These are the top 10 common menopausal symptoms in women over 50. Yesterday I met a patient who present with sever brain fog and poor concentration issues just a few months into menopause. These issues are real and can affect the quality of life as she was unable to function daily in her work. She also presented with issues of bone loss, anxiety, poor sleep etc which are all symptoms of hormone deficiency. Like her, many women go around suffering from these symptoms thinking it’s “normal” for menopause and just live with it. However, from a functional approach, dietary changes with phytoestrogens and other nutrients can improve the symptoms, lifestyle change could help improve sleep and nutraceuticals could help ease the symptoms like hot flushes.
These are some steps to managing common menopause symptoms:
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Hot flushes – Hot flushes are a sign of a drop in oestrogen. Supplements like black cohash and evening primrose oil may be helpful to ease the symptoms of hot flushes. For more severe hot flushes, it may be helpful to talk to your doctor about BHRT to replace your oestrogen levels to ease the symptoms of hot flushes. Your doctor can discuss the benefits and risks of BHRT with you.
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Brain fog – this is commonly cause by lack of oestrogen, what is termed “oestrogen dementia”. Severe symptoms can present with sudden lack of concentration at work and forgetfulness. Replacing oestrogen usually helps to restore the function of the brain.
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Diet – Keep a diet high in phytoestrogens with rich sources like non-GMO soy products including organic tofu, miso, natto etc. Also include lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods like tumeric and fatty fish rich in omega 3s.
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Maintain good sleep – menopause women usually find they are waking up around 3-4am at night. This may be due to a lack of progesterone. Supplementing with melatonin and magnesium may be helpful. But if sleeplessness is still an issue, speak to your doctor about replacing progesterone.
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Maintain regular exercise especially resistance training exercises to maintain good bone density as osteopenia and osteoporosis usually sets in after menopause.
These are the top 5 symptoms and tips to ease the symptoms of menopause. Remember, these are just tips and not medical advice. If your symptoms are more severe, do visit your practitioner to find out more how further medical interventions may help.