Menopause is a very natural process that requires a lot of attention and care, especially in the initial stages. Before getting to the right self-care practice for menopause, it is important to look at a few basic concepts.
Menstruation is the time when the blood tissue of the uterus breaks down and comes out of the vagina. It is a common physical process that a girl experiences every month.
This process begins when a girl is around 10 years old.
What Is Menopause?
Menstruation is an indication that the female has matured sexually and is ready to conceive.
However, there is an end to this period cycle. After a certain age, the woman stops menstruating and cannot get pregnant naturally.
This pause in menstruation is known as menopause. Women experience menopause between the age of 45-55.
Just like how menarche brings changes in the body both mentally and physically, menopause can lead to the same circumstances.
This is the reason that menopause is also called ‘the change’.
There are three stages of menopause. The first one is perimenopause. This is the time before the periods stop altogether. Your last period is considered perimenopause.
The second one is menopause. This is a time period when a woman does not menstruate for 12consecutive months.
The last one is post-menopause. It is the stage after you have crossed the menopause phase.
But why is it necessary to know all this? It’s just a stop to menstruation, it cannot be that serious. Right?
No!
Menopause is a phase where women experience sudden body change and go through an emotional rollercoaster.
The symptoms of menopause are different in every woman. But, these symptoms can be worrisome.
Menopause causes bodily changes such as weight gain, insomnia, increased urination, and much more.
It can even lead to depression, anxiety, vaginal dryness, reduced libido, and memory problems.
Therefore, it is not a good choice to leave the symptoms of menopause untreated.
Almost 80% of women will experience mild or severe symptoms of menopause. There are only a few women who can escape this uncomfortable situation at all.
So, if you are one of them, consider yourself lucky.
What is the best self-care practice for menopause?
It is important to give yourself love and care when you are going through your menopause. Women often tend to neglect their health amidst family responsibilities and work.
But, ignoring your health might cost you serious medical problems. Therefore, it is important to take care of yourself amidst all the work and family things.
Here are 8 self-care tips for menopause.
Quit smoking
Smoking is injurious to health. It is no news to you, for sure. It becomes even worse after your menopause.
Your bones are getting old and your organs will slow down. At times like this, you just need to quit smoking. Get help if you cannot do it on your own or if you are addicted to it.
But, do quit this harmful practice.
The same goes for alcohol. Alcohol consumption will make your menopause symptoms worse. You are already suffering from insomnia, hot flash, night sweats, and mood swings.
You want to avoid worsening it. Trigger foods or taking in something strong that alters your body’s natural function is just as bad for you.
Also Read: Tips to Improve Fertility: Eating Habits and ExercisesÂ
Exercise: A physical self-care practice for menopause
Exercising daily should be your priority. There are multiple health benefits of exercising daily.
In fact, according to professionals and literary studies, a woman should exercise at least 30 minutes daily.
Exercise will help you to achieve a healthy weight and even maintain it. You will observe less stress and great metabolism after exercising.
Yoga is a good option to keep yourself healthy and as a self-care practice for menopause. It will not only promote mindfulness but peace and health as well.
It will keep your joints healthy and help you to avoid annoying symptoms of menopause such as anxiety, irritation, and insomnia.
Exercise is the best way to cope up with the effects of menopause.
A healthy diet: A preventative self-care practice for menopause
You are in your 40s or 50s, and it is a necessity to maintain a healthy diet to keep yourself away from diseases and aging problems.
You should take foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, you can even prefer to take a professional diet plan to maintain health.
Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Since your bones are getting old, it is important to consume lots of calcium and vitamin D.
Eat yogurt, fish, egg, and other such good foods source of protein and vitamins.
You must include foods like tofu, soybean, sesame seeds, and beans which are rich in phytoestrogens.
Good food will help to balance the hormones in your body.
Stay hydrated
Mouth dryness, a symptom of menopause. Drinking 8-12 glasses of water every day will help you keep yourself hydrated.
Drinking water is good for your skin as well as your weight. It stops the body from gaining excess fat.
Avoid processed food
It might be the one self-care practice for menopause that some find difficult to follow.
Taking too much salt or sugar will affect the symptoms of menopause.
Processed food affects mood and health altogether. It can also threaten you of diagnosed with diabetes.
Avoid taking sugary and junk food.
Try to maintain a healthy weight
It is common to gain weight after menopause. However, you should not try to ignore such symptoms.
Weight gain will only worsen your health. Excess fat accumulation around your waist can be threatening.
It can lead to heart disease or diabetes. Therefore, you should try to maintain a healthy weight.
Family bonding time: a mental self-care practice for menopause
This self-care practice for menopause can also be beneficial for family bonding. Menopause can make you agitated and depressive at the same time. This can affect your emotions to a great extent.
Talking to your family about what you are going through and receiving their support will help you cope up with the bad times.
They will try to be understanding and help you get through it.
Sleep is important
Menopause gives insomnia and night sweats. Therefore, it is already a pain to get good sleep at times like this.
However, it becomes even more important to get a good sleep so that you can maintain your health.
You should exercise regularly and avoid using the phone or other such electronics as much as possible.
Self-care practice for menopause: The bottom line
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. Since the body goes under a big change, it can have some major symptoms that cannot be left neglected.
It is important to self-care during the pre-menopause and menopause phase so that you can keep your body healthy.
Follow these 8 self-care tips to stay healthy and happy even when your menopause is trying to worsen it.
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