Here’s the not-so-sexy truth, ladies: Menopause is inevitable. No matter what you do, your hormones will wage a war against your body someday. Even if you try to voodoo menopause to avoid it, menopause symptoms will come knocking at your door and mess up everything, including your sanity – okay, this might be an overreaction.
Although unavoidable, the point is, you can prepare for it.
Unlike men where everything happens gradually, menopause in women happens instantly, usually by the time you reach the ages of between 40 and 50.
If you are not yet in that mark, then you still have time to carve out your menopause plan to, at least help you go through that phase smoothly.
However, it’s not just as simple as consulting a doctor or taking pills to keep your estrogen levels at bay. Here are nine mistakes you need to watch out for to make sure you don’t complicate menopause.
1. Not Educating Yourself About Menopause
Ladies, menopause is not just a phase you have to go through as you age.
[adsanity id=”66647″ align=”alignnone” /]
It is actually a permanent shut down of your ovarian function, which explains why vaginal dryness and lack of libido is common.
So, before you hit that 40-something mark, make sure you’ve researched enough and find out what this condition is, and how you can deal with it better.
Women make this common mistake. Yes, it is something you cannot avoid, but at least you can make an effort to educate yourself. Gather as much information as you can regarding menopause. Know the causes, symptoms and available treatments, both natural and medical, so you have an idea of what to expect when the time comes.
At the same time, educating yourself about menopause is also preparing yourself mentally, emotionally and physically as you embrace the changes that come with aging.
2. Focusing Too Much On The Symptoms
There will always be an obsession between women and symptoms of whatever medical condition.
Admit it, you even made a checklist of what to expect when your time comes and you have to face menopause.
Yes, there is nothing wrong with knowing what the symptoms are since you are merely preparing yourself. However, it adds to the stress, and can even make symptoms of menopause worse.
Remember this: the symptoms of menopause are just a transitional phase, which you can control. No matter how ugly they are, you still need to keep a balanced and positive mindset to be able to go through this stage as smoothly as possible.
That’s not all. Did you know that endorphins, aka the happy hormones, decrease the levels of symptoms? Plus, it makes you feel better, too. Mind over matter, ladies. Don’t let the symptoms take over you.
3. Thinking That All Experiences Are The Same
Have you heard of the phrase, “every person is unique”? Well, same goes with menopause.
Yes, there are symptoms you need to watch out for; however, every woman goes through this stage differently and uniquely.
In other words, don’t assume that you will go through the same experiences as your friends. Sure, they will tell you their own horror stories, but don’t let them take over with how you control your mindset over menopause.
Everyone has a unique physiology and it’s just a matter of how you prepare and take care of yourself during this stage.
At the same time, don’t follow the crowd. The same as with menopause experiences, you’ll find what works for others may not work the same for you. Some women claim that certain food groups helped them cope with menopause. But, what if you don’t even like these foods? That’s fine. You can think of other ways that work for you best.
In other words, create your own experiences.
4. Caring Too Much About Weight Gain
Okay, fine. For unexplained reasons, there is also an obsession between women and weight gain.
Apparently, weight gain is associated to menopause due to hormonal fluctuations that force your body to add some weight.
However, there are other factors you need to look into, such as genes or the natural loss of body mass due to aging.
In this case, stop obsessing about what to do with weight gain. Believe it or not, stressing too much over it can also affect your weight. If you want to get a head start, then make sure your weight is healthy by the time you reach menopause.
Establish an effective exercise routine and at the same time, introduce healthy changes to your diet. Control your calories and food portions to limit the skyrocketing increase in your weight.
More importantly, don’t starve yourself. You will need all the essential nutrients to keep your body healthy and happy during the menopausal stage.
5. Not Getting Your Hormone Levels Checked
When was the last time you went through laboratory testing to have a baseline of your hormones?
If you’ve never done this, then now is the time to do it before you even reach the menopause stage.
Keep in mind that menopause is a time of transition, which every woman in this planet will have to go through.
Therefore, you need to provide the tools to help yourself and your doctor come up with feasible solutions to make this transition smooth sailing. One of the best ways to do this is through blood work to test the baseline blood levels, including hormones such as testosterone, estrogen and thyroid.
This may not be the ultimate solution, but at least getting your hormone levels checked can determine the appropriate treatment for you.
6. Believing Every Health Claim
Come on ladies. There is too much trust and respect going on between you and the health claims on many product labels.Once you reach the menopause stage, surely, you’ll fall for menopausal relief product claims, too.
That is a totally understandable, but somewhat questionable decision on your part.
Here’s the thing: Drug manufacturers are into major marketing, so they make their pills look like the ultimate solution to menopause symptoms, while making sure your health is optimized.
Well, don’t believe that claim so easily. Of course, drug manufacturing is also a moneymaking scheme, so don’t fall easily into the trap.
It’s not just about trust here and believing what a particular drug company can do. It is also about learning to read the labels, being skeptic as to what each ingredient can do and looking into legitimate scientific studies to prove claims. In other words, be a knowledgeable consumer.
7. Not Addressing The Inside-Your-Body Issues
So, you are gaining weight. All of a sudden, you notice that your body mass is decreasing. The next thing you know, you are heading out to the gym to burn all those calories and build your muscles again.
Sorry Ladies, But That Is The Wrong Approach.
There’s nothing bad about worrying too much about weight issues.
You’re a perfect woman and you want to make sure you look at your best – even at 50 and beyond.
To do this, make sure to focus on what is going inside your body first before you tackle about your physical appearance.
In this case, get your hormones checked. Determine the alkaline levels of your body, because it turns out that acid inside your system can also contributes to weight gain. Make sure your digestive process is working well, which means you have enough amino acids, minerals, vitamins and the like to maintain proper digestion. Watch out for any food allergies, too.
8. Not Paying Attention To Physical And Emotional Needs
Here’s another fact you have to deal with: Menopause can be stressful. Just imagine hot flashes, mood swings and weight gain.
Aren’t these symptoms stressful? What’s even more annoying is the fact that stress can make the symptoms of menopause worse,
and menopause can make stress harder to handle. It’s a vicious cycle nobody wants to be stuck in, for sure.
Therefore, pay attention to every aspect in your life. Step away from stress as much as you can, even before you reach this stage. Think about positive ways to address stress. Everyone has their own way of dealing with it, even if it means getting a massage, reading a good book or watching a funny movie.
The point is, don’t let stress take over your body. Become partners with your menopause symptoms. After all, your body is doing exactly what it is supposed to do.
9. Not Keeping Up With The Latest Treatments
Here’s another mistake women do when dealing with menopause. Aside from not educating themselves about what menopause is all about, they don’t know what the available treatments for this condition are.
Well, be the better woman and arm yourself with the right knowledge on how you can address menopause.
Talk to your doctor about the newest treatments and keep informed on medical innovations to help menopausal women.
Yes, menopause may not be a life and death matter; however, there is new and different activity going on inside that you have to address. In this case, know what your options are – both natural and with medical intervention. This way, you will know how to deal with it when the time comes.
Knowledge is power, so they say. Don’t treat menopause as just a phase you have to go through. Although this is part of the natural process of aging, there are still many ways to make it much easier and more comfortable for you, too. Gather as much information as you can and use it to your advantage.