October is ‘Menopause Month’, but frankly when you are in the thick of it, every month is menopause month!

We know that menopause can bring many new experiences like hot flushes and night sweats, and we do our best to prepare for them, but here are some other changes you may be less aware of.

1. The shape of your eyes may change

The change is likely small, but it may be noticeable to you. You may find that your contacts don’t feel right any more or your vision isn’t what it used to be.

Some women have problems with dry or scratchy eyes during menopause too.

2. Your weight goes up

Because you make less oestrogen, your body will change how and where it stores fat. A little extra weight may show up, mostly around the lower tummy area.

A major weight increase does have some health risks but if its just a few pounds you’ll probably just need to work out a little harder at the gym to lose it.

3. Your bra may not fit well anymore

It’s normal for your breasts to change shape, lose their firmness, or shrink after menopause. It’s not unusual to lose a cup size or more as you get older.

4. You start losing bone

Around the age of 35, women’s bones start to get thinner and weaker, and this process speeds up during and after menopause.

Weaker bones are more likely to break, so take preventive action if you have any history of osteopenia or osteoporosis in your family.

Weight bearing exercise, not being overweight, and maintaining hormone balance so that you have sufficient progesterone are all important.

Progesterone is the essential hormone to build new bone, as well as easing many other menopausal symptoms. So supplementing with a bioidentical progesterone cream like Wellsprings Serenity is ideal. A good osteoporosis supplement can also help. Look for one with a combination of vitamin D, vitamin K2, calcium, magnesium, turmeric, silica and boron.

5. Your body changes shape

Before menopause, many women have a pear-shaped body with wide hips and thighs and more weight below the waist.

During midlife, that can change to more of an apple shape as your weight shifts to your waist and belly.

6. You may pee more often

The lining of your urethra – the tube that carries urine from your bladder out of your body when you pee – gets drier, thinner, and less elastic. That can make you feel like you need to pee more.

You also may leak urine when you cough, laugh, or lift heavy things. Kegel exercises can help to train and strengthen the muscles in that area and you may also need to supplement some bioidentical oestrogen if you are low in that hormone, and not oestrogen dominant.

7. Your libido and sex life may dry up

It’s common to have vaginal dryness during and after menopause, and the lowering levels of oestrogen can also make your vagina less stretchy.

Vaginal moisturisers and regular sex boosts blood flow and keeps your vaginal muscles toned.

Menopausal libido is certainly helped by progesterone, which is the hormone behind sex drive in women. If you are also suffering from vaginal dryness a combination cream with some oestrogen in it, such as Wellsprings Twenty to One, can be helpful.

However if you are suffering from vaginal atrophy, that will need a separate oestrogen source like Wellsprings bioidentical oestrogen cream applied locally.

8. Your risk of heart disease is higher

Your chances of a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problem may go up. This is often related to an increase in weight and oestrogen dominance.

That’s especially true if you’ve had your ovaries removed or you went through menopause at a young age.

For most women, the greatest fear at menopause is hormonal cancer, but in reality heart disease is a far greater risk, and the number one cause of death during this period of life for women.

9. Your mood can be become unpredictable

The change in hormones during menopause can bring about changes in your mood. So, too, can the idea of growing older and watching your body change.

A good first step is to have a support network to help with low moods. Professional help and good old fashioned social contact are essential ingredients in combating low moods of feelings of isolation.

Although many women are offered antidepressants as a replacement for HRT to deal with low moods, it may well first be beneficial to try a combination cream of progesterone and oestrogen as these two hormones together have been shown to help in these cases.

10. You may need to change your skin care routine

Your skin is your largest and most visible organ and menopause can make it dry and itchy and accelerate the signs of aging. You can help your skin by always using sunscreen and a care routine that includes a daily serum and moisturiser. Wellsprings Bioidentical Face Serum is formulated specifically to support menopausal skin.

Also, drink plenty of water and if you smoke consider giving up as it’s damaging for the complexion and increases the amount of wrinkles too.

Bonus Tip

Two major concerns many women experience at menopause are an increase in weight, and a noticeable drop in energy levels.

One diet that might help you tackle both of those things comes from Nutritionist Patrick Holford. Here’s a useful article which will give you more information on that.

https://anna.blog.wellsprings-health.com/lose-weight-gain-energy-on-a-g-i-diet/