Menopause is one of the most dramatic changes a woman’s body will undertake in her lifetime. Not since puberty has the reproductive system gone through such a shift, and the experience is not altogether pleasant. Luckily, hot flashes, mood swings, pain, insomnia, and other symptoms of menopause don’t have to be fought alone, and—as it turns out—an extremely helpful ally can come in the form of cannabis.
To understand why cannabis can help treat the symptoms of menopause, it’s helpful to understand exactly what menopause is and how it affects the body.
What Is Menopause?
Menopause is the period of time (usually yearlong) when a woman’s menstrual cycle comes to an end. This occurs most frequently between a person’s mid 40s–50s. The most common age for women to begin menopause is 51.
Menopause itself occurs in three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause:
Perimenopause occurs when the body begins to exhibit subtle changes, such as the slowdown of estrogen production, in preparation for menopause to begin.
Menopause is the 12-month stretch of time after a woman’s last period, when ovulation stops completely, and estrogen levels drop significantly.
Post-menopause is the period of time after menopause ends when menopausal symptoms subside and a woman enters a new homeostasis.
What Are The Symptoms of Menopause?
Menopause can produce a litany of side effects, including hot flashes, mood swings, insomnia, pain, low libido, weight gain, fatigue, and osteoporosis. In addition, the onset of these side effects can cause anxiety or depression in some women.
The Endocannabinoid System & Menopause
The endocannabinoid system is a network of cell receptors whose role is to maintain homeostasis in the body. It is because of the endocannabinoid receptors that cannabis molecules (cannabinoids like THC and CBD) bind and create the familiar effects we all know and love. However, the endocannabinoid system does not exist exclusively for cannabis—it also interacts with endocannabinoids, the body’s natural cannabinoids.
Estrogen is linked to the endocannabinoid system by regulating the fatty acid hydrolase enzyme (or FAAH) that breaks down certain endocannabinoids. When estrogen levels peak, so do endocannabinoid levels and vice versa. There exists some preliminary research that suggests early onset menopause may be linked to endocannabinoid deficiencies.
Evidence suggests that estrogen utilizes endocannabinoids to regulate mood and emotional response—this could explain why mood swings are more common during menopause, when estrogen levels plummet.
As a result, one can theorize that the use of cannabis during menopause may help bolster the endocannabinoid system’s necessary functions that are struggling to work without high levels of estrogen.
How Can Cannabis Help Soothe Menopause Symptoms?
Due to the federal prohibition of cannabis, research on the subject of cannabis for menopause is scarce. However, a look back in history shows us that this concept is nothing new. In the 1924 text, Sajous and Sajous, cannabis is cited as an analgesic for menopause.
In addition to these historical references, we have a modern scientific understanding of the way our bodies work and the many ailments in which cannabis has proven useful.
Hot Flashes
The natural cannabinoid, anandamide, is chemically similar to THC and can bestow a “high” sensation (think “runner’s high”), but they also share another effect: regulating body temperature.
Thus, THC may be a key cannabinoid when mitigating the effects of hot flashes. Studies suggest that consuming higher doses of THC has a cooling effect on the system and can lower body temperature. Conversely, consuming small amounts may actually raise body temperature, so finding the right dose for each person is a crucial step.
Insomnia
Insomnia goes hand-in-hand with hot flashes for menopausal women. It can be difficult to sleep when night sweats strike. However, in addition to lowering body temperature, many strains are also excellent sleep aids. A relaxing strain or a long-lasting edible will help keep you asleep all night long.
Pain
During menopause, hormonal fluctuations can create a slew of painful side effects. Migraines, breast tenderness, joint pain, bruising, intercourse discomfort, and even increased menstrual cramping (oh the irony!) can all sweep in and make life a bit more difficult.
Cannabis is a renowned pain reliever that helps patients get back on their feet, and there are tons of great strains for pain relief. What’s more, unlike opioids, cannabis offers relief without severe side effects or addictive properties.
Mood Swings
As established earlier, estrogen plays a part in utilizing endocannabinoids for the stabilizing of mood and emotional response. This same drop in endocannabinoid levels can contribute to anxiety or even depression.
Fortunately, many are finding that CBD and THC can step in to help. Studies show that cannabis can be used to regulate mood and mitigate feelings of depression or anxiety.
