The ultimate guide to menopause, by five female doctors: From anxiety to joint pain to dryness to feeling less maternal – these women have heard it all and have tips to help you through
It’s World Menopause Day and the people who know more than most about menopause are the medical experts who take a special interest in the subject – like these women.
Menopause is a natural milestone in women’s lives, not a disease.
But it can have some incredibly unpleasant symptoms – from the widely-discussed hot flashes to anxiety, chills, joint pain, weakness, and feeling less maternal.
While some women do report increased confidence at this stage of life, not lack of it, many feel helpless, confused and debilitated.
Fortunately gone are the times when women have to suffer in silence.
Here, five female doctors share their expertise and suggest what can really help make menopausal life easier…
The family doctor: Dr Dawn Harper
Dr Dawn Harper, a Gloucestershire-based family doctor with a special interest in women’s health, says sleep does wonders
1. LET’S RETHINK HORMONE THERAPY
I would suggest we rethink hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
In the 1990s I couldn’t do a surgery without a woman coming in to ask me about menopause or HRT, then there was the big health scare about it and these women stopped coming.
It’s really sad as we now know HRT is not the devil incarnate and can seriously help many women so do discuss it with your GP. At the same time, it’s not a case of HRT or nothing – there are many options that can help now.
2. SLEEP WILL HELP OFFSET WEIGHT GAIN
If you want to avoid the classic ‘meno middle’ Dr Harper suggests you try to sleep more explaining, ‘As we reach the menopause our metabolic rate can slow.
A lack of sleep doesn’t help as it reduces levels of the ‘hunger hormone’ ghrelin so long term sleep deprivation can mean you start to pile on the pounds.
So, next time you have a lie-in don’t guilt trip yourself, take sleep where you can and remind yourself you are looking after your body.’
3. THE TRUE MAGIC OF PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES
I cannot overestimate the benefits of pelvic floor exercises, because once women hit menopause and levels of estrogen drop so skin-cushioning collagen and elastin drops with it.
This means everything can start to ‘sag’ including our skin and muscle and this can also lead to urinary incontinence.
To do the exercises, you want to create the sensation that you need to stop mid pee (although avoid doing this when you are actually peeing).
Try and do 10, ‘stop, let go’ movements, then hold ‘stop’ for 10 seconds. Do these daily, ideally more than once a day. And don’t wait until menopause – women of all ages should be doing them.’
The medical nutritionist: Dr Sarah Brewer, author of Menopause Diet
Dr Sarah Brewer, medical nutritionist and author of over 30 books including Menopause Diet: Eat To Beat Hot Flashes, suggests creams and foods to look for
1. EAT TO BEAT HOT FLASHES
Eat little and often to help hot flushes as the heat generated by eating big meals can generate flushing. Avoid processed foods and limiting your intake of alcohol, caffeine and spicy food which can affect blood vessel dilation that lead to hot flushes. And keep a water spray in the fridge to help cool you down when necessary and keep cool wipes in your bag at all times.
2. GET A NEW MOISTURIZER
When we reach menopause collagen levels in the skin can fall by as much as 30 percent causing a lack of elasticity, moisture and leading to thinner skin.
Dry, wrinkling skin can affect self-confidence and can as well as being uncomfortable.
Something as simple as switching to a richer cleanser and moisturizer can help but Dr Brewer also suggests using skincare products containing phyto-estrogens that can replenish key nutrients and hormones. Try the Healthspan Nurture Replenish range.
3. CHECK OUT SUPPLEMENTS
There are many supplements that can help with menopausal symptoms including sage leaf, Black Cohosh, sea buckthorn oil (a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study on postmenopausal women has shown taking sea buckthorn in supplement form can improve the condition of vaginal tissue), valerian and isoflavones.
There is also increasing evidence showing how CBD oil can help reduce anxiety, promote relaxation and restful sleep’. Try Healthspan High Strength CBD Oil Dropper, popping one to eight drops under your tongue when you start to feel anxious.
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The psychologist: Dr Megan Arroll, co-author of The Menopause Maze
Dr Megan Arroll, a psychologist and co-author of The Menopause Maze with Jessica Kingsley, has a good walking technique
1. NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR FEELING BLUE
It is important to look at the advantages of this transitional time like relief from no longer having periods and having to worry about contraception.
If you are feeling down the herb St John’s Wort has been shown to be effective for menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms suffering mild to moderate depression.
