Menopause and Metabolism

Menopause is when your period ceases for a year - this is caused by a drop in estrogen, the drop in estrogen also slows down metabolism. Your skin ages faster, and makes you susceptible to health conditions that haven't worried you before.

The average age for natural menopause is around 50. However, sometimes it comes earlier in your 40s. Some women spot symptoms as early as 36. Premature menopause can happen because of certain infections, cancer treatments, or surgically removed ovaries. 

Should You Dread Menopause?

Every woman experiences the natural phenomenon that is menopause. Treat it as your next stage of life, which is not all that bad. Remember to calmly face the fact that menopause is a biological process when your ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone. Your ovaries stop releasing eggs, and, as a result, you cannot get pregnant naturally.

But, wait, it isn't the end of your life! You can still be active physically and sexually; menopause doesn't slow your creativity, nor does it greatly deteriorate your health.

What To Expect During Menopause?

Menopause doesn't come all at once. It is a process which symptoms you experience years in advance. You might even not feel some of them. However, menopause usually causes physical and psychological discomforts. Let us show you what you can expect before and during menopause.

Hormonal Change

Hormonal changes occur when your ovaries gradually stop producing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Estrogen and progesterone are responsible for the monthly period, and estrogen also controls calcium and cholesterol in the blood.

Did you know that estrogen plays a very significant role in women's bodies? It affects the metabolism of serotonin and has antidepressant effects. It keeps your body temperature low during the night. And it also controls food intake and body weight.

Menopausal Transition or Perimenopause

Menopausal transition or perimenopause precedes menopause and can last up to 10 years. It usually starts at the age of 40 but can happen earlier as well. Perimenopause is the time when your ovaries gradually produce fewer hormones. Since it is a transition, some women can have it for a few months while others for a few years. It is also advised that you keep using contraception because there is still a chance of getting pregnant.

Symptoms

For women in perimenopause, there are some symptoms that cause discomfort. They also mean that your body is transitioning and preparing to stop producing estrogen. Not every woman experiences all of the symptoms. However, if you do, then you should see your doctor in order to make sure those are not symptoms of an illness.

• Uncontrollable changes in body weight (easily increased body fat )
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Problems with sleeping
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Headaches
• Hair loss

If you are in the perimenopause stage, you can expect some of the menopausal health problems to intensify. And if your lifestyle is not healthy, this is the perfect time to make some changes —for example, nutritious eating and physical activity. Why? Because a healthy lifestyle reduces future risks of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. It can also make your menopause symptoms less intense. 

Menopause

Healthy women can be diagnosed with menopause without laboratory tests when they haven't had a period of 12 months. This means it is almost the end of your reproductive cycle when ovaries stop releasing eggs and producing most estrogen.

Symptoms

Menopausal women can experience the following health problems due to the low hormone level of estrogen:

• Hot and cold flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness (discomfort during sex)
• Bladder control problems
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Muscle pain
• Hair loss
• Brain fog (momentary memory loss)
• Weight gain (potential obesity)
• Increased facial hair growth

There are many unpleasant symptoms but, fortunately, they rarely happen all at once. The most common ones are hot flashes. They can be triggered by smoking, alcohol, stress, hot weather, or spicy food. So, better to avoid those.

Due to hormonal changes, menopausal women can notice increased facial hair growth too. Luckily, you can easily remove it with wax or other methods.

During menopause, some women can experience memory loss, or it can be hard to focus on one task. It happens rarely, and it is fixable too. You need to exercise your brain by doing mental activities. For example, you can learn a new skill or read a book. The worst thing you can do for your health and wellness is to become a couch potato.

Most of the symptoms can be eased if you take care of yourself. You may as well change your lifestyle and benefit from hormone therapy or diet supplements.

Menopause is not a disease but just a period of life. And women have to mindfully adjust to it.

How To Overcome Health Issues During Menopause?

Medication can help you with most menopause symptoms. Supplements, diet, and exercise can also help, especially with osteoporosis and keeping your weight down.  Medication or therapies must only be prescribed by your doctor, and you should make sure that any supplements you want to take don’t interact with any medication that you’re already taking. Here, you will learn about the most common health issues that come with age and what you can do to fix them or reduce the risk of getting them in the future.

Osteoporosis

The factors that badly influence osteoporosis are:

• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Smoking
• Poor muscle strength
• An overabundance of vitamin A
• Lack of calcium and vitamin D

Bones are living tissues that keep growing until the age of 30. During the menopausal transition, estrogen deficiency prevents bone formation, and there are chances for bones to fracture. That's why postmenopausal women have higher risks of osteoporosis.

Hormonal therapy, physical exercise, and supplements can reduce the risk of skeletal disease.

Sleeping 

During menopause, night sweats, insomnia, and disordered breathing can disturb your sleep. Night sweats happen suddenly because of high temperature and increased blood flow. Sweats can last from seconds to a couple of minutes. They first concentrate on the chest area and then spread to the rest of the body.

