September, time for a spring clean everyone, I started Let’s Talk Menopause at the end of 2015, the main aim being get as much evidence based information, which is already out there, across to the people that need it the most — ordinary women like you and me — and there is soooo much information.
Having just been to another fabulous BMS ( British Menopause Society ) seminar the thing that struck me the most is that the main speakers, who pop up time and time again, genuinely care about this taboo topic. They genuinely want to try to educate and inform everyone whether health care professionals or Jo Bloggs and are all very successful within their chosen fields, being either professors, medical consultants, you name it, they are there. These people have busy enough lives without spending their time speaking at conferences but all have one thing in common — a genuine passion for the subject of the Menopause. The main problem as I see it is finding an easy way to get all that knowledge and expertise across to as many people in the most accessible way possible — hence have started this blog!
So, having been a nurse, one advantage is that I can hopefully disseminate the medical terminology into easy to read layman terms and without the acronyms. What is it with medical terminology why does it have to be so complicated! I promise I wont have endless stats (well you will get the odd one or two) and will hopefully inject a bit of humour now and again.
One over riding message that always comes out of any seminar is women first and foremost need to take a really good look at their lifestyle, diet and exercise, regardless of which symptoms they have — alas there are no magic pills that will cure all but with a little help, a lot of common sense and a modicum of relevant information you can make a positive start at helping your symptoms — flipping heck do I hear some of you screaming at the computer (that is the polite version!) I don’t have TIME for all of that — I want answers, medication and a quick fix! Believe me, small changes do work.....
Now is a good time of year don’t you think — kids are back to school, older kids are drifting back to Uni, drifting being the operative word and finally the hoards of languishing teenagers, who seem to be permanently in situ in various groups around the house or grazing through the fridge, have disappeared off on their various journeys in life.
So, now is definitely the time to think about yourself for a change. Restock the fridge with food YOU want to eat — heaven — and also know it’s not going to have disappeared by the time you return home from work. Anyone find themselves actually hiding their favourite snacks by the end of the summer?!
Having made several concerted efforts to re-establish healthy eating in my teenagers, I then started to regret this with one particular son, who has started taking nutrition and fitness very seriously. He has finally got into cooking up snacks for himself — the result being that even my fresh bags of spinach disappear into his smoothies. By the end of the summer I was seriously thinking we were going to have to move to a small holding so I could start my own small fruit and veg patch and buy some chickens, the amount of fruit, veg, eggs and chicken he ate in a week would have fed a family of four! Mind you the result is a very happy chap — extremely fit (in the old sense of the word), a six pack has appeared and he is brimming with health... proof that it does work.
You don’t have to do everything in one day — just gradually look at what you eat, how much exercise you manage to squidge into your busy lives and how much head space you give yourself. Out of those three my advice would be to get the head space sorted first and then the other two will follow. By head space I mean time for yourself — make time to meet up with friends, but instead of always meeting up for a drink, meet up and do something healthy — go for a walk, join a pilates class or treat yourself to a massage. Remind yourself how good it is to have a quick chat and giggle with friends and acquaintances, even if it’s just at the end of an exercise class!
Healthy mind...healthy body...work on the mind first and the other will follow.
Right I’m off to disseminate some of this info for the next post — you go and sort out your fridge and get your trainers or swimming cosie dusted off!
Good place to start for info:
Patient arm of the BMS: Womens Health Concern
Any information is as accurate as possible at time of writing and is for information purposes only. The information and support that Let's Talk Menopause provides is for your own personal use. It is not intended to replace or substitute the judgement of any medical professional you may come in contact with. You should always seek advice from your healthcare professional regarding any medical condition.
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