Menopause is an inevitable part of a woman’s life – and she knows it. As soon as she steps into the adult phase of her life, concerns about the changes she will experience as she goes through menopause start to develop.
Menopause is characterized by twelve consecutive months without a period and the transition time leading up to it is called perimenopause. Perimenopause is when a woman starts experiencing menopause symptoms, such as irregular periods, night sweats, and hot flashes.
Menopause is a natural part of aging and you can obviously not avoid it but you certainly can prepare for it. Knowing what to expect and being proactive can aid in managing the menopause symptoms and keeping your body healthy.
Here are six ways you can prepare for your menopause.
1. Get your baseline readings
Since menopause is a time of transition, you should brace yourself to experience some changes in your body, which can at times be quite unpleasant. Your doctor might be of great help in guiding you through this phase and helping you make healthy decisions.
To make it easy for your doctor to help you, consider getting your blood and hormones baseline levels checked. A baseline reading indicates your best levels. So, as soon as you hit adulthood, get baseline readings on your estrogen, thyroid, and testosterone levels.
Also, get a copy of the report and keep it in your medical records so that even if you change doctors you will be able to let them know about your ‘healthy’ levels.
2. Consider Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is one of the most effective ways to prepare for menopause. It helps ease symptoms including hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
However, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor first to make sure that HRT is right for you because some people might develop serious health risks followed by this therapy.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
It is likely to gain weight when you go through menopause – and hormone fluctuations are to be blamed the most.
Therefore, you should consider maintaining a healthy weight before you reach menopause. Eat healthy foods and set up an exercise routine to control your calorie intake and stay fit.
4. Strengthen your bones
As your estrogen levels drop during menopause, the bone formation process is affected and your body is unable to compensate for the natural bone loss. This explains why most of the people with osteoporosis are women.
Hence, consider eating a balanced diet containing fruits and vegetables and get your daily dose of calcium and vitamin D. In addition to this, muscle-strengthening exercises can also build up your bones.
5. Say no to smoking
Several research studies link smoking to an early menopause and more severe menopause symptoms. Hence, if you smoke consider quitting it before you reach menopause to reduce the severity of your symptoms.
6. Manage your stress
Not only your physical health but also your emotional well-being affects menopause. It is important to work on your stress levels because it can worsen menopause symptoms. Deal with it positively – go out with friends and family, pamper yourself with a pedicure, get enough sleep, and avoid alcohol and caffeine.
These are some effective ways, which will help you prepare for menopause and make your symptoms easy to handle. Preparing in advance is the key to avoiding getting a shock when ‘the change’ starts and doing the best for your body – being proactive is indeed empowering!
It is also best to meet with your primary care provider ahead of time so he/she can come up with a game plan. To schedule an appointment at Health One Family Medicine, visit https://www.healthonemedicine.com/.