Insomnia is when you find it hard to fall asleep, it can also happen a couple of times a week. Insomnia consumes a lot of your energy since you stay up late or wake up early. Because of it, you feel exhausted and sleepy during the day. As a result, lack of sleep can make you feel more anxious and irritable, and you may have problems with memory and focus.

Disordered breathing during sleep can be snoring and apnea. Apnea is when you have short pauses in breathing and then make snoring or choking sounds. It is common for postmenopausal women.

There are numerous ways to improve your sleep. Buy a more comfortable mattress and pillow; you can even check out weighted blankets if you move around a lot at night. Before going to bed, open a window in your bedroom to cool down the room and get some fresh air. Pull the curtain so there will be no light disturbing your sleep. Do not use any gadgets 30 minutes before bedtime. And try to meditate or read instead of watching TV.

If you are still disturbed by hot flashes, wear loose pajamas and avoid triggers during the day.

Mood Swings

Some women feel low energy due to depression or anxiety. Coupled with sleep disorders, you might be completely exhausted during the day. There are other factors that can affect your mood changes, apart from menopause. And those are significant events in your life that are mainly related to your family. These might be your children mowing away or the loss of loved ones.

You may feel upset, and most of the time, it is natural. However, do not ignore long-term depression and anxiety. You can consult with your doctor to receive medication to help you—for example, antidepressants.

Medication is beneficial and effective during menopause but never forget about your mental state. If you are struggling with your emotions and feelings, consider getting cognitive-behavioral therapy. It has many benefits. It will help you fix insomnia, food habits, and most importantly, you will not be obsessed with getting old.

Keep in mind that therapies are not the best option for everyone—there plenty of alternatives. You can try natural methods. For example, include herbal remedies to your diet. Red clover helps women with hot flashes during menopause, and agnus castus improves sleep quality.

Many women during menopause become depressed due to their physiological changes. That's why don't be ashamed or afraid to ask for support from loved ones. Moreover, it is crucial to understand that menopause is not a disease but rather an opportunity to change for the better. Yes, it is challenging, but nothing is easy for women. Prioritize your health and comfort, and it is not selfish nor shameful.

It is also a great idea to connect with other women with similar issues to seek support and understanding. You can try to find communities in your city where many women share experiences and recommendations.

Alopecia and Skin Problems

Another unpleasant but preventive menopause symptom is alopecia, the loss of hair. A lack of estrogen and progesterone causes it. Hormonal therapy and minoxidil treatment are some of the ways to treat hair loss and thinning. Always remember to seek medical advice about which method suits you the best.

Your skin becomes drier and thinner. You might notice darker spots appearing all over your body. Sometimes it can be related to skin cancer, so it is best to do cancer screening as soon as possible and frequently. As you age, your chances of getting skin diseases are increased. To protect your skin, you should regularly use sunscreen.

Thinner skin bruises easier, too. Unfortunately, due to estrogen deficiency, you cannot prevent it. However, you should apply sunscreen to avoid further thinning.

For skin dryness, use masks or a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid or glycerin. During menopause, women's skin becomes saggy and wrinkled. To slow the process, you can use products with retinol to increase collagen.

Some women can develop acne and rashes. The best solution to those would be to cleanse and moisturize the face. And be careful with wounds on your skin because menopause slows the healing.

Weight Gain

There can be a number of reasons why you gain weight faster and why it feels impossible to lose belly fat. It can happen because your estrogens, which support your muscle mass, are low. That's why you have less energy and stamina to burn calories. You may notice that it is harder to run long distances or work out as efficiently as before. In return, having a sedentary lifestyle might lead to obesity and diabetes.

Stress is one of the top factors that influences your weight gain. Isn't it true that women always worry about children, careers, and million other things? You also feel irritable, and now you also have to count calories. The worst part is that you crave sweets because of sleeplessness, higher cortisol, and insulin. So, you are not in control of your body at all. 

To get rid of that annoying belly fat, you need to normalize and organize your eating habits.

Talk to your doctor about reducing body weight. You may receive some recommendations on how to deal with extra weight. Alternatively, you can try intermediate fasting. It is when you eat whatever you want but within a fixed timeframe. Sounds perfect, right? And with the right metabolic diet plan, you can improve your nutrition, fix your sleeping problem and work on reducing stress.

Obviously, it is never easy; however, when will you get a better chance to focus on yourself and not everyone around you?

Sex Life

Body fat, stress, depression can greatly decrease your confidence and libido.  Since you experience significant hormonal changes, your vagina loses its flexibility and becomes drier. That's why you feel pains during penetration. You may also have a health issue related to your bladder.

But all of the above shouldn't stop you from having sex. How? Use lubricant. Purchase kegel balls to strengthen vaginal and pelvic floor muscles. Use sex toys, talk to your partner, try role-playing. There are many ways to enjoy sex, and you just need to find your way.

Postmenopause

Postmenopause is after you haven't had a period for the entire year. Even then, postmenopausal women can experience symptoms as hot flashes or memory lapses. Women's breasts lose elasticity and firmness and might even change shape. So, you better opt for a better bra.

