As I write this blog, it is currently Menopause Awareness month. I'm so pleased to say that there is definitely more awareness of the menopause than there was even just a few years ago. Davina McCall did her documentaries and Dr Louise Newson (The menopause doctor) has become a TV guest on many programmes. Both women have fought hard to educate about the menopause, explain our hormonal declines, the significant symptoms women can experience as a result, and of course highlight how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can hugely benefit women during this stage of life. But what about ways to help menopause without HRT?
Many women can't take HRT for medical reasons, or they tried it but it didn't suit them or indeed it is a personal choice not to go on HRT.
I would love to bring more awareness to all the lifestyle changes women can do, that would help women in the perimenopause and alleviate symptoms. (But this doesn't hit the headlines!) Despite the fact, there's so much supporting information that could help so many women and can be done so easily with daily practice.
The reason I know this is because I've seen it happen with several of my clients who couldn't take HRT, or chose not to and opted to improve their lifestyle and help their menopause without HRT. I am in a position to help them having studied and completed qualifications in the menopause created by a global network of women’s health professionals who are amazing in their specialisms, such as pelvic health, the nervous system, nutrition, periods, endocrine, gut health, elite athletes, therapeutic coaching etc. They all focus on how to support and advise women throughout life including the menopause. Both with and without HRT.
So it can be done! And I want to share a few nuggets of gold so you too can benefit if HRT is not an option.
Below are 4 ways to help menopause without HRT:
The liver needs additional support in women during midlife to help with sugar/insulin balance. Learning how to support your liver makes a huge difference to weight gain (especially hips and tummy) and also aids overall hormonal balance. This doesn’t mean totally cutting out sugar (and alcohol) but it's about being clever how you incorporate carbs, how to optimise your detox system and how to control those spikes in blood sugar. This will significantly help support your health and manage symptoms.
Cortisol, the stress hormone, becomes super sensitive when our hormones decline and affects all the other hormones, so stress management becomes a priority. This is particularly due to the loss of progesterone which is the first hormone to really drop and it is our chill hormone. Learning how to down regulate the nervous system is proven to be so beneficial during the menopause. This especially relates to anxiety which is one of the first symptoms women experience during perimenopause. Without that previous internal coping resource from progesterone, we now have to put our own coping mechanisms in place.
Inflammation increases in menopause with reduced oestrogen and testosterone which can cause joint aches and common conditions in midlife women such as frozen shoulder. I often see clients for sports massage who find they can no longer reach up as high as before or behind their back. Learning how to keep joints mobile and strong are essential for long term health and independent living.
Our gut microbiome also changes during the menopause due to the loss of oestrogen. This consequently effects how we absorb nutrients and how we detox the waste from our body. Learning how to support your gut will help with conditions like constipation and build up of visceral fat which affects many midlife women. It also avoids various symptoms like breast tenderness, heavy bleeding and bloating which are caused by not excreting metabolised hormones (such as oestrogen) which can cause hormonal imbalances.
How many of the above were you aware of? Most women I speak to don’t know many facts like these. And of course, we don’t know what we don’t know. But, in this case knowledge is definitely power. So, please equip yourself with this knowledge if you need more support during your menopause.
If you would like more advice like this, then please get in contact. I do 1 to 1s in person or online, as well as my online programme, Maximise your Menopause, which comes with the option of additional coaching.
Contact me at info@nicolapeaty.com
For details on my online programme go to:
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