How to Manage Your Menopausal Symptoms
Menopause can elicit negative self-talk like,
“I’m becoming less of a woman.”
“Wow, I’m getting old.”
“The best years of my life are behind me.”
To make matters worse, it also has negative connotations in our society. It is a ruthless combination of physical challenges and mental stressors which can make it a doozy of a transition. However, it doesn’t have to be.
If you’re experiencing menopause, remember that it is a natural time of transition in a women’s life just like any other, and it is completely normal.
Much like when young girls enter menstruation, many women enter menopause without knowing what is actually happening to their own bodies. As a physician who has treated several women throughout their menopausal journey, it is my goal to educate and support them during this season so they can continue to lead wildly fascinating lives.
If you currently find yourself in the midst of this journey, or about to embark on it, please know this:
The best days of your life aren’t over just because you’re entering menopause. There is still so much of your life to be lived and enjoyed, and I’m always here as support to help you throughout this process.
My hope is that this article can act as a resource for you to refer to throughout your own journey.
So, what exactly is Menopause?
It is a period in a woman’s life when they naturally stop having menstrual periods, marking the end of their reproductive years (no more birth control, yay!).
Before entering menopause, there is a period of time when our ovaries will start to produce less estrogen, causing our menstrual cycle to fluctuate. This is called perimenopause. Think of it as a pre-cursor to the main event. Perimenopause can last anywhere from 5 to 15 years, with some women entering perimenopause as young as their 30s.
Basically, once you’ve gone 12 months without a period, that’s when you’ll know you’ve officially entered menopause.
When this happens, you will begin to experience at least one of the following symptoms (which I will go over in more detail below)…
Hot flashes
Sleep disturbances
Weight gain
Decreased libido
Vaginal dryness
Incontinence
Fatigue and overwhelm
Brain fog
Hormonal imbalance
Hot Flashes
Basically, a hot flash is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a sudden, overwhelming sense of heat beginning in the head and neck that can last between 5 and 30 minutes (sometimes longer). Your heart begins to race and you may even break a sweat.
A few common triggers include caffeine, alcohol and smoking. With that being said, all of our bodies are unique and react differently to different things, so it’s important to note what you consumed prior to experiencing a hot flash and avoid it if you can. This will help significantly in eliminating hot flashes, or at least the frequency at which they occur.
Sleep Disturbances
Getting a sufficient amount of sleep is essential for our overall health and well being, and during menopause, our bodies need more sleep than ever. Ironically enough, however, all the hormone disruptions going on in our bodies can hinder us from actually getting a good night’s sleep.
Because of this, you’ll want to experiment with different ways to help prepare your body for sleep. I’ll go over a few helpful methods later on in this article.
Weight Gain
Our bodies experience metabolic changes during menopause, so you may find that methods you’ve used to stay trim in the past don’t work as well, or at all. This can be frustrating, but I like to see it as an opportunity to adjust our lifestyle habits to work with our current metabolism.
Decreased Libido
Because our hormones levels are decreasing, this can also reduce our desire for sex.
Don’t be too hard on yourself when it comes to this. It does not mean that you don’t love your romantic partner or no longer find them attractive. Your body is simply changing, and it has nothing to do with them. The good news is, it is absolutely possible to increase your libido and experience climax during sex at any stage of your life, which I will get to later.
Vaginal Dryness
This is one of the most common symptoms of menopause and can even affect women in their 20s and 30s. Vaginal dryness is also prompted by a change in hormones, and can lead to more infections, odors, itching, irritations, incontinence and a decreased desire for sex. Unfortunately, this is not a symptom that goes away with time, but the good news is, there are plenty of solutions to heal your dryness.
Incontinence
This is the involuntary loss of one’s bladder control, which is not only inconvenient, but embarrassing. It can even take a toll on one’s overall confidence.
Incontinence happens because our vaginal tissue begins to thin during perimenopause and becomes less elastic over time. A great way to combat this is by doing Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which will help significantly in regaining bladder control.
Fatigue and Disconnect
The stress that comes from all the changes going on in the body during menopause can wreak havoc on your system. This chronic stress and adrenal fatigue can drain your energy significantly. Not to mention that some of the most important hormones in your body (cortisol, adrenaline and oxytocin) are waging war against each other.
It’s important to show yourself grace during this time. You’re not being lazy, your body is simply working against you, and that’s not your fault. There are ways to overcome this, which I’ll get to in a moment.
Brain Fog
Brain fog and memory loss are a common occurrence during menopause, and it is nothing to be alarmed about. You’re not experiencing the early signs of Alzheimer’s, but rather, a decline of estrogen. Estrogen is responsible for glycolysis in the brain, so when your estrogen levels start to decline so does some of your brain function. Another thing to consider is that there are more factors at play here; feelings of overwhelm affect the way we think, our concentration, hormonal balance and even our memory.
Finding ways to exercise your brain to keep your mind sharp definitely helps combat this. Practicing meditation and adopting a keto-green diet is helpful as well.
