How to Take Care of Yourself During Menopause

Look at menopause as a beginning. Listen to your wise and mature body. Learn to pamper yourself and to care for yourself in a way that promotes physical and emotional well-being.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Athletic Shoes
• Fruits
• High-fiber Foods
• Vegetables
• Calcium Supplement
• Hand And Body Lotion
• Iron Supplements
• Multivitamins
• Smoking Cessation Aids
• Vitamin E
• Relaxation Tapes
• Athletic Gear
• General Fitness Videos
• Relaxation Videos

1. Indulge yourself. Take a nap if you feel like it, or spend an afternoon getting a new hairdo or a manicure.
2. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates. All will add fiber to your diet, which, among other things, will ensure a daily bowel movement.
3. Talk to your doctor about the following vitamin supplements.
4. Take a multivitamin and a calcium supplement.
5. Try taking an iron supplement if your periods are heavier than normal during your menopausal transition. Iron is lost during heavy menses.
6. See if vitamin E supplements might help control your hot flashes.
7. Exercise. Doctors recommend some form of aerobic exercise at least four times a week.
8. Stop smoking. If you live with a smoker, avoid secondhand smoke.
9. Have regular gynecological exams. As you age, your risk of developing cancer and heart disease increases.
10. Use lotions and body oils liberally to help prevent skin from thinning and wrinkling.
11. Encourage intimacy between you and your significant other. If you maintain regular sexual relations with your partner throughout your menopausal transition, you will continue to feel feminine and desirable.
12. Avoid stress. Take stress management classes, practice yoga and/or meditation, listen to relaxation tapes. Menopause can cause irritability and mood swings.

Tips & Warnings

• Exercise boosts your moods. The body releases endorphins, a natural morphine-like substance, after extended physical activity. Exercise will also help tire you, so you'll have an easier time sleeping through the night.
• Consider hormone replacement therapy. This can help decrease your menopausal symptoms.
• Ask your doctor about a prescription for antidepressants, if you find yourself consumed by gloomy and gray feelings.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.