Hot, Hot, Hot... when it's not the weather, it's you...
Hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, mood swings, poor libido, insomnia, osteoporosis, bladder problems, weight gain, dry skin and brittle nails are some of the many symptoms that women can experience during the menopause. Some women have a few of these symptoms and some suffer just the occasional hot flush or night sweat. But all are indications that the production of oestrogen and progesterone have diminished significantly and the body is reacting to this deficiency. In fact all hormones diminish production as we age; it's just that the menopause is better documented.
Oestrogen is a perfectly normal, health-promoting hormone, and when a healthy woman's body produces oestrogen it also produces progesterone. Oestrogen makes cells grow; progesterone keeps them healthy. The whole thing is a balancing act - if one component is missing or lacking this has a knock-on effect. When a woman doesn't ovulate, as during menopause, no progesterone is produced and because of this, women are more likely to suffer from 'oestrogen dominance'. This is now thought to be the major cause of breast cancer and uterine cancer in women and contributes to many other diseases, from pear-shaped obesity to osteoporosis. Other common problems around this time include lack of vitality and motivation. Tiredness and feeling down about just everyday things is typical and mood swings from emotional to irritable can be positively affected by the right diet and supplementation.
I believe there are safe and natural ways to keep your hormones in balance during the menopause. This is because hormones are not only made from food, but the body's ability to keep them in balance depends upon key nutrients such as vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium and essential fats. There are also hormone friendly herbs too.
As well as dietary considerations, (see below) I recommend taking a high-strength multinutrient, vitamin C, essential fats and a bone-friendly mineral formula containing calcium, magnesium, zinc, boron and vitamin D. A supplement that contains ginseng can be useful too as ginseng is known to support the endocrine glands and enhance energy, stamina, mood and libido.
For more information: Balancing Hormones Naturally by Patrick Holford & Kate Neil £6.99 available from your salon.
What's good about... exercise
Prevention is so much better than attempting a 'cure' after a problem has developed and exercise is one of the most effective anti-ageing strategies available to us. Weight bearing exercise - such as jogging, climbing stairs and weight training - is important for boosting and maintaining bone mass. Even simple exercises such as walking can have a profound effect. Because walking can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that help to keep urine in the bladder, simply walking for 30 minutes a day can reduce a woman's risk of urinary incontinence by up to 25%.
Aerobic exercise improves the circulation and therefore more effectively removes toxins - all the better for glowing skin. It enhances blood flow to the brain improving cognitive processing, reasoning and memory, as well as enhancing creativity: it is also profoundly antidepressant. (1)
A study at the University of Vermont College of Medicine also uncovered other benefits. Professor Judith Gerber stated, "Those who exercised three times a week had a more satisfying sex life than those who did less, and those who exercised five times a week reported even more satisfaction. Exercise improves levels of testosterone in women, enhancing energy levels, body image and sense of well-being - all of which enhances sexual function."
The amount of exercise recommended by Professor Wayne Derman, the exercise expert on the International Institute for Anti-Ageing panel, is, "Moderately intense cardio-respiratory activity (eg. brisk walking) 30 minutes a day, five days a week. 'Moderately intense' means anything that creates a sweat and raises the heart rate. Add to this some strength-training exercises, twice a week. These can be done at home with an elasticised resistance band - an inexpensive and highly effective alternative to conventional weight and exercise equipment and ideal for strength training."
What's bad about... sugar and caffeine
Healthy diet and appropriate supplementation, are key to balancing hormones naturally. Your blood sugar balance has a profound effect on how you feel, and your energy levels, so you need to eat foods that keep your blood sugar level even to remain balanced. If you lose blood sugar control, you gain weight, feel hungry - and exhausted - a lot of the time. If you can keep your blood sugar on an even keel, you'll gravitate towards your natural weight, stay there and have a consistently high energy level. To ensure your diet is maximising your hormonal health, there are a number of golden rules: eat wholefood like wholegrains, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds and fresh fruit and avoid refined, white and overcooked foods; eat four or more servings of wholegrain foods; eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables; combine proteins and carbohydrates; eat cold-water carnivorous fish; eat eggs; eat seeds and nuts; use cold-pressed seed oils; and minimise fried food, processed food and saturated fats.
Caffeine can trigger hot flushes and also make the blood more acidic, prompting the release of calcium from the bones to counteract this. Caffeine also causes blood sugar to be released from storage, this gives you a temporary lift but requires your pancreas to over-work. This is because your pancreas now has to produce extra insulin to reduce this extra blood sugar. Once the extra insulin has 'mopped up' the extra blood sugar your temporary lift from the caffeine ends. Your vitality level is back to normal. However in heavy caffeine users the pancreas, in time, becomes over-sensitive and over-zealous. Now it begins producing too much insulin - it 'mops up' not just the excess blood sugar but the blood sugar you need to feel alert and energetic. The initial effect of this is a let-down effect and a craving for more caffeine to give you a further boost. A later effect can be excessive and chronic tiredness, even on waking in the morning.
ANP presents: Omega 3 & Nail Science®
Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids found in oily fish and vegetable sources such as flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts and olive oil. Both types of EFAs are required for the production of the eicosanoids - hormones that are responsible for regulating the major body functions, including digestion, insulin production and the storage of fat. Studies(2) show that those taking Omega 3 have reduced levels of insulin. Insulin promotes fat storage, so less is better for weight loss as it allows fat to be used as fuel. Omega 3 fatty acids also activate the enzymes responsible for burning fat.
Weak, brittle or flaky nails, common in menopausal women, are also a sign of nutritional deficiencies. ANP has selected a balanced combination of natural ingredients and developed Nail Science®. The key ingredients are designed to work together to support normal nail growth and condition. These include biotin - which improves the strength and growth of the nail; lysine - which increases absorption of calcium; calcium - a major component of nails; horsetail - the silicon content can exert a connective tissue strengthening action and a number of B vitamins which work together and are important for strong nails. Along with other nutrients and vitamins Nail Science® is the ideal blend for all those who want to cultivate beautiful nails. (not available in ROI).
Edited by: Lucy Ibbison
Refs:
1. Lachman et al., Effects of strength training on memory in older adults. J Aging Phys Act. 2006.
2. University of South Australia & International Journal of Obesity (July 2008)
