ZenYoga & Fitness
Health Through Mindful Movement
Telephone No: 07859 936 250
What if we could change our hot flushes in to power surges.
Menopause
Our 4-week online menopause course offers menopausal women of any stage some insight into their own menopausal journey.
Menopause, change of life, climacteric, grand climacteric, midlife crisis, end of menstruation. This list goes on. You can call it what you want. All women, if they are lucky enough to reach middle age, or between 45 – 55 will experience the menopause.
Some will breeze through without a symptom, and others will suffer years of debilitating and chronic symptoms. Some will have no clue what is happening to them, or why they feel that they have lost control and confidence in their bodies. Let alone talk to someone about it. We all talk about puberty, sex, and having babies (in graphic detail), but the menopause, not a word. There is such shame, and stigma. The fear of no longer being seen as a woman. This has to change, women have to become empowered by knowledge, as do the medical fraternity.
With knowledge, women will be able to understand why this is happening to them, and how they can help themselves and/or get help to manage their symptom’s. There are so many emotions for each woman during this time. Some are glad that they won’t be having anymore menstrual cycles and not have to take the contraceptive pill anymore, and others will be grieving the loss of their women-hood and any chance of having children. If men were having to go through the menopause, it would be in every medical book, and I’m sure that everyone would be talking about it.
What is Menopause?
The menopause is a year to the day after your last period. It is a retrospective diagnosis.
The word Menopause means (in basic terms) that the ovaries no produce eggs, and a woman is no longer able to become pregnant. But is much more than that, which I will go into later.
As I said before the average age for a woman to start ‘The Menopause’ is between 45 – 55. If a woman goes into menopause at an earlier age, it is called premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency. Early menopause can also happen due to certain medication or treatments, such as chemotherapy and/or surgery (hysterectomy).
Unlike the natural transition of the menopause, which can take years, this process either occurs over a short period of time or abruptly, depending on the cause.
What are the stages of Menopause?
Pre-menopause – Is the period before the perimenopause. This is the period that you still have your regular menstrual cycle, but you start to get Vasomotor symptoms of perimenopause, for example hot flushes, night sweats. This can be an unsettling time, as many women will think that as they are still menstruating regularly, that it couldn’t possibly be the menopause.
Perimenopause –This is the time when the menstrual cycle, can become very irregular, heavy/light, and/or miss some months. As the oestrogen levels in the ovaries start to decline in an erratic and spasmodic way, with spikes of oestrogen where you feel you can run a marathon, and start a new business, or even find a new partner. Then the lows where you can’t even get out of bed. It is an enflamed state for the body, as the oestrogen levels in the body change, along with progestogen.
During perimenopause, the varying symptoms may increase. 60 – 80% of women suffer from mental and physical symptoms. Some women can suffer up to 8 hot flushes a day, which can last up to 3 minutes. The list of peri-menopause symptoms is very long, some women will suffer chronically and for many years, even in post menopause, and some will breeze through with only a few mild symptoms. I will list some of the most common symptoms, but it is not limited to this list.
Symptoms of Menopause
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Hot flushes and night sweats
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Headaches
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Dizziness
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Vaginal Atrophy
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Weight gain
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Mood swings
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Itchy skin
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Brittle nails
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Hair loss
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Brain fog
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Anxiety
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Palpitations
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Hot flushes and night sweats
This is related the drop in the levels of oestrogen. This drop affects the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that regulates body temperature. In a hot flush or flash, the hypothalamus seems to sense your body is too hot even when it is not. To reduce the temperature and release the excess heat, the body dilates blood vessels, particularly ones near the skin of the head, face, neck and chest. Once the blood vessels return to normal size, you feel cool again.
