Most of us have heard of the hot flushes, irregular periods and mood swings. But did you know there are actually up to 34 symptoms of menopause? Check out our list for the full rundown of physical and mental symptoms.  Quick facts: Understanding menopause For women and those assigned female at birth, menopause is when your ovaries stop making the hormones oestrogen and progesterone and stop ovulating. Because of this, your periods stop, and you can no longer become pregnant. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age being 51. A small number of women experience early menopause where you might go through menopause between the ages of 40-45 or premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) where the ovaries stop working before the age of 40, which is seen in 1% of cases. The length of time menopause lasts varies (up to 14 years) but it’s generally around four years. During this time you’ll experience three stages of menopause: Menopause is a natural part of ageing which marks the end of your reproductive years, but the hormonal shift can make you feel misunderstood and isolated. Recognising and understanding the symptoms of menopause can prepare and empower you to tackle menopause with confidence. The 34 menopause symptoms: What are they? Since oestrogen affects so many of your bodily functions, the hormonal change can lead to the onset of various and often frustrating physical, emotional and physiological symptoms, which can disrupt your relationships, confidence and work life. Everyone experiences menopause differently but these common menopause symptoms may be a sign you’re entering the next chapter of your life. 1. Changes to your periods Your periods become irregular during perimenopause (the run up to menopause) and stop altogether. Once you’ve not had a period for 12 months, you’ve experienced menopause. You may notice your cycle length getting shorter and flow getting lighter too. 2. Hot flushes Hot flushes are a sudden rush of heat or ‘burning up’ sensation which can cause redness or sweating usually in the chest, neck, and face. You can try fans, cooling face masks and always carry a cool drink with you to reduce flushes. 3. Night sweats Night sweats are profuse sweating during the night, so much so that you wake up in wet bed sheets or pyjamas. Night sweats can disrupt sleep and it’s important to remember to hydrate in the morning. 4. Anxiety Feeling worried, nervous, on edge, jittery or tense are all signs of anxiety. You might also have sweaty hands, a racing heart, and be overthinking. 5. Low mood Low mood can include things like feeling down, sad or hopeless. Read our blog post on ‘Can Menopause Cause Depression?‘ if you’re experiencing these symptoms. 6. Mood swings This includes your mood shifting in a short space of time. You may experience things like crying for no apparent reason, suddenly feeling very angry or overwhelmed, feeling low, anxious or jittery.  7. Brain fog It’s common to experience brain fog and find it difficult to concentrate on normal tasks or be more forgetful than usual and feel confused. 8. Forgetfulness You may experience memory loss, forget the names of places, people or things, or walk into rooms and can’t remember why. These are all very common. 9. Reduced sex drive This includes a lack of interest in sex or an inability to feel aroused during sex. This can be exacerbated because of pain during sex (another common symptom).  10. Vaginal dryness or pain Vaginal dryness might cause itchiness and soreness, or make sex painful. 11. Breast tenderness Your breasts or nipples may feel sore to the touch, which can make lying on your front, sleeping and possibly exercising uncomfortable. 12. Headaches or migraines These can include painful headaches or more severe migraines that may affect your ability to do daily tasks. 13. Difficulty sleeping or insomnia This may include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up feeling tired. This can all affect your mood, eating habits and productivity and may exacerbate other symptoms.  14. Muscle and joint aches and pains Sore muscles, tension and joint pain can make everyday tasks and exercise more difficult. It’s also more common for women to develop osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis during menopause. 15. Bloating Stomach aches, gut problems or a bloated stomach can affect your confidence and ability to enjoy food, exercise and do everyday tasks. 16. Electric shock sensations (ESS) This can feel like pins and needles, prickling, pinching or burning. You may experience this on different parts of your body or skin. 17. Restless legs This is an overwhelming urge to move your legs or a crawling sensation. 18. Itchiness The urge to itch or scratch your skin can be frustrating, and cause redness and irritation. 19. Concentration issues Struggling to focus can make daily tasks more difficult. 20. Brittle nails You may find your nails become weak or brittle and are easily broken or damaged. 21. Hair thinning Hair can become sparse, fall out and break off easily. 22. Weight gain Hormones affect metabolism and appetite, and the change can lead to weight gain and body composition changes which can affect confidence. Speaking with a nutritionist can help. 23. Urinary issues or UTIs You might need to go to the toilet more often, experience recurrent urinary tract infections, or leak urine when you cough or laugh. 24. Allergies You may find you are more sensitive to allergies with itchy skin, rashes, redness and congestion. Skin conditions like eczema and rosacea can worsen.  25. Feeling dizzy or faint You may experience bouts of lightheadedness, feeling dizzy or faint and in general feel less alert. 26. Heart palpitations This includes your heart feeling as though it’s beating faster than normal, skipping a beat or beating irregularly. This can cause panic and it’s worth getting checked out by a doctor to rule out any cardiovascular issues. 27. Fragile bones and reduced muscle mass If you are breaking bones more easily, it […]

