Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Getti lowdo meno Ng the own on opause
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
ppear. Postmenopause is also a when other health concerns such teoporosis, Alzheimer’s and heart se might appear as a result of the ogen and progesterone falling. aching menopause can speed up lar ageing which means en may get more kles, gain weight and some hair.
W HORMONES HAYWIRE
rogen is your happy mone and is responsible o many functions in the that when its levels to diminish, the symptoms can ent themselves in numerous ways. you go through perimenopause, oestrogen starts to decline, but not inear fashion. Rather it fluctuates nd down, which can lead to myriad ptoms. Its erratic nature can leave en feeling as though they’ve been y a truck. Oestrogen is produced ly 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
Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and How You Can Too by Amanda Thebe is published by Greystone Books (£14.99).