Menopausal Hotties
The hottest topic in town: Hottie’s Menopause Manual
The Emma Heaven magazine is proud to present the Hottie’s Menopause Manual..
Did you know that there are - brace yourselves - 34 reported symptoms associated with the menopausal journey?
Ohhh yes hotties you read that right! Not 3 to 4 but a goddamn 34 of the cheeky little blighters. You may want to make a cuppa or pour yourself a large glass, and sit comfortably as it’s a looooong list.
Do not fear though warrior hotties, as we are going to take them in our stride and steadily work our way through them.
Hopefully this will arm you with the knowledge, power and humour required in order to deal with the emotional and physical minefield that is the menopause.
We continue with…
4. Fatigue
Well hotties we are getting through our list of 34 reported symptoms of the menopause.
Remember, you may not experience them all, or even none at all, but for the majority of us, we will have at least several of these and to varying degrees!
This month the focus is on that other ‘F word’ - Fatigue!
So if you're reading this and struggling to stay awake and it’s not ‘cos you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, or, you have little interest to continue reading this, then it’s more than likely it’s the dreaded ‘F word’ which assails many a hottie. Yes, you could well have menopausal fatigue.
It's very real and super frustrating as it can leave you feeling in a constant state of blahhhh and mehhhh….you’re all too familiar with trying to disguise a(nother) yawn, or furiously blinking to keep your eyes wide open and to stay focused! It can be the stuff of nightmares.
Energy is totally zapped from even the most basic of tasks, seeming like too much effort or totally wiping you out. Overnight you feel as if you’ve gone from being the life and soul of the party to counting down the seconds until you can leave to go climb into your PJs or steal a nap on the party host’s sofa!
Concentration becomes quite the challenge. Wakey wakey hotties - hope you're still with us, or have rejoined after a much needed power nap. Ohh and I’m sorry to say that a good night’s sleep may also be another ‘casualty’ and a long distant memory thanks to the menopause. And don’t even mention ‘memory loss’ to me - it feels like a relentless menopausal circle. Sigh…Oh how I’d so love to be a square right now, I’m so tired of this menopausal cycle. And I’m way too knackered at the moment to even think of exercising...
As we approach menopause, our hormones bob up and down like a rubber duck floating on a wild stormy sea.
Decreasing female sex hormones - progesterone and estrogen - can make us less able to relax enough to get that much needed sleep. This sleep deprivation affects everything we do. I think it’s time to call in the sleep fairies - oh how I so wish that they were real; I swear it’s the lack of sleep ‘delirium’ kicking in!
As fairies (sadly) don’t exist, here are a few things we can do to help kick fatigue to the kerb:
If you’re able, try taking a power nap of 20-30 minutes is ideal. If it’s good enough for Olympians it sure is for us hotties.
Get fresh air: Fill your senses and lungs. Taking a walk in nature can rebalance and re-energise us. Yes, it really is a walk in the park. Or as the cognoscenti are known to call it, ‘forest-bathing’...
Don’t over exercise: Whoop whoop now that’s a tip I am totally here for. Aiming for 30 minutes a day will have a positive impact such as a power walk, yoga or cycling - these will boost your circulation and increase your energy.
Swap out the high caffeine drinks for herbal or decaffeinated teas/coffees and drink plenty of water, especially in the warmer months.
Turn off the technology. Swap it out for journaling, meditation or listening to music; perhaps unwind with a relaxing podcast, or read a book.
Emptying your mind of worries or tasks can help you unwind, ready to embrace those sweet Zzzzz’s 💤.
Stay cool: Keep the bedroom nice and cool; natural cotton-rich bedding will help draw heat away and keep you cooler if you're ever ‘visited’ by the night sweats!
Be kind to yourself. You are important. Make time for you.
Medications can help to rebalance lost hormones - there are so many positive benefits and it’s worth a visit to your GP to discuss what you need to navigate your way through menopause. There is also a huge range of herbal supplements to explore too.
The important thing to remember hotties is to know that you have the right to feel your best, and to be your best. Help is out there. Please don’t settle. Let’s banish the fatigue and sparkle brighter than ever before. We deserve it. YOU deserve it!
Love
Julie
Hottie’s Menopause Manual
34. Osteoporosis
Hotties - there is light at the end of this tunnel as we approach the final symptom of the reported 34 symptoms associated with the peri/menopause journey!
However, we don’t wish to rain on your parade but do please be aware ladies that this $hit show, aka Mother Nature’s special gift to us women, will ALWAYS be on the sidelines, ready to throw a wee spanner in the works, so don’t mind us if we highlight yet ANOTHER symptom that you may or may not have been aware of. 34 isn’t a definitive number so like everything else in life - take it with a pinch of salt or pepper. Lime, tequila and/or a Bloody Mary is optional!
So has Mother Nature saved the best til last? Well, she’s most certainly saved one of the trickiest symptoms until last. Perhaps with hindsight, it’s last on the list in case we get the crap so frightened out of us early on, that we’d abandon reading, rhyme and/or reason, go stick our heads in the sand or fall face first into the nearest vat of alcohol, never to return sober, sane, or to surface again!
Fortunately, we already know by now from reading our Menopause manual that alcohol is not our best friend and that consuming it in large quantities has a negative impact on our bodies and minds, especially as it can turn us into an irrational lunatic! So with that warning light well and truly lit, let’s get down to business and tackle No.34: Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones are less dense, causing them to break or fracture more easily.
Hormonal changes during the peri/menopause can result in a reduction in bone density which in layman's terms, means, osteoporosis is very closely related to oestrogen deficiency.
Bone density (thickness) starts to decrease as your levels of oestrogen decline in the lead-up to menopause and it continues to decrease after menopause, thus having lower levels of oestrogen increases the risk of developing osteoporosis. On average, women lose up to 10% of their bone density in the first 5 years after menopause and about one in two women over the age of 60 will experience at least one fracture due to osteoporosis.
A healthy lifestyle is enormously helpful in reducing your risk of osteoporosis. You know the drill, ladies, and if your menopause brain has descended, we’ve thoughtfully placed the drill below.
It is also recommended you get plenty of calcium and vitamin D.
Good sources of calcium include dairy, tofu, almonds, Brazil nuts, dark green leafy vegetables, and fish with edible bones (e.g. sardines). Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries is one hottie’s favourite breakfast, which can also double up as a dessert if your sweet tooth is badgering you!
Vitamin D is made in the skin following sun exposure and is also found in small quantities in some food. It helps the body absorb calcium. Remember to wear your SPF outdoors tho, even in the winter months!
If you’re worried about osteoporosis do consult your GP. As with anything related to our bodies and our health - if you are experiencing difficulties, it makes sense to seek advice from your GP or health professional to see if there are any underlying causes, medications or other treatments that may explain the reason for or help your symptoms.
As we sign off from our Hotties Menopause Manual, having completed the 34 reported symptoms, rest assured we will be on hand every month to support and help you ladies on this voyage of discovery with our legendary sense of humour, which is a definite requirement whilst navigating this complicated journey into the unknown. But remember this hotties, above all else: we will come out the other side, stronger and wiser, like the f*cking superheroes we are!
Now let’s rock this $hit with a thumping playlist!
Tubthumping - Chumbawamba
The Only Way is Up - Yazz
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
Things Can Only Get Better - D:Ream
Roar - Katy Perry
Scream - Usher
Reach - S Club 7
Man! I Feel Like A Woman - Shania Twain
I’m Still Standing - Elton John
Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
I’m Every Woman - Whitney Houston
Titanium - David Guetta feat. Sia
Let’s Go - Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo
Set You Free - N-Trance
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