2. BEST THERAPY FOR MENOPAUSE
For women for whom hormone replacement therapies are not appropriate research has shown how therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT (which teaches you to substitute harmful thought patterns with more positive ones) can help.
In one study women given CBT and taught breathing techniques had fewer problems with hot flushes and night sweats and their mood and concentration improved. They also said they felt better able to deal with their symptoms both at home and at work.
3. TRY THIS MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUE
Mindfulness is another way that appears promising when it comes to managing symptoms although more evidence is needed.
One small study showed how women who had attended eight weekly mindfulness classes reported a 40 percent reduction in hot flushes and better quality of life overall.
I recommend this simple walking mindfulness exercise: as you take a walk notice the sound of your feet as they hit the ground, feel the air as it swooshes past your face. If you walk mindfully, you’ll feel calmer and more grounded after this exercise.
There are many online tools to help too including Headspace to help you with mindfulness techniques and Mindshift designed to help you cope with anxiety.
The Menopause Doctor: Dr Louise Newson, founder of Britain’s first menopause clinic, Newson Health Menopause & Wellness Centre
Dr Louise Newson, a family doctor dubbed The Menopause Doctor, has just launched Newson Health Menopause & Wellness Centre the first clinic in the country dedicated entirely to menopause care
1. HOW TO HANDLE VAGINAL DRYNESS
While many of my patients are comfortable talking about their hot flushes and night sweats, many (even the ones I have known for years) are less forthcoming about the subject of vaginal dryness!
Yet this is as much about declining estrogen levels as hot flushes and night sweats are – the skin generally becomes drier and the vagina becomes less lubricated and stretchy.
This can lead to painful intercourse and as the skin in this area becomes increasingly sensitive it can become itchy.
HRT can help relieve symptoms and a vaginal moisturizer like Regelle Long Lasting Vaginal Moisturiser can help.
2. KNOW THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING CRAZY – AND YOGA CAN HELP
So often with my patients it is the psychological symptoms which floor them – mainly because they don’t realize they are related to the menopause.
They actually worry they are getting dementia because they are experiencing such brain fog and forgetting things.
Other distressing psychological symptoms include anxiety and loss of self-esteem.
They can also become teary and I have seen so many women prescribed anti-depressants for these symptoms when HRT can significantly help get to the root of the problem.
For those who don’t want to take HRT there are ways to tackle individual symptoms, say, anxiety and depression with a talking therapy like CBT and/or meditative exercise like yoga.
Women’s health educator: Eileen Durward of A.Vogel
Eileen Durward, a menopause expert at A.Vogel, has been listening to and advising women on all things menopause for 18 years
1. HOW TO EASE HEART PALPITATIONS
An awful lot of the women I talk to tell me they experience heart palpitations at some point in their menopause.
It can be really frightening – the feeling that your heart is going to burst out of your chest – and many end up in hospital or at their doctors, get tests only to be told there is nothing wrong with their heart. This then causes them to get increasingly anxious about what is causing them.
Falling estrogen can affect the way your heart works.
To reduce the likelihood of getting palpitations avoid stimulants like caffeine in coffee, tea and some fizzy drinks and processed food especially with high sugar and/or salt content; drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated (and improve concentration) and practice deep breathing for if you do start to feel panicky and feel your heart racing. A.Vogel Sage Drops can also help if the palpitations are associated with your hot flushes or night sweats.
2. WALKING AND WATER WILL HELP JOINT PAIN
Sore, achy joints are another common complaint for many menopausal women – again caused by declining estrogen levels which is linked to less cushioning of the joints causing them to become tender and inflamed.
Good nutrition and keeping well hydrated is vital (dehydrated joints can feel stiffer and more painful); try to keep your weight down as being overweight puts unnecessary strain on the joints and exercise regularly.
It’s difficult if you feel tired and your joints are achy but something like a daily brisk walk or yoga will help support your joints and also keep your weight down.
3. EMBRACE FEELING LESS MATERNAL – THIS IS A TIME FOR YOU
I often say when your hormones are all over the place during the menopause you become a bit like you felt – hormonally – as a teenager. You can become a bit more introspective, possibly less sociable and want to be alone. Many women also describe themselves as feeling ‘less maternal’. The upside of this is that many post-menopausal women find they no longer need to be everyone’s savior and can attend to their own needs, which can be extremely liberating.
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