What’s inner beauty got to do with how we look on the outside?

The notion of beauty has changed over the decades and no longer conforms to a singular body type or a specific, enhanced physical feature. Instead, more women are embracing beauty as a multifactorial concept, with wellness at its nucleus and a recognition that beauty is not simply external, but also comes from within. Inner beauty once related solely to your character, or soul, but it’s developed beyond that and when we speak of ‘ beauty from within’ we no longer just mean on an emotional level, but on a physical level too. Simply put, what happens on the inside affects how we appear on the outside.

The cosmetic, hair care and skin care industries are changing as many women across the world are rightfully equating wellness and healthy living to the concept of what is beautiful. Inner beauty is taking more of a centre stage. This progress may have come from the health and wellness spas of larger global cities and those services are becoming increasingly popular in more provincial areas. There is also some global inspiration from places like China, where acupuncture — the essence of wellness there — is commonly utilised for beauty treatments.

Beauty is an ever-changing concept

Concepts such as nurturing your inner spirit, understanding your energy cycles and decreasing stress are becoming common in beauty routines. Whereas before the beauty industry would sell consumers the hope for beauty in a jar, now they recognise that consumers want a more holistic health approach.

Popular ideas such as ensuring your skin is healthy instead of covering up unhealthy skin with makeup or taking supplements with biotin and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) to ensure hair health, are becoming the norm. Similarly, instead of a focus on being skinny or on thinness, women are opting for body image preferences that lean more toward fit and toned.

Women are beginning to believe that beauty is the offspring of wellness and health.

Intuitively we know that wellness and beauty are intricately linked. For women, aspiring to beauty is often a key motivator in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To put it bluntly, vanity can move us into wanting to take healthy action, although it doesn’t always move us into that healthy action.¹ But seeing beauty, health and wellness as important values in our lives is far from narcissism. We don’t just see beauty visually — we feel, hear and sense beauty. It is so much more complex than just a physical attribute. Winston Churchill famously referred to vanity as “that vice that promotes so many virtues.”

Focusing on inner beauty is a motivator for those seeking external beauty

One study analysed how the desire for the appearance of healthier skin was a key motivating factor for increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits.²

Another study had participants look at images of people with sun-related aging as a motivating factor for better sunscreen usage compliance.³ The study highlighted that the participants were less motivated by the discussion on the prevention of skin cancer than they were vanity!

But there is a fine line between utilising the desire for beauty as a health motivational tool and the quest for beauty turning into a shaming mechanism. It’s important to be realistic. When looking at celebrities or even quasi-famous internet personalities as inspiration, we need to begin with where we are first (not where that celebrity or YouTube host is at).

Using the inner beauty of others as inspiration for our own inner beauty

A newer term, “fitspiration,” refers to the tendency for ordinary people to look to others — mainly internet sources — for motivation in fitness goals.⁴

Often looking at posts on Instagram, videos on YouTube or pins on Pinterest can give us ideas for health and beauty; but there is a fine line if they are also making us feel inadequate or if the goals these online personalities are portraying are unattainable.

Perhaps the bimodal approach of utilising both beauty and health to inspire is the appropriate medium. Researchers looked at smoking cessation through the double lenses of both oral health and physical attractiveness of smokers.⁵

If it’s largely a motivator for outer beauty, is inner beauty important?

Whether motivated by the desire to look healthy or feel healthy, inner beauty is important. The same researchers that looked at smoking cessation found that the two-pronged approach of combining health and beauty were quite motivating in getting the subjects to want to quit smoking. Yes, we do want to look beautiful but we also want to feel beautiful – both are motivators.

The stories of others who we can relate to are often one of the most inspirational and motivating factors. Finding one or two bloggers or Instagrammers you feel are most aligned with your beauty values and health objectives may be beneficial in helping you to achieve your goals. Make sure they have something that you feel is achievable and realistic for you and allow seeing them reach their goals to encourage you to strive for your own.

1. Pan, W, and J Peña. “The Exposure Effects of Online Model Pictures and Weight-Related Persuasive Messages on Women’s Weight-Loss Planned Behaviors.” Journal of Health Communication, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29020539 [↩]
2. Whitehead, R D, et al. “A randomized controlled trial of an appearance-based dietary intervention.” Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23527517 [↩]
3. Tuong, W, and A W Armstrong. “Effect of appearance-based education compared with health-based education on sunscreen use and knowledge: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24508292 [↩]
4. Simpson, C C, and S E Mazzeo. “Skinny Is Not Enough: A Content Analysis of Fitspiration on Pinterest.” Health communication, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27326747 [↩]
5. Semer, N, et al. “Development and evaluation of a tobacco cessation motivational program for adolescents based on physical attractiveness and oral health.” Journal of dental hygiene : JDH, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2005, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16297311 [↩]

Building inspirational communities to inspire more and more people to lead healthier and happier lives.

We recently sat down with German professional cliff diver and Red Bull Athlete, Iris Schmidbauer, who continues to push the boundaries of the sport as she works towards being the next world champion. We spoke with her about how she got to where she is today, her goals for the future and her biggest challenges so far. Daring, embodies female empowerment and inspires people every day to overcome their fears – read the interview below to find out more.