Headaches
During peri and post menopause headaches especially, migraines can increase in strength and become for frequent, or if you never really suffered from headaches, may start. This is again related to the changes in the hormone levels. Both oestrogen and progesterone influence the brain and the blood vessels. The main hormonal changes that can be a cause of the headaches are, an oestrogen dominance, or low oestrogen and progesterone levels (oestrogen dilates and progesterone constricts blood vessels)
Dizziness
The brain senses balance through the otoconia, an organ of the inner ear comprising tiny crystals called otoliths. Some research results suggested that there may be a link between Oestrogen loss and a weakening of the otoconia. In other words, hormonal fluctuations might contribute to dizziness relating to the ear. Dizziness symptoms can strike at any time of day. While most dizzy spells may last seconds, they can affect a woman for an extended duration and can sometimes impede on daily functioning.
Vaginal Atrophy
This is the thinning and drying of the vaginal walls. Sometimes referred to as vulva-vaginal atrophy (VVA), atrophic vaginitis or Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM). It can affect up to 1 in 3 women, during perimenopause and post menopause. When the cells in the vagina are most lacking in hydration and the oestrogen levels decrease. This results in the drying, thinning and inflammation of the vagina, which can cause, stress and discomfort during sex and everyday life. Some of the symptoms of vaginal atrophy (and not limited to) are:
Vaginal dryness
Redness and itching of the genitalia
Burning sensation in the vagina
Discharge
Burning sensation when urinating
Urgency with urination
Urinary incontinence
Frequent water infections, or urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Painful intercourse; decreased lubrication during sexual activity
Bleeding or discomfort after intercourse
Tightening and shortening of the vaginal canal
Weight gain
Among the hormonal changes with lower level of oestrogen, there is an increase in production of the hormone cortisol. This is known as the 'stress hormone' as it regulates many of the body's functions that are related to stress (fight or flight hormone). With the metabolism slowing down as you age, many women try to diet during menopause, which can be detrimental because it can also increase the cortisol levels. Cortisol is related to loss of muscle and increase of fat, particularly around the stomach.
Mood swings
The drop in oestrogen has a direct effect on the way the body manages serotonin and norepinephrine, which are the two substances that are linked to depression. Lower levels of oestrogen also cause irritability, fatigue, stress, forgetfulness, (brain fog) anxiety, and difficulty concentrating.
As I said earlier, there are far more common symptoms of perimenopause than listed above. There are also symptoms that are not so common, like itchy skin, brittle nails, hair loss, the list goes on.
Post Menopause
Is when a women’s last menstrual cycle has been over a year. One third of a women’s life is postmenopausal. This does not mean that all the symptoms of perimenopause will just vanish.
The symptoms that women can suffer from during perimenopause can and usually do continue for several years post menopause. This is because the oestrogen levels will continue to decline. Because of this there are lasting effects on the body and brain. Hopefully you are starting to see a pattern in how all the above symptoms are linked to the changes in the levels of oestrogen and progestogen. This is called Biochemistry.
How can we help?
How can yoga help with my Menopause?
The menopause can be such a confusing time, when it feels like your body is against you and you have lost your mind. The reduction of oestrogen, and the increase of cortisol, means the fitness and diets you used to do, actually DON’T work anymore.
My 4-week yoga for Menopause course which runs once a week for 1 and a half hours, helps you to understand the symptoms and the changes that you are going through, while allowing you to reconnect with your body again. This course gives you the tools and understanding you need, to empower you through this transition in your life.
Through meditation you will learn to relax, by calming the mind and body, while the yoga movements will help you to build muscle and bone density and regain flexibility.
Women no longer need to go through menopause alone feeling unvalidated for what they are going through and how they feel.
What does the 4-week programme offer?
3 x Live/recorded workouts.
2 x Live/recorded yoga sessions.
1 x Live zoom check-in every.
Live Zoom meeting 6.30pm-8pm with meditation.
Nutrition advice and tips.
A dedicated Facebook group for you to connect with others, with menopause discussions and support.
All this for just £40.00
Don't Miss The Next Course
Contact For Details
If you are feeling lost and needing to learn more about your menopausal journey, or would like to talk to other women going through similar problems, then this 4 week programme is for you.
Learn how to ease your symptoms through exercise and nutrition while regaining your confidence.
Let's talk more about HRT and find out about the benefits and what to avoid.
