My moods have been all over the place this week. I think my hormones are way out of whack… I feel exhausted and a little depressed on some days and I’m not focusing very well.  I’m also extremely tired.  I’ve been having more hot flashes than normal and I feel like I could have a nap by 2:00 every day and find myself falling asleep right after dinner.  I’ve just started some new vitamins, so maybe that has something to do with it… you figure vitamins should give you energy not make you feel exhausted.

I’ll let you know how this week goes.  I’m determined to get back on track.

Silken tofu is a great base for smoothies, and soy isoflavones have been shown to help with peri menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes.

Try combining tofu with berries and orange juice. Blend up with some crushed ice and you have a delicious drink that’s not only good for your health, but may also give you some relief from your hot flashes.

For added nutrition and heart health, add a few tablespoons of flax seed oil or some ground flax seed. Flax seed also provides you with important omega 3 fatty acids.

To boost your calcium intake, add a cup of yogurt.  This will give you almost 1/2 your daily calcuim requirement for menopausal women.

This a healthy way to get relief from those uncomfortable hot flashes. Enjoy!

The first thing you can do to help reduce your symptoms is have a healthy lifestyle.  This will not only reduce your menopause symptoms, but will also lower you risk of heart disease and other problems relating to age.  Best of all, a healthy lifestyle will make you feel like you’re on top of the world!

Here are a few helpful tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Choose a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat. Include plenty of fish, fruits, vegetable, whole grains, beans and high fiber breads.

Get regular exercise.  This will help manage your weight, lift your mood and keep your heart strong.

Limit stress, caffeine and alcohol.  All of these things can make your menopause symptoms worse.  By avoiding them you may sleep better.

If you’re a smoker, quit. This will not only reduce your risk of lung cancer and other long term illnesses, but may also reduce hot flashes.

Try lowering your stress with yoga or meditation.  High stress levels may make your menopause symptoms worse.

Include plenty of calcium in your diet, or take a calcium supplement

If changing to a healthy lifestyle is not enough to relieve your symptoms, you may want to look at some of these suggestions:

Eat a diet rich in Soy (isoflavones).  Some women feel this helps balance out their fluctuating hormones.

The herb, Black Cohosh may help to relieve symptoms.  Experts don’t know if this herb is safe to use for extended periods of time, so be sure and talk to your doctor, before starting any new herbal supplements, to make sure they are safe for you.

If your symptoms are severe, talk to your doctor about prescription treatments like:

Low dose birth control pills, to help you with your fluctuating estrogen levels.

Low dose HRT (hormone replacement therapy)

Antidepressants for mood changes

Prescription medicines for menopause are not without side effects and risks.  Be sure and talk with your doctor about these risks before you start any treatment for menopause symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms are:

• Changes in periods (your menstrual cycle may be longer or shorter, or you may skip periods)
• Hot flashes (you may experience a sudden rush of heat in upper body)
• Night sweats (hot flashes that happen while you sleep), often followed by a chill
• Trouble sleeping through the night
• Vaginal dryness
• Mood changes, feeling grouchy, depressed or worried (up and down like an emotional roller coaster)
• Trouble focusing, feeling mixed-up or confused or having trouble remembering things
• Headaches
• Oily hair and skin
• Weight Gain

Some women experience severe symptoms that may disrupt the quality of their daily lives, and others may experience only a few mild symptoms.

Symptoms tend to get worse the first year or more after menopause, but over time, hormone levels even out and many symptoms improve or disappear entirely.  Finally, you can enjoy being free from periods and birth control concerns!

The following video presentation focuses on the scientific aspects of perimenopause.  This video is 58 minutes long and is loaded with current information about perimenopause and womens health, so grab a cup of tea, pull up a chair and get comfortable.