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The menopause Isn’t A New Fad 

2000 years ago the average women experienced 10 periods in her lifetime She was either underfed, pregnant, breastfeeding or dead

By 1900 the average age women lived to was 49, so most never reached the menopause 

Fast forward to now and … 13 million women in the UK are peri or post menopausal - you are not alone 
1 in 4 women experience severe symptoms 
40% of women suffer from low mood or depression 
1 in 3 women struggles with anxiety 
70% of women have hot flushes 
40% of women experience pain during sex 
1 in 3 women has stress incontinence when they sneeze, laugh or exercise 
1 in 4 women consider leaving work due to their symptoms 
You are not a fad 
You are normal 
Nutrition & lifestyle can play a significant role in supporting a healthy and happy menopause, and the earlier you start, the more effective this approach will be 

And we can help 
Your Fbl Team x

Lifestyle Change Is A Must

From our early 40’s as we approach the menopause a lifestyle change is a must as the production of oestrogen & progesterone starts to decline 
It’s a hormonal rollercoaster which is not a linear process and why the majority of us will experience some of the 34 recognised symptoms 
How many, the range, for how long and the impact these symptoms has varies between women but it can impact all areas of life 
It’s a unique experience for every woman and the psychological & emotional impacts are massively under estimated 
There isn’t a part of the body that isn’t impacted by the menopause 
“Can I not just take HRT?” 
If you’ve watched the recent Davina documentary then there’s a decent chance you might be wondering if you can just take HRT to sort everything out 
And of course, the answer to that depends on the individual woman 
However, if you were diagnosed with high blood pressure and told that this significantly heightened your risk of a heart attack and you never exercised, your diet was terrible and stress was often high, then you would be offered both treatment and lifestyle advice 
You would likely be prescribed a drug to reduce blood pressure. BUT you would also be advised to exercise to change your diet and to find ways of reducing your stress. 
Yes, you could just take the drug and ignore the rest but that would be a daft thing to do 
Well menopause is similar (not that it’s a disease or illness in the same way). 
But for many women the changes are huge and its not something that we should just apply a plaster to and hope for the best. 
Yes, it is true that HRT can have a dramatic and positive impact on many women and it is an amazing option to have. 
BUT we also shouldn’t depend on this to then allow us to keep living in exactly the same way as we always have, particularly if we’re not exercising regularly, our diet isn’t great and we’re so busy rushing around that barely have time to stop and breathe 
For many of us we are the sandwich generation, between children with teenage hormones to empty nest syndrome and caring for elderly family members and most often me is at the long list of priorities 

And we can help 
Your Fbl Team x

It's A Hormonal Rollacoaster

The menopause is a hormonal rollercoaster and the majority of us will experience some of the 34 recognised symptoms 
How many, the range, for how long and the impact these symptoms has varies between women but it can impact all areas of life 
But for most of us, lifestyle change is an absolute MUST in our 40s and beyond 
Most of us will live 30-40% of our lives beyond the menopause 
It is a time to re-evaluate and realise that some of the things we might have been getting away with for years are likely not serving our health and wellbeing as our hormones start to change 
With nutrition, exercise and lifestyle change we will be future proofing ourselves right now 
And we can provide you with the motivation, encouragement and tools you need for your long term health to be looking after your heart, bones and brains through and beyond menopause 

And we can help 
Your Fbl Team x

If You Only Do One Thing...

How can diet, exercise & lifestyle help me through the menopause?

 Diet, exercise & lifestyle can play a significant role in supporting a healthy & happy menopause and beyond. 
The earlier you start, the more effective this approach will be. 
But that said, it’s definitely never too late to start. 
The right nutrition in your 30’s & 40’s, combined with a sensible work- life balance and regular exercise, lays the foundations for a much easier menopause. 
If you only do one thing…
 Keep your blood sugar balanced 
This could make a huge difference to your overall well-being when our ovaries stop producing oestrogen, our adrenal glands take over 
However there is a catch, the adrenal glands are also responsible for producing our stress hormones, cortisol & adrenaline 
If you’re struggling with stress, then the chances are than your menopausal symptoms will be significantly worse 
There is a nutritional approach to reduce levels of stress hormones in the body so your adrenal glands have the time & space can get on with producing oestrogen 
The right diet & exercise can ensure that your body isn’t producing extra stress hormones 
Every time your blood sugar drops your body releases stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. 
Most menopausal women don’t need any extra stress, so eating a diet that maintains blood sugar balance is the single most important thing to do during the perimenopause and menopause to support adrenal function. 
You can see how easy it is for your blood sugar levels to rollercoaster over the day and this carries in through the night if you go to bed with your blood sugar levels high.

