Menopause can affect women in many different ways, and dealing with the symptoms can be extremely frustrating and even debilitating for some. Even though World Menopause Awareness Month begins this week, this stage of life may come as a surprise to many women.
I started noticing signs of perimenopause about 6 months ago, right after my 45th birthday. However, the symptoms are widespread and not always obvious, making it difficult to know exactly when it started. Common signs include hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, bloating, weight gain, mood swings, but also headaches, itchy skin, memory loss, muscle pain, stiff joints, depression, and decreased sex drive. There are also some lesser-known symptoms, such as:
I was suffering from a mixture of both well-known symptoms. In addition to hot flashes, depression, bloating, and weight gain, other symptoms associated with menopause include itchy scalp and skin, breast sensitivity, hip and knee pain, fatigue, skin spots, and gum pain. and other symptoms I didn’t notice right away, and brain fog. It took me a while to realize that I was perimenopausal, and I thought I would have to live with the symptoms for several months. Symptoms are primarily caused by fluctuations in the sex hormone estrogen during perimenopause. Significant decrease in estrogen after menopause.
But after a few weeks, I felt like a completely different person than the normally motivated, healthy, and focused person I was, so I decided to try working on some of my symptoms. As a personal trainer and certified nutritional coach, I have a good understanding of how the female body functions, so I decided to do some research and talk to an expert. As a result, I made some simple lifestyle changes. After three months, these tweaks have reduced some of my symptoms, and in some cases, completely alleviated them. These changes worked for me, but women’s bodies are so unique that they may not work for everyone. This is what I did…
Add probiotics and increase prebiotic foods
A recent study from scientific nutrition company Zoe adds to a growing body of research linking gut health and menopausal symptoms. After analyzing more than 70,000 perimenopausal women, the study found that a healthy diet and good gut health are associated with a lower chance of experiencing menopausal symptoms.
This is primarily due to the changes that occur in the gut during menopause and the gut’s role in estrogen regulation. “The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms called microbes, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which play a role in estrogen metabolism and circulating levels,” says Gut expert and author of Microbeads. Managing Director Katie Ward explains: Soil-based women’s probiotics are designed with hormonal changes in mind. “Conversely, the amount of estrogen produced in the ovaries can influence the composition of the gut microbiome, and the gut microbiome is also connected to the brain, so a healthy microbiome can help reduce bloating and It may help reduce all kinds of menopause symptoms, including gas, from constipation to fatigue, hot flashes, weight gain, low sex drive, and mood swings. ”