So Iris, how did you get into cliff diving?

It’s a long story! I was doing a bit of leisure diving, just once a week or so. I taught myself with YouTube videos and had some lessons with the diving club, but it was nothing competitive or professional.

When I was 19, I was just about to finish school and I saw the World Championships. Back then, there were only five girls diving. I was amazed that they could dive 20 meters off a platform. I fell in love with the sport and just wanted to learn how to do it, not thinking that I could actually end up competing.

What achievement are you most proud of?

Probably becoming European champion, but I was also really proud that I learned some new dives this year, including the back triple double, which is the hardest dive that I do. When I started getting into the sport, I always dreamed of doing these big dives, and now I’m doing them!

What are your goals for next year?

I've got a couple of goals. I want to get into 10-meter diving and get a full 10-meter ‘list’ on the side. For high diving or cliff diving, I want to do my best at every competition, get more consistent and get this ‘rip entry’ on every dive. Ideally, I want to finish top five in the world in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Of course, the goal is to get a podium next year, or maybe more than one!

What do you love about the sport?

I love that it's always a challenge - that you always have to overcome your fear and push boundaries. It never gets easy. You just have to believe in yourself, and trust in your skills, and trust that everything you've learned will come together.

And I love that there's not much you need in this sport. You just need a swimsuit and that's it. It's just about you, the height, the water, and also perfection. What I really love is when I'm just in nature, standing on a cliff, can feel the rocks underneath my feet, and just dive into the foaming ocean. When I swim back up to the surface and take that very first breath, I'm just so happy that I overcame that fear.

What does training look like for you?

I train with a traditional diving team in the pool, or we do dryland training, which is gymnastic-based. We've got trampolines, dry boards, and do a lot of conditioning. We split the time: two hours on dryland and two hours in the pool. That's one session. We do two sessions a day.

What does your diet and nutrition plan look like? Does it change leading up to a competition?

I don't really have a specific diet I follow, but I just try to use my common sense and eat healthily. But I do want to enhance my diet more this year, especially alongside Lifeplus supplements that can help me to become the best athlete I can be.

What is your advice for those starting out a new sport?

Oh, it's tough. It's always going to be tough to do something out of the ordinary, but if you really want it, you can do it. Just go and do it.

What is your mantra?

‘Push your impossible.’

What makes you stand out?

Most people who get into high diving come from a professional diving background. I only started training with 19, which is pretty late. Now I'm one of three girls who compete the hardest dive in the world. I've got the hardest list in the world right now. I just had to figure it all out myself. I don't have an official high diving coach, I get coaching here and there and then have to put it all together and push myself.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?

There have been a couple of big challenges. My parents aren't really supportive of my diving. They don't try and stop me, but they're also not happy about it. They want me to be financially secure and to have a normal career.

Another big challenge was that when I started the sport, I pushed myself beyond my experience to do ‘triples’. I crashed three times with that dive. The last time that I crashed, I landed flat on my back from 20 meters. I was coughing blood and I had whiplash, but I was actually lucky I didn't have any severe injuries. The injuries were more mental to be honest. When I had to get back up there and do the dive, I was so terrified. It took several years to get my confidence back.

Which strengths do you believe you have that make you a great diver?

I never give up. I always believe in myself and don't listen to what other people tell me. If you know you can do something, don't give up, and follow that dream.

Inspiring us with her tenacity and bravery, we couldn’t be prouder to sponsor Iris as she strives for greatness in the diving world. Follow our social media channels to keep up-to-date with her activity and join us in cheering her on!

Many women don’t think about menopause until changes start to disrupt daily life, typically during the perimenopause state.

Menopause occurs when a woman doesn’t have a menstrual cycle for at least 12 consecutive months. Symptoms of menopause range from a decrease in sleep quality and sex drive to an increase in hot flushes, night sweats, memory loss, and mood changes.

The concept of self-care may feel too vague to offer any value for reducing menopausal symptoms, but it’s important for easing effects and fighting frustration. Self-care is important for everyone in every stage of life, but for women approaching menopause, it becomes vital.

Below, we’ve included three significant reasons why women should consider practicing self-care while experiencing menopausal symptoms.

Perimenopause reflects five, ten, and even twenty years of pre-menopausal life

Perimenopause, in which the body begins its transition into menopause, is often characterised by unwanted symptoms that can last months to years before menopause actually begins. These include:

• irregular bleeding and/or periods
• sleep issues
• mood imbalances
• vaginal dryness
• night sweats
• weight gain
• anxiety and/or depression
• loss of libido

These symptoms often reflect how you live until this point. To lessen their impact prior to the onset of perimenopause, practice self-care regularly before changes begin.

Progesterone decreases with age

Progesterone, a hormone released by the ovaries, regulates the endometrial lining of the uterus each month, preparing it for possible pregnancy. 

It’s also a calming hormone that supports relaxation, sleep, mood, and even bone health – helping with everything from soothing the body and mind after a busy day to getting a solid night’s rest.

