrease due to our ovaries running out of egg follicles. This decline of oestrogen leads to vaginal dryness and itching. Testosterone levels drop too and as a result, we can experience increasing anxiety, exhaustion and low moods.
And this isn't all we have to live with. No-one experiences menopause in the exact same way, but some of the most common short-term symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, headaches and tiredness. Over time, you may start to develop urinary problems and thinning hair. Moreover, the health of your skin is heavily impacted during menopause. Your collagen levels start to decrease which leads to sagging skin and wrinkles. Your skin elasticity starts to drop and the dermis of your skin starts to thin among many other skin related issues.
These symptoms, while aggravating, can be treated. But the less understood stage of menopause is 'perimenopause'. Perimenopause is when your body starts to transition into the menopause. But, during this time, your levels of oestrogen are rising and falling and your cycles might increase or decrease. You may even start to experience some or all menopausal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes and insomnia, but because your periods still continue, perimenopause is rarely properly diagnosed. People experience this period of time differently but there are a large variety of symptoms that have been reported such as painful breasts, a low sex drive, an inability to concentrate, insomnia and more. While menopause can start anywhere from the age of 45 to 55 (the average age being 51), - perimenopause can start from as soon as your early 30s and continue for years before we ‘officially’ reach menopause which is after we have gone 12 consecutive months without a period.
Looking back now, I realise I was about 44 when I started my menopause journey - we didn’t talk about it so much 15 years ago, we just endured the crazy things our bodies were subjecting us to, including the insomnia, irritability, exhaustion, depression, and extreme moods swings, all in embarrassed silence. It’s not sexy or glamorous and we’re scared of being thought of as 'past it'.
At the time, I didn’t know I was going through menopause and eventually I worked up the courage to go to the doctor; after listening to my symptoms he wanted to prescribe me anti-depressants. He didn’t take any blood tests and never even mentioned menopause as a possible cause. I refused and went away feeling even worse. I put on more than a stone and had a fat tyre around my middle. None of my clothes fit anymore and even when they did I didn’t like the way I looked. I had no energy, I stopped wanting to go out and saw less of my friends. I didn’t feel like me anymore.
Dr Anne Henderson, a menopause specialist, explains why decreasing levels of oestrogen in our bodies can have such a devastating effect; “there’s literally not a part of your body that doesn’t have some sort of oestrogen receptor in it, and considering oestrogen has hugely positive effects in the body, it’s not surprising that we experience so many negative effects when levels start to fall.”
Some women are able to adapt quickly to the lowering levels of oestrogen and experience very few symptoms. Others, however, find it harder and experience uncontrollable and unpleasant problems with their mood and bodies that can last between one and five years (and sometimes even longer). Whether we experience debilitating symptoms or not, the changes our bodies go through during this time cannot be ignored.
Studies have shown that the decrease in female sex hormones, like oestrogen and progesterone, can lead to a reduction in the normal function of our immune system, including its’ ability to properly fight off bacteria and illnesses. Some argue that the changes that the female body goes through while ageing results in an increase in inflammation, a susceptibility of infections and a higher chance of developing autoimmune disorders.
It is tragic that there isn’t more help for women as we go through this inevitable phase of our lives. 13 million women in the UK are going through menopause annually. Research shows that around 75% of women will visit their doctors with symptoms and of that number about three quarters will leave the surgery with nothing. This is exactly what happened to me.
So what can we do? It’s true that menopause is a huge change that we have to live through and that we are heavily affected by the changes that our bodies continue to go through as we age. The British Dietetic Association recommends some lifestyle changes to help manage the symptoms. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in the form of tablets, patches or gels can be helpful for some women when it’s prescribed by a doctor, which is what eventually happened for me. However, HRT isn’t suitable for all women, some can’t take it due to health reasons while others choose to go a more natural route. All women, whether they decide to try HRT or not, should consider tweaking their diet to help them and this might include taking some dietary supplement products.
Women are at the centre of The Naturality Lab and after going through this experience without much help, I want to encourage women like me to feel like their voices and opinions matter and that they are not invisible during this strange life stage that they are going through. Menopause is perceived as a negative and can be a scary process; and the lack of advice and support can contribute to that. One in five women have to take time off work due to the way they feel and many like me end up leaving the workplace unable to cope. But there is light at the end of the tunnel … as we transition through menopause, we can find our way again, become more confident, have greater empathy. It will get better.
Here are some tips:
It is often recommended that you try and change your diet to help you with different symptoms you might be experiencing such as:
Phytoestrogens: these are compounds found in plants that have properties similar to oestrogen when in your body. These ‘plant hormones’ are weaker than the oestrogen that we produce, but they can still provide a helpful and natural boost of your hormones when they are low or fluctuating. Phytoestrogens can be found in plants, flax seeds, soybeans, and whole grains. Their use in helping to abate menopausal symptoms has been researched, and one study found that phytoestrogens might bring some people relief from hot flushes .
Calcium: is one of the most important nutrients in our bodies. We need it for a number of different bodily processes and it’s essential for maintaining good bone health. However it has been found that the reduction of oestrogen in our body’s due to menopause makes it more difficult to retain calcium. That’s why the supplementation of calcium is highly recommended to stop our bones from becoming brittle, to reduce the risk of fractures and other health issues. You can increase your intake of calcium by having more dairy products or you can take a calcium supplement.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids: are essential fats. If a nutrient is 'essential' it means that it must be obtained from our diet because our bodies cannot produce them. Omega 3 fatty acids are needed for a huge number of health benefits including reducing inflammation and pain, lowering cholesterol and aiding in the reduction of mental decline. Some studies have also shown that omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the amount of hot flushes that a menopausal women might experience. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fish, flax seed and walnuts.
You can also reach your recommended daily dose of Omega 3 Fatty Acids easily by taking a supplement.
Probiotics: act as 'good bacteria' and are live microorganisms that have been found to have numerous health benefits when ingested, especially for your gut and digestive system. There are multiple different strains of probiotics and the different probiotics groups and strains have been found to have different health impacts - that's why it's important to do your research and make sure you're taking the right one for your specific needs. Dr. Sarit Aschkenazi states that oestrogen is our best defence against bladder infections, and therefore when our oestrogen levels starts to decrease as a result of menopause, people might see an increase in UTIs. Aschekenazi states that probiotics can help reduce this risk of UTIs because of the presence of the lactobacilli in probiotics.
Evening Primrose Oil: is a seed oil native to North America and is a rich source of GLA.
GLA stands for gamma-linolenic acid (or gamolenic) which is an omega-6 oil that has strong anti-inflammatory actions. Studies have shown that Evening Primrose Oil can help alleviate hot flashes, a common menopausal symptom. The oil has also been used by women through the ages who are going through menopause to help treat insomnia, joint pain, hair loss and anxiety.
And Biotin and Collagen supplements: can help bring shine and strength to hair, skin and nails;
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