If you’ve experienced hot flashes, sleepless nights, or weight gain, you’re probably in the trenches of menopause. It’s not an easy experience for most women. It’s just that during the menopausal years, your estrogen levels decrease. This impacts your metabolism in many ways.
This can also add to an increase in inflammation in the body. If you add the fact that you’re also climbing up in age, that only makes menopause an even harder fight. Thankfully, there are plenty of practical ways to reduce the side effects of menopause. Consider these tips in order to get started.
1. Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Your diet is one of the most important factors to consider. As the inflammation rises in your body, you can’t add inflammatory foods to the equation without experiencing a negative consequence. Knowing this, focus on eating lots of green, leafy vegetables. Consume healthy sources of fiber such as chia seeds, legumes, and broccoli. Popcorn is a great anti-inflammatory snack that’s filled with fiber. Just make it yourself to avoid copious amounts of sodium and butter. Increase your intake of fatty fish and other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid processed foods altogether. Instead, focus on whole foods that are rich in nutrients. Take a menopause supplement in order to make sure your diet is well-rounded. Don’t forget to drink lots of water.
2. Lower Sugar Intake
Your sugar intake truly matters because sugar truly holds power to exacerbate your menopausal symptoms. There are women who don’t have any menopausal symptoms because sugar is an occasional treat. The problem is that sugar can easily be found in almost anything. This is why it’s best to focus on whole foods. Processed foods have tons of hidden sugars in them. It’s also best to read the labels if you opt to drink iced coffees, fresh juice, and more. Even as it pertains to fruit, try to consume fruit that’s lower on the glycemic index. If you’re going to eat fruits like bananas and pineapples, measure a certain amount because they contain tons of natural sugar. If you can keep your sugar intake to less than 24 grams a day, you’re on your way.
3. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is powerful because it allows the body to reset itself. It decreases the likelihood of inflammation as well. During your fasting hours, you can drink unsweetened tea, coffee, or water. The most popular fasting cycle is 16:8. This means that you’ll fast for 16 hours and eat for eight. Another popular fasting cycle is 12:12. During your feeding window, you still want to be mindful and careful about what you’re putting in your body. However, just know that intermittent fasting is an excellent way to become disciplined regarding how much you eat and how your body repairs itself.
4. Strength-Training Exercises
Strength-training exercises are powerful because they help to boost the metabolism. They also help you burn calories after the workout is complete. Don’t be afraid to lift heavier weights in the gym. In fact, a progressive overload approach can be incredibly helpful for burning fat, hormone regulation, and boosting metabolism. Many women love to try strength-training exercises through Pilates with the reformer machine and the Barre method. Even if you do a few strength-training exercise sessions each week, you’ll see and feel the difference in due time.
5. Luxurious Amenities
Menopausal symptoms can be brutal. However, you don’t have to be a warrior through it all or suffer silently. Instead, develop a luxurious goodie bag of amenities to help you cope with your symptoms. If you struggle with hot flashes, always keep a mini-fan in your purse to cool yourself down. If you work in an office setting, keep a fan on your desk. If you struggle with restlessness at night, consider asking the doctor for a melatonin recommendation to help you sleep peacefully. Look for ways to adjust and work through the symptoms that provide a true sense of relief.
For most women, menopause proves to be an undeniably challenging process to go through. From shifts in hormones to weight gain, a lot of women are left to fend for themselves when the doctors don’t provide sufficient solutions. Know that you’re not crazy if you’re currently struggling through menopause. You’re perfectly normal.