As women age, progesterone naturally decreases. This, coupled with a stressful lifestyle that includes little self-care across many years, can result in progesterone deficiency and create symptoms of:

• erratic mood
• anxiety and/or depression
• sleep issues
• headaches
• abnormal menstrual bleeding
• tender breasts
• decreased sexual libido

Self-care – such as a healthy diet, daily movement, stress-management techniques, and proper sleep – works to keep progesterone from significantly depleting and helps most when starting these techniques early.

The adrenal glands release more cortisol

The body looks for balance from the adrenal glands when the ovaries begin to decrease their hormone production during perimenopause. Cortisol, the hormone associated with stress, is produced from progesterone. When stress runs high, more cortisol is needed and produced, thereby depleting progesterone supply.

If the adrenal glands have been in overdrive due to stress and a hectic lifestyle, they will not have any support to offer, and more symptoms can occur:

• fatigue
• sleep issues
• unbalanced mood
• high blood pressure
• thinning hair
• feelings of not being able to relax
• weight gain around the stomach

One of the best ways to lower cortisol levels is by managing stress through self-care.

Recognising what’s necessary for proper self-care is essential as women transition to menopause. 

Eating a healthy diet, participating in daily movement, getting proper sleep, promoting smooth digestion, and managing stress are all natural ways to support this change in life. Start taking care of yourself as early as possible and reap the benefits of this self-care throughout your later years.

Menopause itself is simply the 24-hour period that occurs 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual cycle.

The time prior is referred to as “perimenopause” and any time after that 12 month mark the woman is considered “post-menopausal.” It’s during perimenopause when a woman’s hormones begin to fluctuate. This signals that the body is entering a new phase of life and ending its ability to reproduce.

Often (but not always), this shift in hormones accompanies symptoms such as:

• menstrual flow changes (how much and how often)
• shifts in moods
• hot flushes
• night sweats
• fatigue
• sleep issues
• decreased or increased sexual function
• vaginal dryness
• weight gain (particularly around the stomach)
• changes in cholesterol
• digestive changes

This transition can start years before menopause actually occurs. Perimenopause commonly begins in the forties, although it may start earlier or later.

While some women may experience very little (if any) effects, others may notice moderate to severe symptoms that disrupt daily life for a number of years.

Fortunately, there are a variety of natural options that can ease challenges and enhance wellbeing during this time.

Self-care

For many women, life up until perimenopause has been busy. Raising children, working, taking care of elders, community involvement, and daily responsibilities all fill up women’s schedules, leaving them with little time for themselves.

However, as reproductive hormones begin declining, many women find themselves beginning to focus inward and assess their lives – how they are spending their time, what brings them joy and fulfilment, and sometimes it becomes clear that many of the previous busy activities no longer serve the woman in this new phase. What previously kept her busy may now feel inconvenient, monotonous, or no longer interesting. Even though this self-reflection may be unexpected, it offers a great opportunity for women to simply slow down and assess what provides fulfilment to them in life now. For many women, this is a time when implementing additional steps in self-care becomes extremely beneficial. 

Although it will look different for each woman, self-care is also an important tool in managing stress, calming the mind and body, and easing challenging symptoms which may also be present during this transitional time of life.

Techniques for self-care include the following, among many others:

• slowing down/reducing non-essential obligations
• eating a healthy diet filled with supportive menopausal nutrients
• daily movement, particularly walking
• a calming sleep routine
• time in nature
• meditation
• breath work
• yoga
• warm Epsom salt baths
• massages
• a daily cup (or more) of tea

Supplements

In addition, essential vitamins and minerals provide hormone and overall health support.

• vitamin E
• vitamin D
• calcium
• magnesium
• B vitamins

Finding joy

It may seem frivolous, selfish even, but living a life infused with joy – especially during perimenopause – may help stave off everything from anxiety to insomnia.

This time in a woman’s life can be filled with self-rediscovery and in turn, result in a more joy-filled existence.  And one woman’s joy may come from something completely different from another woman’s joy.

To explore your own personal happiness contributors, give one or more of the following a try:

• writing or keeping a diary
• trying new interests, hobbies, or sports
• learning an instrument, language, or cooking technique
• artistic expression like painting, dancing, or poetry
• growing a garden
• hiking in nature
• traveling
• reading
• watching the sunrise or sunset
• connecting with your community
• spending time with family
• volunteering

And remember, while joy is different for everyone, so is the amount of time and energy a woman has to put toward creating her own joy. If you have five minutes, fabulous! Soak up every second from those five minutes. If you have three hours to dedicate to your own joy, amazing! Enjoy all that you have to offer yourself and watch how your joy expands from you and contributes to the lives of those around you. Joy is contagious. Let it expand from you!

While perimenopause may be known for all the possible unwanted related symptoms, for some women it can be a time to take a moment (or three), turn inward, decide what she needs and then move forward from a place of self-care, nutritional/herbal support, and joy.

Questions about our place and our purpose in life often arise alongside physical symptoms of menopause (such as hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, fatigue, mood imbalance, and sexual disfunction) and can indicate required changes for a healthy journey ahead.

This time in a woman’s life can be a catalyst for growth – inspiring her to rediscover who she is, who she wants to be, and what she wants to do in life going forward.

Menopause is an opportunity to transition into the life you truly desire – once you give yourself the attention you deserve.

