Author: Tracey McAlpine Category: Health, Menopause, Women's Health
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Rather than being something to dread, the menopause has many happy associations, it’s a time of liberation

It is estimated that there are 13 million women going through the menopause in the UK.  Despite all the doom and gloom, there some good news as many women will actually sail through it without any problem, and even for those who don’t, there are good things to look forward to once you come through the other end.  

Alison Cullen A.Vogel nutrition therapist and Health Educator looks at the positives in terms of what women can look forward to post menopause.  

  1. If you have historically suffered from debilitating periods, maddening PMS, or fear of what your hormones will do to you next, the relief of stepping off the hormonal roller coaster can be immense
  2. There’s no emotional up and down every month – you’re on more of an even keel and know you won’t be pushed and pulled about by random emotions that are nothing to do with the reality of your life.  This can benefit other family members too!
  3. There’s an end to monthly bloating and food cravings, which can make weight easier to control.  No more need for a ‘fat’ wardrobe and a ‘thin’ wardrobe!
  4. Not losing iron every month means you will have extra energy, and are far less likely to become anaemic.  In addition, energy is no longer needed to fuel the hormonal cycle, giving you an extra boost
  5. There can be an upswing in confidence and drive after the menopause – most new business start-ups are by post-menopausal women
  6. Oestrogen is a bonding hormone that attaches you to other people in what can be an excessively caring (and draining) way.  Post-menopausal women sometimes find that they no longer need to be everyone else’s saviour and can attend to their own needs too, which can be extremely liberating
  7. There are no more worries about being pregnant!
  8. You will no longer have to plan social events and holidays around your cycle, hoping to avoid having your period on a long-haul flight or attending a big social function with pre-menstrual bloat
  9. You can wear white trousers whenever you want to!
  10. You have extra cash in the pocket of your white trousers, from the sanitary products you no longer need to buy

For those who sadly are not sailing through the menopause Eileen Durward, A.Vogel’s menopause expert says:  “We’re all different, and going through the menopause is different for everyone, with a whole host of potential symptoms.”  Hot flushes and night sweats are the symptoms that cause most distress, and a simple, non-hormonal solution is Sage extract that works well for many women. 

Why sage helps menopause symptoms and hot flushes

Sage is thought to possess the handy ability to rebalance the sweat regulating mechanism in the brain to help with daytime flushes or night sweats. A.Vogel Menoforce Sage tablets offer relief from excessive perspiration associated with hot flushes, including night sweats.  This means that however wobbly your hormones are and however much they are throwing out your temperature regulation, sage can help bring it back into line.

As well as controlling hot flushes and nights sweats, making lifestyle changes will help and there are natural products out there that can alleviate symptoms.

Lift the Mood – Exercise produces endorphins – ‘feel good’ chemicals that can reduce the low mood and anxiety that may hit in the menopause.  Plus muscle and joint aches and pains are very common in the menopause, but exercise promotes the production of pain-killing chemicals from the brain stem, without any of the drawbacks of taking painkillers.

Can’t concentrate – Forgetful and can’t concentrate allow yourself more time and if you’re suffering from sleep problems try and rectify your sleep.  Try Healthspan Gingko Biloba Super Strength* which also contains vitamin B5 to contribute to normal cognitive function as well as help with fatigue.

Flush the body of toxins – As periods become less frequent during the perimenopause and menopause, the body loses one of its exit routes for toxins. The more toxins there are in the body, the more likely are skin problems, digestive disorders and arthritic complaints.

How to flush toxins from your body

  • Drink at least 1.5 litres of plain water daily   
  • Cut out coffee and take a maximum of two cups of tea per day to help the adrenal glands
  • Eat regularly and calmly
  • Reduce refined carbohydrates such as refined sugar, white bread, white pasta and white rice, as they gum up the bowel and trigger bloating, which can already be a problem in the menopause.
  • Eat more non-dairy calcium-containing foods such as brazil nuts, brown rice, figs, kidney beans, oats, pine kernels, salmon, sardines, watercress and white cabbage, as these sources also contain magnesium, which assists calcium absorption and supports your nervous system.

Thousands of women at all stages of the menopause are finding refuge online at the A.Vogel Menopause Health Hub. The hub hosts an array of advice for women, including weekly Menopause Monday videos from Eileen. Women can also ask questions directly to Eileen who provides personal responses and aims to tackle the fear surrounding the menopause.

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