Low Libido
One of the more frustrating side effects of menopause can be low libido and vaginal dryness. Especially for women who have a high sex drive, watching your libido plummet during a time when your body is already undergoing drastic changes can make you feel personally out of touch.
However, some women may be able to find relief by using cannabis. While the debate is still ongoing, 67% of respondents in a Psychology Today poll reported that they believe cannabis has improved their sex lives.
Finding the right strain may be the simple answer. For some, the mind-buzzing effects of THC may allow them to reconnect with their libido, while for others, a solution may lie in the clear-headed relaxation of CBD.
Bone Loss
Estrogen regulates the process of cell regeneration in the bones, so a dramatic drop in estrogen can sometimes lead to conditions such as osteoporosis.
Studies suggest an association between the genes that code cannabinoid receptors and post-menopausal osteoporosis. For those who have received an ovariectomy, there was also evidence of cannabinoid treatment reducing bone loss.
Other studies report that cannabinoids CBG, CBD, CBC, and THCV “stimulate bone growth and may be able to prevent osteoporosis after menopause.”
Weight Gain
Gaining weight during menopause is common. This is due to age, lifestyle changes, and other unavoidable factors. But hormones also play a role. With a healthy diet and regular exercise, cannabis can be used in some instances to help maintain a person’s weight.
Further research will solidify and unveil the many ways in which cannabis can be an effective menopause treatment. With time, and the reform of antiquated laws, scientists will be able to answer these questions in greater depth and clarity. Until then, the evidence at hand already hints at how cannabis can bring millions of cis-gender women relief as they go through this life-changing event.
Editor’s note: We have omitted the classification “cis-gender” from the original article.
These are the 10 Most Common Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause can be a tricky period in a woman’s life. Many women begin to experience menopause symptoms in their mid-40s, and while these symptoms may be unpleasant, they are not as unmanagable as many believe. With that being said, here are the ten most common symptoms that will tell you that you’re approaching menopause.
1. Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are sudden sensations of heat that spreads throughout your entire body. They can range in severity from feeling like a minor flush to feeling like you’re on fire. Hot flashes are caused by decreased estrogen levels and affect 75 to 85 percent of menopausal women.
2. Night Sweats
Night sweats might happen if a hot flash happens while you’re asleep. It’s not a sleep disorder, but it can be very uncomfortable and keep you awake at night. Lower the temperature in your bedroom and sleep with fewer blankets if you want to keep yourself reasonably comfortable while you sleep.
3. Irregular Periods
Most women experience irregular periods at some time or another, but they are far more common during menopause due to the hormone imbalance. Your periods may come earlier or later than you expect, and you may occasionally skip your period altogether.
4. Vaginal Dryness
As the estrogen in your body decreases, your vaginal tissue may become drier and less elastic. This can cause itching and pain during intercourse, but it can be treated with medication or mitigated by a personal lubricant.
5. Mood Swings
You may experience significant mood swings as your hormones become increasingly imbalanced. You might go from feeling perfectly happy one moment to unreasonably upset the next. These mood swings will vary from woman to woman.
6. Hair Loss
You may also notice that your hair is thinning as you get older. Like many of the other symptoms of menopause, this is due to a lack of estrogen. Hair loss due to menopause may be gradual or sudden, but it can usually be lessened if your hormone imbalance is treated.
7. Fatigue
Your fluctuating hormones could also cause you to feel more fatigued than you have been before. This may also be accompanied by irritability or apathy.
8. Insomnia
The discomfort that comes with hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and everything else that accompanies menopause might make sleep more difficult than it was when you are younger.
9. Difficulty Concentrating
Some women report having trouble concentrating and staying focused once they reach menopause. Whether this is caused by a lack of estrogen or a lack of sleep will vary from one woman to the next, and some women may not have this problem at all. In any case, this can have a big impact on your daily life if it happens to you.
10. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a loss of bone strength and density, and it happens to a lot of women during menopause. Estrogen plays a major role in calcium absorption, and lower estrogen levels can make it harder for your bones to repair and replace damaged cells. This could make you much more susceptible to fractures, so be careful as you get older.
As unpleasant as these symptoms can be, most of them can be controlled. Speak with your doctor about how to manage the worst of these symptoms, and remember that what you are going through is completely normal as you age. Stay positive, and don’t hesitate to find support from others who may be going through the same thing.
Let’s remove the stigma about menopause and spread the word about these common manageable symptoms.
Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!
For many of my patients, menopause spells absolute misery. Hot flashes cut into their sleep and create heart palpitations; they frequently feel irritated or “off;” and they often sacrifice their sex life during the transition. Hormonal imbalances like estrogen, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which decline around middle age, contribute to these and other issues. (1) Altogether, these imbalances create a perfect storm for problems with weight gain, mood swings and a crashing libido.
Many patients are surprised to learn that diet and lifestyle choices can dramatically impact menopausal symptoms. (2) Even if a patient is watching calories, a high-sugar diet (and remember: all carbohydrates break down into sugar) can spike and crash insulin levels, which then leads to the storing of fat, exacerbation of inflammation, and the creation of a hormonal-imbalance domino effect.
These hormonal imbalances, coupled with the chronic stress and anxiety that nearly every patient experiences, contribute to hot flashes, while also setting the stage for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). (3, 4)
Altogether, it can be a dismal picture. Yet after working with hundreds of women going through menopause, I’ve found a solution. It’s a perfect plan I developed to help my patients feel better, reduce their disease risk and help them become the most fabulous version of themselves overall.
5 Ways the Keto-Alkaline™ Diet Can Alleviate Menopause
From my clinical plan came my Keto-Alkaline™ Diet, which juxtaposes all the benefits of a high-fat keto diet, while keeping the body alkaline to minimize the potential drawbacks of the keto diet.
Among its benefits, during menopause a Keto-Alkaline™ Diet can help:
Balance hormones. A Keto-Alkaline™ Diet optimizes insulin, cortisol and other hormone levels so you experience fewer symptoms like hot flashes. If they do occur, they’re usually shorter and less misery-inducing.
Improve brain function. Maria Emmerich, author of Keto-Adapted, says a hot flash is your brain trying to protect itself from starving. One of estrogen’s jobs is to get glucose into your brain for fuel, yet during menopause when estrogen drops, so does its ability to get glucose to your brain. When glucose can’t get into the brain, hot flashes increase while brain health declines. The good news is that ketones can replace the glucose in your brain and other tissues. (5)
A Keto-Alkaline ™ Diet eliminates that glucose problem, reducing or eliminating miserable menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. (6) Here’s how it can work:
1. Burn fat. As many patients can attest, weight loss can become a serious challenge during menopause. I’ve found that a Keto-Alkaline™ Diet optimizes hunger-regulating hormones like insulin and leptin, reduces the hunger-growling hormone ghrelin, and eliminates cravings so you can lose weight and keep it off.
2. Boost sex drive. The Keto-Alkaline™ Diet is rich in healthy fats, which improves the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. This is especially true with vitamin D, a precursor for your sex hormones. (7) A Keto-Alkaline ™ Diet actually improves my patients’ lipid profile, while helping balance testosterone and the other hormones menopause can knock out of whack. Results: Increased libido and more spark between the sheets.
3. Stabilize energy. Menopause can often leave you feeling fatigued and wiped out. A Keto-Alkaline™ Diet helps maintain steady energy levels because healthy fats provide a clean, efficient energy source to maintain healthy hormone levels, especially when combined with an alkaline diet. (8)
4. Improve sleep. When your diet is filled with sugar and carbohydrates, even those seemingly innocent 100-calorie snack packs can spike and crash your blood sugar, which ultimately impacts sleep levels. Combined with hot flashes, heart palpitations and other menopausal symptoms, your sleep can really start to suffer. A Keto-Alkaline™ Diet balances blood sugar levels and optimizes hormones like cortisol, serotonin and melatonin to improve sleep and reset your circadian rhythm. (9)
5. Lower inflammation. Chronic inflammation can increase during menopause, sparking unpleasant symptoms like chronic pain and playing a significant role in nearly every disease on earth. My Keto-Alkaline ™ Diet, which combines healthy anti-inflammatory fats with alkaline-rich foods, reduces joint pain, back pain and other inflammatory conditions.
My Keto-Alkaline™ Diet is a two-step process: Before you go keto, I want you to get alkaline. My favorite way to get alkaline is with Mighty Maca™ Plus, which contains the perfect balance of maca, turmeric, mangosteen, cat’s claw, resveratrol and other nutrients to control inflammation and maintain alkaline balance.