For many women, life leading up to menopause is busy. It’s often filled with having children, raising a family, having a career, caring for aging parents, supporting the community and/or organisations, and your regular daily responsibilities. Each of these responsibilities alone is enough to make most women long for calm and relaxation.

However, menopause is a time in which you can choose to pause and take stock of where you’re at in life, who you love, and what you really want, encouraging a rediscovery of your authentic self and implementing change to live accordingly.

What could rediscovery look like?

Each woman experiences this change differently, but starting with self-awareness may be key.

Consider these important questions that can lead to personal insight:

• Who am I right now?
• Who do I want to become?
• What’s important to me?
• Who do I love and want to spend more time with?
• What do I love doing and would like to do more of?
• How am I making a difference?
• What brings me joy?
• Are there signals my body is giving me of areas that need attention?
• What do I need to change?
• How can I best take care of myself?

One answer to many of these questions is by practicing self-care during menopause. This attention on the self can include:

• following a healthier diet
• spending more time with family
• decreasing non-essential obligations
• seeking support for past trauma and/or stress
• creating a relaxing sleep routine
• practicing a new sport
• reading, writing, or expressing oneself artistically
• learning a new language
• traveling
• growing a garden

This transition into the next stage of life may also include tough decisions such as a career change and/or retirement, relationship changes, and geographical moves. 

And you know what? That’s okay.

Making decisions for overall wellbeing and happiness isn’t always easy, but it can result in healthy growth, exploration, and transition into the person you desire to be.

Menopause is a season of life during which women can blossom into their authentic selves. Beyond strictly physical changes, it inspires mental and spiritual growth. And self-discovery, self-awareness, and self-care are key to making it happen.

Pregnancy is a time to be kind to yourself and listen to what your body needs.

It’s also a time to be aware of certain foods that are less than ideal for the health of yourself and your growing baby. With a few tweaks, you can still enjoy a healthy and satisfying pregnancy diet that shouldn’t leave you feeling too deprived.

High mercury fish

Mercury is highly toxic and is commonly found in polluted seas, where certain fish can accumulate high levels of it. These highest amounts can be passed on to you where they may be toxic to your nervous and immune systems. Mercury exposure has also been shown to risk causing serious developmental problems in children, even in lower amounts. High mercury fish include shark, swordfish and tuna.¹

Raw, or undercooked fish

Unfortunately for sushi and shellfish lovers, it’s off the menu for 9 months. Raw fish have a higher risk of carrying a number of viral, bacterial or parasitic infections ranging from norovirus to salmonella and listeria.  Not only can these make you very ill, but they can also be passed onto your baby. Furthermore, pregnancy seems to make you even more prone to picking up these infections, with research showing that pregnant women are up to 10 times more likely to get infected with listeria than the rest of the population.²

Undercooked, raw and processed meats

The issues that exist with raw and undercooked fish can also be seen in undercooked, raw and processed meats, which also pose a risk of bacterial or parasitic infection that can make both you and your baby seriously unwell. Most of these bacteria are found on the surface of the meat, so it’s best to ensure any meat you eat is cooked well done while pregnant. Processed meat also carries a higher risk of infection so is best avoided altogether if possible or if not, reheated until piping hot to kill off any bacteria.

Unpasteurised dairy foods

As with fish and meat, raw milk and unpasteurised or soft ripened cheese can carry a number of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli and Campylobacter, which can all cause serious complications to your unborn baby, as well as making you extremely ill.³

Raw eggs

Raw eggs can be found hidden in many products from homemade mayonnaise and ice cream to hollandaise sauce and cake icings. Poached and lightly scrambled eggs can also contain traces of raw egg. These are all best avoided as raw eggs come with a higher risk of containing salmonella, which can make you and your growing baby very unwell.

Caffeine

This can be a tricky one to give up, but caffeine is not the best thing for your pregnancy diet. As it is very quickly absorbed, it passes easily to the placenta where it can build up in high levels that are unable to be metabolised. This can lead to restricted foetal growth rates, which has been linked to lower birth weights and an increased risk of infant death or chronic illnesses during adulthood.⁴

Eat these foods instead!

The good news for fish lovers is that there are options other than shellfish and sushi, and not all ocean or farmed fish are high in mercury! Cod, haddock, salmon and freshwater trout are all safe options. Salmon is particularly good as it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for the development of your baby.⁵

While soft and unpasteurised cheeses may be off the menu, you should still consume protein to support the needs of your growing baby. Dairy products like milk, pasteurised cheese and yoghurt are all perfectly safe.

Raw eggs might also be forbidden for a while, but eggs in general are absolutely fine. What’s more, they are an excellent source of choline, which is important for the development of your baby and can help prevent developmental abnormalities of the brain and spine.⁶

Lean meats and proteins are great sources of energy, and beef in particular is rich in iron, which is essential during pregnancy as you will need more of it while your blood volume is increasing. Lower levels of iron during early and mid-pregnancy have been linked to iron deficient anaemia, which can increase the risk of lower birth weights, so go ahead and eat that steak – just make sure that it’s well cooked.⁷

Avocados are great as part of a pregnancy diet as they are high in potassium, which may help relieve leg cramps that are common during pregnancy. Try not to think of your pregnancy as a time of food deprivation. You will need more calories than before to support the growth of your baby. Armed with the knowledge of what is, and what isn’t, a healthy food choice, you will be able to enjoy the ultimate pregnancy diet that is both satisfying and safe for you and your baby.

1. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1056.9831&rep=rep1&type=pdf [↩]
2. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/risk-groups/pregnant-women.html [↩]
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24344105/ [↩]
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15752534/ [↩]
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12509593/ [↩]
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3639110/ [↩]
7. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/126/4/e874.short [↩]

When people talk of going through the menopause, what they are often actually talking about, is the perimenopause. Menopause is the end result – the time when your menstrual cycle stops, you no longer experience periods and you are no longer fertile. The process of reaching this point – the perimenopause – can take years.

Have you entered the perimenopause and not realised?

The key indicator of the menopause is, understandably, that your periods stop. This doesn’t happen overnight, and while we are all different, there’s often a gradual slowing down indicated through a change in your cycle. Your periods may become erratic and arrive late, or even early. You may miss periods altogether, perhaps for a few months, only to then have them arrive again. You may also notice them becoming lighter than usual. It could go entirely the other way too, and fluctuating hormone levels could actually see you having heavier, or more frequent periods for months, or years, before they stop altogether. As these changes can be both gradual and erratic, it’s not uncommon for women to start the early stages of perimenopause and not realise.

Managing the physical and mental symptoms of perimenopause

Some people are lucky and experience few perimenopausal symptoms at all. They might also find them to be perfectly manageable. Others can have a much more difficult time. As with many things though, knowing what to expect is half the battle when it comes to managing and doing the best you can for your physiological health. The best known perimenopausal symptoms are some of the most common and include irregular periods, hot flushes, night sweats, bloating and anxiety or a general low mood.

Mood swings

Mood swings, sadness and feelings of anxiety or depression are caused by hormonal changes. You might find yourself feeling more irritable, anxious, depressed or tearful than usual and while this is of course unpleasant, it’s perfectly normal. Emotions can be given a boost by increasing your bodies serotonin levels, and there are ways to do this naturally.

Vitamin D has been shown in studies to control serotonin synthesis¹ so try to get some short, safe bursts of sun exposure as this can help your body produce Vitamin D. You can also increase Vitamin D through your diet – foods such as cereals and orange juice are often fortified with it. The same studies also showed the omega-3 fatty acids to be helpful with managing low moods. You can boost these by eating oily fish like mackerel and salmon as well as cheese and egg yolks.

There is help out there if you need it, and if you feel that your symptoms are beyond your control it’s important to let people know that. You can try talking to friends and family or might consider a support group. If you still feel unable to cope, don’t be embarrassed about speaking to a medical professional. Your symptoms are not unusual and you should be taken seriously.

Bloating

Hormones have a lot to answer for! As well as affecting our mental wellbeing, there are also physical effects that occur as they fluctuate. One of the more common ones around the time of the menopause is water retention, which can cause swollen and puffy ankles, hands and feet. This water retention is often accompanied by gas bloating. The good news is that both of these symptoms can be helped by maintaining a healthy diet. Try to reduce the amount of salt and fizzy drinks you consume, as both of these have a tendency to make you bloated. Slowing down your eating in general helps prevent too much air entering your system, so try to take your time and chew your food more thoroughly. Eating smaller meals can also help as it doesn’t put such a stress on your digestive system.

Hot flushes

Your body’s ability to regulate temperature can also be affected by changes in your hormone levels, leading to the dreaded hot flushes. These can happen at any time during the day or night, often without warning, but there are some things that can trigger them too.² Avoiding spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol can help, as well as avoiding things that would naturally make you hotter, such as wearing too many layers of hot clothing and having the heating turned on too high. If you’re a smoker, stopping smoking can also help.

To manage hot flushes, try to sit near open windows with fresh air rather than in warm corners or by radiators. Wear loose layers of clothing and make your bed with layers too – sheets and blankets can be better than a thick duvet. If you feel like you might be about to experience a hot flush, spritz your face with cool water or place a cold flannel on the back of your neck. Sipping cold drinks and sucking on ice cubes can also help.

Will the perimenopause ever end?

It might feel like it won’t, but it will. This transition period is exactly that, a transition. It won’t last forever and every passing day is a step closer to reaching full menopause. As this can take years though, it’s understandable that some of the signs it is coming to an end might be missed. The biggest sign – as with entering puberty and starting your periods, is that they stop. To be truly considered post-menopausal, a year will have elapsed since your last period. At this point you can safely say you have been through the menopause.

A note about the andropause

Menopause fundamentally occurs due to a decline in sex hormones and while this is notable in women when their periods start slowing down, men don’t have this same indicator. Men also experience a decrease in sex hormones as they age, and may experience what is known as the andropause. This brings with it symptoms including:

• Loss of libido
• Mood swings and irritability
• Reduced muscle mass and ability to exercise
• Tiredness but difficulty sleeping
• Poor concentration
• General lack of energy
• Redistribution of body fat, with common developments being a larger belly or greater fat retention around the breast tissue.

