The Second Spring- Navigating the Symptoms of the Menopause

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The Menopause is a key time in a woman’s life where support, information and help in navigating the waves of change and managing the symptoms is crucial. Unfortunately, like so many other areas of women’s health the conversation has been neglected and there is huge misunderstanding of the menopause.

The menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual periods. And is a transition into a new phase of life. We have officially gone through menopause then it has been one year since our last period.

In the months and years before menopause our bodies are in a time called perimenopause, this is where the production of hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle change. The average age of the menopause is 51 but it can range greatly some women have their last period in their 40s, others in their late 50s.

It is also worth noting that some women experience menopause earlier for a number of reasons, every woman is different and every journey is different. Generally anything that damages the ovaries or stops estrogen production can cause menopause to occur earlier. A few of these factors could be:

• smoking
• chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• surgery to remove the ovaries

The Chinese refer to the menopause as ‘The Second Spring’ I love this term as it is a celebratory name for a time in our lives that every woman will go through. And like so many other female health topics is often not widely discussed and spoken about, in fact many women experience symptoms of the menopause and are not aware of what is happening to their bodies. Here in Meaghers we want to take the mystery out of the subject and offer support and solutions to some of the issues you may experience.

Some women see menopause as a time of liberation and rightly so, however for some, a lack of information, upsetting symptoms and embarrassment can make the menopause a difficult experience. I have put together a list of my favourite recommendations to tackle some of the symptoms of the menopause, and always remember, you are never alone, seek advice, reach out to us here in Meaghers and let’s get talking menopause.

Minimising stress, eating well, exercising and getting enough rest and sleep are especially important during this life stage. However, there are a number of supplements that may make your journey through the stages of menopause a little easier.

As An all-round Multivitamin for energy and wellbeing

Cleanmarine Menomin

Cleanmarine MenoMin is without question my top recommended supplement at this time. It’s a
unique all-in-one Omega 3, Phytonutrient and Vitamin blend, formulated specifically to give extra nutritional support for peri-menopausal and menopausal women.
It is a beautiful blend of omega oils, Vitamin B’s, Soy Isoflavones, Folate and biotin. This blend helps with energy, regulating the hormonal activity, maintain healthy bones and maintain the mucous membranes.
This synergistic formulation is ideal for women approaching the menopause who want to feel good every day.

Solgar Cran Flora Cranberry

As estrogen production falls in menopausal women, UTIs can occur more frequently. There are several reasons for this. As you age, your vaginal tissue thins, making it more prone to infection. You may also have trouble fully emptying your bladder, which can increase the chance of an infection in your bladder. And with less estrogen in your body, bacterial levels can change, allowing infection to set in. Some menopausal women have occasional UTIs, but others experience chronic, frustrating UTIs that occur month after month after month and interfere with quality of life and sexual enjoyment. Cran Flora is specially formulated to offer a comprehensive blend of highly concentrated Cranberry Powder, L. Acidophilus, and Ester-C. This unique combination promotes the health of the urinary tract and the intestines, while also supporting a healthy immune system.

Multi-Gyn Liquigel 30ml

Vaginal dryness is a common problem faced by women during and after menopause. As levels of hormones such as estrogen fall, the tissue in your vagina may become dryer, thinner, and less flexible. As well as increased discomfort, vaginal dryness can make sex less pleasurable or even painful. Not surprisingly, it can be much harder for you to reach orgasm if intercourse causes discomfort or pain. Multi-Gyn LiquiGel optimises the condition of the vaginal tissue, reduces swelling and helps to prevent irritation. The formulation is natural, safe and gentle. It can be applied as needed throughout the day.

A. Vogel Menosan® – Sage oral drops

Hot Flushes and night sweats are a real challenge for some women, A hot flush is a sudden feeling of heat in your upper body which can spread. It can cause skin to turn red and patchy and may cause excessive sweating. If a hot flush occurs at night, it is called a night sweat. Hot flushes/night sweats can also cause changes in heart rate; it can be irregular or stronger than usual. Many women find Sage helps with these symptoms, sage is available in a tablet or a tincture version, I find the tincture drops to work faster.