You needn’t accept hot flashes, low libido, hormonal imbalances and other menopausal miseries. As many patients can attest, my Keto-Alkaline™ Diet can help you live a healthy, lean, sexually fulfilling and vibrant life.
I’d love to share more about this plan. Whether you’re new to keto or want to give your ketogenic diet an upgrade, my Keto-Alkaline ™ Diet can transform your weight and your health. You can learn more about it in my new ebook “The Secret Science of Staying, Slim, Sane & Sexy After 40”.
Dr. Anna Cabeca is an Emory University trained gynecologist and obstetrician, a menopause and sexual health expert and international speaker and educator. She created the top selling products Julva® (an anti-aging feminine cream for women), MightyMaca™ Plus (a superfood hormone balancing health drink), and online programs Magic Menopause, Women’s Restorative Health and SexualCPR. Read her blog at DrAnnaCabeca.com, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For women of a certain age, hot flushes and night sweats are another life challenge to navigate.
And for many, even discussing the menopause can be an uncomfortable experience.
Cinema & co owner, Anna Redfern (right) and Helen Israel, who is organising the Period Dramas event. (Image: Robert Melen)
But there is some help on hand in Swansea this week for those who are undergoing the change.
A group of women set-up the first Menopause Cafe in Scotland, which has since seen the idea expand not just in the UK, but internationally.
And taking inspiration from the concept, a similar event will be launched in the city centre.
Period Dramas takes place at Cinema & Co, providing a space for people to eat, drink – and discuss the menopause.
Organiser Hazel Israel said: “There is a paucity of information about the menopause, and it never seems to be the right time to discuss it.
“Every woman has their own individual experience and it is different for different people, but we thought it would help to be able to meet other and discuss their experiences.
“It is about getting together and sharing information and advice.
“But it is also about having fun.”
In addition to meeting other women, Period Dramas will see the screening of documentary Hot Flash Havoc, a documentary about the menopause narrated by Hollywood star Goldie Hawn; a talk by an expert on the menopause, and even a menopause bingo – and it is not limited to women.
Anna Redfern, of Cinema & Co, said: “Every woman goes through the menopause at some time, and many feel almost a bit embarrassed to discuss it.
“I was approached with the idea, and it seemed like a good one, and hopefully as well as providing information, we might be able social aspect for people coming along.
“We are hoping we might be able to hold it quarterly.”
Period Dramas takes place at Cinema & Co on Tuesday, May 15, from 6.30pm.
Deputy governor sorry for calling economy ‘menopausal’
Image copyrightReuters
The Bank of England’s deputy governor has admitted his comments that the UK economy is entering a “menopausal” era “conveyed ageist and sexist overtones”.
Ben Broadbent used the phrase in a Daily Telegraph interview about economies that were, he said, “past their peak, and no longer so potent”.
But in an internal message seen by the BBC he said he knew some bank staff had been offended and he was “truly sorry”.
He told colleagues he should not have used the word.
“I recognise that while these are economic terms that have been used in the past, my use of the word “menopausal” conveyed ageist and sexist overtones and I should not have used it”, he wrote on the Bank’s internal website.
“I was attempting to explain the meaning of the world “climacteric”. As the journalist who was interviewing me has subsequently tweeted, I made it clear in the interview that this is a term which applies to both genders.
He said he wanted to “emphasise how sorry I am for the offence my interview this morning has caused to Bank colleagues”.
Earlier he had issued a public apology.
In it he said he was sorry for his “poor choice of language” and the “offence caused”.
He said productivity affected “every one of us, of all ages and genders”.
But his comments have sparked a backlash.
Sarah Smith, professor of economics at Bristol University, told the BBC they were “not useful”.
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption Silvana Tenreyo is the only female member of the Monetary Policy Committee
“It conveys a rather derogatory view of women. I’ve never thought of the menopause as not productive,” she said.
Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the CBI, called it a “poor choice of words” that distracted from the real issue at hand.
Jayne-Anne Gadhia, boss of Virgin Money UK, said: “When I read this I thought about my own menopause and was sure he meant that the future is hard work, challenging, renewing, worth fighting for, 100% positive and constantly HOT!”
And TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “There’s no need to resort to lazy, sexist comments to describe problems in the economy.”
Mr Broadbent sits on the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which has been criticised for having only one female member on its nine-strong board.
The economist is also thought to be to among a number of potential successors to the Bank’s governor, Mark Carney.
