6 Key points to help the effects of the menopause and to live your best life
Maintain your weight Do what you can to maintain a healthy weight. During the menopause you start to reduce lean muscle mass which in turn slows down your metabolic rate meaning that it takes longer for your body to process the food you consume therefore a reduction of calories between 50-300 depending a number factors might be beneficial . Exercise is also a great way to help maintain a healthy weight and has other additional benefits in relation to menopause. Get your sleep Regular sleep routines will do amazing things for your mental and physical health. A lack of sleep can have a massive effect on how you feel and your emotional health. Ensure that your bedroom is not too hot. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. Avoid stimulants like coffee, chocolate, and nicotine before going to sleep, and never watch TV, use the computer, or pay bills before going to bed. Read a book, listen to soft music, or meditate instead. Reduce Stress Stress often prompts people to eat poorly, have an unhealthy lifestyle, smoke, and drink to excess. This unhealthy diet of high sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol can put additional stress on your body and this, in turn, causes cortisol release, resulting in weight around your middle, mood swings, brain fog, and energy crashes. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Getting your blood pumping, raising your heart rate, movement releases endorphins, improves mood and outlook, and makes you feel stronger Reduce Stimulant's Reduce both caffeine and alcohol. Both can be a gut irritant and contributes to a poor night’s sleep. Caffeine and alcohol also interfere with our capacity to regulate temperature. It acts as a stimulant by exerting an effect on the central nervous system. Caffeinated drinks and foods may increase heart rate, body temperature, blood flow to the skin & extremities, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, stomach acid secretion, and production of urine (diuretic). Nourishment Don’t be tempted by Fad diets. You need to eat food that has a good nutritional value. Try to reduce the amount of processed food, high carb and sugary food due to hormonal changes in your body and the ways it reacts to them, When we eat too many processed, sugary and refined carb foods, there is usually an excess of glucose which our cells cannot use right away. Insulin is secreted and carries the excess glucose to the liver and muscles where it's stored in the form of glycogen. If you regularly overeat sugar and highly processed refined foods, then these storage areas become full and the excess glucose is converted into fat. This fat is stored in adipose tissue or fat cells and is mainly deposited around the waist. Eat plenty of vegetables and proteins to ensure you give your body the best chance of performing optimally Get Support Don’t struggle along, find someone to support you in making the best choices.
A good way to see the results of these simple changes is to do a food/mood/stress and sleep diary by doing this you should be able to see how you cope with the different scenarios