Night sweats can really disturb our sleep so here are a number of my favourite Sleep hygiene tips that help achieve an excellent night’s sleep.

At night time wear light clothes to help keep you cool and make sure to keep your bedroom cool at night.

Try to avoid triggers in your diet and daily routine such as spicy foods, caffeine, smoking and alcohol.

If you have been struggling to sleep this can lead to problems with your short-term memory and ability to concentrate due to the lack of sleep.

• Avoid exercise late in the evening.
• Establishing a regular routine of going to bed at the same time.
• Avoid caffeine late at night.
• Reduce screen time on phones, iPads and laptops.
• Use a sleep spray or mask to help you fall asleep

Spacemasks

A great solution to enable you to fall asleep more quickly or to have a more restful sleep are Spacemasks, self-heating eye masks. They smell of Jasmine and heat up to release any tension in the muscles around your eyes and are fantastic to not only drift off to sleep but also for the relief of migraine headaches too.

Mag365 Magnesium Supplement Un-flavoured

Magnesium is an excellent supplement to try if you find it difficult to get to sleep or to stay asleep all night. On a chemical level, magnesium aids the sleep process by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for getting you calm and relaxed, it regulates the hormone melatonin which guides the sleep-wake cycles in the body and regulates neurotransmitters that send signals throughout the nervous system and brain. I love the Mag 365 powder as a source of magnesium. Dissolve a tea spoon of the powder 15 mins before bed for results.

Eskimo Brain 3.6.9 Omega Fish Oils 120s & Revive Active Mastermind 

Brain fog can be another significant problem during menopause. If you’re suffering from brain fog, or problems with concentrating or remembering things, A good quality fish oil supplement, rich in EPA and DHA Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which can help to maintain the healthy function of the brain and eyes.

As well as supporting cognitive function and maintaining healthy vision, EPA and DHA are also important in helping to support the heart and blood vessels (the cardiovascular system). In addition, EPA and DHA can also help to combat problems with dry and flaky skin.

SYMPROVE 8 WEEKS OF 12 WEEK PROGRAMME

We may experience changes to our body shape…..

Many women report changes to their shape throughout these changing years with more weight appearing on their tummy, hips and upper arms. Oestrogen and progesterone help to keep the “storage” hormones such as cortisol and insulin in check. As you go through the change though these hormones start to dip, giving these hormones a free pass to start storing weight around your belly and hips. Your metabolism may start to slow down too meaning you may have to eat less and exercise more to maintain your normal shape.

There is no quick fix to these changes unfortunately other than controlling your portion sizes, exercising more and eating as well as you can. Your body will have a slower metabolism so be sure to give it the best chance of breaking down complex carbohydrates from your diet and extracting all the vitamins and minerals from your food. No matter how good your diet is, if you do not have a healthy microbiome in your gut this can be a real challenge for your body.

 My top tip is to ensure your gut is as healthy as it can be and to rebalance and reset it with a high quality probiotic such as Symprove. This is my favourite probiotic because the bacteria are live and active. They do not trigger digestion and so colonise the gut immediately and get to work, breaking down complex carbohydrates, producing short chain fatty acids and releasing all the great vitamins and minerals from your diet. This all leads to a reduction in any bloat you are feeling , improved bowel motions and reduction in any cramps and pains you might feel in your gut together with improved energy and a release of Serotonin , the happy hormone… what’s not to love!!

All the clinical evidence shows that it takes 12 weeks to rebalance and reset your gut microbiome but when you purchase 8 weeks of Symprove you get the last 4 weeks for FREE on the 12 week program.

We are here to help!

No matter what stage of the menopause you are at or what symptoms you are experiencing we are here to support you. Contact one of our team via social media, our Meaghers helpline on 01 4853098 or organise an online consultation with our video pharmacist.

Oonagh O’Hagan

Meaghers Pharmacy

Paid Partnership with Meaghers.