I hear from a number of women who are Postmenopause and still experiencing many of the same symptoms.

The assumption that once your menopause is over all those symptoms will go away certainly seems no longer to be the case as there are constant factors such as stress, anxiety and unbalanced hormones that can contribute to the problem.

No matter your age, it is important to stay proactive in order to stay healthy and feel better throughout life and it’s as easy as remembering your ABCs, and D, E, and F too!

A = Avoid

The usual suspects, that we know so well but can find it hard to limit. So that means avoiding smoking and reducing caffeine, alcohol, excess salt, and sugar.

B = Balanced diet and balanced hormones 

Nutritionists recommend whole grains, cold pressed oils, leafy vegetables, and nuts to help keep your body healthy and reduce diet related problems like weight gain.

Hormone balance it’s not just something needed when we are younger, as oestrogen continues to be made by women in the fat cells of the belly, abdomen and thighs and which if not balanced by progesterone will make an impact on symptoms such as hot flushes and is essential for building strong bones.

C = Calcium

Needed to keep bones strong along with good progesterone levels and vitamin D. If you are concerned about osteoporosis or osteopenia then looking for a supplement which has calcium, D and vitamin K2, turmeric, magnesium, silica and boron can be helpful for bone health.

D = Vitamin D

As well as helping keep bones strong this vitamin is increasingly linked to other health benefits. It can strengthen the immune system, boost mood, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, help lower blood pressure and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

E = Exercise

Weight bearing, daily, at least 30 minutes is known to be helpful in strengthening bones. Maintaining a regular exercise routine, whether in the gym or just walking briskly, contributes to good health in many ways.

Not just in helping keep your weight down, but certainly also in boosting mood and may also help you to sleep better.

F = Fat

There is no doubt that it has had a bad press, but it is all about the type that you choose because believe me you definitely need to have some fat regularly in your diet.

Fat is a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make itself and it helps the body absorb vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E. These vitamins are fat-soluble, which means they can only be absorbed with the help of fats and if deficient in fat you may notice symptoms such as dry rashes, hair loss, and a weaker immune system.

‘Good’ unsaturated fats lower disease risk and include vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and fish. Include these and stay away from or limit the ‘bad’ fats like trans fats which can be found naturally in some animal products, such as meat and whole milk, or commercial  baked goods, fried food and some margarines.

Helpful information: 

I am certainly aware of an increasing number of women post Menopause who still seem to be suffering from what are usually considered menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes.

Although there can be a number of reasons for this you may well be able to help yourself by looking at  what is behind the flushes, in particular what seems to trigger them for you?

In my experience it certainly seems that stress and anxiety are two of the key triggers for flushes so any helpful measures to reduce that for you will make an impact on them. For some this may simply be taking time to relax or seeking professional help such as counselling or an alternative therapy such as Homoeopathy, Acupuncture or Aromatherapy.

Stress and anxiety can certainly also impact one other area Postmenopause, and that is libido and if this is accompanied also by vaginal dryness it can have a serious effect on your relationship.

A combination of both progesterone and oestrogen is helpful in reducing stress and anxiety, and also for vaginal dryness and you may also find the following helpful.

Post Menopause many women find they do not need the same level of hormones, but perhaps a different combination, as the hormonal needs change and other factors such as stress and anxiety can increase.

If you feel this might be you then have a look at a new cream from Wellsprings. Designed specifically for post Menopause you can find more information here: Wellsprings Lifelong Hormone Care.