STOP the menopause stressing you out

Anxiety is very much a female disease. Some 22 per cent of women in the UK feel anxious ‘most of the time’ and women are twice as likely as men to have severe worries.

Anxiety can peak in middle age for a raft of reasons — caring for elderly relatives and children; hormonal changes; concerns about health; divorce or bereavement.

it’s little wonder that your middle years can feel relentless and anxiety can flourish. But why are women particularly affected by severe worry?

Part of it seems to be biological. Women’s brains are more likely than men’s to respond to stressful events.

Add to this today’s pressure to ‘have it all’ — a social life, a great body, a rewarding relationship — and then balance babies and work. no wonder we are more anxious than ever before.

Women are more likely to ruminate on problems, while men are more likely to take action to solve them — something that’s down to the way women are raised to put the needs of others before their own. in contrast, men are taught to be more assertive.

if we are not allowed to discover that we can cope when things go wrong, we end up uncertain of our abilities. We don’t trust ourselves to be able to fix things, or get through tough times. Many women have not developed the confidence to handle challenges.

Along with all these hurdles come hormones. if your body is changing with the menopause or you are having monthly fluctuations with your periods, it can be a trigger for anxiety.

Although many women feel it’s selfish to take care of themselves, that is just what you must do. When you take care of yourself, everyone in your life benefits. it’s not selfish, it’s essential.

think of activities that relax you, then make time for them. ten minutes is enough to feel a benefit.

When you take care of yourself, you send yourself a message that you’re safe, valuable and worth taking care of — which could be crucial if you’re feeling lost after years of child-rearing.

there is no such thing as a cure for anxiety in the form of a pill, and taking supplements should never be an alternative to a healthy diet. But it’s worth considering a supplement of some of these nutrients, depending on your symptoms and food intake. it is a good idea to speak to your doctor before you start on supplements, as they may affect any medication you are taking.

MAGIC MAGNESIUM TO HELP YOU RELAX

MAgneSiUM is also known as the relaxation mineral because it helps your muscles relax, which is why it’s found in bath salts.

Many of us are deficient in it because the soil in which our food is grown often lacks minerals.

if you’re anxious, you may be especially short of magnesium. Being stressed or anxious depletes our bodies of magnesium, and supplements appear to protect us against stress.

A 2010 study found that magnesium taken with vitamin B6 reduced the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including anxiety and mood changes.

Magnesium is anti-inflammatory and stimulates the calming neurotransmitter gABA’s receptors. it’s quite a multitasker.

Sources of magnesium include wholegrain wheat and brown rice, beans, nuts and good old dark green leafy veggies.

you could also have a hot soak in the bath. Put 100–200g of epsom salts or, even better, magnesium flakes ( betteryou.

com) into a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes.

the magnesium-rich salts are absorbed through your skin, helping your muscles to relax.

if you don’t have time for a soak, try a foot bath while you sit on the sofa.

VITAL VITAMIN D FOR A MOOD BOOST

We’re often short in vitamin D, which is produced in our bodies in response to sunlight, since the sun in the UK between October and early March isn’t strong enough to stimulate its production. While we get some vitamin D from our food — oily fish, eggs and red meat — we’re only ever able to extract a small proportion of our needs that way.

Vitamin D shortage is one of the most common deficiencies in the UK and most of us should take a supplement. Studies have found a link between vitamin D levels and mental health.

One found that patients who took a vitamin D supplement had an increase in well-being and fewer depressive symptoms. A large study in 2013 found a link between low vitamin D levels and panic disorders. it used to be thought having 15 to 30 minutes of exposure to the sun three to four times a week during the summer would give you enough vitamin D to last almost through the winter.

these days, the nHS recommends that everyone considers taking a vitamin D supplement of 10mcg a day in winter.

WHY YOUR BRAIN NEEDS OMEGA 3

iF yOU read the ingredients on any packet of processed food, you’ll see fats such as sunflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil or soybean oil. While you’d think these plant- based oils would be healthy, sadly, they’re not.

these fats aren’t harmful in small amounts, but they are added to so many processed foods — from biscuits to ready meals — that we end up consuming far too much, rather than the healthier omega 3 oils, found in oily fish such as salmon.

Vegetable oils are high in omega 6 fats, which can cause inflammation, making brain cells less flexible and impairing the signalling between them.

Our brains are made up of around 60 per cent fat. ideally, omega 3 fats would make up the walls of brain cells. However, if we eat a diet high in processed foods we end up with omega 6 rather than omega 3 in our brains, which may affect how they function.

First, try to reduce the amount of omega 6 fat in your body by limiting the amount of processed foods you eat. then try to boost your consumption of omega 3 fats. the nHS recommends we eat at least one portion of oily fish a week. this could be salmon, fresh tuna ( tinned doesn’t count as the omega oils are found just under the skin), mackerel or sardines.

you might also consider a supplement of fish or krill, which is a small shrimp that larger fish eat. For vegetarians, an omega 3 supplement made of flaxseeds or algae oil is worth considering.

it can have a significant impact on your worries — a 2011 study found a 20 per cent decrease in anxiety levels after taking a fish oil supplement.

The Anxiety Solution, by Chloe Brotheridge, is published by Michael Joseph at £12.99. To order a copy for £9.74 (25 per cent discount) visit mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0844 571 0640; p&p is free on orders over £15. Offer valid until April 11, 2017.