Minimizing the Symptoms of Menopause

Menopause occurs when ovaries stop producing ovules and female hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. With a hormonal imbalance comes a few unpleasant side effects… However, with a few lifestyle modifications, menopause won’t be so difficult to deal with!

Symptoms

The most obvious sign that a woman is entering menopause is an irregular menstrual cycle, followed by hot flashes and night sweats. Other minor symptoms may also appear, such as mood swings, anxiety, insomnia, vaginal dryness and fatigue. The seriousness and frequency of these symptoms vary from one woman to another.

Skin also experiences the consequences of this hormonal deficit, which slows down cellular regeneration. Skin cannot retain moisture as well and lacks essentials lipids, which makes it look and feel dry and delicate. Collagen and elastin production are also significantly reduced. Furthermore, cellular regeneration is slowed down by about half, which results in a loss of suppleness and radiance.

Solutions

To offset the effects of hormonal loss, physicians often suggest hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which provides oestrogen and progesterone through various pharmacological forms. However, in the case of minor symptoms, there are other ways to deal with them that are far more accessible:

• Anti-Aging creams: Soothe dry skin by using richer and more nourishing skin care products, especially at night when your body’s natural repair mechanism takes over. Hyaluronic acid and ceramid are known for their excellent moisturizing properties. Choose creams with ingredients such as vitamins, peptides, collagen or minerals to boost cellular activity.
• Phytoestrogens: Add soy and linseed to your diet. Phytoestrogens are plant-based hormones with a structure that is very similar to naturally produced oestrogen. They help reduce hot flashes, loss of bone density and bad cholesterol and they also help protect against breast cancer.
• Regular Physical Activity: Exercise at least 30 minutes each day; divide the time into three 10 minute sessions. Not only will your mood feel the positive effects of exercise, but it also helps fight obesity, maintains bone density, reduces hot flashes and facilitates sleep. 
• Medicinal Plants: They are particularly effective in relieving minor symptoms of menopause. To counter a depressive mood, try a little St-John’s wort, as for improving sleep, valerian is a good option, and to help with hot flashes and vaginal dryness, cohorsh is recommended. However, consult your pharmacist before trying any of these options since some natural products may interact with other medications and cause harmful side effects.

If you make a few of these changes, you might find that menopause isn’t so bad. Merry Menopause!

We suggest:

The complete range of REVIVAL products from Marcelle, formulated for mature skin, such as Intense Anti-Aging day cream ($34.95)