How Lifestyle Changes Can Support Your Body During Menopause
Oct 30, 2024
Menopause isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience. Our physical symptoms will differ, and some of us may not have any symptoms. Regardless of your symptoms, your sex hormones affect every part of your body.
Menopause creates changes in the following systems:
• The Reproductive System
• Cardiovascular System
• Central and Nervous Peripheral System
• Gastrointestinal System
It also affects your body composition.
One way to support your body as it changes is to build a solid foundation of health habits that can help improve your menopause experience and positively impact aging.
This article will walk you through some common changes that occur during menopause to the Reproductive, Cardiovascular, Central, and Peripheral Nervous Systems and provide you with tips to support you through lifestyle factors.
Reproductive System
Changes to the reproductive system affect the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. These shrink during menopause, while muscles and connective tissues become less resilient. Some changes you may notice include dryness and irritation of the vaginal and vulvar tissue, pain during sexual intercourse, and an increase in yeast and urinary tract infections. You may also notice more frequent urination and loss of control with urination.
There are also changes to the breasts. Breast tissue becomes thinner, and you may notice more tenderness. The risk of breast cancer also increases with age and post-menopause.
What you can do
Please speak with a medical provider if these changes significantly interfere with the quality of your life. If you are experiencing discomfort in your pelvic floor, a consultation with a pelvic floor specialist can also help.
Exercise is also essential since it can reduce the risk of breast cancer, improve outcomes after receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, and help to maintain blood flow and muscular health to your pelvic floor.
It is also imperative that you keep up with your health screenings, including mammograms, after the age of 40 (if you don’t have a family history of breast cancer).
It is also important to note that alcohol is a carcinogen, and if you are concerned about breast cancer, evaluating your relationship with alcohol will help.
Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems
Estrogen and progesterone have anti-inflammatory effects in the brain and support brain cell growth. They also help to maintain the blood-brain barrier, which keeps harmful substances from the rest of the body from the brain. As the hormones decline, we no longer receive the benefits.
Three common changes to the central and peripheral nervous system are:
• Cognition and mood
• Sleep and circadian rhythms
• Migraines and headaches
During perimenopause, you may notice mood changes, specifically an increase in anxiety, depression, or both. Other changes may include brain fog, forgetfulness, and trouble concentrating. You may also experience more frequent headache and migraine.
Changes to your sleep and circadian rhythm include difficulty staying or falling asleep. Another blog will address how to optimize your sleep in greater depth.
It is important to remember that all brains change with age (not only due to menopause) and that problems with forgetfulness do not necessarily mean that you will have neurodegenerative disease. Typically, dementia does not begin before the mid-sixties.
What you can do
Building a routine that supports brisk activities, such as walking, will help with brain health. Metabolic conditioning also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the brain.
Short mindfulness sessions help build attention and focus. Mindfulness does not have to be meditation; it can be any activity in which you are focused on what you are doing and use your five senses to experience it fully.
If you are experiencing changes to your mood that are negatively affecting your quality of daily living, please seek out help from a licensed mental health professional.
Cardiovascular System
The changes that occur to the cardiovascular system are pretty significant. A postmenopausal woman has the same risk for cardiovascular disease as a 70-year-old male.
During menopause, women may experience a rise in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol, increased inflammation, and increased sensitivity to sodium-related increases in blood pressure. The risk of blood clots in the veins also increases since estrogen and progesterone inhibit blood clot dissolution.
The heart is not the only organ affected. The lungs have a lower lung capacity during menopause, and the risk of respiratory infections increases.
What you can do
Exercise is excellent for heart health. Finding an exercise program you enjoy and will do frequently will mitigate the risks of cardiovascular disease. Nutrition, particularly fiber, is great for helping to manage your cholesterol. Aim for at least 14 g of fiber per every 1000 calories you consume.
Getting regular check-ups is also key to staying healthy. Sleep helps regulate our bodies, and working on a good sleep hygiene program is key.
In Conclusion
It is overwhelming to think about all of the changes our bodies undergo during perimenopause and beyond. However, there are many things we can control. Focusing on fundamental health behaviors such as well-balanced nutrition, daily movement, strength training at least twice a week, and sleep and stress management is a start.
You don’t have to change everything at once. Choose one area of your life where you feel you can make a change, and choose a tiny action you believe you can do consistently. It may seem counterintuitive, but tiny actions can yield significant results and help you form habits that will grow or multiply.
If you want more support, a menopause-informed coach can facilitate your self-care, mitigate and manage your menopause symptoms, support your overall health, and help you adapt to the changes.
If you would like to assess how you are doing with managing your lifestyle. Click below to assess your metabolism that will show you where your blind spots are.
