What is the menopause?

Unfortunately, all women of a certain age will experience the menopause. It is a very natural process for your body to go through, and one that cannot be avoided.

Essentially, the menopause is when a woman stops having periods and is unable to naturally get pregnant again. This is a natural part of ageing and tends to happen between the ages of 45 and 55 years of age, as this is when a woman’s oestrogen levels tend to naturally decline.

Whilst the average age for a woman in the United Kingdom to begin the menopause is 51, approximately 1 in every 100 women will experience the menopause before they are 40. This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency. Those who are experiencing the menopause regardless of how old they are will likely find that their periods will begin to be less frequent over a few months or even years before they stop altogether. It is possible for them to stop very suddenly; however, this is much rarer.

Symptoms of the menopause:

Like we have previously said, most women will at some point experience some symptoms around the menopause. Although these will vary from woman to woman, and the duration and severity will be different for everyone.

Most women will usually experience some symptoms a few months or even years before your period actually stops, and this is what is known as the perimenopause, which can last for some time afterwards. Unfortunately, these symptoms stick around for a while as well, and on average they will last for around four years from your last period. This is different though for approximately 1 in every 10 women, which actually experience their symptoms for up to twelve years.

There are some medical reasons that might mean your symptoms are worse than usual, although this is normally only if you experience the menopause suddenly as opposed to gradually, for example, as a result of cancer treatment.

Like we have said though, the first sign that you are entering the menopause is usually a change in the normal pattern of your periods. These may change to being particularly heavy or light, and the frequency in which you are having them might also be affected. Some women report have one every two or three weeks, and others report not having one for months at a time. Over time though, these will eventually reduce more and more until you stop having periods altogether.

Although your periods are normally the first symptoms, it is by no means the only one that women going through the menopause will feel. It has been estimated that approximately eight in every ten women will also have additional symptoms for some time before and after their periods stop. Some of these can actually have a tough impact on daily life; particularly if they experience a number of the different symptoms. These include; hot flushes – this is one of the most commonly reported symptoms and is described as a short, sudden feeling of heat, which usually start in the face, neck and chest. These can often make your skin red, blotchy and sweaty; night sweats; difficulty sleeping, which can make you feel very tired and irritable during the day; a reduced sex drive; problems with your memory and concentration; vaginal dryness, which can include pain, itching or discomfort during sex; headaches; mood changes – many people report feeling low in themselves or even anxious; heart palpitations, described as heartbeats that suddenly become much more noticeable; stiffness on your joints, or joints that ache or are painful; reduced muscle mass; or recurrent urinary tract infections, including cystitis.

If you are experiencing a number of these symptoms, it is really important that you go and visit your GP to discuss what your options are.

Treatment for the menopause:

For those women whose symptoms are particularly troubling, they may opt to choose hormone replacement therapy; which is more commonly known as HRT.

This treatment involves taking oestrogen to replace the decline in your body’s own levels, which in turn will then help to relieve some of the symptoms that are associated with the menopause. Unfortunately though, this is not always an option for some women, as it has faced an awful lot of controversy, as it was linked to breast cancer; however the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent has since issued guidelines that discuss the risks and benefits, and it states that it should be offered to those women with menopausal symptoms.

There are two main types of hormone replacement therapy. The combined HRT, which is both oestrogen and progestogen. This is offered to women who are suffering from the symptoms, who still have their womb. This is because oestrogen on its own can increase your risk of womb cancer. Oestrogen-only HRT is only for women who have had a hysterectomy. Both are available as a tablet, a skin patch, a gel to rub into the skin, or as an implant.

Of course, as is the case with any medication, despite being incredibly effective at relieving symptoms, there are, of course, some side effects that are important to be aware of. These include breast tenderness, headaches and vaginal bleeding. It has also been linked to an increased risk of blood clots and breast cancer in some women. For this reason, it is not advisable for women who have had certain types of breast cancer, or for the ladies who are in a higher risk group for getting it.

