The conversation has begun!! It seems like finally the issues related to the menopause are being discussed in the mainstream press and finally there is a shift in support for women.
So let us make this very clear.
We are health and wellbeing specialists; we are not entering the debate of Menopause and medication.
What every woman reading this needs to understand is that the menopause whether you have been there and done that, you are in the middle of a hot flash as we speak or you are so far away from this life event that is really doesn’t register with you, what we need to understand is this will and does happen to every single woman on the planet.
Some have easier transitions than others, some will start to notice changes in their late 30’s and the peri menopause is no joke!!
I read someone say the other day, the menopause is reverse puberty!! 100% right the other thing we need to understand and really come to terms with is that the menopause is a hormone deficiency like insulin, like thyroid, would we ask a diabetic to go without insulin? So why are we afraid or not freely offered hormone replacement therapy for menopause.
I believe talking to my friends on the front line both NHS and private that this is changing, although as I write this there is a shortage of some menopause medication making it difficult for women to get hold of what they need.
There are some great strategies we can put in place at any time in our life that will help our body to cope better with our hormones and maintain balance.
Pelvic health is a big concern peri & post menopause but the misconception that a pelvic organ prolapse is something that only happens as we get older is false. We are seeing more young women with prolapse diagnosis so age is not always a factor.
We can though improve a prolapse and its symptoms at any age and if you have a prolapse in your 20’ and 30’s it is just as important for you to improve this issue so that you have the strong foundations in place when you reach the menopause as it is for a woman in her 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond. We deserve to be healthy, pain free and active throughout our lives and as we are living longer let’s make sure our pelvic health doesn’t become an issue we have to deal with.
What is the first step?
We need to first understand our bodies and the things that affect our hormones. By tracking our bodies over a 6-to-8-week period we can gauge a better understanding of what we are dealing with.
For example
What foods or drinks make our bladder issues worse.
For me it was tea!! I had sore boobies and hot flashes at night until I dropped down on my tea intake and stopped having tea after about 5pm!! The improvement was pretty immediate.
Does our sleep change at different times of the month?
If we have had a stressful day will this have an impact on our pelvic health?
Am I doing the wrong type of exercise, should I rethink my training?
So, try that keep a log of sleep, stress, diet, mood and exercise so you have a better picture of what influences your body the most.