Hormone Imbalance
With your hormones changing, it can feel like someone else has taken over your body. You might find yourself reacting in ways you normally wouldn’t, suddenly snapping at a loved one, and having to apologize later.
It’s enough to make you feel insane, but trust me, you’re not. You’re simply at the whims of your changing hormone levels, which can be disorienting to say the least.
Hormone imbalances can also trigger different issues throughout the body such as…
Headaches
Aches and pains
Menstrual irregularities
Weight gain and bloating
Vaginal dryness
Weak pelvic floor muscles
Incontinence
Decreased libido
Low self-esteem
Depression
Lovely, isn’t it?
But, not to worry, there are ways you can balance your hormones and get to feeling like yourself again (more on that later).
So, how do we heal or reduce these symptoms?
I’m sure after reading that laundry list of menopausal symptoms, you’re feeling pretty hopeless, but believe me when I say that there is so much hope! The most important thing is to tell your healthcare provider when you start experiencing these symptoms so you can develop a strategy to combat them.
Here are some methods I recommend to my patients that have proven to help immensely…
Adopt a Keto-Green Diet
This means consuming foods that keep your urinary pH at an alkaline level of 7 or above. There are numerous benefits of keeping your urine pH more alkaline (rather than acidic) which include…
Lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases
Lower inflammation
Decreased joint pain
Less menstrual discomfort
Balancing your hormones
Feeling more energized
Maintaining a Keto-Green diet looks like eating low-carb alkaline veggies and avoiding food that promotes excessive acidity like processed foods, grains, white sugar, white flour and caffeine.
You’ll also want to get your protein through free-range meats and wild caught fish. Consuming healthy fats such as ghee, avocados, nuts, olive and coconut oil is essential in keeping your hormones balanced and giving you more energy as well.
Take supplements!
Since our bodies are changing so much during this time, we need to give them the nutrients that they may be lacking. There are lots of supplements and bio-identical hormones that can help women through menopause, and I can help you find the perfect combination for you and your body’s needs.
A Consistent Sleep Schedule
Getting a sufficient amount of sleep every night is essential for reducing stress. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, try out some of these methods:
Use guided meditations specifically for sleep/night time.
Use your bed for sleeping only, not lounging or working.
Try to catch the sun set as often as you can for natural circadian support.
Don’t use any electronic devices two hours before you plan to go to sleep.
Diffuse calming essential oils in your bedroom like lavender, chamomile, bergamot, etc.
Create a nighttime routine and keep it so your body will begin to naturally prepare itself for sleep.
Keep your room cool, dark and uncluttered.
Use blue-light-blocking glasses during the day when you’re looking at any screens.
Play calming music or white noise sounds.
Move Your Body
Exercise will improve your mood and help you sleep more soundly at night. It also reduces stress and anxiety, and even promotes the growth of new nerve cells and blood vessels in the brain while also increasing the production of chemicals that repair existing brain cells—bye-bye brain fog!
There are so many ways to exercise and it’s important to find what feels best to you. I’ve found that doing high-intensity interval training exercises can boost the size of the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain that controls learning and verbal memory.
Exercise Your Brain
Even though the brain isn’t a muscle, the same principle applies here. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. It’s important to find ways to mentally stimulate your brain so your mind stays sharp, which can be anything that will require you to really think.
This can look like…
Learning a new language
Implementing a mindfulness practice
Learning a new skill
Reading a good book
Engaging in a stimulating debate
Having a meaningful, thought provoking conversation
Working with numbers
Or, anything that challenges your brain specifically.
Incorporate Key Superfoods Into Your Diet
Superfoods get their name because they are packed with nutrients that help provide your body with the essential antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that it needs to thrive.
Turmeric, for example, is great for reducing inflammation, promoting brain health and treating hot flashes.
Here are some great ones to try:
Cinnamon
Great tea
Wheatgrass
Blueberries
Almonds
Kale
Spirulina
Acai berries
Flaxseed
Maca
I know you’re probably thinking, “I’m sorry, Maca? What is that?”
Maca is a root grown in the Andes, and Peruvian natives use it to help promote fertility, increase libido and reduce fatigue. Some even refer to it as the Peruvian Viagra. Studies have shown that Maca can also reduce hot flashes, soothe anxiety and depression and balance hormones.
Pretty cool for a root, yeah?
If you retain nothing else from this article…
Remember this: menopause is a natural part of life and we should approach it as such. It’s nothing to be afraid of, and it doesn’t mean your life is over. Far from it, actually! Just think of all you’ll be able to do now that you don’t have to deal with PMS or your period anymore (woohoo!).
All of these suggested lifestyle changes that will help support you during your menopausal journey can feel really overwhelming at first, and that’s okay. The important thing is to take it one small step at a time, and incorporate these changes in a way that is sustainable for you. If you only have the energy to focus on your sleep schedule, start there. Then you can begin to incorporate other changes into your routine once you feel like you’ve mastered that one.
And, of course, I’m always here to support you throughout the entire journey. You are welcome to come see me anytime, and we can even create a plan that will help you navigate menopause together.
You’re going to make it through to the other side of this with a newfound sense of confidence and freedom.
I promise you.
