Menopause: The Seven Facts Every Woman Needs To Know

Today we’re digging into menopause. Specifically, the 7 facts every woman needs to know about menopause.

The truth finally comes out.

Speaking of truth, I’ve learned, there isn’t a lot of solid information on menopause. Instead, it tends to be this looming phase of life that nearly everyone dreads and yet few talk about. Of course, aside from the table talk complaints of the latest annoying symptoms, it’s pestering women with.

Today I hope to uncover that with guest expert Cynthia Thurlow. Today I’ll be asking her if we really have to suffer from symptoms, how to treat it naturally, the prevention methods younger woman should start taking now and her thoughts on hormone replacement therapy.

We dig it all up into one thought-provoking and insightful podcast I know is going to revolutionize how you think about menopause.

Make sure you check out all of Cynthia’s work here and grab a copy of her e-book 5 Ways to Improve your Adrenal Health here.

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7 facts about menopause

Here’s the deal, I’m still years away from menopause and while I don’t know what that transitional life phase is like, I do know that there isn’t a lot of information on it. Like all other hormonal conditions I know there is a ton we can do as women to not only prevent it but help ease the symptoms if you’re living this phase.

Just like PMS, we do not have to suffer through these hormonal changes. Instead, we can thrive. Today I want to give you 7 facts about menopause to help you do just that.

1. Your Mindset Matters

Here’s the deal, every woman at some point will go through menopause. It’s destined, just like puberty. Not only that, but men have their own form of menopause they once referred to as a “mid-life crisis” but now is termed andropause.

Unfortunately, in most cases, they have found that women and men fear and dread every aspect of this life change, when in fact, it should be completely freeing. Of course, there are a lot of lies surrounding this hormonal switch including:

• You’ll gain excess weight
• You’ll lose your sex drive
• You’ll lose your desire to achieve, work
• You’ll suffer
• You’re losing your womanhood

While none of these are true, we still have formed beliefs around them. But the truth is, just like puberty, this switch in hormones does not change you. In fact, it can be freeing as this shift in hormones can actually escalate desire and achievement. The drop in estrogen and progesterone and the slight increase in testosterone in women creates more drive, more mental clarity and creates more adventure within you.

In fact, researchers indicate that you often see women coming to the front of their careers or start new careers during this phase and it boils down to having the right hormones to get up and go.

Instead of dreading menopause, stressing over it and fretting about it, embrace it for what it is and what it will allow you to do. Not to mention, during menopause you become hypersensitive to stress. So don’t make it worse.

2. Beat Menopause Weight Gain

Estrogen is an important female hormone, not just for reproductive health and function, but it impacts the hormone insulin. To clarify, insulin is the hormone responsible for taking sugar from the blood and putting it in cells to be used as energy.

Estrogen helps to keep the body sensitive to insulin, properly metabolizing the sugar in the bloodstream and burning it for energy. However, when our estrogen levels begin to drop during peri-menopause our sensitivity to insulin declines too.

This means you become more resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance reduces the amount of sugar your body can burn and instead converts it to be stored as body fat. This is one mechanism for weight gain and belly fat that is associated with the dreaded weight gain during menopause.

Basically, during menopause, your body is less equipped to handle the number of carbohydrates you could before. During this phase, you may need to take some time to determine a new level of carbohydrates your body can handle and feel good on. It doesn’t mean you can’t eat carbs, you just have to be more cautious with them.

Focus on quality and timing, and make sure you emphasize fiber and eating it with healthy amounts of protein. This will help improve sensitivity and allow your body to metabolize it appropriately greatly reducing the risk of weight gain.

3. Slow Down

Funny, I just told you that menopause is the perfect time to start something new. To take your career to a new level and become more adventurous. While these are all natural and needed processes, we must also realize that our body can’t handle the same amount of stress as it once could.

Just like we become more insulin sensitive, we become more sensitive in general and that includes stress.

Cortisol is the hormone connected to the stress response. While it’s neither good nor bad, it becomes a bigger player in menopause. During menopause, our progesterone levels drop, which is the hormone that helps to buffer the negative effects {like weight gain} of cortisol.

Without any progesterone or at least enough, you can find that elevated levels of cortisol, from stress, will increase the breakdown of muscle tissue to supply energy stored in the form of sugar. This combined with the decrease in insulin sensitivity make weight gain a common thread.

To beat this, transition your life from high paced high stressed, to low impact. Opt for more rest, more adventure, and more fun. You’re no longer in the category to push yourself or beat your body into submission {well none of us should}.

Try slowing down your workouts, and instead of non-stop cardio, try high-intensity interval training followed by low-impact cardio like walking or yoga. Get enough sleep, practice relaxation techniques and develop a lifestyle you actually enjoy.

4. Focus on digestion

Your digestive processes are managed via the enteric nervous system. Some call this your “second brain.” In menopause, and with high-stress loads, our sympathetic or “flight-or-fight” response tends to run in overdrive which also means your second brain is feeling these effects.

