The hottest topic in town: Menopausal Hotties...

We are still working our way through our menopausal ‘ABCs’, and this month it’s the turn of the letter ‘E’! ‘E’ for Energy, or more accurately, a lack of...

Let’s face it hotties, this (peri)menopausal sh*te can be exhausting. Just getting through the normal day-to-day hottie challenges can make huge demands on our (limited) energy reserves.

Those waning hormones really are disruptive little blighters, but fret no more as help is at hand, and there are several ways we can charge and recharge our depleted energy supplies.

Crikey, even just putting my thinking cap on and getting the creative juices going is making me want to have a lie-down, and I’ve not even got started…

Fear not, we may not be the Duracell bunny which just ‘keeps on going’, but we can take steps to boost our energy reserves, or swap our low power batteries for a longer lasting set.

I’ve been doing some homework, and what follows are some ideas which may help rebalance the energy scales in our hottie favour. Prepare to plug in and get going…

1. Exercise: oh yes Hotties I’m not joking - I haven’t taken (total) leave of my senses! Ideally you need to aim for 30 minutes a day or at least 5 times per week. The 30 minutes can be broken down into 3 x 10 minute blasts, which makes it more manageable, less daunting, and little wriggle room for excuses!

While exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing, it really is the best thing you can do to boost your energy, keep youthful, manage your weight and keep supple. Remember: ‘exercise’ can not only cover a multitude of sins (energetic housework!) but also pleasures, if you catch my drift, nudge nudge, wink wink...

Bonus: regular exercise also produces the feelgood hormone. Yay hottie happy days!

2. To caffeine or not to caffeine? Probably best to make a concerted effort to cut down on your caffeine (and alcohol) intake. Cheers for that ???? I hear you cry (not). Whilst these deceptive little treats taste good, delicious in fact, they actually deplete our precious energy levels, e.g. by stopping us from getting a good night's beauty sleep, especially if we partake of an evening.

Bonus: You’ll eventually have more hot-to-trot energy without these tempting artificial stimulants. Decaff, low/non alcoholic drinks and water are your best allies at this stage to keep you powering on through!

3. Portion the portion size: Those extra pounds, especially those which have crept on during the menopause, can contribute to you feeling sluggish and lacklustre on the energy front. We covered ‘diet’ in last month’s issue, which is worth revisiting. By eating smaller meals, and more often, with lots of fresh fruit, veg, and high in low-fat protein can provide much needed extra energy. Stay away from sugary snacks and keep an eye on those calories.

Bonus: Even the smallest changes can make a BIG difference.

4. Relax, don’t do it! It’s important to make and take time out for you; pamper yourself or take a walk in nature, a little meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques, yoga, or simply a good read (can highly recommend EmmaHeaven.Com). De-stress, melt away the anxiety and watch your energy levels soar.

Bonus: your hot flush symptoms may decrease too.

5. Time to snooze: Those night sweats and hot flushes can play havoc with our sleep patterns. Keep the room cooler than normal, light natural bed clothes, dark room, alarm set and maybe even a fan (yes, all year round).

Bonus: Restful sleep is a firm and loyal friend, positively impacting on our energy stores dramatically.

6. Gimme the water: Staying hydrated helps your body function more effectively; when you are dehydrated your body has to work doubly hard, leading to fatigue. Keep a water bottle nearby so you can drink when you’re thirsty, and stay away from caffeine or calorific sugary drinks where possible.

7. It’s ok to say no: Don’t crowd your to-do list. Prioritise your tasks and learn to know your limits. You’ll feel better, less fatigued and probably get more done. Work smarter, not harder. Yes it’s true - less is more.

8. Supplement me. Nowadays even if you eat the healthiest of diets we may still be missing out on vital vitamins and minerals. Do a little research. Go for quality over quantity - there are many multimineral or multivitamin supplements available. Check with your Doctor beforehand for contraindications and before giving them a go. We can all benefit from a boost from time to time.

So there you have it hotties - some energy boosting tips we can embrace, to supercharge our depleted menopausal batteries. Enjoy embracing the benefits of your new-found energy.

Look out world - us hotties are ‘ever ready’ and raring to go…Again!

Julie x