How not to grow old during menopause: causes of changes during menopause, what lifestyle to lead and what to take against the aging body

At this stage, hormonal changes occur in the female body: the production of estrogen decreases and stops, the woman’s reproductive function decreases and the ability to conceive gradually fades.

At the same time, the female body is preparing for the next stage of life - old age. Many processes occurring in a woman’s body are inevitable and irreversible.

Reasons for changes

The main reason for accelerated aging processes during menopause is the cessation of the production of estrogen , a female hormone that promotes the formation of lipid metabolism in the body, strengthens bone tissue, and affects the condition of the skin, nails, and hair structure.

In addition, the production of another hormone, progesterone, which is responsible for preparing the vaginal mucosa for fertilization, stops.

During menopause, the aging process accelerates for other reasons:

• there is a decrease in the protective functions of the immune system, which leads to the incidence of infectious and autoimmune diseases;
• weakening of bone tissue leads to changes in posture;
• the production of secretory compounds stops.

These factors are associated with the cessation of the production of female hormones, therefore it is the deficiency of estrogen and progesterone that causes the restructuring of the body.

What processes occur in the body

During menopause, the cessation of estrogen production affects the condition of a woman's skin. A lack of collagen causes dry skin, which leads to sagging and weak skin tissue. This especially applies to the face, neck, and décolleté area. Quite quickly during menopause, the elasticity of the skin and its youth are lost.

Bone tissue becomes weakened due to calcium leaching, and the risk of arthritis increases.

Also read about joint pain during menopause.

Estrogens control not only the maturation of eggs, but also contribute to the even distribution of fat cells throughout the body, due to which a woman’s figure has a certain appearance. In the absence of estrogen in sufficient quantities during menopause, there is a tendency to be overweight and obese.

How to do a menopause test, read here.

In addition to external manifestations of the cessation of production of the hormone estrogen, irreversible aging processes occur inside the female body:

• Menstruation stops . A year after the last menstruation, we can talk about the onset of menopause;
• Hot flashes occur - a natural reaction of the hypothalamus to the restructuring of the body. Hot flashes are accompanied by fever and increased sweating; they may also be accompanied by attacks of nausea, pressure surges and headaches;
• destruction of the ovaries occurs due to the replacement of maturing follicles with connective tissue.

Fatigue, insomnia, and nervousness are increasingly common. All these symptoms contribute to poor health, in which not only a lack of collagen affects the appearance and condition of the skin, but also lack of sleep and fatigue contribute to a woman’s appearance.

In order for menopause to affect the appearance and condition of a woman as little as possible, you should monitor your diet and change your lifestyle during this difficult period.

Lifestyle

Before you think about what pills to take during menopause, you need to look at yourself from the outside, or more precisely at your lifestyle. We need to remember once and for all that there is no magic pill, and nothing will help a woman maintain her youth if she leads an unhealthy lifestyle.

Therefore, first of all, during menopause, you need to follow the following recommendations:

• Do exercises every day and do fitness, dancing or yoga three times a week, and you can also visit the pool. This is the only way to keep your muscles toned, tighten your skin and remove excess weight.
• You need to eat right. All unhealthy foods, such as sausages, chips, fast food, canned food, questionable confectionery and semi-finished products, are excluded. You only need to eat healthy and wholesome food. It is better to eat fractionally - 5-6 times a day in small portions, so food is absorbed better and hunger does not occur with a low-calorie diet.
• Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are completely excluded. Smoking and alcohol are the best friends of sagging skin, wrinkles and cardiovascular diseases.

All these simple measures will help not only slow down aging and maintain a pleasant appearance, but also prevent many diseases of the internal organs to which a woman becomes susceptible after menopause.

Lifestyle during menopause

An important condition for a mild and painless course of the menopause is a change in a woman’s lifestyle.

The following factors are of great importance:

• nutrition . The likelihood of gaining excess weight during menopause is quite high. It is recommended to exclude fats from the diet and create a low-calorie diet;
• physical activity . Regular physical exercise stimulates the coordinated functioning of the circulatory and cardiac systems, normalizes metabolic processes;
• rest . To relieve tension and the harmful effects of insomnia on the body, you should devote time during the day to rest and sleep;
• taking medications and agents that help reduce severe symptoms of menopause (hot flashes, dizziness, insomnia). After the examination, the doctor may prescribe hormone replacement drugs, non-hormonal or other drugs;
• including more water and vitamins in the diet. Water balance must be maintained as dry skin and mucous membranes increase; vitamins help replenish the missing elements in the body and normalize metabolic processes.

IMPORTANT!

The new lifestyle should become a habit for life after menopause.

Since changes in the body during menopause are irreversible, you should take care of your health more carefully and systematically visit a doctor.

Seeing a doctor

Even the most experienced doctor will not be able to accurately determine by visual examination whether menopause has begun or not. For diagnosis, several tests are usually performed, based on the results of which treatment is prescribed. You will need to take at least 4 tests: anti-Mullerian hormone, FSH, angiobins A and B, prolactin and cortisol. These tests determine the state of the ovarian reserve and general hormonal levels, and therefore serve as a sufficient basis for the diagnosis.

Mandatory consultation with a doctor

Medical intervention consists mainly of the correct choice of supportive medications and professional support for the patient. The following groups of medications are usually prescribed:

• hormonal drugs: replenish lost hormones in the body;
• vitamin-mineral complexes: provide the necessary nutrients in the right quantities;
• homeopathy, dietary supplements: natural preparations have a calming effect on certain systems experiencing malfunctions;
• drugs with a sedative and analgesic effect: sedatives and analgesics.