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption The bank faced a backlash in 2013 over female representation on banknotes.
Artificial intelligence
In his interview, Mr Broadbent compared a recent slowdown in UK productivity to a similar lull at the end of the 1800s, which has been described as a “climacteric” period.
The term, which is borrowed from biology and is used for both sexes, means “you’ve passed your productive peak”, the deputy governor said.
He suggested that the UK may be seeing a “pause” between two technological leaps forward – akin to one experienced by late-Victorian industrialists from steam to electricity.
However, he said the economy could be awaiting its next big breakthrough, possibly as a result of Artificial Intelligence.
Mr Broadbent later stressed that his use of the word menopausal had only applied to the 19th Century.
The Bank’s attitude towards women has been questioned in the past.
In 2013 the Bank announced a plan to phase out £5 notes featuring social reformer Elizabeth Fry, without plans to put a woman on any other bank notes.
After pressure from campaigners the Bank announced it would make Jane Austen the face of the new £10 note.
Welcome to the Menopause Cafe: ‘Now I know I’m not alone. I’m not going mad’ | Society
At a riverside deli in the East Ayrshire village of Catrine, about 20 women – some friends, some strangers – are arriving to spend the evening talking about the menopause.
Amid an eye-popping selection of home baking, organiser Shiona Johnston explains the format for this Menopause Cafe, one of 14 that have taken place across the UK, from Perth to Petersfield, since the start of the year alone.
“Most women know about hot flushes but don’t know about other symptoms which they might not even realise are related,” explains Johnston. “A lot are scared about HRT from things they’ve read in the papers. This gives them a chance to share information and what has worked for them.”
The simple guidelines for the event – respecting one another’s confidentiality, not pushing any particular product or service, and encouraging participants to move tables regularly to speak to as many people as possible – were developed by Rachel Weiss, who launched the first Menopause Cafe in June 2017 in her home city of Perth, central Scotland.
“My friends and I sat there waiting, thinking ‘will it just be us three?’”, says Weiss, “but 30 women turned up. After a few hours, people were buzzing: now I know I’m not alone, I’m not going mad. It’s a very human question: am I normal?”
Inspired by the format of Death Cafes, a similar non-profit gathering to encourage people to talk about a previously forbidden subject, Weiss was galvanised into action after watching the Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark’s very personal documentary on the menopause, Menopause and Me, which screened on BBC One last April. Wark is one of a number of high-profile women, including Lorraine Kelly and Dawn French, who have recently spoken out about their experience of menopausal symptoms.
Debra Salem leads a warm-up singalong before the first Menopause Cafe event in Perth, Scotland. Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Guardian
“Women all go through it, but we don’t get together and talk about it, so we come to it unprepared,” says Weiss, who runs her own counselling consultancy and, at the age of 51, has yet to go through the menopause. (The average age for a woman living in the UK to reach the menopause is 51, although individuals’ experience varies widely, with most finding that it occurs between 45 and 55, as oestrogen levels decline, periods stop and the body is no longer able to conceive naturally.)
“It’s not just a support group for menopausal women,” Weiss adds, pointing out that attendees have been before, during and beyond the menopause, and included the occasional man wanting to learn how to support his partner. “It’s opening up conversations about the third stage in women’s lives, who am I if I’m not fertile or don’t look like a stereotypical sexy woman?”
“But I’m also very keen that this doesn’t make it all sound dreadful,” Weiss insists. “It’s just enabling people to have conversations. If you are able to say the M-word then it’s also easier for you to go back to your 28-year-old male manager and say ‘I need to wear a cotton shirt with this uniform’ or ‘yes, I really do need a fan at my desk’.”
Indeed, one project for this year, as the Menopause Cafe movement expands and women across the country take up the invitation to host their own events, is to encourage more workplace events, with Scottish and Southern Energy HQ in Perth blazing the trail last month.
Weiss has also planned a series of Saturday afternoon Menopause Festivals (#Flushfest) in Perth, with speakers on health, wellbeing and body image, interspersed with chat and singalongs.
A warm-up exercise at the Menopause Cafe in Perth, Scotland. Photograph: Murdo Macleod for the Guardian
Back in Catrine, what is noticeable is the amount of laughter in the room, which increases in volume as the evening wears on.
