Welcome to the menopause

Peri to post menopause transition is an enormously challenging and complicated journey.

Welcome to the menopause!

There are a plethora of hormones involved with only one thing for certain - uncertainty! Everyone is different and will experience their own journey. Historically there has been very little conversation, recognition, education or adequate help for this 'rite of passage' for women. The menopause will happen and we need to accept, learn, plan and adapt to the current state of affairs!

What is the menopause?

The menopause is actually just one moment in time. It is defined as the point at which a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.
The menopause is either a natural biological event or medically induced (surgery, medical treatment)
Peri menopause - the time prior to the last period
Post menopause - after the last period
We tend to refer the journey from peri to post as 'going through the menopause'
The ovaries stop producing eggs and production of hormones fluctuate and fall over time which can be the cause of many unwanted symptoms

The average age of the menopause is 51.
It is believed that 13 million women (1/3) in UK are said to be living with the menopause at any one time.
Due to life expectancy it is estimated that women live 1/3 of their life in menopause.
Approximately 10% of women will leave work due to menopausal symptoms/issues. Many more consider leaving and/or refuse promotion for fear of not being able to cope.
There are in excess of 30 known symptoms (and who knows how many more that may not be attributed!) with the most spoken about being hot flushes, mood swings, weight gain.
Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone all decline at different rates. Progesterone is the only hormone to fall consistently over time. Estrogen does not decline in a straight line and may even increase at times which can create an estrogen dominant environment (sounds odd considering there is an emphasis on the decline of estrogen during the menopause journey!).
Our experience will also be affected by:
- our own level of acceptance, attitude and knowledge
- our own social and economic environment which impact stress levels
- our choice of nutrition and lifestyle
- our physical environment (nature, toxicants and endocrine disrupting chemicals)
- choice of hormonal therapy

Now and the future

No matter what stage of this journey you find yourself I would highly recommend the following:

Seek help and advice - there has not been a better time to take control. There is still a long way to go but things are a lot better, there is so much more information available based on an increasingly robust set of evidence.
Take a holistic approach - don't just think about hot flushes and brain fog. This is a time for self care and being aware of making life better now and in the future. We need to be looking after the following:
- Brain health
- Cardiovascular health
- Musculoskeletal health
- Gut health
- Metabolic health
The good news is that what is good for one is good for all so consider what you are doing in relation to:
- Exercise and movement
- Nutrition to control blood sugar, healthy gut, anti inflammatory
- Rest and sleep
- Stress and wellbeing

There is no doubt that this is a very difficult time for a lot of women and I cannot emphasise enough the importance of taking the time to learn a little about what is happening to the body and what support is available so that you can make the right choices for you.

For further advice and help please do not hesitate to contact me