THIRD AGE: Time for a change: a helping hand for the menopause

ARE YOU anxious about the menopause?

Are you scared you might become a different woman, overnight?

Then, help is at hand. Marilyn Glenville, pictured right, a leading nutritionist specialising in women’s health and author, says women should embrace the menopause, and view it as a positive change.

“Women in many other cultures view the menopause so differently. They do not fear it, they are seen as wise women. They move away from working in the fields to counselling younger couples. I think that attitude makes a huge difference,’’ she says.

“I think, in the West, women often feel invisible, they feel it comes with a lot of negativity — the symptoms, the loss of fertility and the empty-nest syndrome. And I think this negativity can make the symptoms worse.’’

To achieve a positive attitude, Glenville suggests forming a ‘plan of action’ to tackle the menopause.

So, women in their mid-40s should change their diet and lifestyle now, if they want a smooth transition into the menopause.

“A well-balanced diet is essential. It will encourage the body to adjust automatically to the hormone changes,’’ she says. “You should be thinking about blood-sugar levels and adding phytoestrogens to your diet,” Glenville says.

“Every culture has it. Think of hummus in the Middle East, lentils and dhal in India, soya in Japan. These traditional foods have a balancing effect on the hormones, and the women in these countries often have no or minimal menopausal symptoms.’’

Glenville suggests a handful of flaxseeds a day to calm your body and to help your transition through the menopause.

If that doesn’t appeal, have lentil soup at lunch, or porridge with soya milk, or hummus and salad.

“These simple changes will make such a difference. But also keep an eye on your caffeine levels and the refined foods, like sugar, which can cause blood-sugar fluctuations and bring the adrenal glands into play,’’ she says.

“We are trying to calm the body down during this transition, eating foods that will encourage this,’’ Glenville says.

The next step is to learn to read your body. Stress can acerbate the symptoms. So, women should alleviate it by exercising regularly and ensuring that they get a good night’s sleep.

“Many women will talk about how their hot flushes are so much worse when they are stressed, if they are running late for something or anxious. We have to learn how to deal with this,’’ she says.

The menopause can also have a disastrous effect on libido. To combat, this Glenville suggests magnesium supplements.

Magnesium is known as ‘nature’s tranquilliser,’’ and it will help with anxiety, irritability and mood swings.

“If you are stressed, even when you are much younger, it does affect your sex drive. I think it is the body shutting down to prevent a pregnancy. If we can sort out the stress, then the libido should improve,’’ she says.

Glenville says this ‘plan of action’ should leave women feeling better, both physically and mentally, and able to deal more confidently with the menopause.

“We can’t stop it. The menopause is inevitable. So we need to get rid of that feeling of dread. It should not be that way.

“We will probably have another 30 years ahead of us, so we need to be positive, have a really good quality of life and enjoy them.’’

* Dr Marilyn Glenville will speak at the Your Health Show, RDS, Dublin, Sept 14-15. See www.marilynglenville.ie.