6 Simple Steps for a Positive Menopause!
If you missed my event last week you might want to come along to this! Thanks to Jo & Ann from Positive Pause for this guest blog. To book tickets see link below!
There are positive steps that women can take to make the most of their menopause. PositivePause share 6 simple steps to turn what’s often viewed as a negative transition into a more positive experience.
Menopause transition? Some of us breeze through it, and for others, it ranges from tricky to overwhelming. Once you’ve found a way of managing it that works for you, it can be viewed as an opportunity to look ahead to the future – time to pause, take stock and reassess your life. We view it as a reset button to start thinking about your future, with a positive outlook.
Menopause was once a word that was shrouded in silence and secrecy, it was women’s only business that was just not discussed unless it was the butt of a mother-in-law joke. Thanks to research and more openness, especially through celebrities being honest about their midlife experiences, women are now able to have a better understanding to their predecessors.
Unshackled from the burden of periods, it can be a turning point, empowering women to start the next phase on their own terms.
There are positive steps that women can take to make the most of their menopause
Knowledge is power!
Empower yourself in understanding that menopause is normal, it’s a natural phase that all women go through.
There’s so much information at your fingertips, with plenty of resources and social media support groups out there to find kindred spirits. There’s also something quite comforting when you can discuss things in anonymity, it’s amazing what alternative advice you learn – more knowledge, more power!
Seek advice!
Be proactive. If menopause is having an impact on your quality of life, be it physically or mentally, see your GP sooner, rather than later. Ask which doctor is the menopause expert in the practice and book a double appointment. Think about your symptoms before you go in. Read the 2015 NICE Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Menopause to find out what options your GP has available. If after following your GP’s advice, there’s no improvement, go back, ask for a second opinion or ask if there’s a menopause clinic in your area?
Speak up!
Menopause shouldn’t be a lonely experience, don’t suffer in silence.
Talk openly and honestly to your partner, family, friends, colleagues, they’ve probably already noticed that you’re not your usual self. Talking, whether it be positive, or negative can be empowering. Start a Menopause Café of your own to encourage others to talk too. What you have to say may help other women, sharing stories with like minded souls who are also struggling, can open up new avenues of support.
Don’t despair & don’t compare!
Every woman’s menopause is different, experiences and symptoms are individual to each and all.
Share your stories, but don’t think that the medical advice they received will apply to you too. The choice isn’t just about HRT or the Mirena coil!
Even if you’re sailing through menopause, go see your GP and get a Midlife MOT. The hormonal challenges of menopause have an impact on other areas of your health, including your heart and bones. If those little leaks that occurred when you sneezed, laughed or coughed are getting embarrassing, go see a women’s health physio to help strengthen your pelvic floor. Prevention is so much better than cure, download an app like Squeezy, to remind you to regularly do pelvic floor exercises.
Know your body
Perimenopause is a time of flux, if you find your periods are becoming erratic, keep a diary for at least three cycles. Be more aware of your body, and your own anatomy, your changing periods, vaginal atrophy, joint pain, or headaches are all indicators of where you are in your journey. Being proactive about understanding yourself, your periods, your physical and mental state will be helpful when seeking medical advice. Oh, and exercise – exert yourself for energy and endorphins, the happy hormone.
Pause for thought
PositivePause see menopause as a reset button. View it as a time to consider what you want in the next phase of your life. What’s important and how can you achieve it? If you’re struggling with this phase and need help, consider talking to a counsellor, registered psychologist or Cognitive Behavioural Therapist.
Above all, this is the time to reassess your lifestyle, your health and fitness, all important for a healthy, happy body and mind. Make yours a positive pause!
#positivepause
If you live in the North West of England, be sure to go to this PositivePause event in Manchester, on Saturday 5th October. The PositivePause Feelgood Fair is a day dedicated to looking after your health and wellbeing through midlife, menopause & beyond!
Be inspired by women’s health professionals sharing their knowledge and expertise, offering practical straightforward solutions, empowering you to lead a happier, healthier life. Enjoy stand-up comedy, food stalls, exhibitors and a great gift bag too!
To book via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/positivepause-feelgood-fair-manchester-tickets-65662023881