There are several ways to manage the symptoms of menopause through nutrition. The best way for you will depend on your symptoms and preferences. Talk to your Hertility Menopause Nutritionist to get a tailored approach to managing your menopausal experience. Quick facts: Nutrition for menopause symptoms Nutrition and diet can play a big role in managing menopause symptoms. Eating a healthy diet can help to reduce hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and weight gain.  Importantly, it can also reduce your risk of associated health conditions, like osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. These can result from low levels of oestrogen postmenopausal.  As people progress through the stages of menopause, it’s common for body weight to fluctuate. There are several ways to manage the symptoms of menopause, including lifestyle changes and hormone replacement therapy. 3 lifestyle tips to help with menopause symptoms Exercising regularly Exercise can help to reduce hot flashes, night sweats, and improve sleep. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. This includes weight training and light cardio activity. Getting enough sleep Getting enough sleep can help to reduce hot flashes and night sweats. Try to create a comfortable sleep space with a separate sheet and duvet. This is in case you need to remove one at night.  Try to keep your room cool and avoid blue light in the hours before bed. You can get some glasses that have blue light reflectors in them. Also, avoid caffeine after midday. Reducing stress and unhealthy habits Stress can worsen the symptoms of menopause. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as yoga, meditation, or spending time in nature. Counselling sessions can also help with stress management. Try to cut back on any unhealthy habits like smoking. Smoking can worsen the symptoms of menopause.  7 ways nutrition can reduce menopause symptoms Healthy eating and exercise may seem obvious when it comes to managing menopause and perimenopausal symptoms. However, approaches to this may vary depending on your symptoms and how much they are affecting your daily life.  Here are some tips for using your diet for menopause symptom management. Try the Mediterranean-style diet The Mediterranean-style diet is a great place to start. Well researched in its positive effects on heart health, managing menopausal symptoms and reducing heart disease risk.  This way of eating is rich in heart-healthy nutrients such as healthy fats and fibre. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and oily fish.  It includes smaller amounts of dairy, eggs and lean meat and limits processed and red meats and ultra-processed foods. Eat more oily fish  Oily fish like trout, sardines, herring, anchovies, mackerel and salmon can help to reduce inflammation that is associated with menopause. The risk of heart disease increases after the menopause due to the decrease in oestrogen which is an important hormone as it works to reduce inflammation in the blood vessels.  Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are beneficial to heart health and in maintaining normal cholesterol levels. Therefore, taking HRT containing oestrogen and or optimising your diet and lifestyle can lower your increased risk of heart disease that is associated with the menopause and also reduce cholesterol.  Plant-based sources include flax, hemp, chia and pumpkin seeds, walnuts, rapeseed and linseed vegetable oils and soya products such as beans, milk and tofu also contain omega-3’s.  It should be highlighted that plant-based sources are not as rich as a source and should be consumed in addition. Therefore you may consider supplementing if you do not consume oily fish. Eat more pulses and beans Lentils and chickpeas are a great plant-based source of protein, fibre, and iron. They help to maintain energy levels and support healthy weight management. A decrease in oestrogen in menopause impacts where fat is stored and the rate of body fat gain.  Oestrogen increases the storage of fat around our bums and thighs, which is associated with a ‘pear-shaped body’, whereas increased androgens after menopause increase the accumulation of visceral abdominal fat causing weight gain and redistribution of body fat to the middle and around the organs, including our heart.  This is what’s sometimes known as an ‘apple-shaped body’ and in turn can have negative effects on our health.  Resistance and weight-based training are also beneficial for central adiposity – that’s weight found around your tummy.  Try some soya products Soya is a great way of increasing your calcium intake and works well for anyone with diet restrictions. It helps maintain healthy bone density and around 2 to 3 portions of soy per day may reduce the severity and frequency of hot flashes.  There is also some evidence that isoflavones improve symptoms of vaginal dryness. Soya beans are the main dietary source of isoflavones. A large glass of soya milk (250ml) will provide approximately 25 mg of isoflavones, but not all soya foods contain isoflavones due to some processing methods removing them.  Isoflavones do not behave like the human hormone oestrogen, therefore you could consider adding in some isoflavones into your diet such as tofu, tempeh, soya milk or yoghurt and edamame beans. Dairy or calcium-fortified alternatives  These provide a wide range of benefits including protein, calcium, vitamin D and probiotics, which are important for our bone health, mood and gut health. During menopause, oestrogen, a hormone that protects and maintains our bone density rapidly declines, increasing our chances of osteoporosis.  50% of women or people assigned female at birth over the age of 50 will suffer a fracture due to poor bone health. Changes to your bone health are silent and may go unnoticed so it’s really important to keep your bones healthy.  It’s essential to live an active lifestyle, including implementing weight-bearing and strength-building exercises to strengthen bones so that you limit your risk of falling and breaking your bones, but also it’s so important to eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Up your intake of […]

