The terminology around midlife only adds to the confusion many of us feel when our menopause transition begins. And, although research shows a growing number of us now understand more about ‘perimenopause’ (the years leading to our menopause), few of us are aware of what postmenopause really means.
The reason? The word implies a finite time period that we will also transition through. It suggests a return to the state before menopause in terms of what our bodies and minds need too.
And the danger of this? Many of us then assume that whatever symptoms we continue to have after our menopause transition are ‘just old age catching up’. We fail to seek help or try new science-backed interventions. We feel that there are no products designed to support us other than depressing and often low-grade ‘supplements for old age’ which tip us from midlife to end of life overnight!
But post-menopause, for most of us, hits around the age of 51 at the point of our menopause anniversary. And it is, effectively, the rest of our lives.
How we nourish ourselves has a significant impact on our healthspan - and our happiness too. This is NOT the time to ‘put up and shut up’. Infact, it is the very point where investing in ourselves is vital.
So what do we need to do to make the most of Part 2?
1. Keep listening in for new symptoms and needs:
As your body settles to a new hormonal rhythm it is common for new symptoms to dominate. From bone ache to insulin resistance, from low libido and/ or dryness, to hair loss and issues with sleep. Track your symptoms, be prepared to try new things. Seek professional advice and support. But never simply push on through. This time of life is where you get to put yourself further up the priority list! Grab it!
2. Talk to your doctor about how you feel:
Many of us assume that, once we hit post menopause, Hormone Therapy is no longer open to us. This is not true. Every case is different, but hormone therapy / HRT can be effective in mitigating the risk of a number of diseases we become more susceptible to post menopause - including osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. It can help with sleep and low mood too. Book an appointment. If you’re not happy with the advice you’re given or feel dismissed or unheard, remember you can seek a second opinion or return with a friend to support you too.
3. Treat food as an act of self-care:
Post menopause, many of us are not only confused about what foods can support our bodies and minds, we may be catering for changing household dynamics too. Perhaps there are less people around the table each night. Perhaps you now live alone. It can be hard to motivate ourselves to create nourishing dishes when they are ‘just’ for us. We can become repetitive - prioritising ease over pleasure. It can be expensive to buy ingredients at the quantities we will actually use too. When we view food as an act of self care it becomes all about nourishment. So:
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Read our blog on the best foods for menopause
- Keep it simple. Start with a PFF breakfast every day: protein, fibre and good fat. From sourdough with eggs and avo, to greek yoghurt with bran, flaxseeds, nut butter and dark berries; you’ll feel the difference quickly.
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Consider a monthly subscription to an app: we love Deliciously Ella - vegan, with quick easy recipes that can be made with store cupboard heroes in minutes as well as more ambitious recipes! Join for a month. See if you get inspired!
- And learn the art of batch cooking so you can invest in high quality ingredients and know they won’t go to waste.
- Try LIMINAL Meno-Boost: a comprehensive foundational powder designed to give you the support your body needs, it can be stirred into soups, breakfast bowls or chia pots or simply mixed with the milk of your choice. With 36+ wholefood led ingredients, this beautiful formula is loved by so many of you already! Take it for 30 days, track your symptoms with our free tracking service and see what impact it has on you.
4. Treat movement as medicine:
So many of the people I know who are committed to exercise, found their attitude transformed when they shifted from a focus on weight loss or ‘aesthetics’ to strength and healthspan.
Moving regularly and in the right way now will ensure we are active and well in the decades to come. This is medicine for our future selves. And the choices we make will impact our healthspan too. If you’re curious to learn about what movements are best for bone health, check out this LIVE. And if you’re looking for a supportive community to learn about weights, check out Kate Rowe-Ham and Kate Oakley for bite-sized, smart programmes that make a real difference.
5. Step into the light!:
So many of us feel invisible as we age. Unseen. Unvalued. Unheard. And over time many of us retire to the shadows. But research shows that post-menopause, we have so much value to offer our communities. We are the glue. We are the empaths. We’re also statistically likely to be much more successful in business ventures than our younger peers too!
Take the time to sit a little with ‘why’ you are making yourself small. Consider practices and events designed to help you find your way back to you. We love the work of Karen Arthur. Her Wear Your Happy Movement is for all of us! Designed to help you rediscover your confidence in clothes sustainably, she offers tutorials and live events that are guaranteed to get you reaching for colour and joy again!
6. Seek out new communities:
Our menopause transition can often result in a reevaluation of a number of things. What we want may change. What we do may change. Who we are may evolve too. Embrace this shift as an invitation to make new connections and friendships that start with where you are now. Seek out communities that fuel your curiosity. Join our masterclasses to learn about new practices. Find spaces where you can meet someone new.
The world needs us. And you need the people that make you feel capable of everything with you for all that happens next.
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