If men are increasingly experiencing these symptoms as they age, it’s possible they have entered the andropause.

Life after the menopause

Some people are lucky and may not experience particularly troublesome symptoms while approaching the menopause. For others, it can affect their lives on a daily basis. It might be assumed that for these people, leaving perimenopause and entering the full menopause would come as a relief. It may well do, but it also might bring to the surface some unexpected emotions. While they can seem a huge inconvenience, experiencing periods is something that will have become a natural part of life and the mental effects of this no longer occurring can take you by surprise. You might start questioning whether you are actually ready to enter this next stage. Did you have children? Did you have as many children as you wanted? Knowing those years have passed can make you question whether you would do things differently if you had your time again.

However you are feeling, you are not alone. Try to remind yourself that you are simply entering a new stage. Yes, you may no longer be able to have children yourself, but this doesn’t mean that any maternal desires you might have can’t find other outlets. There are still plenty of opportunities for you to express your nurturing side. You’ve got many years ahead of you to form relationships based around support and wisdom. Whether you are a mother or not, you can still take on a mothering role long after the menopause.

Another bonus to having gone through the menopause is that, while it might simply be circumstantial, you might find a new confidence you didn’t previously know you had. As people age you can’t fail to notice that they tend to say what they think more. Whether this is simply coincidence, or a result of more balanced hormones making you less self-conscious, it can be truly liberating to say yes to things you want to do and no to things you don’t.

There are a few health factors to be aware of post-menopause, but these are nothing to worry about. Cholesterol and blood pressure might go up, and your risk of developing osteoporosis can also be greater. This can be managed by ensuring you have a good diet and are getting enough calcium to keep your bones strong though. Likewise, a healthy diet and regular exercise have been shown in studies to be able to prevent some of the weight gain that can be associated with the menopause.³ As long as you are aware of what to expect and are willing to follow a healthy lifestyle – which we should really all be doing at any age anyway – then life after the menopause really doesn’t have to be all the different to life before it.

1. https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1096/fj.14-268342 [↩]
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/hot-flushes/ [↩]
3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1207/S15324796ABM2603_06 [↩]

All women will go through the menopause, yet for many, it’s a sensitive and sometimes difficult topic to discuss. We are aiming to demystify the cause and symptoms of the menopause, offering help and advice whether you are experiencing the menopause personally, or if you would like to be better equipped to offer support to a loved one currently managing it.

Why does the menopause occur?

As with puberty, the menopause is a direct result of the change in the balance of the body’s sex hormones. Puberty sees the onset of this stage with the production of oestrogen and progesterone hormones, while menopause marks the end of it. In the natural process of menopause, a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs and making these hormones. When this happens, a woman will stop having her period and is no longer fertile.¹ This will usually happen between the ages of 45-55. However, around 1 in 100 women experience premature menopause, which is where they enter the menopause before the age of 40.² Surgical removal of the ovaries, chemotherapy or hormone therapy for the treatment of breast cancer can also cause the menopause.

While the two key markers of the menopause are the stopping of periods and the end of fertility, there are a number of symptoms that occur during the build-up to menopause. Perimenopause is the transition period into menopause, and this is where you are most likely to experience the symptoms that tell you that you are entering this stage. Perimenopause can start 8-20 years before menopause, when a woman is in her 40s or even 30s. Before this time, you are premenopausal, which simply means you have no symptoms of either the perimenopause or menopause.

Men are not exempt from suffering a decline in sex hormones too. While women undergo the menopause, men may undergo what is known as the andropause, which sees symptoms such as loss of libido, suggestive of testosterone deficiency.³ Other symptoms might include:

• Mood swings and irritability
• Loss of muscle mass and a reduced ability to exercise
• Fat redistribution, such as developing a larger belly or holding more fat around the breast tissue
• Tiredness but difficulty sleeping
• Poor concentration or a general lack of energy

Surprising symptoms of the menopause

Some symptoms of the menopause are more common than others. Many symptoms start during the perimenopause, with:
• Irregular periods
• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Fatigue but difficulty sleeping
• Anxiety or a low mood

However, there are other surprising symptoms that may affect your physiological health and suggest you may be entering the menopause too:

Water and gas bloating: The hormonal changes brought about by our bodies entering menopause can cause swollen and puffy ankles, hands and feet, as our bodies start storing more water in the extremities. This water bloating is sometimes accompanies by gas bloating.

Vaginal dryness: It’s not always spoken about, but vaginal dryness is in fact one of the more common symptoms of the menopause. This occurs because oestrogen levels are dropping, making the vaginal tissues thinner and more prone to irritation.

Digestive problems: Stomach pain is particularly common during the perimenopause, which adds to stress levels and can impact our digestion. You might have noticed throughout your life that if you become stressed or anxious you can develop stomach pains or cramping – this applies to the menopause too.

Lower libido: It makes sense that as our bodies stop producing the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, our sex drives may lower. If this is something that is concerning you, try to enjoy a healthy, nutritious diet and ensure you get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, to help you feel good about yourself and possibly increase your libido.

