Hormonal Harmony: Understand the symphony of hormones during menopause and how to support balance for optimal health.
Nutrition for Hormonal Health: Discover nutrients, foods, recipes, and supplements that promote hormonal balance, energy, and overall vitality.
Energy & Strength: Learn how to maintain energy levels. Learn how to build and retain muscle mass through targeted strategies.
Stress & Sleep: Uncover how stress and sleep disturbances impact the body and effective ways to manage.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Explore the benefits, risks, and considerations of HRT as a tool for managing menopause symptoms and supporting long-term health.
Nutrition from Newbury Street Nutrition
Calories are energy - Carbohydrates are fuel, protein is for structure and strength, and fat is essential. You should fill half of your plate with fruits/vegetables, one quarter protein, one quarter starch/carbs, and a small amount of fats/oil. Don't drink your calories, aim for 2+ liters of water/day. Eat 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Important micronutrients include vitamin D and calcium, soy products with act as a phytoestrogen, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Use supplements when you are unable to meet all of your needs with the food you eat, but try to get the majority of your nutrition through food products.
Gut Health from Dr. Julianne Arena of Waves of Awakening.
Maintain a healthy gut biome - it has an impact on your entire body. Support overall health by minimizing the toxins you put in or on your body - medications, food, air quality, stress, toxic ingredients in self care products.
Strength Training from Cape Concierge Physical Therapy.
Exercise - build and maintain muscle mass as it begins to decline at 5-10%/decade over 50 years old and loss of estrogen adds to that loss. Lift heavy weights 3-4 times/week, walk every day, perform intense cardio 1-2 days/wk. Weight training stimulates muscle building cells, improves metabolism, builds bone density, and improves cardiovascular health.
Bone density is impacted by loss of estrogen leading to increased risk for osteoporosis and fractures - up to 20% of bone loss occurs in the first 5 years of menopause. Support bone density by performing weight lifting/resisted activity, walking with a weighted vest, dancing, jumping rope, jogging, or jumping jacks.
Putting it together.
Following the above nutrition and exercise recommendations will help to navigate weight changes that are likely to occur during the menopause transition as loss of estrogen leads to a loss of subcutaneous fat (under the skin) and an increase in visceral fat (around the abdominal organs).
Hormones with Dr Julianne Arena
During pre-menopause, our hormones are all working together like a symphony to keep our bodies regulated, during the menopause transition, that symphony becomes more like a new garage band forming with lots of disruption. Thank you, Dr. Arena for that great analogy.
There are 3 types of stress on the body:
Physical, which can be an old or new injury, or the physical stress that can develop from inactivity.
Chemical - what we put in our mouths and on our bodies.
And last, Emotional, which seems to be constantly building for everyone. Stress disrupts our "symphony"
Cortisol is a steroid hormone in our bodies which regulates the body's stress response, controls metabolism, reduces inflammation, regulates blood sugar, blood pressure, and sleep wake cycles. When cortisol levels are elevated it causes chaos in the body leading to increased inflammation, blood sugar, blood pressure, weakened immune system, weight gain and fatty deposits, muscle weakness, demineralization of bone, memory loss, sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression.
There are several medical conditions that are related to chronic cortisol elevation followed by cortisol depression including early menopause/peri-menopause, muscle pains, craving salty foods, low blood sugar, symptomatic SAD, PPD, bipolar 2, PTSD, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome. YIKES!!
You can work to reduce cortisol levels by practicing good sleep hygiene, exercising regularly, learning to control/reduce stress, practice deep breathing exercises, and taking time to enjoy yourself and laugh.
The major factor impacting us as we progress through menopause is the reduction of sex hormones produced in the body - estradiol which reduces fatigue, helps maintain memory, improves cholesterol and sleep, increases release of "happy" hormones, and works as an antioxidant. Progesterone - Nature's Valium - balances estrogen and enhances thyroid function, acts as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory, increases metabolic rate, protects breast health, supports the immune system,and promotes mood regulation.
Testosterone, yes, women have testosterone too - it helps maintain memory, assists in pain control, decreases excess body fat, protects against bone loss, increases emotional well being and libido.
Another big player is the thyroid which coordinates excretion and balance of the other hormones, impacts tissue repair and development, assists in digestion and macronutrient metabolism, modulates nerve function, regulates heat and energy production.
HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
Hormone replacement therapy is the gold standard and can be prescribed for anyone in peri to post menopause!! There are several different options when it comes to HRT and needs to be specialized for each individual woman. It is not for everyone, but there are many ways to address hormone function through diet, exercise, and lifestyle if it is not for you.
Wow, that was a long summary but we covered so much information. We will have a video recording of the presentation available in the next few weeks so please let us know if you would like a copy so we can send it as soon as it's available. Please email ashley@capeconciergept.com if you would like the webinar.
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