Posts Tagged ‘Menopause’

2
Dec

Weight Loss During Menopause – Do Your Hormones Need A Diet?

   Posted by: Fernanda    in Menopause

During the menopause transition you may find that maintaining your weight has become very difficult.  Weight loss during menopause seems impossible. The methods of weight management that have worked for you for many years are suddenly ineffective. Not only are you gaining weight but your overall body shape is changing while you are gaining inches around the abdomen.

Your body’s hormones have a direct impact on your appetite, metabolism and fat storage.  Estrogen is stored in fat and during menopause, when estrogen levels are low, your body responds by holding onto the fat cells in an effort to boost the estrogen levels. Not only do we retain more fat, we also use up less energy, lose protein mass and our levels of insulin remain higher. This is why weight loss during menopause is so difficult.

If a menopausal woman doesn’t take measures to control her weight then she will put herself at risk for other diseases. Obesity leads to increased rates of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.  All of these have consequences in the form of hormone-dependent cancer, gallstones and osteoarthritis. Weight loss during menopause can reverse many of these complications resulting in a reduction of the number and dosages of medications that a woman may later use with the end result being improved longevity. 

In the 1980’s and the 1990’s we believed that the best way to keep weight off was to consume a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with lots of processed foods such as breads and pastas.  Maintaining these eating habits at this stage encourages “insulin resistance” making women’s bodies store the fat, rather than burn the calories.

Crash diets are counter-productive in achieving weight loss during menopause. When we crash diet we produce more stress hormones, such as cortisol, which block weight loss. The body interprets this crash diet as famine and goes into a hoarding mode. Once you stop dieting, even if you eat small amounts, your body will turn every calorie into fat.

Don’t despair.  It is possible to lose weight during menopause with some lifestyle changes.  Some are easy to follow while others may be very difficult.  The end result will be worth it as you will look and feel better while your health and well-being will improve substantially.

Exercise:

Exercise is vital for weight loss during menopause. Exercise increases our metabolism and helps burn off stored fat. Also, it increases the proportion of muscle to fat in our bodies which is good because during menopause inactive women will lose more muscle than fat. It is of great concern that, during and after menopause, women lose substantial amounts of bone mass which eventually leads to osteoporosis.

All forms of exercise are beneficial, however, resistance training is the best form of exercise to build bone mass. Resistance training stimulates the minerals in your body that help promote strong bones. Weight bearing exercises help build muscle while flexibility training helps keep your muscles and joints limber which in turn helps prevent injury as you age. Aerobic exercises help relieve stress and anxiety while boosting cardiovascular strength as well as helping you to maintain a healthy weight.

You should try to work out every day and rotate your workouts. If you find it difficult to stay motivated have a friend join you and motivate each other.

 A Healthy Diet :

There are some supplements that every menopausal woman should take.  For more information visit Health Topics to read my article titled Vitamins For Menopause.

First of all cut down on heavy fat food like red meat, white flour, chocolate, sweets and junk food. Also, avoid alcohol, hot and spicy food and caffeine as these can cause hot flashes.

Eat a healthy diet that includes unprocessed, unrefined foods like lean meats, soy products, beans and legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy fats.

In order to keep yourself satisfied eat three meals a day with some nutritious snacks in between. Don’t become obsessed with calories.  Focus on portion sizes.

Don’t try to change your eating habits overnight since this can lead to frustration and failure. Go slow, replace one item at a time, by integrating healthier choices into your diet slowly you are much more likely to succeed.

Incorporate soy foods into your diet:  Soy contains isoflavones (plant hormones) that act like a weak estrogen in the body. Two servings daily may help with menopause symptoms

Beans and Legumes:  These contain fiber, protein, calcium, folic acid, and phytoestrogens. They can help with blood sugar control.

Zinc:  Zinc is a precursor for progesterone which is a hormone that is involved in controlling estrogen. Zinc is also needed to boost the immune system. Good sources of zinc include lean meats, seafood, eggs, brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds.

Boron: This helps the body hold onto estrogen. Most important it keeps the bones strong by decreasing the excretion of calcium and magnesium from the urine. Boron is found in fruits and vegetables.

Fruit and vegetables: Contain antioxidants and beneficial plant estrogens that decrease the symptoms of menopause. For weight loss during menopause eat seven to nine servings daily.

Flax:  Offers a high amount of essential fatty acids and lignin, which is a natural antioxidant, and phytoestrogen. Add 1-2 tablespoons of ground flax to your daily diet.

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30
Mar

First Symptoms of Menopause

   Posted by: author1    in Health and Fitness

What to Expect Symptom-Wise

Perhaps one of the most significant first symptoms of menopause is the hot flashes which can cause you to sweat at night or even during the day when everyone else is comfortable or even cold. These hot flashes may or may not be accompanied by red blotchy skin, flushed skin or even a prickly kind of heat. 

