This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
You are probably thinking, ‘surely Annabel and Grace are way past menopause age?’ And you would be right. I too was surprised when we were contacted to review the website, Health and Her. I immediately wrote back saying we were both way past menopause. I actually went through menopause in my early 40s.
However there are many menopausal symptoms that continue even after you have gone through this phase of your life. The time of a woman’s life following menopause is called postmenopause. During this time, many of the bothersome symptoms a woman may have experienced before menopause gradually decrease. But as a result of several factors, including a lower level of oestrogen, postmenopausal women are at increased risk for a number of health conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.
Having spoken to someone from Health and Her I realised that actually this website could be extremely helpful to all those who are postmenopause.
It is not unusual for women to continue getting, albeit infrequently, hot flushes. Also it is possible that you may suffer from an increasingly dry vagina. If you want to continue having an active sex life then this may become quite an issue.
Health and Her have a secure Symptom Tracker which is based on the British Menopause Society’s most-common symptoms. Simply select the ones that apply to you and then a list of products that will help you will
Below is a list of those symptoms that you can select from:
- Hot flushes
- Vaginal dryness
- Joint Aches
- Brain Fog
- Weight Gain
- Loss of Sex Drive
- Low Energy
- Urinary changes
- Sleeping problems
- Night Swears
- Low Mood
- Painful Sex
- Stress & Anxiety
- Skin Changes
- Period Changes
- Headaches
- Other
Once selected and you can choose as many or as few as you want, you will be asked how mild or strong each of these symptoms are. Finally you will be given a list of products that may be able to help. You are alos offered some advice from a selection of experts in the symptom that you suffer from.
For example if you suffer from Low Mood then there are articles from a psychologist, a Yoga Therapist and a Stylist. For a loss of sex drive there are articles from a Gynaecologist, a Psychologist and a Relationship counsellor; physical, psychological and lifestyle advice.
One of the symptoms that I clicked on was Weight Gain and I was prescribed amongst other things a tea called Niche Tea with amongst other ingredients, Ginger, Aniseed and Rosehip. A cup of this and I refrained from reaching for the biscuit tin – my downfall when it comes to healthy living.
There is a really informative video by Caroline Barnes – Make-up for Menopause Tutorial. Caroline explains that when oestrogen levels drop, collagen levels deplete, skin feels less bouncy, thinner and has more movement as it has less elasticity. However, not everyone’s skin is the same! Click HERE to go straight to this tutorial. There is a wonderful tip for a foundation that works if you do suffer from hot flushes or are going through chemotherapy – Clinique Superfit Foundation. As Caroline says who wears make-up to work out but this works for many women who suffer hot flushes so don’t be put off by the marketing drive.
I have learned so much since I have been on this website, Health and Her, and would recommend that you have a look and try some of their highly recommended products.
To go straight to the Health and Her website click HERE.
To read further articles that will be beneficial to midlife women click HERE