PERIMENOPAUSE & Beyond
The natural stages of our life
The very thought of peri menopause can be daunting and overwhelming for some women, especially those experiencing all of the crazy ups and downs that happen with our hormones (I know it came fast and furious for me). In this page I will touch upon some of the remarkable changes that happen to our body from peri menopause to beyond, so that you can understand a bit of what is going on.
Did you know that perimenopause can take up to 10 years for some women?
Perimenopause is natural and symptoms that come along with it are normal, but these symptoms shouldn’t be so uncomfortable and overwhelming that it prevents you from sleeping, keeping active, and feeling your best. There is no quick answer or an easy way to get rid of your symptoms, as everyone is different, but if you look at yourself from a whole body perspective and do a little bit of work you can help support your body and bring it back to balance! Each woman’s body and its journey is unique, so if you need personalized guidance let’s talk about how I can help!
If you need more help and want to get access to more in-depth information, recipes, Pilates classes and more we’d love you to join our growing community! Within your My Fit Over 50 platform we will explore important categories of health associated with perimenopause: physiological, nutrition, bone health, digestion, energy, body changes and more. Join in and be supported by a community of women through guest speaker events, a community platform on Facebook and Slack, and more.
Defining the Moments as we age
Peri-menopause - what is going on with my body?
This is the beginning of the natural process of change, heading out of our reproductive age anytime between our mid 30’s into our 40’s. This stage can take up to 10 years for some women! It’s a busy time of life between raising kids, working/building our career and/or taking care of our aging parents , but now is the time to start thinking about how to support your body’s needs. How do you know if you are perimenopausal?
Some typical symptoms include:
Sometimes your period is light and sometimes it’s heavy…sometimes you miss it all together. Note: if you haven’t had a period for a couple of months and are sexually active please take a pregnancy test to ensure there isn’t another reason for that skipped period.
You may notice times when you need to strip off that sweater to cool down or you wake with some sweating at night.
You may not be able to sleep well because you’re feeling hot, sometimes you just can’t turn your mind off.
I have heard from many women who’ve felt very emotional during this stage of life – and that’s ok, but anxiety and depression may require some help from a practitioner.
Yup it is a thing – as our estrogen starts to wane we can start to feel uncomfortable during intercourse and this subject we will tackle for sure.
This can be a direct reflection of an increase in coritisol production – which often happens with too much stress and not enough rest.
Get a bone density scan during this phase of your age to get a baseline reading of their density and health, especially if you have a family history of osteoporosis or have had to undergo cancer treatment.
Menopause - it's here!
You have reached menopause when you haven’t had your period for at least 12 months consecutively. The average age of women transitioning into this is mid 40’s to mid 50’s. Exercise, nutrition and self care is definitely a priority now to reduce any of those lingering symptoms typical with this time and to set your body up for a better outcome as we age – seek some help with a professional if needed.
Some typical symptoms include:
Now that your period has stopped flowing for 12 months it is important to focus on your bones, brain and heart as the drop in estrogen affects these greatly!
When our estrogen and progesterone hormones are balanced, usually these symptoms goes away, however I have worked with many women who still struggle with this for years later
Some women find it hard to stay asleep years after menopause, waking early in the morning, but there is help which may need to come from a practitioner.
The reduction of hormones, having multiple babies and a weak pelvic floor can make it hard to hold your urine.
Yes more dry stuff – we can blame this on our estrogen loss… look for a natural vaginal lubricant if sexual activity becomes painful or uncomfortable.
Our hormones once again can be blamed, however you may need to check your thyroid function, as that too can be affected in menopause.
As our hormones try to balance out, we have to be aware of what we are feeding our body as well as what are daily hydration is like.
Beyond Menopause - So what now?
So technically you are considered post menopausal when you have not had your period for 12 months. If you haven’t already, now is the time to really check in with your health practitioner or doctor.
Be proactive now so that you don’t have to be reactive later:
- check in with your doctor or health practitioner for prevention screening
- focus on foods that help to support your whole body - mind, bones, digestion and weight
- exercise regularly for your bones and cardiovascular health
- improve sleep habits if insomnia is still an issue - check to see if you have apnea
- explore your creativity, connect and share with others
It’s never too late to think about ways to support your body, mind and spirit’s health, living a great quality of life and continuing to learn and grow as a valuable person within your family and society. Age is a number but it shouldn’t define what you can and can’t do. Yes, making choices to do an activity that may not be the best for your body’s current physical ability is very important because recovering from injury as we get older may not be as easy and if you have osteoporosis you may be more at risk for fractures. The other challenge many of us may face as we age is the greater chance of developing an illness or disease, so spending the time to take care of ourselves now is super important, and if we do come face to face with a serious illness we may have a chance at a better outcome and overall recovery.
Perimenopause symptoms happen, but how can I reduce them?
Remember that perimenopause is natural and symptoms that come along with it are normal, but these symptoms shouldn’t be so uncomfortable and overwhelming that it prevents you from sleeping and feeling your best. There is no quick answer or an easy way to get rid of your symptoms, as everyone is different, but if you look at yourself from a whole body perspective and do a little bit of many positive things you can help support your body to bring it back to balance!
Here are 3 quick Band Exercises to support your body and bones!
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