In previous generations, the menopause simply wasn’t spoken about, the women agree, and in that sense it is different from childbirth, which was discussed, if only in private. Alex Gregory, the deli owner, shares stories of passersby sniggering at the poster in her window announcing the event – but also others doing a double-take and returning to jot down the details surreptitiously.
Angela Milby, 47, a shop assistant, has not not yet reached this stage herself but has come with a friend and to “get some tips for later”.
“It’s a taboo subject,” she agrees. “I certainly never heard my own mum speak about it. I do like the idea of talking with other ladies who have been through it.”
Sharon Sym, 47, a Menopause Cafe veteran who runs a dog-walking business, believes that embarrassment holds many women back from seeking the help they need. “I wouldn’t talk about my menopause or ask for help until I hit rock bottom, and it started affecting my family life. But I’ve learned we’re all different and we all experience it differently.”
“I’d become a bit of a recluse, but now I’ve got concert and book festival tickets booked all this year.” Her next date is a book signing with Judi Dench. “And if I sweat, I sweat!”
An inevitable life-changing event for all women is the menopausal stage. Women have different reactions to it. Some dreaded it as it gives them a roller coaster of hormonal imbalance, while some have it easy and are actually thankful that they are already done with the days when they had to worry about menstruation. The difficulty presented by menopause is that no matter how abundant the information we have on it, no one is ever really prepared for it.
But that does not mean women should take the matter lightly. In fact, it’s best that when menopause begins at a woman’s early 50’s.she should prioritize staying fit more than ever, as this is her body’s stage of facing a new phase of life.Though many experts and practitioners debunk the idea that there is “menopause diet”, that does not mean you can’t try eating smart and eating right. You still need to work on supplying your body the nutrition it needs to maintain your strength and stay fit.
First, you should realize the kinds of food you should steer clear from, here’s a helpful list and a brief explanation on why you should steer clear from them.
Cut Down On Caffeine
Stacking up on cups of coffee, sodas, energy drinks or other caffeinated drinks might have boosted your energy level at work or through the busy years of handling so many responsibilities. However, maybe at your age, it’s time to take things easier. It’s a good idea to cut down your caffeine intake, particularly when you notice that after drinking a cup of your favorite latte seems to be always followed by an episode of hot flashes.
Skip White And Refined
Yes, it is difficult to avoid processed and refined foods since they are very convenient and tastes good. These are products such as regular pasta, white bread or anything made from refined flour, in addition to that, white rice. Even though they are able to give you carbohydrates providing fuel to your body, they are still considered empty carbs because they only contain limited nutrition and does not compensate to the health benefits you can get from fiber-rich whole food alternatives. Women going through menopause were suggested by the National Health Services to consume more of their carbs from more nutritious sources. To avoid the added baggage of extra weight gained from refined carbs, opt for wholemeal and wholegrain starchy products that are able to give you the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need, inclusive of the energy boost from the carbs. Consider enjoying more of brown rice than white, also trying switching up your regular pasta for whole wheat pasta, and of course, ditch the white bread and go for high fiber wheat bread.
Eat Less Spice
This is bad news if you love your chili, spice can actually trigger hot flashes. It even comes to a point where it becomes a bit unbearable, in which case maybe you should cross it out from your food shopping list next time. Your metabolism can be greatly boosted by spicy food giving you a hotter sensation beneath your collar. You must also be wary that some veggies such as spicy peppers for example; cayenne contain a good amount of capsaicin, enough to cause “heat” both on your palate and on your body.
Skip The Tipple, Ban The Booze
Without even realizing it, alcohol consumption can be a perfect concoction for disaster among menopausal women. Those unwelcomed hot flashes can be commonly triggered by alcohol. But the worse news is it can also increase both the risk of bone loss or osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease if your consumption is excessive. Sad to say, the limit is just seven drinks a week with a maximum of three on a single day. If you found this information a little too late, my heart goes out to you.
Another thing you have to be mindful of is the interactions between medications and alcoholic beverages for it could cause problems such as indigestion, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even arthritis. A study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that not just women, but older people, in general, are at a higher risk due to their bodies’ slower function of breaking down alcohol.
Now, let’s learn about the foods you should be focusing on;
Feast On Fatty Fish, Fortified Milk, And Farm-Fresh Eggs
Enough vitamin D which means getting 30 ng/mL that translates to 400 to 600 IU is important ti ensure your able to make the most of your calcium intake. This is great if you love seafood because you can indulge especially in fatty fish like sardines, herring, mackerel, or salmon. Enjoy a breakfast that includes Vitamin D fortified milk or cereal, or simply have an egg.