And we can help 
Your Fbl Team x

Exercise Doesn't Just Help Your Body!!

Exercise is healthy, we know that, but did you realise how it impacts your brain too?

What many women notice at menopause is an increase in brain fog and ability to focus and pay attention. 
This can be due to the changing hormones at this time, and certainly progesterone is known to help with brain fog, but there's also something you may not have considered. 
How does exercise help with brain fog? 
Exercise can actually help as the ability to focus does seem to go up after you do some intense exercise but sadly doesn't change that much after "steady state" exercise like a leisurely jog or bicycle ride. 
Aerobic exercise like walking, jogging, or gardening may help your brain's hippocampus (the part that's linked to memory and learning) grow. 
It also might slow the shrinking of your hippocampus that can lead to memory loss as you get older. 
Some studies suggest the regrowth is stronger if you like the activity you're doing, so find something you enjoy and focus on regularly, doing that. 
Aerobic exercise eases symptoms of depression and anxiety so well, and that is something that is already well known and may even be recommended by your doctor. 
It could be because exercise slows the damage and breakdown of brain cells. 
However, this is not a quick fix as it can take many months to get the full benefit, so make a habit of being active. 
That is also why it is particularly important that you choose an exercise that you like and enjoy, as in you are much more likely to stick with it. 
Exercise can make your brain more flexible Neuroplasticity is the ability of your brain to change when you learn and experience new things. 
Younger brains are generally better than older one doing this, but even those of the same age can have very different capacities. 
Scientists believe both aerobic exercise and weight training seem to help make our brains more flexible. 
Exercise may help you avoid dementia 
People who don't exercise much are more likely to get Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. 
That's in part because exercise helps prevent many of the things that are linked to dementia, like: 
Obesity 
Diabetes 
High blood pressure 
Depression
 But exercise has a direct effect as well. 
Scientists can actually see you can have more white and gray brain matter and less diseased tissue. 
These are all signs of better brain health. 
Exercise helps blood flow Aerobic exercise helps blood get to your brain. 
It's partially because exercise makes your heart and blood vessels stronger, from the larger vessels that carry blood up to your head to the tiny micro-vessels in your brain. 
Strong blood vessels (and the better blood flow they create) appear to help stop the buildup of plaques linked to dementia. 
Scientists also believe strong blood flow helps nourish the brain in a way that slows mental decline and they continue to try to figure out exactly how this works. 
Exercise helps your brain cells connect better 
Research suggests exercise improves your ability to organize and interpret information, and act in a way that makes sense - something called "executive function." 
Just one session of exercise can start the process. 
Over the long term, exercise seems to change structure of white matter in your brain in a way that helps brain cells connect. Exercise helps you sleep 
We know exercise can help you keep an even mood, wind down at bedtime and establish a healthy sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm). 
The exact brain effects aren't always clear, but people who exercise more tend to get more "slow wave" sleep - the kind of deep sleep that helps revitalise your brain and body. 
Exercise - how much do I need? 
Standard recommendations call for 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week. 
That's a great place to start, but always check with your doctor if you have not exercised before, and remember a small amount of regular exercise is better than a bigger amount done infrequently. 
Helpful information 
What is important is to find an exercise that you enjoy and will stick to, as it is the frequency that makes the difference as there are so many benefits for your overall health, weight and stress reduction.
 As well as exercise you need your hormones in balance too and progesterone definitely can help with brain fog at menopause. 

And we can help 
Your Fbl Team x