This Friday, I’m turning 44, and I couldn’t be more excited! To celebrate, I’m heading out on a ski trip with my kids, soaking in the fresh mountain air and making memories. But as I mark another year, I’ve been thinking a lot about the next stages of life, especially menopause.
Menopause is a natural and inevitable part of life, yet it’s often surrounded by shame or misinformation.
In honor of my birthday and my commitment to empowering women, I teamed up with menopause expert, Connie Pretula, CNP to answer some of my burning questions.
Menopause is completely natural, and every woman with a uterus and ovaries will go through it. I was recently asked a few questions about the menopause transition, here are my thoughts.
When should a woman start to think about or plan for a successful menopause transition?
If I said, from the moment you are born, would that be confusing or even more overwhelming?
We are affected by our physical environment that we live and work in, as well as how that environment affects us emotionally and mentally.
I’ll start with the physical environment and I’m not trying to be an alarmist. The reality is, we are surrounded by chemicals. They are in the air, they are in our homes and offices. They are in our household and personal care products. They are in the foods we consume.
Some women’s bodies can be more sensitive to chemicals and over time, it can disrupt their hormones. Depending on our over all lifestyle, the effect of these chemicals can accumulate in our body and our body can have a hard time keeping everything balanced naturally. These imbalances can have an effect on how a woman experiences menopause.
Many women who decide to have a baby will start improving their eating and lifestyle habits, potentially becoming more physically active and even looking at their personal environment. Some women want to be as healthy as they can be before they conceive.
Unfortunately, we aren’t given this type of guidance when it comes to menopause. The more we do to support our overall health and the sooner we start, we have a better chance of having an easier transition through menopause.
Are there certain supplements women can take to support their transition through menopause?
My answer is, potentially. I will also preface this with, each woman is unique so some may need
additional support.
I always recommend getting nutrients through food first, supplements second. When we focus on whole ingredient foods to support our bodies and greatly reduce or eliminate refined and packaged foods, these simple changes can make a big difference in how we feel each day.
There are a few supplements that can provide some additional support. A good quality multi-mineral is important to help support our bones. Collagen peptides is another supplement that can help to support our joints, skin, hair, and nails as our bodies produce less collagen as we age.
Many women can start to experience drier skin, and eyes. Taking a good quality omega-3 can help support the skin and eyes, it is also beneficial for brain health.
I find many women benefit from a good quality B-Complex. When we are stressed or constantly on the go, our bodies need additional B vitamins.
Beyond the ones I have mentioned above, I would need to know more about what a woman is experiencing and generally that leads to me requesting a detailed intake form.
What can I do about weight gain?
This is probably one of the top questions I’m asked. Due to the changes that are happening with our hormones in the various stages of menopause, things we may have done in the past to keep our weight in check, may no longer work.
The other factor is stress which produces cortisol (our stress hormone) which can cause weight gain, especially around our midsection.
Another factor in this is, as we age, we start to lose muscle. Muscle burns calories, even at rest. It is important to find an activity that you enjoy and will do at least three times a week to help maintain your lean muscle mass. I generally recommend some type of weight bearing exercise. Walking can help maintain your leg muscles but it is not helping your upper body. Racket sports can help with upper body.
The best overall weight bearing exercise is doing some type of resistance training, even using resistance bands at home can make a big difference.
The other very important factor when we start to gain weight is what is on our plate?
When I am working with a client, this first thing I have them do is a food journal. Every single journal I have reviewed, women are not eating enough of the foods that support our body, especially when it comes to protein. We have been told for so long to reduce calories when we want to lose weight. I recommend about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight or per pound of goal weight. For example, if your goal weight is 130 pounds, each day it is best if you are eating approximately 130 grams of protein. This can be split between 3 meals and 1 – 2 snacks. Focusing on whole food ingredients and eating enough will reduce cravings for other foods.
Does my sex life have to change?
The answer is no it doesn’t have to but there are changes that are happening to a woman’s body physiologically. This is also where each woman is unique, every woman’s desire is different.
As estrogen levels drop, this can start to affect our natural lubrication so sex can become painful. My favourite lubricant is Sutil Luxe and I recommend it to all of my clients. Many women cannot use an estrogen based lubricant, Sutil Luxe has very clean and simple ingredients.
I find what changes the most for women is how they view intimacy. As we start to transition through the various stages of menopause, some women tend to want more of an emotional connection. Many women will start to read more about tantric practices.
Women who are in heterosexual relationships sometimes forget that their partner may be experiencing some physiological changes as well. Communication is so key at this time and it can be the hardest conversation to have.
I recommend setting aside some uninterrupted time and it is okay to start with, I’m not sure what is happening with my body but things are changing. If you are both open to getting support, this is where an intimacy coach can help.
Do you have additional questions? Are you tired of feeling the way you are?
Apply to work with me. I offer a complimentary session where I can answer your questions.
Women do not have to suffer through menopause, there are solutions, I’m here to help.
Thank you for reading my words.
Connie, The Menopause Navigator/Put Your Self First
Connie Pretula specializes in helping women 40 and over navigate menopause and beyond using a holistic perspective. As a Certified Nutritional Practitioner, she guides women through the often misunderstood phases of perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Through personalized nutrition plans, lifestyle strategies, and compassionate education, Connie helps women regain balance and take control of their health. Her goal is to empower women to embrace this stage of life with vitality and confidence, a journey she knows well through her own personal experience.