This can lead to ineffective digestion causing gas, bloating, appetite changes, heartburn, IBS, and constipation. What we know about all of these, especially constipation is that they inhibit fat loss in our digestive tract, specifically our bowels, which are the main source of detoxifying excess hormones.

Having a daily bowel movement is healthy for everyone including those who are entering menopause. It’s a must to heal your symptoms and thrive during this season.

If you’re struggling to go number two, try adding more hydration with some added Himalayan salt, more protein, and healthy fats. Fats actually act as a lubricant to your bowels and can help keep them moving. If those don’t work, you can try adding magnesium glycinate to your routine.

Magnesium acts as a natural relaxant and is completely safe. Not to mention it has other benefits like helping you to reach deeper sleep, balance blood sugar and loosen muscles {I recommend this brand taken 20-30 minutes before bed}.

5. End Diets for Good

Menopause can be a scary time, a time of change, just like the awkward days of puberty. But there are a lot of steps you can take to lessen or eliminate the pesky or in some cases, life-altering effects of menopause preventing it all together. The basis for this change is choosing to work with your body instead of against it.

We know, that diets, counting calories, over-exercising, and eliminating macronutrients do not work for anyone long term. Yet we find ourselves tempted by them because we want to be healthy, slim and feel energized. But the truth is, we can achieve health without any restriction or deprivation.

The foundation is letting your body do the job it was designed.

This takes committing, especially during menopause when our stress sensitivity increases drastically, to not put our body through more stress. Instead, choose to foster a healthy relationship with your body. If you’re seeking some healthier diet alternatives. Here are some good foods to focus on and some bad foods to avoid. Plain and simple.

Foods to focus on during menopause:

• Organic Fruits and Vegetables – At least the Dirty Dozen.
• Cruciferous Vegetables – These include broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc.
• High-Fiber Foods – Like nuts, seeds, legumes, ancient grains, veggies, avocado, and fruit.
• Natta – Fermented soy contains phytoestrogen that can help balance hormones.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids – These include, fish, flaxseed, chia seeds, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
• Healthy fats – Coconut oil, avocado, coconut milk, nuts, seeds, wild seafood, olives, and ghee.
• Probiotic-rich food – Think fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut.
• Water tonics – That means water with some fresh citrus squeezed in and pinch of Himalayan sea salt.

Foods to avoid during menopause:

• Processed and packaged foods
• Conventional meats
• Added sugar – Instead focus on natural sources such as honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar.
• Refined oils – canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean, safflower  and sunflower oil
• Fried foods
• Carbonated drinks – The carbonation can deplete the body of calcium.
• Caffeine – Which is linked to worsening adrenal fatigue and stimulating a stress response in the body.
• Alcohol – Which has been linked to aggravating hot flashes and contributing to weight gain. But just like stress, we become more sensitive in general and that includes alcohol and other toxins.

Additional resources

Some potential supplements to help ease menopausal symptoms include:

• Vitex or Chaseberry – Clinically proven to help relieve hot flashes.
• Ginseng – To increase energy and sexual arousal, prevent hot flashes, fatigue, depression, vaginal dryness and cognitive impairments.
• Maca Root Powder – An adaptogen herb used to reduce the effects of stress, hot flashes, fatigue, restlessness and weight gain.
• St. Johns Wart – Used to lower anxiety, depression and sleep problems while stabilizing your mood, reducing inflammation and improving your emotional transition through menopause.
• Black Cohosh – one of the best-studied traditional herbs for menopause used to help alleviate some symptoms of menopause. Used as an effective hot flash remedy.
• Magnesium Glycinate – Acts as a natural relaxant and helps to make your body more sensitive to insulin. Magnesium can help with symptoms of constipation and insomnia as well as energy.

heal your menopause

How you experience menopause is going to look different for everyone. But the root is balancing hormones. This includes your work in prevention. The more balanced we can get our hormones, no matter what season of life, the fewer symptoms we will have and the better functioning our entire system will be.

Balancing your hormones comes from creating the right environment for your body to thrive. That means nutritionally, physically, mentally and emotionally. It’s a total lifestyle approach.

Want to balance your hormones?

Five days, the right environment, a healthy mindset and a winning plan is all your body needs to get back on track. To end the viscous sugar cravings, cut back on caffeine, regulate your cycle, increase your libido, awaken your brain and put more joy in your soul.

This 5-day system will teach you how to incorporate healing practices into your every day, what foods jump start your hormones and help create healthy habits that last a lifetime. Not to mention, the meal plan is family friendly and delicious.

Make sure to check out my 5-Day Hormonal Reset Program. The perfect guide to understanding how to nourish your body, provide the right environment for change. All with a healthy mindset. It makes the how-to simple and easy!

Not to mention, the recipes are delicious! You can check out a one-day sample below!

Make the investment in your health here and reset your hormones in just five days!

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