For most women, menopause begins in the late 40s or early 50s and lasts for a few years.
Around two-third of women experience the symptoms of menopause. The common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, tiredness and mood swings.
Menopausal women are more at risk of developing several diseases including osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Before we move on to simple ways that can help deal with the symptoms of menopause, let’s first understand what exactly is menopause.
What is menopause?
Menopause is the time that marks the end of menstrual cycles. It is diagnosed after you have not had your periods till 12 months. It is a natural biological process. But some physical symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and emotional symptoms can disrupt the quality of life, lower your energy and affect emotional health. From simple lifestyle changes to hormone therapy, many treatments are available to deal with the symptoms of menopause.
Here are five simple things you can do to manage the symptoms of menopause:
1. Eat calcium and Vitamin D rich foods
Hormonal changes during menopause can lead to weaker bones and increase one’s risk of osteoporosis. Calcium and Vitamin D intake are linked with good bone health and thus it’s important to include foods rich in these nutrients in your daily diet.
Enough vitamin D intake in menopausal women is also linked to a lower risk of hip fractures caused due to weaker bones. Include yoghurt, milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, tofu, sardines and beans in your daily diet.
2. Maintain a healthy weight
Weight gain is common during menopause. The combination of changing hormones, lifestyle and genetics can lead to weight gain.
Too much body fat around the waist can increase the risk of diabetes and heart diseases. Your body weight can also affect menopausal symptoms and thus it’s important to maintain a healthy weight.
3. Avoid trigger foods
You have to notice certain foods might trigger hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. These might even more likely trigger you when you eat them at night. Some common trigger foods include caffeine, alcohol, sugar and spicy foods.
You can keep a symptom diary. Keep noting down what triggers you and try to avoid these foods in future.
4. Be active
There are various evidence to support that regular exercise has various health benefits. It makes you feel more energetic, improves your metabolism, keeps your joints and bones healthier, lets you sleep better and decreases stress.
A study found that exercising for three hours per week improves physical and mental health in postmenopausal women. Regular workout also helps in protecting you against cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
5. Eat foods rich in phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are the plant compound that mimics the effects of estrogen in the body. These help balance hormones. The high intake of these in Asian countries is the reason why women here do not suffer from hot flashes during menopause.
Foods rich in phytoestrogen include soybeans, soy products, tofu, flaxseeds, linseeds, sesame seeds, beans and tempeh.
