Menopause Awareness Month - October 1st October 2022
Embracing the menopause; a time for wellness and TLC
The menopause is a period of life that many women dread, or wish away when experiencing it – but it doesn’t have to be this way! A little education on what happens and why, and what can be done to alleviate symptoms can be a real help.
Many of the symptoms associated with menopause come with the gradual decrease in oestrogen in the body as fertility declines typically through a woman’s 40s and 50s. This can cause quite distressing symptoms for some women, while others can sail through relatively smoothly. Whilst many of the primary symptoms women may experience can’t be treated directly by chiropractors and osteopaths, one of the risks we can help to manage is osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a decline in a person’s bone mineral density, making bones more brittle and therefore more susceptible to fracture. One of the best ways to combat this risk is to keep your muscles strong, which pulls on your bones, encouraging them to keep their strength. Having regular adjustments and massage can help with keeping your body comfortable and moving if you need help; this is just one of the health benefits of exercise - it's also a daily opportunity for fresh air, some ‘me time’, or to make it a social thing with friends or classes.
One of the key ways you can help yourself feeling healthy and strong when going through the menopause is to focus on your diet. You want lots of fruit and vegetables while avoiding highly processed foods. This will ensure you have the best building blocks to support your body and keep your strength.
Adequate vitamin D and calcium consumption will also help combat the risk of osteoporosis. You might want to consider including more vitamin D rich foods such as fish, dairy and eggs, mushrooms, and calcium rich foods like dairy, leafy greens, beans, almonds and oranges. Vitamin D deficiency is especially common in winter months when we can not synthesise it from the sun. If you happen to still be deficient, supplementation can also support this; the recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 1000-1500mg, and calcium is 800-1000 IU.
If you have tried all of this, and are still suffering, there are still options!
You could speak to your GP about whether HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) might be right for you. It is not for everyone, but can have far reaching benefits for those it does suit.
Some women may prefer to try natural remedy alternatives to HRT. Common supplements include estradiol, estrone and estriol. Whilst widely researched, these supplements seem to have little significant impact on changing symptoms experienced due to menopause. They are used as they have an almost identical chemical structure to the oestrogen your body stops producing during menopause, and therefore could mimick oestrogen’s effects. In practice however, this is sparingly observed.
References: International Menopause Society (IMS) - imsociety.org
October 18th is World Menopause Day
