When does postmenopause finish?

As education around this liminal lifestage grows, many of us know that ‘menopause’ is a single date marking the 12 month anniversary of your last bleed. 

We may be more aware that ‘perimenopause’ begins for most of us in our late 30s / early 40’s too - and is more likely to be accompanied by psychological shifts like anxiety, brain fog and imposter syndrome than changes in our cycle or mood swings. 

But post-menopause is talked about less regularly. Perhaps because many of us assume it is a short period following menopause that we have little agency for. That it ‘ends’ as some nominal point and life then returns to ‘normal’. 

Yet this lifestage extends for the rest of our lives. And what our bodies and minds need to thrive is very different. Here is what you need to know.

• Most of us reach postmenopause in our early 50s. However, if we have experienced menopause as a result of an underlying health condition, this may happen sooner.
  
  
• The reduction, particularly of oestrogen, means our bodies become more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, bone density loss, blood sugar imbalance and more.
  
  
• Symptoms related to hormone imbalance often remain. Tracking data from our community highlights the persistence of hot flashes, disturbed sleep, increased anxiety and loss of libido as well as weight management challenges and thinning hair.

The good news is that, as we learn more about the brilliance of our bodies, there is much we can proactively do:

• Speak to a doctor about Hormone Therapy: although prescribed primarily for symptoms, there is evidence supporting its protective capacity around bone density and cardiovascular disease
  
  
• Look at how you digest stress: we know that our resilience to stress is impacted by our menopause transition. Increased cortisol levels contribute to inflammation, the health of our gut and also our mineral reserves, which in turn impacts the health of our bones. If you’ve tried meditation and it hasn’t stuck, perhaps start by setting up ‘stop signs’ to remind you to breathe. Annee de Mamiel, chinese medicine, aromatherapy and skin therapist recommends the following:
  
  1. Buy a pack of red ‘dot’ stickers from your local store.
  
  2. Place them in key spaces. From your bathroom mirror to the carton of milk. From inside your wallet, to on your soap dispenser.
  
  3. Our brains are trained to interpret red as ‘stop’ from an early age.
  
  4. Whenever you see a dot, stop. Place your hand on your heart and take 3 long slow breaths from your diaphragm. Use this time to listen in to your body too. How are you feeling today? Where are you holding stress? 
  
  
• Find your tribe: we talk alot about the healthspan of the blue zones through the lens of food. But did you know that these geographies are linked by their strong communities too? As we transition into postmenopause, our own shift in focus, purpose and drive may mean we need to extend our tribe. Don’t be afraid to go outside your circle to meet new people. Curiosity and continuous learning keeps us vital too.
  
  
• Introduce weights to your fitness routine: post menopause, our muscle mass decreases which impacts our base metabolic rate but also our risk of osteoporosis too. Introducing weight bearing exercise as part of your weekly movement plan is critical. If the weight section in the gym is intimidating, check out the feeds of some of our favourite menopause fitness feeds - like Kate Rowe-Ham of Owning your menopause.
  
  
• Look at what you put on your plate: Phytoestrogens can help us target bone density loss post menopause as well as hot flashes which often persist after our menopause anniversary. From tofu, edamame beans, lentils and chickpeas, to lignans like flaxseeds, combine with probiotic foods like kefir or kimchi for optimal absorption. Few of us eat enough protein. Ensure it makes it onto every plate (including breakfast). Infact, a PFF breakfast (protein, good fat, and fibre) is a great way to start every day.
  
  
• Nourish your gut: The health of our gut impacts everything. And it responds very swiftly to attention too! Prioritise probiotics and prebiotics in the form of food. And, if you’ve found cravings, skin changes, weight and mood an issue, check out our 5 star naturopathic prebiotic blend LIMINAL GUT-INSTINCT too.
  
  
• Soothe your mood: anxiety makes the world smaller. And again, if we’re not careful we attribute it too often to ‘age’. Yet our hormones will be playing a big part in how we feel. If we are running on cortisol, if we are missing out on sleep, if brain fog continues to persist, anxiety will show up too. LIMINAL  MOOD-FOOD is designed to tackle our neural response with gentle adaptogens, carminatives and a nourishing mix of vitamins and minerals too.
  
  
• Include a nutritional foundation layer: Postmenopause is a great time to clear up your supplement routine. The most common issue we find in our community is not we are getting too little, but that we are consuming too much! LIMINAL MENO-BOOST is a foundational wholefood led formulation that takes the guesswork of supplementing post menopause away - and is likely to save you significantly too! 36+ ingredients in a powder form that you can blend into smoothie bowls, take in a shake or even stir into soup. One daily dose to deliver the foundational nourishment your body and mind needs.

If you are feeling low now, please know that neuroscientific studies have shown our brain rewires to enable us to feel more contentment postmenopause. And research highlights that we have more empathy, a greater sense of purpose and vision too. In Traditional Chinese medicine, this Second Spring is marked by an awakening - an opportunity to become your ‘true self’ in a cycle that brings with it the wisdom you’ve accumulated across your beautiful life.

So continue to listen in and nurture yourself. The world needs you to be well. And Part 2 is your time to shine.