Enjoy Soy
If you don’t have a taste for soy, this might be the right time to develop one. Soy products intake were said to be helpful for women in coping with those annoying hot flashes. A study suggested that 75 postmenopausal women who had a minimum of seven hot flashes every day, soy isoflavone extract intake for a 16 week period resulted in a 61 percent reduction in their incidence of hot flashes.Great sources of soy can be attained through tofu, soy meal or grits, or even soy flour.10 to 15 gm of soy protein daily is the recommended dosage. The soy contains phytoestrogens or plant estrogens which mimics the estrogen in your body which somehow compensates the estrogens you lose since your body produces lower levels of it since menopause began. If we’re talking menopause diet, it means we are regarding food that can provide you with estrogen in forms of sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, green beans, celery, and rhubarb.
Tank Up On Calcium-Rich Food
Although the primary line of defense is still considered to be hormone replacement therapy which works as it increases calcium levels by increasing progesterone and estrogen levels, you can still work your share by making sure you attain the recommended amount of calcium from your daily diet. It’s important to get as much as 1,200 mg/day when you’re postmenopausal.
Have Lots Of Fresh Vegetables And Fruits
And how can we ever forget to mention vegetables and fruits! If you have been practicing healthy diets through getting enough vegetables and fruits in your diet, that’s great.However, if you don’t, it’s never too late to start. As the American Heart Association suggested that this is the life stage when high-risk behavior from your younger days (like smoking or eating high-fat food) will take its toll.So at least try counteracting it by consuming food with rich antioxidant content.
Media captionJust what does it feel like when you’re going through the menopause?
Health professionals need to have a better understanding of the menopause, say women suffering with the condition.
One of those women, Amanda Sweetlove, told BBC News NI she had difficulty getting diagnosed as her GP and a consultant offered different opinions.
“No-one has offered any help whatsoever. So right now it is a case of you just live with it and the anxiety levels and all that it brings.”
Belfast’s HRT clinic is based at the Mater Hospital and gets 26 new referrals a week – there are many more are on the waiting list. Another menopause clinic is based at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry in the Southern Health Trust.
The Mater Hospital clinic only extreme cases with around 65 women coming through its doors every week.
But some women, like Amanda, didn’t know that the clinic even existed.
And she says she would have benefitted from such expertise. Amanda describes the menopause as “the most hideous experience medically of my life”, adding: “And that is after two children. It is just horrific. The symptoms are just awful, absolutely awful.”
What is the Menopause?
The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, as a woman’s oestrogen levels decline.
In the UK, the average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51.
For a few years before women can develop a series of symptoms.
Hot flushes, night sweats and mood changes are among the most common.
Deborah Yapicioz is also going through the menopause – she said it needs to be recognised as a medical condition.
“It affects 50 per cent of the population and you are likely to be in this period of your life for up to ten years.
“So you need to find a way of coping with that and relieving those symptoms.”
Image caption Deborah Yapicioz says menopause needs to be recognised as a medical condition
Hormone replacement therapy, which can be taken via patches or as a gel or tablets, helps to replace the oestrogen lost when a woman’s ovaries stop producing eggs.
Some studies have linked it to increased risks of ovarian cancer and clots but Dr Joanne McManus, a consultant gynaecologist at the Mater Hospital’s clinic, said women in Northern Ireland shouldn’t be afraid of taking HRT.
“It can make a huge difference to a woman’s life. Time and time again in this clinic, women say to us HRT has given me back my life and I think that really says it all. “
“Some women just don’t know what is happening to them. They just feel they can no longer cope and they can’t believe it when they start HRT and what a difference it can make.”
“It is very safe and the benefits in terms of symptom relief will far out weigh any small risks.
“I think any woman who is suffering from symptoms which significantly interfere with their quality of life should speak to their GP to see if HRT is right for them.”
Over the last few days I have spoken to women in various states of emotional distress due to their menopause symptoms and the way that they have been treated by their GP’s, employers and even their own partners. This is not unusual, I hear similar stories every day of every week and I know that for every woman I work with there are thousands of others out there experiencing similar situations.
