Eager to manage hot flashes, weight gain, moodiness and other symptoms that made her miserable, this doctor tried everything before she considered hormone therapy.
If you’re struggling with symptoms of perimenopause, consider lifestyle changes. Even if you decide to use hormone therapy (HT), these healthy habits may boost the effectiveness of the drugs and enhance your overall health. Here’s what I tried and how it helped:
Diet
Strategy: To boost energy and combat weight gain, I overhauled my diet. I upped my total protein intake to improve satiety and rev up my metabolism. I also reduced red meat intake and bolstered my meals with whey powder, beans, tofu, fish and nonfat dairy. I eliminated full fat cheese and refined grains, doubled my fiber intake, filled up on raw produce and added a 1000 IU vitamin D supplement to my daily regime.
Results:
These tweaks helped me get my weight and body fat percentage under control a bit, but my body wasn’t responding as quickly as it has in the past.
Exercise
Strategy: I added two more regular personal training sessions for a total of four weekly visits, began swimming or cycling 30 minutes to two hours once a week and tacked on 2 extra hours of strength training per week.
Results:
I saw a slight increase in my muscle mass, strength and endurance, but all the extra work didn’t transform by physique or help my hot flashes.
Sleep
Strategy: Move bedtime two hours earlier --9 PM instead of 11 PM.
Results:
More sleep helped me feel “more human” and better able to cope with my symptoms. I could think more clearly and approach issues like choosing a school for my son with a calm, logical mindset.
Communication
Strategy: I began talking to other women who were experiencing the same symptoms, swapping stories and suggestions about who they see (medically) and what they do to cope with problems about sleep, weight gain, hot flashes, moodiness, lack of energy, etc.
Results:
This probably helped me the most. The shared experience and camaraderie make me feel like a part of a larger force of women I now consider sisters.
Setting Boundaries
Strategy: I started saying no more often, taking on less at home and at work. I also simplified my life as much as possible: less computer, phone and TV time and more time alone and with friends.
Results:
Resetting my schedule gave me more time to be physically active, which really helped my mental clarity and overall happiness. I felt more grounded, and more connected to my friends. I realized that tuning out news about major world crisis (the recession, weather disasters, etc.) helped me feel less overwhelmed.
