Menopause is one of those experiences that can feel isolating for some women, but the truth is that it’s quite universal. Just like every single woman on the planet menstruates, so, too, does every woman go through menopause. With a transition that can last up to 14 years, it’s important to understand how to navigate it as your body changes. With a few lifestyle changes, you can minimize your discomfort and even come out feeling stronger, happier, and healthier.
1. Treat the Immediate Concerns
If you’re already going through menopause and struggling with some of the more intense symptoms, get help now. Many women in perimenopause and menopause start to experience serious pain and discomfort in the vaginal area due to dryness. You also may be dealing with trouble sleeping, heart palpitations, moodiness, joint pain, skin changes, and more. While there are many long-term solutions you can take, it’s also important to feel better now.
There are many immediate remedies you can take to alleviate some of the worst symptoms. Low estrogen can lead to repeated urinary tract infections, so you can take a UTI supplement to head off that problem. You can apply a topical estrogen cream to help with vaginal dryness that leads to painful sex. For other immediate concerns, limit processed food and alcohol and quit smoking. These can contribute to menopause symptoms.
2. Adopt a Menopause Diet
Once you cut back on the behaviors that are making matters worse, start thinking about how to introduce items that can make the situation better. The standard American diet, or SAD, is quite sad, and it can lead to all kinds of health issues. Aside from being heavily reliant on packaged foods filled with additives, sugar, and sodium, it also has few of the nutrients humans need to thrive.
The good news is you can turn that around rather quickly. Replace the junk food you cut out with whole foods like fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, grains, and, perhaps most importantly, protein. Where menopause makes you feel tired, achy, and generally unwell, a healthy diet energizes you, clears up brain fog, and even boosts your immune system. You may start feeling better in a matter of days with the right foods in your body.
3. Take Up Running
Okay, it doesn’t have to be running, but menopausal women should definitely engage in some form of active cardiovascular and aerobic activity like running. It could be swimming laps, riding a bike, or even hiking. Anything that gets your heart pumping and the air rushing in and out of your lungs. Without these activities, women start to feel their age more rapidly than ever by the time they’re in their fifties. And menopause only compounds the issue.
Menopausal women who engage in daily cardio and aerobic exercises feel healthier, stronger, and happier. As menopause tends to lead to wonky moods, fatigue, and lethargy, daily exercise can make a huge impact. In many cases, all you need is a great pair of shoes and weather-appropriate clothes. And you don’t have to start running out the door right now. Begin with a walk after each meal, and build up from there. Before you know it, your symptoms will begin to dissipate.
4. Build Strength and Balance During Menopause
In addition to cardio activity or just generally moving your body more, you’ll also want to start lifting heavy things. Far too many women today still worry about becoming bulky or too muscular, so they avoid lifting weights. The reality is far from the perception, however, and women entering menopause must pay attention to that reality perhaps more than anyone. As women age, they lose muscle mass and bone density.
One of the only avenues to stop those losses is through weightlifting. As women enter perimenopause and menopause, they need to be putting stress on their bones and muscles through impact exercises. These exercises will help restore muscle mass and bone density and make you feel stronger. They can also help you maintain your balance as you age, which will help prevent falls. Aim for three weightlifting sessions per week for optimal health.
5. Engage in Self Care
Finally, this time of life for women is often one of the most stressful. Many women in their late 40s and 50s today have children to raise, careers to tend to, and aging parents to care for. With so much going on, it’s easy to forget about yourself. So, you cut back on your sleep, you take care of everyone else, and the chronic stress shows up in aches, pains, fatigue, brain fog, and other menopausal symptoms.
It may sound impossible, but women, especially at this age, must take care of themselves, too. Start with getting at least eight hours of sleep each night. Fortunately, the extra exercise and weightlifting can help you sleep better. Also, consider taking a yoga class, sitting in the sauna at the gym, and/or meditating regularly to help your nervous system calm down. With all the multitasking women in this stage of life do, finding ways to relax is a wonderful way to treat your changing body.
In the end, while menopause is “normal,” knowing that doesn’t make it easy or less scary. While every woman goes through it, that doesn’t make it less isolating. Your body is changing, and it can be a jarring change at first. Take the time to make the necessary lifestyle changes you’ve probably been meaning to get to anyway. When you do, you’ll likely find yourself moving through menopause with more agility and grace, loving your body along the way.