As a psychotherapist with medical menopause training I have spent the last few years specialising in providing menopause counselling, education and support for women and men both in and out of the workplace. I can truly empathise with each and every one of the women I work with, as back in 2013, due to my own menopause experience, I came very close to taking my own life.
In April 2012 I hadn’t given menopause a second thought, twelve months later I had become completely consumed by it. Hysterectomy surgery including removal of my ovaries put me into surgical menopause overnight. Having received no information or advice about the possible effects of my surgery at the hospital I was discharged and told to visit my doctor once I felt strong enough. The hot flushes began almost immediately but I had booked an appointment with a nutritionist to discuss how I could cope with the symptoms. At my doctor appointment I politely refused HRT when it was mentioned but didn’t explain why and the doctor didn’t ask, with hindsight it is clear that had we discussed it further things could have been very different.
Business leaders should ‘speak up’ about the menopause
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Media captionRoseann Kelly
Women in senior roles need to “speak up” about working with the menopause.
Roseann Kelly, the chief executive of Women in Business NI, said women were “powering on through” but it needed to be addressed at work.
In Northern Ireland, women make up 50.5% of the workforce, with about 56% of females over 50 in employment.
There is no specific legislation which addresses menopause at work, but employers are obligated to look after the health and welfare of employees.
“We, as women and role models, need to speak up,” said Ms Kelly.
Image caption Roseann Kelly said conversations around the menopause in work needed to take place
“I myself have sat around a boardroom table and got a hot flush.
“I would prefer people to know I am having a hot flush than for them to think that I am under pressure in my role.”
Potential discrimination
Lisa Bryson, the head of employment law at Eversheds Sutherland in Belfast, said if employers fail to adequately support a woman or potentially discriminate against her because of menopausal symptoms, they could face a law suit.
“It is becoming an issue because there is case law,” she said.
“Tribunals are already having to determine cases connected to menopausal symptoms.
Image caption Lisa Bryson said employers could make simple changes to make it easier for menopausal women
“A relatively recent tribunal decision in Great Britain found that a female employee had been unfairly dismissed and discriminated against on the grounds of her gender which resulted from the management of her performance.
“Although she put forward medical evidence from her GP to say her lack of concentration and her lack of confidence was directly connected to the menopause, the employer just completely ignored that.
“So there is really a new focus on this as being a big part of the occupational health landscape.”
Productivity
Ms Bryson said there were straightforward adjustments that employers could make to encourage experienced staff to stay in work.
Fans could be introduced to the workplace, uniforms could be changed or flexible working may be an option if tiredness was an issue.
“Ultimately, it comes down to productivity and the bottom line,” she added.
“If these women are continuing to work hard and the employer is getting the best out of their staff, then the return in retaining that mature, female staff in the workplace can’t be overstated.”
Ms Kelly called on employers to look at the issue.
“I think it is very much a taboo subject, particularly because we have women in senior positions and they do not want to have their positions undermined by saying ‘I am not performing well today’,” said the Women in Business chief executive.
“But I think we need to be able to have the conversation.”
Image caption The Unison union is working with its female members to raise awareness of menopause in the workplace
Dr Liz Simpson from the School of Psychology at Ulster University is currently compiling research into the menopause and said people do not talk about it enough.
“I think it is associated with the ageing process. It signals the end of those reproductive years and we are going into old age,” she said.
However, Dr Simpson believes that the issue will be discussed more openly as society changes.
“Women are having kids at 40 so potentially they could be at the school gate and having the menopause,” she said.
“This is a really good opportunity to have an understanding of what’s happening.”
‘Absolute misery’
An increasing number of employers are looking at the issue and taking advice. The union Unison recently held an information evening for female members.
Amanda Sweetlove, a health service worker, said wearing a heavy uniform could be problematic.
“I take a hot flush and sweat into the coat,” she said.
“I end up in a hospital setting where it is too hot and I take my coat off, cool myself down to come back out to go to an incident.
“The sweat is still in the lining of my coat because the coat doesn’t dry out so it is an absolute misery putting it on.
“Menopause is not so widely recognised in such a male-dominated environment. It’s not being taken seriously just yet, but hopefully that will change as we are trying to set up a women’s forum.”
Deborah Yapicioz, who also works in the health service, said she once worked with a woman who gave up her job because of the menopause.
“She couldn’t cope with the symptoms of the menopause and the way it affected her confidence and her ability to do her job,” she said.
Image copyrightReuters
