Navigating through menopause can be a challenging journey for many women. The symptoms can be overwhelming, from hot flashes and mood swings to disrupted sleep and hormonal imbalances.
To find relief, many women turn to medication prescribed by their doctors. However, before reaching for those pills, there are essential lifestyle tips that could help menopausal women exponentially.
So, if you're a menopausal woman or know someone going through this transition, keep reading to take control of your menopause journey.
Menopausal Women: 7 Lifestyle Tips to Adopt Before You Take the Meds
While medication prescribed by your doctor can be beneficial, it's worth exploring lifestyle changes to help manage menopause symptoms before relying solely on medication. By incorporating these seven tips into your daily routine, you can potentially alleviate the discomforts associated with menopause.
1. Hydrate
Drink more water.
The general consensus is to drink 8-10 glasses per day. And, if you don't feel you need that much, you definitely need to at least drink enough throughout the day so that you're not thirsty.
I know that's easy to say, but it's also easy to do.
Try having a full glass before you eat or drink anything first thing in the morning.
Don't like plain water? Add in some berries or chopped frozen fruit.
Prefer tea? Steep some sliced lemon and/or ginger or your favourite caffeine-free herbal teabag. This counts toward hydration as well.
You can also keep a large bottle or mug beside you all day, wherever you work, so it's always easy to grab and have sips throughout the day to make sure you're not getting thirsty.
2. Bump up your intake of whole plant foods
Things like (yes, you guessed it) vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds. We're going for quantity here. Try to include them in every meal and even most (if not all) of your snacks.
Want another reason to eat more plants?
Plant-based diets are associated with fewer hot flashes. Bonus!
My recipe below is your “no excuse” solution to getting more veggies wherever you go.
3. Don't forget the high-quality protein
While chomping your plant foods, don't forget to include some good quality protein (and healthy fats) from eggs, fish, meat, nuts, and seeds (and their butter).
We aim for quality with animal foods, so try to get organic, wild, and/or pasture-raised if you can.
4. Some things you want to cut back on
Reducing and/or eliminating alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods can tremendously impact balancing your hormones naturally without the help of pharmaceutical medications.
With those increases in hydration, whole plant foods, and quality protein, you won't have as much room for alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods with added salt and sugar.
You already know that's good news, right?
5. Move
If you don't do this already, move up to 5 hours per week. You can gradually increase that over time; you will thank yourself!
To do this, include walking (especially outdoors in the sun, if possible) or even some weight training.
Have you heard the saying that the best exercise is the one you'll do?
Well, go ahead and do it. 🙂
6. Get enough sleep
I'm talking 7-9 hours per night. Seriously!
Sometimes menopause can bring on (or ramp up) sleep problems.
The most important thing to do is set a daily routine where you're relaxing with no screen time (computers, tablets, phones, tv) a couple of hours before bedtime. Electronic devices emit strong blue light, preventing the release of melatonin, your sleep hormone.
Try reading a book or having a bath. It's also important to have dim lights in your surroundings to reduce exposure to blue light before bed. Regular indoor lighting is usually blue light. Ideally, you would use amber or red lights or even be ultra-stylin' with blue-blocker sunglasses.
7. Find great stress-relieving activities
Do whatever works for you. Just make sure you do it regularly as a preventative measure to avoid accumulated stress.
Have you tried meditating, deep breathing, or having a warm bath? What about the newest craze of colouring?
Bonus points for using exercise as a form of stress relief.
Conclusion
For menopausal women, taking the time to understand our bodies before taking meds prescribed by doctors is a proactive approach. Lifestyle modifications could help manage menopause symptoms.
From incorporating regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet to practicing stress management techniques and getting adequate sleep, these lifestyle changes can positively impact our overall quality of life.
Now go ahead and make two of these mason jar salads recipe below to eliminate any excuse for not getting fresh veggies when you're out and about.
Recipe (Veggie): Mason Jar Salad
Serves 2
- 3 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ granny smith apple (diced)
- 4 radishes (sliced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 4 tablespoons of your favourite nuts or seeds (walnuts, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
- 4-6 cups of your favourite greens (spinach, kale, mixed greens, etc.)
Add first four ingredients to a small bowl & whisk until smooth.
Add apple to dressing (so it's covered and won't brown) and divide between two mason jars.
Layer the radishes, celery, nuts/seeds, and greens on top and seal.
When ready to eat, shake up the jar, open and enjoy or pour it into a large bowl to mix more thoroughly.
Tip: Wide-mouth jars work best for this ah-mazing way to take out the veggies wherever you go!