Mood swings: Just like premenstrual syndrome, fluctuating hormones around the time of the menopause can leave you irritable, anxious, depressed or tearful. In fact, studies have shown that these symptoms may be even worse during the menopause as the decline is oestrogen changes how our bodies handle serotonin – the happiness hormone.⁴

Headaches: You might already have experienced the impact of hormones on your head as many women suffer from headaches during their period. Likewise, headaches can be a problem during the menopause.

Weight gain: There are a few reasons why you might find yourself putting on a few extra pounds during the menopause. Again, simply the fluctuation in hormones can be a factor, but there are other menopause-related symptoms such as tiredness that can make us less motivated to exercise, or more likely to reach for high fat, or high sugar snacks rather than taking the time to prepare something more nutritious.

A hot mouth: Menopause can reduce your ability to produce saliva, which can result in what is known as ‘burning mouth syndrome’. This affects the roof of your mouth, as well as your lips and cheeks and can also leave a metallic taste in your mouth.

Hair thinning: As with the other symptoms of menopause, thinning hair is a result of hormonal changes. Oestrogen and progesterone both help our hair to grow, and falling levels can increase the growth of androgen, which shrinks the hair follicles, making your hair appear thinner. Poor diet and stress can also cause hair loss.

Pins and needles: One of the stranger symptoms of the menopause is that fluctuating oestrogen levels have an impact on our central nervous system, meaning our nerves can sometimes misfire and cause numbness or tingling in our hands and feet.

Itchy skin: Declining oestrogen levels have a knock-on effect on our skin’s producing of natural oils and collagen. As these start to decrease, you can find your skin feeling less hydrated and itchier.

Heart palpitations: Any change in your regular heartbeat pattern can be scary, but although it’s always worth checking with a medical professional, heart palpitations can be a symptom of the menopause. They are usually nothing to worry about and are simply a result of lower oestrogen levels causing an overstimulation of your central nervous system.

Osteoporosis: Bone density is another thing that is affected by hormonal changes and osteoporosis is very closely related to oestrogen deficiency. Speak to a medical professional if you are worried, but it’s always a good idea to make sure you have enough calcium in your diet too, as calcium has been shown to be essential for healthy bones.⁵

How can I help myself when going through the menopause?

The most important thing to remember when going through the menopause is that you are not alone, and there is help out there. Whether you speak to a medical professional, family member, friend or even a stranger at a local or online support group, it’s important to let people know if you are struggling. The symptoms you may experience can often be managed, but are beyond your control. I If you are suffering from negative thoughts or any other mental or physical symptom, remind yourself that it is not your fault.

Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the best things you can do to manage many of your symptoms. Cutting back on salt and fizzy drinks, chewing food more thoroughly, eating smaller meals, and eating them more slowly are all great tips to reduce water and gas bloating. Hot flushes can be managed by sipping a cool drink, as well as cutting back on caffeine and alcohol. Thinner hair may be more manageable if you ensure you get enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Suffering from mood swings? If you find yourself struggling with negative emotions, there are ways that you can boost your body’s serotonin levels naturally. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to control serotonin synthesis⁶. Short bursts of sun exposure will help your body produce Vitamin D, and you can consume it by eating a healthy diet containing oily fish like mackerel and salmon, cheese and egg yolks, as well as foods fortified with Vitamin D, like orange juice and cereals.

How do you live with someone going through the menopause?

The menopause can be a difficult time, not only for the person going through it, but for those that live with them. From being at the receiving end of a mood swing or having to watch someone you love struggling with a number of physical or emotional symptoms, it can undoubtedly be a challenge. This can be made even more difficult if others within your household are going through hormone-related changes or difficulties with their own physiological health. In a household with parents and teenagers, it’s entirely possible that they could all be experiencing either the menopause, andropause, puberty or the onset of periods at the same time.

Remember to be kind to yourself, but also to each other. As much as it’s beyond your control to experience menopause, it’s equally beyond the control of your partner or children to be suffering at the hand of hormones too. Always remember that support is available, and never to block your family members out.

1. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/menopause/conditioninfo/causes [↩]
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/ [↩]
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4046605/ [↩]
4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1534582305277152 [↩]
5. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-well-does-calcium-intake-really-protect-your-bones-201509308384 [↩]
6. https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1096/fj.14-268342 [↩]

Taking care of yourself and your growing baby is the priority during any pregnancy.

However, there’s an understandable temptation to view this as a green light to let exercise take a back seat for 9 months. The good news is that you can, and should, take things easier than usual – but this doesn’t mean stopping moving altogether. The health benefits of physical exercise are just as important as they were before you were pregnant. In fact, they could be considered more so, as any movement workout you do will now benefit your baby as well as yourself.

Why should you stay active?

The NHS stress the importance of keeping active during pregnancy as the more fit and active you are, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain.¹ Regular exercise can also help reduce the likelihood of developing varicose veins, swelling in your ankles, feet and hands and may also help with back pain.²

Is exercise during pregnancy safe?

