Menopause Self Care is the same self care for all women, plus menopause symptom management and treatment, as required. Healthy lifestyle, healthy diet, healthy weight, regular exercise…

Self Care Week

What is Self Care Week in the United Kingdom (UK) from 14-20 November 2022?

In Self Care Resources the Self Care Forum explain:

“Self Care Week is the UK-wide annual awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self care across communities, families and generations”.

Self Care Week Theme

What is theme for Self Care Week?

In Self Care Resources the Self Care Forum explain:

Menopause Self Care“Exercise Self Care for Life is the theme and organisations are being encouraged to use Self Care Week as a hook to help people “exercise” self care for a healthier, happier life.

This theme is special because it has a double meaning with “exercise” meaning to act as well as “exercise” in the literal sense which means it is still relevant for the breadth of self care messaging and promotions”.

Self Care

What is self care?

The Self Care Forum explain:

“Self care is the actions that individuals take for themselves, on behalf of and with others in order to develop, protect, maintain and improve their health, wellbeing or wellness”.

Menopause Self CareMenopause Self Care

How can self care apply to perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause?

In Menopause Fact Sheet: Managing Your Menopause – General Tips To Help With Menopause Symptoms the Self Care Forum in collaboration with the NHS National Menopause Clinical Reference Group, elaborate on:

“Lifestyle changes and self care can help you during the perimenopause and menopause whether or not you are using HRT. Make sure you rest when you need to, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, take physical exercise regularly, find time to relax, cut down on alcohol, share with other people going through the menopause and if you smoke, talk to your pharmacist or GP practice about an NHS stopping smoking programme”.

One of the recommendations about a healthy lifestyle on page one 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, 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.
  • Alternative therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, may also improve hot flushes, nights sweats and other menopausal symptoms and can be considered in women who do not wish to take HRT or have contraindications to taking HRT”.

Menopause Depression and Self Care

How can self care apply to menopause and perimenopause depression?

On page one in Menopause and Depression: Recognizing Depressive Symptoms and Depression the North American Menopause Society elaborate on:

“When you are transitioning into menopause, you should notify your healthcare practitioner whether you have suffered from depression in the past or whether you were particularly sensitive to hormone changes and have experienced premenstrual syndrome or postpartum depression. Be alert and notice whether these mood changes are mild and do not greatly affect your quality of life or whether they are severe and debilitating and interfere with your daily activities”.

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with menopause self care?

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

In Menopause Fact Sheet: Managing Your Menopause – When To Seek Medical Help the Self Care Forum in collaboration with the NHS National Menopause Clinical Reference Group, explain:

“See a health professional at your GP practice if you think you have perimenopause or menopause symptoms and one of the following:

  • You want to know more about treatment
  • You want to discuss contraception
  • You are under 45
  • You are already on hormonal treatment or have had a hysterectomy
  • Your periods have stopped unexpectedly or have become a problem
  • Any of your symptoms have become a problem

See a GP at your practice if:

  • It is more than a year after your last period, you are not on HRT and you experience vaginal bleeding”.

Who is a GP?

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

What is the NHS?

NHS can be an abbreviation for the (United Kingdom) National Health Service.

What is HRT?

HRT can be an abbreviation for the Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Health Topics A-Z

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Last Updated: 11 December 2022 – Last Revised: 12 November 2022