Though health problems do not cause that much discomfort as during menopause, since estrogen level is still low, postmenopausal women still are at a higher risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, or other health issues. Depending on women's health, postmenopause can last up to 10 or more years. At this stage, women's ability to get pregnant naturally disappears.

How to Speed up Your Metabolism?

Prioritize Your Health and Wellness to Improve Metabolism

To look and feel beautiful, you've got to find your comfort, take care of your health, and be happy with yourself.

Due to hormonal changes, metabolism slows down and burns fewer calories. Women's health becomes hard to maintain in good condition and even harder to recover from, things like the metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is when you have excessive abdominal fat. This syndrome is associated with high blood pressure and blood sugar. Excess body fat can cause heart and vessel diseases, type 2 diabetes, or stroke. Scary, isn't it? 

If you experience only one of these problems, you might not have metabolic syndrome; however, there can be a risk of serious disease.

Postmenopausal women must delay or prevent those health issues. It would be best if you dedicated yourself to a better lifestyle. I’d talk  It can sound surprising, but sport can contribute to your weight loss and boost your productivity. And you can achieve it by following these easy tips.

Physical Exercise

Menopausal weight gain can creep in slowly and take you by surprise. It’s best to develop those good habits as soon as you can, so you don’t have to play catch-up later. 

Always be on the move. Go jogging, running, swimming. Take your partner on a bicycle trip to the park or sign up to dancing courses. Exercise at least half an hour a day and a couple of times a week to keep fit. Any physical activity can help you lose weight, improve muscle mass, and reduce the risks of diabetes, dementia, and osteoporosis.

If you suffer hot and cold flashes after an intensive workout, substitute it with yoga, meditation, or similar calm exercises. Consider taking anti-inflammatory supplements.

Even if you feel comfortable with your weight, there are plenty of benefits of physical activity. Apart from reducing the risks of diseases and losing abdominal fat, you will sleep better, slow down the heart rate, and free yourself of stress and worry. And, of course, live longer. Physical activities like cleaning, gardening, or walking to your work also count.

Nutritious Diet

Healthy eating can reduce or maintain the weight around your waist, and it can prevent loss of muscle. Make sure to eat proteins, whole grains, chickpeas, and plenty of veggies and fruit. Try to reduce consumption of salt and saturated fat.

Replace fizzy drinks with water, it will not only reduce your daily calorie intake but also increase your resting metabolism. Drink water before eating because it will fill you up and you will eat less food.

Surprisingly, nutritious eating can reduce the effect of some symptoms. For example, to prevent hot flashes, remember to avoid spicy and acidic foods and caffeine.

Combined with physical activity, a healthy diet is so crucial for women during menopause.

How Can I Have an Active Lifestyle With Hot Flashes and Low Energy?

You are probably wondering how you can follow all of those fantastic tips when you suffer sweats or just are unable to pull yourself away from the couch? Well, there is actually one smart solution.

You can add supplements to your diet to help you regain the strength to do sport or just enjoy your day to the fullest. Menokit Bundle is a combination of three products that aim to fix the most common problems: weight gain, hot flashes, and lack of energy. Some of the other reasons you can benefit from the bundle are improved digestion and relieved menopausal symptoms.

• Provitalize - this supplement boost metabolism during physical exercises. And faster metabolism burns more calories to produce energy. Besides, its ingredient includes curcumin which may reduce hot flashes. Moreover, Provitize minimizes the intensity of your cravings. So, here is your perfect weight control dietary supplement.
• Previtalize - contains "super fibers" to multiply Provitalize probiotics in your gut for a more prolonged effect. This supplement strengthens and speeds up the weight loss process.
• inergyPlus - can improve concentration, clear thinking, and stamina. This supplement aims to generate energy for the entire day. And did you know that it has zero sugar, caffeine, and stimulant? 

Each of the supplements has 60 capsules which should be taken twice a day. It is suggested to take them in the morning before or after eating. The bundle should be kept in a cool place and inaccessible by children.

When you start using the Menokit Bundle, you will notice maximum results if you consistently follow the instructions for at least 60 days.

Wouldn't it be great to feel the power to function like a normal human being? Just imagine yourself waking up fresh and ready to face the day! When you are satisfied with yourself and your life, everyone in your family circle will notice the positive change. A good mood and self-confidence will improve your relationships and quality of life. So, what are you waiting for?

The Bottom Line

Menopause is a difficult journey with unexpected stops on the way. It is long and tiring. But after a while, you get used to it. Soon, you recognize it as an opportunity to turn your life around and commit yourself to something you have never expected before.

Obviously, you face complications in every stage of menopause, and you experience health issues long after you've reached your destination. Sometimes you need to seek support and love from friends and family, and sometimes you need them to just leave you alone.

Yes, it is a roller coaster filled with anxiety, discomfort, pain, and sometimes it gets unbearably hot. But women are warriors, and there is nothing that can stop us from enjoying this precious life.