TRAINING MENOPAUSAL & PERI-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN
If I told you that 1 in 2 people in the world will suffer fatigue, brain fog, aching joints, decreased muscle mass, decreased bone density, night sweats, insomnia, hot flushes, anxiety, a drop in libido, pelvic incontinence, hair thinning, mood swings and a decrease in vital hormones- you would think new nasty PANDEMIC!
Why isn’t this, Front Page news? The cynical answer could be because it doesn’t affect men, but it is what every woman in the world will go through at some stage.
The big M.
Menopause.
An evolutionary hormonal cyclical change similar to the upheavals of adolescence but in reverse, that every woman will navigate often in their 40’s and 50’s. Wow what fun! Ha ha. Insert irony.
There are 3 stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. Each stage is a gradual change that usually takes place over several years.
1. Perimenopause
Perimenopause refers to the time leading up to menopause when a woman may start experiencing changes in her menstrual periods such as, irregular periods or changes in flow. Cycles can be shorter or longer in length. Symptoms may also include hot flushes and night sweats, aches and pains, fatigue or irritability as well as premenstrual symptoms such as sore breasts. These changes may be caused by fluctuations in the production of hormones from the ovary. Some women can experience menopausal symptoms for 5-10 years before their final menstrual period. There is no way to predict the age at which a woman's menopausal symptoms will start or how long they will last.
2. The Menopause
The final menstrual period (no more eggs).
3. Post Menopause
Starts when you have had no periods for 12 months
There are many exercise and lifestyle tools that can tame the Big M into a little ‘m’.
The medical pathway is HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy. This is best discussed with your medical practitioner or endocrinologist. The other way is by adding specialised training and managing your life/work/home balance which can help us women embrace this change of life and blossom. This of course can be done in conjunction with HRT.
Addressing menopause symptoms is a chance to reset, just like pregnancy was a chance to tidy up health practices, menopause can be the start of ageing beautifully, organically and setting up brilliant lifestyle choices that will glide you into your golden years.
What we want to maximise in the peri/post menopausal years is our strength and bone density. Both decline quite rapidly as the levels of oestrogen and progesterone decrease. By adding strength training to your workout, this not only builds actual strength but also minimises the deterioration of bone density and increases our skin tone that also takes a hit from the good old Big M.
Combining strength training with pelvic floor exercises, relaxation workouts such as Yoga /Pilates, and a healthy clean nutrient rich natural diet - all assist with giving you a 360 degree programme to address many of the Big M symptoms.
You may have read all this before but the difference is at Human Engineering we can tailor an exercise programme that is specific to your needs as they are right now.
Contact us today to start your better life right now.