If you normally experience pre-menstrual symptoms like cramps and mood swings, chances are that these symptoms will worsen as time gets closer to menopause. Other early signs of menopause include irregular periods, tenderness of the breasts, sleeping problems and fatigue. In terms of sex, your libido may decrease and there may be some pain during sex due to vaginal dryness.      

Urinary problems may also be early signs of menopause but should always be checked out by a doctor to re-affirm the cause. Frequent need to urinate, development of a urinary tract infection and even leakage of urine when sneezing, coughing or exercising can also be attributed to perimenopause.

Hot Flashes and Weight Gain

I then began to experience another one of the first signs of menopause, hot flashes.  These are called, in clinical terms, vasomotor symptoms.  These happen mostly at night.  They would occasionally surprise me during the day.  Being a fair skinned blond, I blush easily.  I would be sitting in a business meeting and suddenly begin feeling very warm and flush.  This would be quite apparent to others in the room.  During the night I would wake during one of these hot flashes, my clothes damp and sweaty. The ten pounds I gained during the next few months is another one of the first symptoms of menopause. 

Exercise Prescription

Hot flashes, gaining weight, and lack of sleep can result in moodiness and depression.  There are a few things you can do to prepare for this time of life or relieve some of these first symptoms of menopause if you are already experiencing them.  I started an exercise program.  Exercise can help reduce these symptoms and decrease the possibility of heart disease, osteoporosis, and obesity.  I joined a local gym and sought the advice of a female personal trainer.  She helped develop an individualized exercise routine according to my medical and exercise history.

The actual event itself will likely come with little fanfare as you have been experiencing the early signs of menopause for years. You are in true menopause when you have not had a period for at least one year. Of course, those symptoms will likely continue for a while longer past the perimenopausal stage. The real kick in the pants comes with the fact that you can still get pregnant while still exhibiting the early signs of menopause. As long as you are still having periods, that means you are still ovulating and thereby there is always a small chance of pregnancy.

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17
Mar

Menopause Relief – Could It Really Be About Stress Relief?

   Posted by: Dr. Tonia Mitchell ND    in AA - Dr. Tonia Mitchell's thoughts, Back Pain, General, Hormone, Hormone Supplements, Hormone Therapy, Menopause, Naturopathic, Relief, Symptoms, Women's Interest, Women's Issues

We’ve all heard about menopause.  We’ve all heard about the symptoms that some women experience: hot flashes, dry mucous membranes, insomnia, anxiety, depression, decreased libido.  We typically associate these symptoms with decreasing levels of hormones: mainly estrogen and progesterone.  While this is true, it is not the whole story.  Our hormonal system is complex, and while we usually think of “hormones” as our reproductive hormones there are several others, all of which have important functions in the body.  When we are thinking of menopause relief we have to look at hormones beyond those of the reproductive system.

The main hormonal system I want to bring to your attention is that of the adrenal glands.  These small glands sit above our kidneys and are comprised of two main sections.  The outer section produces two main hormones important to this discussion: cortisol (2, in figure) and DHEA (3), both are derived from cholesterol (1).  In general, cortisol is active during stress and DHEA is active during relaxation.  More specifically cortisol increases our blood sugar, stores fat around the belly, suppresses the immune system, decreases inflammation and inhibits proper thyroid function.  DHEA, on the other hand, regenerates tissue, restores our energy, improves our mood, increases immune function and builds bone and muscle.

As you can see in the figure, DHEA leads to the production of sex hormones (4).  During and after menopause (5), when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, the adrenal glands step up to take on this job.  BUT, when we are chronically stressed (which is common in our fast-paced, North American society), our adrenal glands are too busy producing cortisol. In fact, your body will choose to produce cortisol over DHEA in the face of chronic stress! This is compounded by a natural decrease in DHEA with age.  Don’t get me wrong, cortisol is an important hormone.  However, when it is chronically elevated at the expense of DHEA then it becomes a problem.  Without DHEA, we cannot produce our reproductive hormones after menopause.  Our menopausal-induced reproductive hormone deficiency is made even worse by our chronic stress!

What does all this jargon mean for your menopausal symptoms? I hope I have made it clear that stress relief is an important part of menopause relief.  Give your adrenal glands a chance to support the normal hormonal pathways. The adrenal glands LOVE routine and the best ways to support them include:

  • maintain steady blood sugar levels.  Eat a small meal containing fiber and protein every 2-3 hours.
  • get adequate sleep at the right time – go to bed at 10 pm in a completely dark room.
  • exercise regularly.
  • avoid stimulants, including sugar and coffee.
  • practice deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
  • consume adequate essential fatty acids, minerals and protein.
  • see your local Naturopathic Doctor for the perfect treatment plan to suit your menopause relief needs.

It is important to support our adrenal glands all the time as they have a big job to perform.  However, it is especially important to support them as we age because their job gets even bigger!

Naturopathic medicine is a safe, effective and natural approach to you and your family’s health.  Naturopathic doctors can and will empower you to live a healthy lifestyle while treating and preventing disease.  Find more information on the services I offer at Arbour Wellness Centre at Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor.

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