Tag: menopause symptoms

A balanced diet can help you manage some menopause symptoms and protect your long-term health. Eating plenty of oily fish, soya, pulses, wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds, with enough calcium and vitamin D, supports your bones, heart, mood and weight. Cutting down on alcohol, caffeine and spicy food can help with hot flushes. Diet won’t stop menopause symptoms on its own, but it can make a real difference alongside other treatments. Here’s what the evidence says, and how to put it into practice. Quick facts Want a diet plan that fits your symptoms and lifestyle? A Nutrition Consultation with a Hertility Registered Nutritionist can build a personalised plan to support you through menopause. How can diet help with menopause symptoms? Diet can help in three main ways: Diet isn’t a replacement for medical treatment. If your symptoms are affecting your daily life, treatments such as HRT can help. Read more about menopause symptoms and treatments. What should you eat during menopause? 8 ways food can help  1. Follow a Mediterranean-style diet A Mediterranean-style diet is a good foundation for menopause. It’s well researched for heart health, which matters more after menopause, when your risk of heart disease rises. This way of eating is based on: It’s rich in fibre and healthy fats, and it supports a healthy weight. Some studies suggest it may also help with symptoms such as hot flushes and low mood, but the evidence for that is less clear. 2. Eat oily fish twice a week Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring and anchovies, contains omega-3 fats, which support your heart health and help maintain normal cholesterol levels. This matters after menopause, when lower oestrogen means your risk of heart disease rises. How much to eat. The NHS recommends at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily. A portion is about 140g. Most people can safely eat up to four portions of oily fish a week. If you don’t eat fish. Plant foods such as walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed (linseed), hemp seeds and rapeseed oil contain a type of omega-3 called ALA. Your body can only convert a small amount of ALA into the omega-3s found in fish, so if you don’t eat oily fish, you could consider an omega-3 supplement. 3. Get enough calcium and vitamin D for your bones Oestrogen helps protect your bones. After menopause, bone density falls more quickly, which increases your risk of osteoporosis. Around half of women over 50 will break a bone, mainly because of osteoporosis. Bone loss is silent, so you may not notice it until you have a fracture. Calcium. UK guidance recommends 700mg of calcium a day for adults. Aim for two to three portions of calcium-rich foods a day, such as: If you have osteoporosis, your doctor may recommend more calcium, or a supplement. Vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. The NHS recommends a daily 10 microgram supplement, especially between October and March, when there isn’t enough sunlight in the UK to make enough. Oily fish, eggs and fortified foods also contain some vitamin D. Exercise matters too. Weight-bearing and strength exercise, such as brisk walking, dancing and lifting weights, help keep your bones strong. 4. Include soya foods Soya foods contain isoflavones. These plant compounds act like a much weaker form of oestrogen in the body.NICE guidance notes that isoflavones may help reduce hot flushes for some women, although the effect is modest and varies from person to person. There’s also some early evidence they may help with vaginal dryness. How to include them. Try two to three portions a day of foods such as: Choose calcium-fortified soya products to support your bones too. Some processed soya foods contain fewer isoflavones. A note on supplements. Eating soya as food is considered safe for most people. Isoflavone supplements are different: product quality varies, and NICE advises caution if you’ve had breast cancer. Speak to your doctor before taking them. 5. Eat more pulses, wholegrains and fibre Lentils, chickpeas, beans, oats and wholegrains are rich in fibre and protein. They help keep your energy steady, support a healthy weight and look after your heart and gut. Why it matters for weight. As oestrogen falls, your body tends to store more fat around your middle rather than your hips and thighs. Fat around your middle is linked with a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fibre-rich foods keep you fuller for longer, which can help you manage your weight. Strength training also helps reduce fat around your middle. How much fibre. UK guidance recommends 30g of fibre a day, and most people eat much less. Simple ways to get more include: 6. Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants, and they support your heart and gut health. Aim for at least five portions a day, and go for as much variety and colour as possible. Mood and brain fog. Changing oestrogen levels can affect brain chemicals such as serotonin, which can contribute to low mood, anxiety and brain fog during menopause. Studies suggest that a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, is linked with better mental health. Your gut bacteria may also play a role in mood. Fibre-rich foods and fermented foods, such as live yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi, help support a healthy gut. We should be aiming for 30g a day of fibre a day to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. 7. Snack on nuts and seeds Nuts and seeds provide protein, fibre, healthy fats and minerals such as magnesium and zinc. Eating a small handful (around 30g) of unsalted nuts a day is linked with lower cholesterol and a lower risk of heart disease. Sleep. Poor sleep is a common menopause symptom, often caused by night sweats or anxiety, and it can affect your appetite and cravings. Some […]

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 […]

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 […]