Every woman goes through perimenopause before transitioning to menopause. Perimenopause is the time when a woman's ovaries produce less estrogen. If you are entering your forties, you may begin experiencing some of the symptoms. Your menstrual period will gradually be heavier or lighter, shorter, longer or irregular; you may even skip a month or two.
Your emotional well-being will change as well - signs that can show include having anxiety, depression, being irritable overr small things and having some difficulty concentrating on tasks. Since perimenopause is part of a woman's cycle, you can't avoid it. The best thing to do is deal with it. Here are some tips on how to make perimenopause seem like a brief walk through a park:- Eat a balanced diet. Your body changes as you age. If you are still eating like a 20-year old in your 40-year old body, your weight and your overall health will be affected. You should eat more fiber-enriched foods, like whole grain bread and rice. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and eat smaller portions of food. Calcium is an essential for your bone structure. You can eat yogurt, non-fat milk, cheese and cereal moderately. Don't gorge yourself with foods loaded with saturated fat, sugar and processed white flour.
- Get some exercise. If you are overweight and you are entering perimenopause, it will probably be difficult for you to move around because your cholesterol levels increase. Your metabolism decreases as you age so your fat burning ability does not work as well as it did when you were in your twenties. You can join a gym or an aerobic class to keep your body moving. Daily activities can be forms of exercise as well - taking the stairs going up two floors instead of taking the elevator, walking to the parking lot or taking a walk to the store a block away.
- Consider stress reduction techniques. Some stress reduction techniques are proven helpful in coping with perimenopausal symptoms. Some of these techniques include taking yoga classes, meditation and deep breathing exercises, getting massages. A lot of women find stress relief by socializing with other people or by engaging in a hobby like knitting, reading, dancing or baking.
- Maintain a good sleeping pattern. Never deprive yourself of sleep. Maintain a pattern of sleeping for at least 7 hours a day - sleeping and waking up at the same time every day. You can't stay up all night like you used to do. Because your brain ages along with your body, depriving yourself from sleep will decrease your ability to think clearly and can cause you to be irritable.
- Get the right medication. Consult your doctor at the very first signs of perimenopause. He can give you the medication you will need in case you suffer from the extreme depression that sometimes comes along as a symptom. You can take bioidentical hormones that are identical to those your body naturally makes. But be sure you get your doctor's advice before you can start on any medication.
When they say 40 is the new 30, it can be true if you know how to manage and cope with your perimenopause period. Just remember that this is only a phase that needs to be managed - and when you get through it, you will eventually feel better.
