Managing Menopause

Forget everything bad you’ve heard about menopause. With the right diet, lifestyle and exercise – and hormone replacement treatment, if necessary – you can ease the symptoms and protect your health.

1. Eat the best diet you can, high in natural wholefoods - especially fresh fruit and vegies.
2. Get at least 1,200mg of calcium a day, either through your diet or in a supplement.
3. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
4. Reduce stress as it can aggravate symptoms such as hot flushes and anxiety.
5. Find a doctor who understands what you’re going through and is up-to-date with the latest treatments.
6. Try to have a positive attitude to getting older and don’t buy into the myth that 'women don’t have as much to offer as they age'.
7. Improve your sex life. Dryness and thinning of the vaginal tissue can make sex uncomfortable, but a water-based lubricant can help.
8. Get support from your family.
9. Strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
10. Give up smoking – it increase the chances of having hot flushes and night sweats, and can cause menstrual irregularities, ageing of the skin, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, lung problems and cancer.