Good calcium intake, together with optimal vitamin D, has been shown to prevent possible bone loss. It’s thought that 1 in 2 post-menopausal women will have osteoporosis! Therefore, it’s important to start looking at your calcium intake during perimenopause.
After about the age of 35, the total amount of bone in the body begins to diminish. In women, the process begins fairly sharply with the onset of menopause, when estrogen levels drop dramatically.
Women can lose a whopping 10% of their bone when going through the menopausal transition. This is because the bone resorption rate increases, in response to a decrease in estrogen production.
The recommended calcium intake is around 1200 mg/day, together with sufficient vitamin D to ensure its absorption.
In addition, weight training and non-impact exercises such as balance are also important to prevent fractures.
Think Again Before Starting a Diet
As soon as the fireworks were done, the social media platforms were full of dieting programmes and tips on how to lose the festive kilos. Do you find yourself pressured to start a diet? Well, you are not alone. It’s estimated that whopping 45 million Americans go on a diet each year!
Does Dieting Work?
Research state that 90% of people give up their new year's diet just 12 days into January! In fact, over 80% gain more weight than they originally lost. Diets can actually cause more harm than good, not only physically but also for your mental health. Dieting could lead to disordered eating habits and lower self-esteem.
So, start the new year being kinder to yourself. It’s natural wanting to feel better and improve your health. A few simple ways to nurture yourself are to get more sleep, drink an extra glass of water, and add a few extra veggies to your meals. Small steps can make a huge difference.
How Much vitamin D Do I need?
Our main source of vitamin D is the sun as your body makes vitamin D when it’s exposed to sunlight. We need about 15 minutes of sun exposure, daily. This can be difficult, especially in the northern hemisphere, where we do not get much sunlight between October and February.
We get some vitamin D from foods such as oily fish (salmon, sardines, trout), egg yolks, red meat, liver, mushrooms, whole-fat dairy, and fortified foods. One egg yolk provides 37IU of vitamin D.
Requirements
It is estimated that on annual basis 40% of the European population is vitamin D insufficient/deficient (Science Direct, 2020).
According to the NHS, adults, and children from 1 year on need daily 10 micrograms of vitamin D (400 IUs). But is this enough for everyone? People who may be at greater risk of deficiency are older people, obese, with liver or kidney disease, osteoporosis, breastfed infants, and people with darker skin (they produce less vitamin D).
I believe that vitamin D requirement is based on the individual. I have seen lots of clients with low vitamin D levels who work long hours in the office (less exposure to sunlight), struggle with digestive issues, hormonal issues, or have poor immune health.
Severe deficiency is below 30nmol/l and under 50nmol/l insufficient. I would like to see my clients' blood levels usually between 75-100nmol/l, depending on the client and their health status.
Symptoms of low / deficiency
Fatigue
Muscle weakness
Prone to infections
Low mood
Depression
Bone / joint pain
Poor skin health
It is good to take a supplement especially during the winter months when there is less sunlight. However, your individual needs may differ from others. You can get a simple blood test with you GP or get a reliable home test.
Zinc - Are You Getting Enough
Zinc is an essential trace mineral that is present in all our body fluids and tissues. It has many benefits; it helps to support the immune system, and thyroid function, aids wound healing, and supports growth & development. It also plays a vital role in reproduction and hormone health; it promotes ovulation, fertilization, sperm development, and maintaining normal pregnancy.
Studies have shown that supplementing zinc could be beneficial for women with PCOS.
If you have low levels of zinc, you could experience
Loss of appetite
Frequent colds or infections
Poor skin health
Hair loss
Diarrhoea
Decreased sense of smell and taste
Lack of alertness
Slow wound healing
Lot of foods contain zinc but less so in plant-based foods. Good sources are:
Seafood especially oysters, crab, lobster
Beef
Lamb
Chicken
Cashews
Chickpeas
Pumkin seeds
Nuts
People who may be at risk of zinc deficiency are vegetarians, vegans, with chronic digestive issues and women taking birth control pill.
