I am feeling very positive….For many reasons, however the main one is the reason that I am writing this blog; “Talking about the Menopause” As some of you lovely readers know I am post menopausal and have had many of the unpleasant side affects of this just wonderful time of life, I hope you hear the sarcasm!
I am not sure if it is because I am searching on this subject or that my gorgeous family and friends keep sending me links to articles! I thank you all BTW.
I do feel that the dreaded “Menopause” is being talked about more. Tick in the positive box please.
A recent article in the Daily Mail written by Sarah Vine got me thinking. Over the last year or so what I have found during my research is there is a lot of conflicting information and on many occasions have shut my computer in disgust or sheer frustration.
The article is brilliant because it “Talks About The Menopause” Yay! However, I look over my reading glasses at this point, as a clinical exercise practitioner and woman of a certain age, felt slightly frustrated again.
TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!
I am sure it isn’t down to either “Magic Mike”, this is what Sarah calls her trainer, or Sarah, as I have worked with journalist in the past and it can, sometimes, be a little like a game of Chinese whispers as when things finally get to print some of the information has changed. For you lovely journalist that have helped me in the past this isn’t a criticism just an observation. I love you all.
Reading the article I put myself into the shoes of menopausal women who would be reading this contemplating taking up exercise.
My fear is, after reading the article they may feel confused and feel that if they are not doing this exact type of exercise then they are actually doing damage and not helping so therefore not do anything.
So just to clarify…….
Cortisol is released when the body experiences too much physical stress or is not sufficiently recovered from a previous workout. It is and can be released during every day life.
However everyone’s baseline levels are different. For one, too much physical stress could be walking up 1 flight of stairs and another person would be sprinting up and both individuals recovery time would be different.
While cortisol helps promote fat metabolism, yes, exercising for too long can elevate levels of cortisol which uses muscle protein for fuel instead of conserving it to be used to repair damaged tissue. But again what is too long? Everyone is different.
However, regular exercise training will decrease this effect, causing the body to have a better response to stress and require less cortisol release.
In layman terms, cortisol can be realised on a daily basis, so exercising can help manage it.
As a Hormonal/Menopausal women I can tell you that one’s cortisol levels can elevate on a daily, no hourly basis!
Everyone is different. Everyone has a different baseline level. The HIIT type of training that Sarah is doing would raise most sedentary individual levels to a higher state.
However, what I am hearing from her is that she feels great and that this works for her. Brilliant, as what she has said, she has suffered dreadfully in the past and is now coming out of the horrible hormonal fog.
So what to do if you are Menopausal and want to start exercising?
MOVE MOVE MOVE!! Get breathless, do something fun, smile while you are doing it, but you must do some resistance exercise to help with your bones. (please read my blog on Osteoporosis and weight training)
Basically, if you haven’t exercised for a while, then start moving, build up slowly.
If you are Menopausal and have exercised regularly for years and feel good, keep on doing what you are doing, but make sure you are incorporating resistance exercise especially in the hips, wrists and spine, which are the major site of Osteoporosis.
To decrease cortisol levels, my advice is to laugh more, do activities with friends that get you moving and breathless. Did I mention that you should be doing resistance exercise?
What I do wholeheartedly agree with in this article is what she says about Lumity. I have been taking it for around 6 months and have noticed some great changes……..it really does what it says on the tin. http://lumitylife.co.uk/
Good luck ladies in your quest to find hormonal harmony.
#menopause #disruptaging
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