Menopause can be a challenging time, with many women experiencing a sleuth of uncomfortable symptoms. Here we get into everything you need to know about menopausal symptoms, the stages and the treatment options available.  Quick facts: What is menopause? Menopause is when your periods stop due to low hormone levels. It will happen to anyone who has periods, usually at around 45-50 years of age and is a natural part of ageing.  Menopause marks the end of your reproductive years. After you’ve experienced menopause, it’s no longer possible to become pregnant naturally without assistance. In the UK, the average age for experiencing menopause is 51. Approximately 25 million people go through menopause every year. Despite it directly affecting half of the population, knowledge and understanding of menopause remains incredibly low. For many people, menopause can be an incredibly difficult time as it is often accompanied by a series of both physical and psychological symptoms—in addition to a lack of public understanding as to what experiencing menopause can entail.  How is menopause diagnosed? Menopause is usually diagnosed when: If you are experiencing symptoms associated with menopause but don’t meet all of this criteria, it is possible you could be experiencing a different health condition, or premature menopause if you are under the age of 40. What is early menopause? Around 5% of people may experience menopause before 45 years of age, known as early menopause. This can happen naturally or due to side effects of some treatments, like cancer treatments or surgeries to remove the ovaries. What is premature menopause? If you experience menopause before 40 years of age, it is known as premature menopause, which may also be described as Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), depending on your circumstances.  Again, premature menopause may occur naturally, due to genetics or lifestyle factors, or as a result of medical or surgical treatment. Some things that might increase the chances of premature menopause are: POI affects 1 in 100 people under the age of 40, one in 1,000 people under 30 and one in 10,000 people under 20. It occurs because the ovaries do not function properly and are unable to make sufficient levels of hormones like oestrogen and progesterone, which have important roles in overall health and well-being.  POI can occur because of many reasons. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, no underlying cause can be found. What are the 3 stages of menopause? The stages of menopause include premenopause, perimenopause and post menopause. The menopause actually only references the time when it has been 12 months since your last period. Let’s take a look at these stages one by one… What is premenopause? Premenopause refers to the period of your life before the transition into menopause has started, also sometimes referred to as your reproductive years. This is when you shouldn’t be experiencing any (peri)menopausal symptoms and have a healthy and regular menstrual cycle. What is perimenopause? The transition to menopause is known as perimenopause. This is when your body starts preparing you for menopause. During the perimenopausal phase, your ovaries will begin producing less oestrogen and progesterone and your periods can become irregular or erratic. Perimenopause can be challenging because it is often accompanied by lots of physical and emotional symptoms, which can be distressing and impact your quality of life.  Perimenopause can last anywhere from a few months to several years, with the average length being four years. However, this will depend on the individual, your lifestyle and hormonal make-up. Most people start perimenopause at some point after their mid-40s, but some as early as their mid-thirties (although this is quite uncommon). Sometimes people even skip perimenopause all together and enter menopause suddenly. Although chances of pregnancy are low during perimenopause, it is still possible as ovulation may still be occurring and an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections if you aren’t using barrier contraception methods. If you are sexually active and in the perimenopausal stage, it is important to speak to your doctor about appropriate contraception for you. The menopause The menopause actually refers to the time when it has been 12 months since your last period. This is technically when you have experienced menopause.  What is post menopause? Post menopause refers to the time after you have experienced menopause—the rest of your life after menopause. During this time your sex and cycling hormones will be at different levels to where they were before menopause and you will no longer have periods.  At what stage of menopause are symptoms worse? Symptoms and their severity will depend on the individual, but for most, perimenopause is the time when you will experience the most symptoms. This is because of the huge hormonal fluctuations happening during this stage and your body adjusting to lowering hormonal levels. What are the symptoms of menopause? Most of the symptoms of menopause are associated with declining oestrogen levels. The duration and severity of these symptoms can vary depending on the individual.  Symptoms usually start a few months or years before your periods stop (in the perimenopausal stage) and can persist for some time post menopause.  On average, most symptoms will last for around four years after your last period, although some people may experience them for much longer.  Let’s take a look at some of the most common symptoms… Changes in menstrual cycle characteristics Often the first sign is a change in the normal pattern of your periods—cycles may be shorter or last longer, become erratic or increase in frequency.  You may find that you begin to experience fewer periods and go for months at a time between periods until they eventually stop altogether. Your menstrual flow may also become lighter or heavier than normal and last longer than normal. Hot flushes and night sweats Hot flushes are sudden feelings of heat, usually in the face, neck and chest, which can make your skin red and flushed. These can happen at any time and often erratically with seemingly no external trigger.  Flushes can be followed by […]