During viral infection, you can increase your zinc intake and take a supplement. However, not to take it continously without checking your blood levels.
Debunking Hormones
Progesterone & Estrogen
Progesterone and Estrogen shift rhythmically back and forth over the course of the menstrual cycle. Maintaining the delicate balance between the two hormones will keep you feeling vital. As we get older, the amount we make of each can fluctuate more widely, particularly when under stress.
Progesterone is produced primarily by the ovary after ovulation and by the placenta during pregnancy. It's also made in lesser amounts by the adrenal glands and the testes. Its main job is to prepare the body for pregnancy and regulate the menstrual cycle with estrogen. It also plays a role in mood and sleep. If there is no pregnancy, the corpus luteum breaks down, progesterone levels decrease which triggers menstruation.
Possible causes of low progesterone
Anovulatory cycle = no ovulation
PCOS
Hypothyroidism
Chronic stress
Low cholesterol levels
Hyperprolactinemia
Possible signs of low progesterone
PMS migraines
Lumby & sore breasts
Irregular/absent periods
Heavy periods
Painful periods
Spotting between periods
Disturbed sleep
Water retention
Estrogen
Estrogen is the queen hormone over the first half of your menstrual cycle, the follicular phase. This hormone stimulates the growth of the uterine lining and breasts, protects the brain, supports bone & cardiovascular health, and promotes vaginal lubrication. It can also make you feel great – you may feel energetic & more confident during the first part of the cycle.
We talk about one estrogen but there are others!
Estrone (E1) is a weaker estrogen and is predominant in menopause.
Estradiol (E2) is our primary estrogen & most abundant. It’s produced in the ovaries & plays a part in sexual development, brain, breast, bone & cardiovascular health.
Estriol (E3) rises during pregnancy and peaks just before birth.
Your estrogens need to be inactivated to maintain normal levels. They go through metabolism via different phases. Phase I (hydroxylation), Phase II (methylation, glucuronidation, and sulphation) and the final phase is removing the metabolites in the urine and stools.
Excess Estrogen Symptoms
Bloating / water retention, heavy bleeding, weight gain, breast tenderness, fibroids, endometriosis, painful periods, mood swings, PMS, anxiety, and weight gain. Quite a list!
Possible causes of excess estrogen
Body not breaking it down & getting rid of it, as it should.
High body fat. Fat tissue secretes estrogens.
Excess alcohol can increase estrogen levels and disturb its metabolization.
High stress can rock the balance of progesterone & estrogen.
Xenoestrogens. Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates (both found in plastics), pesticides, cleaning & personal care, contain Xenoestrogens that act like estrogen when in our body.
During perimenopause our progesterone declines and estrogen can be as highest it’s ever been & fall drastically.
Maintaining this delicate balance between the two hormones is essential for your health.
Am I Perimenopausal?
Changes in your menstrual cycle? Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? PMS mood swings out of control?
Sound familiar? If you are in your 40s, these symptoms could point to perimenopause. That’s too early, I hear you say! Perimenopause hormonal shifts can already start in your 30s and these fluctuations can last 2-12 years. We are often already in perimenopause without realising it!
What is Perimenopause?
It is a sequence of hormonal events and changes, meaning fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone. Perimenopause is like our second puberty where estrogen spikes & falls. And your progesterone continues to decrease.
Perimenopause can be the time when you experience these symptoms:
mid-sleep waking
increased mood swings
spotting
increased cramps
changes in menstrual flow; heavier, shorter, or longer cycles
night sweats, particularly post-ovulation
5 Tips on how to manage Perimenopause
Eat your greens! Broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, kale, watercress. Veggies contain lots of fibre, keeping your stools moving & reduce excess estrogen levels.
Tipple less. Perimenopause & alcohol are not friends. Alcohol can make your symptoms worse.
Remember to add protein with EVERY meal! This keeps your blood sugar steady so you snack less and reduce cravings.
Prioritising sleep = more energy, better mood, reduces the risk of metabolic disease.
Start lifting. Add strength training to your workout schedule. Great for bone & muscle health and improves insulin sensitivity.