Exercise is not unsafe for your baby, but there are some exercises that are best to avoid – specifically those that carry a greater risk of falling; horse riding, skiing, cycling and gymnastics to name a few. It’s also advisable to avoid any contact sports that carry a risk of the baby being hit, such as martial arts or ball sports like tennis and squash. Going scuba diving is not advisable as your baby has no protection against decompression sickness. Finally, avoid anything that involves laying on your back for long periods once you pass 16-weeks. This is because the weight of your baby pressing on the main blood vessel that brings blood back to your heart can make you feel faint or even pass out. Yoga and Pilates are fine to do but be sure to tell your instructor that you are pregnant so that they can avoid putting you in positions that would make you uncomfortable or dizzy.

There are a few other precautions that are advisable to take too. Carrying the extra weight of a baby around will make you feel hotter more quickly, so it’s important to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other fluids.

What exercises are best during pregnancy?

Many exercises are perfectly safe during pregnancy – from the early stages right up until your due date. But, this is a time to listen to your body and while you can keep up your normal movement workout of choice, you should stop if you no longer feel comfortable. As your body shape changes, some exercises may feel more comfortable to complete than others and come with benefits specific to pregnancy:

Swimming in particular is a great option as the water will support the extra weight you are carrying. Some swimming pools even have prenatal classes especially for pregnant women, so if swimming is something you are interested in, it is worth contacting your local pool to see if this is something they offer.

Stomach strengthening exercises can support the abdominal muscles that can cause backache, which is a particular problem in many pregnancies. A simple exercise you can try at home is to start on all fours with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders, then pull in your stomach muscles while raising your back towards the ceiling and allowing your head to relax forward. Do this slowly about ten times to make your stomach muscles work harder.

Pelvic floor exercises help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which come under increased strain during pregnancy. If these muscles are weak, it can lead to stress incontinence when you cough, sneeze or strain and while it can be an embarrassing topic, it’s a common one that affects many women both during and beyond their pregnancy. To exercise your pelvic floor muscles, close up your bottom as if trying to prevent yourself going to the toilet and draw in your vagina in a gripping motion. Try to hold this position for as long as you can and then relax and repeat ten times, a couple of times each day.

A final word of caution

Exercise during pregnancy can be perfectly safe but as with most things, there are always exceptions. If you are suffering from certain conditions including heart or lung disease, persistent vaginal bleeding, preeclampsia or high blood pressure, or if you are anaemic, at risk of preterm labour or experiencing a multiple pregnancy, be sure to speak to your doctor before beginning any movement workout, just to be on the safe side.

1. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/exercise/ [↩]
2. https://www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/exercise-and-fitness/exercise-during-pregnancy-what-know [↩]

Everything you need to know about exercise during the menopause

All women will experience the menopause at some point and, while there may be some common ground, the symptoms that come with this will be unique to them. You might be lucky in experiencing only mild and short-lived symptoms or you might experience the dreaded hot flushes and mood swings. However mild or severe your symptoms are however, there are plenty of exercises that you can do during the menopause that will benefit your health and fitness and will aim to reduce your stress levels.

The importance of keeping moving during the menopause

Whilst there’s no evidence to suggest that exercise can reduce menopausal symptoms directly, there have been plenty of studies that have shown that exercise can help to relieve stress and enhance your overall wellbeing.¹ Exercise has also been shown in studies to help prevent weight gain and reduce the loss of muscle mass,² which many women experience as symptoms of the menopause.

What type of exercise or movement workout is best during the menopause?

Cardiovascular fitness

Cardio fitness is any type of aerobic activity that raises your heart rate and keeps it there for an extended period of time. There are many options of cardio-based movement workouts, so the important thing is to find something that you enjoy doing so that you’re more likely to stick to it. This could be walking, jogging, going for a swim or riding a bike. Even daily activities that you can do around the house, such as gardening, can be classed as cardio activity if they raise your heart rate enough and cause bit of a sweat.

Strength training

Strength training is particularly important during the menopause as this is when your osteoporosis risk increases, but strength training can help build bone and increase muscle to reduce this risk. As with cardio training there are number of types of strength training that you can do. If you’re at home you can choose hand weights and resistance bands or if you prefer to go to the gym you’ll be able to use weight machines or free weights. Be sure to work to a level that works out your muscles without causing unnecessary strain and if in doubt speak to a personal trainer.

Mindfulness exercises

The way you experience the menopause will be different to the way someone else does. We’re all unique and we all have our own unique symptoms. Whether symptoms are mild or more bothersome, mindfulness activities such as yoga and meditation are beneficial to everyone and have been indicated in studies as being able to offer some relief.³ These practices are intended to calm your mind by centring your focus and may be able to relieve symptoms such as hot flushes, irritability and fatigue.

How to get the best out of your exercise

As with everything in life, it’s easy to over commit and then feel disappointed when we don’t achieve what we set out to do. If you’re new to exercise remember that any movement is better than no movement. Set yourself some goals and make them achievable, realistic and specific so that you can measure them. For example, rather than simply stating that you’re going to exercise more try quantifying this with something like ‘I’m going to walk for 20 minutes each morning before work’ or ‘I’m going to go for a swim every Saturday with a friend.’ Finding someone else to exercise with is a great way to ensure accountability, keep you motivated and help you have fun while enjoying the health benefits of physical exercise.

1. https://shapeamerica.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02701367.1988.10605493 [↩]
2. https://europepmc.org/article/med/8504848 [↩]
3. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-24945-4 [↩]