POSITIVE HEALTH BENEFITS TO LOOK FORWARD TO!

Women’s health coach and founder of Owning Your Menopause app, Kate Rowe-ham, explains how women can navigate their menopausal years successfully and positively

Helps forge closer bonds

“Menopause can be an isolating environment, so it’s important to keep communication lines open about how you are. You can feel vulnerable when you share something so personal, but opening up about your symptoms can give you strength because you’re not dealing with them alone. As soon as you allow those conversations to happen at home and in the workplace, it opens the doors to ongoing dialogue. It also allows you to build bonds with other women and share best practice and knowledge. When I was in the depths of menopause, my husband didn’t know, but when the penny finally dropped and he understood why I’d become so withdrawn, I felt so supported and we’ve become closer as a result. In sharing what I was going through with him, as well as my teenagers, I felt more powerful because they understood how I felt and what I needed.”

Symptoms won’t last forever

“Symptoms will come and go. Some may even present themselves all at once, which can be tricky. But they won’t last forever, and you can address each one in some way. If you’re suffering with aches and pains, it might be time to start moving more, and if you’re suffering with brain fog, cutting back on alcohol can help. However weak you’re feeling, try and say something positive to yourself every day. Remember that us women are incredible – we’re often the glue that holds our families together and that takes a strong person. Instead of looking at how far you’ve got to go, start looking at far you’ve come in your journey instead.”

Time for Reinvention

“The menopause is a great time to ask yourself whether you’re doing what you really want to do. When your kids have flown the nest, and with slightly more time on our hands, that’s the time to start drawing on your life experiences. We often dismiss our skill set, but

as women who’ve raised children and kept a home, as well our brilliant ability to multitask, we learn so many skills from managing daily life that we can take out into different fields. Be excited about the prospect about carving a new career or taking your skillset into a different path of life.

You can futureproof your body

“As you approach the menopause, it’s a great time to really focus on your diet and think about the way you want to fuel your body. If you’re a mum, you’ll likely have spent a lot of time eating foods your kids prefer to eat over the years for ease, rather than making separate meals. If you do have more time once they’ve left home, you can start to think about rediscovering the foods you love, experimenting with recipes and eating healthier. It’s never too late to start making changes, eating for heart and bone health, and reducing the risk of heart disease, which really matters when we’re going through menopause.”

You’ll have a clearer head

There’s no doubt alcohol can be a coping mechanism for midlife women. We’re often dealing with elderly or sick parents, tricky teenagers, and holding down own our jobs and homes. It’s a lot to take on. But limiting our consumption actually brings a lot of brilliant things with it. If you’re experiencing symptoms of sleeplessness, weight gain, hot sweats, heart palpitations and panic attacks, alcohol will be exacerbating every single one of them, and cutting down or cutting out will massively help ease them. From my own experience, becoming sober allowed me to face what was going on with a clear mind, process my thoughts and accept it better rather than hiding behind a glass of wine. It also allowed me to be more present in the day, be more alert, and concentrate on my business better.”