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Coping with ageing Here are
some tips on how to alleviate the physical and mental symptoms of menopause.
Do I look fat? This question
(decides the fate of every
new dress and scares away
most men. But who can blame a
woman for being over-sensitive?
Fact remains that menopausal
women have a greater tendency to
put on weight. During this phase,
she starts having irregular periods,
which eventually stop altogether as
her oestrogen levels drop.
Every menopausal woman
MUST monitor her fat intake for
the chief reason that oestrogen
acts as a natural heart guard.
Due to the loss of oestrogen, she
becomes more vulnerable to heart
disease. This is why women should
limit consumption of meats that
are high in saturated fats such
as beef and chicken as these
might reduce the body's ability to
metabolise oestrogen.
Oestrogen has important
responsibilities. Bestowing a
woman with her feminine traits,
it causes her to store fat around
her hips. Only problem is, when
her oestrogen levels drop, her
weight stops going to her hips
and gets redirected to her tummy
area instead. Too much weight
gained around the tummy area
is dangerous as abdominal
obesity is a serious risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, diabetes
and hypertension.
That said, should we blame
weight gain entirely on menopause?
Not really. Ageing is a major factor.
As we age, the digestive tract
becomes less efficient. It takes
longer for us to metabolise food.
We need fewer calories. Plus
our bodies do not handle non-
nutritional foods (high in calories)
as well as they did when we were
young and sprightly.
Despite the odds, we still need
the same amount of vitamins and
minerals, if not more. Then there
are the mid-life crises to contend
with... Children leaving the coop,
retirement approaching. Parents
ageing rapidly. All these can lead
to anxiety, sleeplessness and
depression, causing a woman to
become careless, diet-wise. |
