“During menopause, it’s important to look after yourself.
Healthy lifestyle choices will help to improve physical
and emotional symptoms at every stage of menopause”.1

Umbrella

What may the Menopause Healthy Living Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Menopause Healthy Lifestyle/Living
  • Menopause Lifestyle Management

Menopause Healthy Living

Is there an association between menopause and healthy living?

In Looking After Yourself During menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) note:

“During menopause, it’s important to look after yourself. Healthy lifestyle choices will help to improve physical and emotional symptoms at every stage of menopause”.2

In the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

  • “Women should be advised that implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve menopause symptoms. A healthy diet (one low in saturated fat and salt and rich in calcium and vitamin D), stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake and including regular exercise can be beneficial. Reducing caffeine intake may also improve symptoms”.3

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause, published online 30 October 2023, the authors explain:

“The importance of improving lifestyle factors such as good nutrition, being physically active, cessation of smoking, limiting alcohol and stress management should be highlighted, as healthy behaviors confer benefits to all women”.4

In their Menopause Wellness Hub the (British) Women’s Health Concern (WHC) explain:

“However you choose to manage your menopause symptoms, your lifestyle choices are going to be the cornerstone of any treatment plan you choose.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other complementary and alternative treatments can all be very helpful, but the transition to menopause is a good time to review your lifestyle. Not only can this help manage menopausal symptoms in the short term, it can lay the foundations for good health through perimenopause, menopause, and the years to come”.5

Symptom Management

What is some general advice for symptom management?

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: General Advice for Symptom Management the authors explain:

  • “Overweight and obesity, and smoking are risk factors for VMS. Weight reduction may result in reduced VMS in overweight women and smoking cessation should be encouraged
  • Exercise, yoga and relaxation methods have not been found to be effective for VMS, but these activities may improve sleep and general well-being.”.6

What is VMS?

VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor symptoms e.g. Hot flushes and night sweats.

Menopause Healthy Living Tips

What are some menopause healthy living tips?

On page three in The Menopause: What Can Be Done? Lifestyle Factors the WHC elaborate on:

Menopause

“A healthy lifestyle can minimize the effects of the menopause, helping to keep the heart and bones strong. Many women feel that this is a good time to review the way they treat their body. Here are some tips to consider:

  • Chew over your diet…
  • Keep on your feet…
  • Stop smoking…
  • Drink within reason…
  • Make use of health screening services…
  • Stay calm and positive…”.7

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with healthy living?

If you would like help with healthy living, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

The WHC also note:

“Some women breeze through a problem-free menopause, but most experience some symptoms ranging from mild to severe. If you feel that you are struggling, advice and support is widely available. The important thing is to be aware of any changes and to consult your GP for advice. Whatever the symptoms, help is available in a range of ways.

Above all, bear in mind that your health is your responsibility and that you are in charge. This is a time when your body deserves some tender loving care”.8

Who is a GP?

DotS and/or DotC (Depending on the Country) a GP may be a qualified and registered general practitioner, a medical practitioner, a medical doctor or a doctor.

Health Topics A-Z

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Links

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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Looking After Yourself During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 18 November 2024
  2. Looking After Yourself During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 18 November 2024
  3. Hamoda, H, Mukherjee, A, Morris, E, Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P, Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 18 November 2024
  4. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 18 November 2024
  5. Menopause Wellness Hub. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/menopause-wellness-hub/ Accessed: 18 November 2024
  6. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: General Advice for Symptom Management. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 18 November 2024
  7. The Menopause: What Can Be Done? Lifestyle Factors. Publication Date: November 2022:3. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/15-WHC-FACTSHEET-The-Menopause-NOV2022-B.pdf Accessed: 18 November 2024
  8. The Menopause: Conclusions. Publication Date: November 2022:4. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/15-WHC-FACTSHEET-The-Menopause-NOV2022-B.pdf Accessed: 05 July 2024
Topic Last Updated: 18 November 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 18 November 2024