Getting the lowdown on menopause
The midlife hormone change can be hard, which is why our menopause expert Amanda Thebe is on a mission to help. In the first part of our exclusive guide, she explains what really happens to your body and helps steer you through this tricky time
If you’re a woman or know a woman, chances are you are going to be affected by the menopause at some point. Over 75 per cent of women will have menopause symptoms, including brain fog so severe broadcaster Emma Freud said she thought she had dementia, while Davina Mccall declared the symptoms worse than drug addiction.
Here, menopause expert Amanda Thebe challenges the common myths, explains what is really going on with our hormones, and how to take back control of body and mind.
“My experience shows me that this is a powerful time in a woman’s life, and we need to harness its potential,” says Amanda, a personal trainer and menopause expert ert who experienced severe menopausal usal symptoms.
“I have found strength from the struggles I ’ve overcome ercome to get to this place. This strength has transferred over to other aspects of my life, and I feel more empowered than n ever to strive for personal success.” s.”
WHAT IS THE HE MENOPAUSE? SE?
It can be broken n down into three distinct ct phases: perimenonopause, menopause, use, and postmenopause. ause.
Perimenopause se means the period d before menopause. use. This is the time in a woman’s life when her hormonal rmonal cycles start shifting, paving aving the way for the natural transition. ransition. Perimenopause can start as early as 35 and can last for eight to 10 years. . Women still have their period an and can still get pregnant during p perimenopause, but they migh might also start suffering from fro a number of symptoms.
Menopau Menopause means the end of monthly cycles. Has it been 12 months s since your last period? If so, you y can officially say you’ve hit hi menopause. You can re reach menopause any time during your 40s o or 50s. At this point the o ovaries completely ceas cease producing the sex horm hormones oestrogen and p progesterone, and you have h hit the end of your childbearing years.
Post Postmenopause is when a w woman has reached menopause menopause. You might start to see a de decrease in some of the sympt symptoms of perimenopause, bu but that doesn’t mean your yo symptoms will com completely
disappear. Postmenopause is also a time when other health concerns such as osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and heart disease might appear as a result of the oestrogen and progesterone falling. Reaching menopause can speed up cellular ageing which means women may get more wrinkles, gain weight and lose some hair.
HOW HORMONES GO HAYWIRE
Oestrrogen is your happy hormone and is responsible for so many functions in the body that when its levels start to diminish, the symptoms can present themselves in numerous ways.
As you go through perimenopause, your oestrogen starts to decline, but not in a linear fashion. Rather it f luctuates up and down, which can lead to myriad
symptoms. Its erratic nature can leave women feeling as though they’ve been hit by a truck. Oestrogen is produced mainly in the ovaries but also in small amounts in the adrenal glands and fat cells. It keeps the vagina moisturised, elastic and well supplied with blood, helps to form serotonin ( a mood enhancer), helps with bone formation and plays a role in the health of the heart, the brain, hair, skin and breasts.
Progesterone is your calming friend and is primarily released from the ovaries during the second part of your menstrual cycle. It is necessary in preparing your body for pregnancy. The body decides since it’s time to stop procreating, progesterone is no longer needed.
Progesterone promotes a calming effect, reducing anxiety, mood swings and irritability. It can also promote sleep, so declining levels of progesterone are typically accompanied by insomnia, a lower tolerance for stress and increased anxiety. It also plays a part in sexual desire and benefits cardiovascular health, bone and nervous system health and brain function.
Testosterone is not just a male hormone, women have it in lower amounts. It gives us that feeling of wellbeing, as well as increased energy, and helps us stay strong and boosts our sexual desire. Chances are if you build lean muscle easily, you have a healthy volume of testosterone.
As levels of oestrogen and progesterone decline, you may reach a stage during your menopause transition when you have more testosterone relative to oestrogen and progesterone. That’s when you may see a shift in your distribution of body fat from a pear shape to a more predominantly apple shape. Testosterone works with oestrogen and progesterone to keep bones strong and healthy, and it also promotes cognitive health.
Oestrogen decline can make you feel as if you’ve been hit by a truck