Natural remedies to relieve symptoms

If hormone replacement therapy is not for you for one reason or another, you will be pleased to know that there are a number of different natural ways in which you can ease your symptoms.

EAT FOOD THAT IS RICH IN CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D:

Due to the hormone changes that you will experience during the menopause, it can cause your bones to weaken, which will then increase your risk of contracting osteoporosis. Make sure you are getting enough vitamin D and calcium in your diet to reduce these risks.

There are many foods rich in these nutrients that will help you to ensure you are eating enough, including; dairy products, including yoghurt, milk and cheese; and green leafy vegetables are an excellent source as well.

Although the sunlight is the main source of vitamin D, as you get older, your skin gets less efficient at making it, which sometimes means that you need an additional supplement. If you are not getting enough exposure to the sun, try taking a vitamin D supplement, or ensure that you are eating the right food to top up your intake.

LOSE WEIGHT:

Being overweight will not help your symptoms at all. In fact, it is likely that it will make you feel worse, so achieve and maintain a healthy weight during the menopause is really recommended.

It is very common for women to gain weight during the menopause, thanks to a combination of age, lifestyle, genetics and changing hormones; however, any excess weight that is gained will put you at greater risk of other health complaints, including heart disease and diabetes.

On top of this, a study found that women who lost 10 percent of their body weight over a year, during the menopause, were much more likely to eliminate hot flushes and night sweats, which are among some of the most common symptoms of the menopause.

LEARN YOUR TRIGGER FOODS:

Certain types of food are likely to make your symptoms much worse and can trigger hot flushes, night sweats and even mood swings.

Although it is different for each person, common triggers include caffeine, alcohol and foods that are overly sugary or spicy.

If you find that you feel worse after eating something, in particular, try making a food diary, along with the symptoms you have felt, which will help you to identify your triggers, which then mean that you can either reduce your consumption or even avoid them completely.

EXERCISE:

Despite a lack of evidence, it has been suggested that exercising regularly will help to reduce hot flushes and night sweats. Despite this though, there are so many more benefits that you can get from exercising regularly including; more energy, increased metabolism, healthier joints and bones, decreased the feeling of stress, and a better quality of sleep.

A study that was carried out discovered that exercising for just three hours every week for a year improved both physical and mental health as well as an overall quality of life in one group of menopausal women.

Regular exercise can also help to reduce your risk of developing other health complaints as well, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE DRINKING ENOUGH WATER:

Because your oestrogen levels decrease during the menopause, women often experience dryness. So, to ensure that you are drinking enough water to help relieve these symptoms. You should be aiming to drink between eight and twelve glasses of water every day. It can also help to relieve symptoms of bloating, which are often associated with hormonal changes.

Drinking enough water will also make you feel more full, preventing unnecessary weight gain, as well as boosting your metabolism slightly. Drinking a glass of water before each meal could mean that you consume 13 percent fewer calories during the meal.

AVOID PROCESSED FOOD AND REFINED SUGAR:

Eating too many refined carbs and sugar will cause sharp rises and dips in your blood sugar levels, which can result in you feeling tired and irritable, and a study has suggested that it can actually increase the risk of depression in menopausal women.

A large, observational study discovered that among women who were aged between 50-59 years of age, diets that were high in processed and snack foods were associated with having poor bone quality.

DO NOT SKIP MEALS:

Ensure that you are eating regularly when you are going through the menopause. If you do not do this, it can make a number of symptoms worse, and will also make losing weight much harder than if you are eating regularly.

During one study, that examined weight loss in postmenopausal women found that those who skipped meals lost 4.3 percent less weight than those who were eating regularly.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN:

Protein is a vital ingredient if you want to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass. A study has suggested that consuming protein throughout the day, ensuring that you are eating it in some form with every meal could actually slow down muscle loss, which is associated with ageing and the menopause.

Protein can also help to aid weight loss as well, as it will leave you feeling fuller, and help to increase the number of calories that are burned.

Foods that are particularly rich in protein include meat, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and dairy products.