In each specific case, help is provided individually, so you should not recommend to your friends what once helped you. It is better to suggest the address of an experienced gynecologist; this will be a real manifestation of female friendship.

What do the doctor's say

Doctors advise, first of all, not to self-medicate, no matter what folk remedies everyone around advises. If you diagnose the onset of menopause in time and take the necessary measures, not necessarily medications, you can avoid many unpleasant consequences.

No need to be afraid of the word menopause

It is important that a woman objectively assess her condition and not be afraid of the word “menopause.” 10,000 steps a day, a balanced diet, a positive attitude, at least 1.5 liters of water per day - these simple but effective actions work wonders. And, of course, the support and understanding of loved ones, especially the husband and other family members, occupies a special place here. It is not difficult to imagine what trials await household members, but love, patience, goodwill, without exaggeration, can become the most effective therapy.

How not to grow old during menopause: proper nutrition

Proper nutrition during and after menopause is the key to improved well-being, good appearance, and healthy skin, nails, and hair.

You can switch to proper nutrition gradually, but you should remember that unhealthy foods are doubly harmful when menopause occurs .

A vulnerable body during menopause reacts more sharply to high-calorie nutrition, metabolic processes occur in a different rhythm, and the elements that contribute to the absorption of heavy foods and the distribution of fats throughout the body are not enough to ensure the normal digestion process.

During menopause, it is recommended to completely eliminate cooking by frying in oil. It is advisable to cook by steaming, in the oven or using the method of stewing foods. This way, less harmful fats enter the body, and more nutrients are retained in cooked foods.

In addition, smoked foods, flour products, sweets and canned food should be excluded from the diet. Completely avoid fast food, fatty, salty and spicy foods.

It is recommended to distribute the diet so that the diet contains:

• dairy products (low-fat), eggs;
• nuts;
• sea ​​fish;
• bran, porridge;
• asparagus, peaches, other fruits;
• lean meat;
• vegetables are a priority;
• legumes (beans, peas).

You should drink enough water. The diet should be regular and fairly frequent, but in small portions - this way the stomach is not overloaded and there is no burden on other organs during the difficult period of restructuring the body.

NOTE!

The undeniable provocateurs of aging - alcohol and smoking - should be completely excluded from your life.

In addition to food, you can take nutritional supplements that can help improve digestion and supplement your food with vitamins and minerals.

Dietary supplements and folk remedies to improve health

So what can you drink and take to stay young and healthy during menopause?

Dietary supplements are non-hormonal herbal remedies that help improve a woman’s general condition and replenish the body with minerals and vitamins.

The influence of dietary supplements is determined by the following indicators:

• able to calm the nervous system and increase stress resistance;
• do not produce a harmful effect on the kidneys and other organs (in comparison with medications);
• help slow down the aging of the body;
• improve the condition of the skin, nail structure, and hair.

In addition to taking herbal active drugs, folk recipes can also slow down the aging of the body and maintain freshness and youth to a certain extent. To do this, use products that prevent aging (nuts, green vegetables, berries).

In addition, there are other folk remedies for preserving youth:

• regular cleansing of the body . It is effective to use early birch sap in spring as a drink;
• eating on an empty stomach nutritional mixtures of lemon and garlic , or olive oil, honey and lemon juice ;
• taking digestive aids based on angelica root, calamus, and sage leaves ;
• taking decoctions to improve cardiac activity based on calendula flowers and lingonberry leaves .

The youth of the body is maintained by regular physical exercise, an active lifestyle, and the absence or minimization of psycho-emotional stress and stress.

A set of measures aimed at preserving youth should be developed in agreement with the doctor.

What anti-aging drugs are there?

During menopause, special pills and other medications can improve your general condition, reduce the impact of hot flashes and other symptoms, and also prevent aging.

The main drugs that replace natural estrogen are hormonal drugs. Indications for taking hormonal medications can only be prescribed by a doctor.

CAREFULLY!

Hormonal drugs are prohibited from being prescribed or taken independently without a doctor’s recommendation.

These drugs have a number of contraindications, so before prescribing hormonal therapy, the doctor conducts a full examination of the woman’s body, studies the course of existing diseases, and compares the risk of possible pathologies.

Some women are prescribed non-hormonal drugs - herbal remedies and herbal medicines. They help mitigate the course of menopause and preserve youth and health.

In addition to medications, it is important to take a complex of vitamin preparations containing elements of potassium, zinc, magnesium and other elements necessary for preserving youth.

Psycho-emotional instability

It is difficult to draw a line between natural imbalance and the emotional breakdowns that accompany menopause. If a woman is melancholic in life, then she may not notice the onset of menopause, as she is accustomed to despondency and sudden mood swings. But when a cheerful, self-confident businesswoman experiences an unreasonable attack of fear or anger, anxiety, apathy, drowsiness, this can truly frighten her.

Poor resistance to stress in women during menopause

It’s good if a woman at least approximately imagines the true picture and consults a doctor in a timely manner - this will help avoid more severe consequences, expressed by deep depression and panic attacks. But it often happens that alarming symptoms are not associated in the mind with menopause, and a person is left alone with his anxieties and phobias, considering them “God’s punishment” and not even trying to fight.