Menopause Café Toronto – The First Menopause Café in Canada
Canada’s first Menopause Café will be held in Toronto next month. The purpose is to start conversations about menopause. Menopause is not a disease but it affects women experiencing it—and their partners, children, family, friends, and colleagues. It’s offered on a not-for-profit basis, and it is free (though you may want to invest in a beverage or a snack).
Open to both male and female participants of all ages, Menopause Café will be held between 7PM and 9PM on Tuesday, March 6th, at Baka Gallery Café, 2265 Bloor St West, Toronto.
Following the world’s first Menopause Café, held in Perth, Scotland, in 2017, a number of Menopause Cafés have been organised throughout the UK, including in some workplaces. This Menopause Café in Toronto will be the first outside the UK.
Rachel Weiss of Rowan Consultancy, who founded the world’s first Menopause Café in Perth commented, “The Menopause Café is aimed at women and men of all ages who would like to come along and talk about the menopause, to share their stories, experiences and questions, all made that little bit easier with tea and cake.”
“Unfortunately, many women feel that they should just ‘get on with’ the Menopause, with some never talking to their friends or family about it, but the reality is that it affects all women eventually, not forgetting those who live and work with them.”
The Toronto event is being organised and hosted by Teresa Isabel Dias, a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner, and founder of MenopausED. She has over 20 years’ experience in community pharmacy in the Greater Toronto Area and is passionate about patient education especially about menopause.
Teresa Isabel Dias said, “About 80% of women report experiencing some degree of physical, psychological, or emotional changes during the menopause transition. Most women are unprepared for the change, though the majority can identify hot flashes and night sweats as part of menopause. But many women don’t know that difficulty sleeping, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, aches and pains, headaches, irregular periods, pain with sex, and low sex drive can occur during perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause when hormones start fluctuating. I want to raise awareness about menopause and break the taboo. Let’s talk about menopause at home, in the work place, wherever women are.”
Let’s talk about menopause at the Menopause Café on March 6th! Booking is recommended. The event is posted on Eventbrite www.eventbrite.ca/e/menopause-cafe-toronto-tickets-43023204563.
Menopause Café Toronto
For more information about the Menopause Café, please visit www.menopausecafe.net, or contact
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Menopause Café Toronto, March 6th
/in Menopause/by Teresa Isabel DiasMenopause Café Toronto – The First Menopause Café in Canada
Canada’s first Menopause Café will be held in Toronto next month. The purpose is to start conversations about menopause. Menopause is not a disease but it affects women experiencing it—and their partners, children, family, friends, and colleagues. It’s offered on a not-for-profit basis, and it is free (though you may want to invest in a beverage or a snack).
Open to both male and female participants of all ages, Menopause Café will be held between 7PM and 9PM on Tuesday, March 6th, at Baka Gallery Café, 2265 Bloor St West, Toronto.
Following the world’s first Menopause Café, held in Perth, Scotland, in 2017, a number of Menopause Cafés have been organised throughout the UK, including in some workplaces. This Menopause Café in Toronto will be the first outside the UK.
Rachel Weiss of Rowan Consultancy, who founded the world’s first Menopause Café in Perth commented, “The Menopause Café is aimed at women and men of all ages who would like to come along and talk about the menopause, to share their stories, experiences and questions, all made that little bit easier with tea and cake.”
“Unfortunately, many women feel that they should just ‘get on with’ the Menopause, with some never talking to their friends or family about it, but the reality is that it affects all women eventually, not forgetting those who live and work with them.”
The Toronto event is being organised and hosted by Teresa Isabel Dias, a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner, and founder of MenopausED. She has over 20 years’ experience in community pharmacy in the Greater Toronto Area and is passionate about patient education especially about menopause.
Teresa Isabel Dias said, “About 80% of women report experiencing some degree of physical, psychological, or emotional changes during the menopause transition. Most women are unprepared for the change, though the majority can identify hot flashes and night sweats as part of menopause. But many women don’t know that difficulty sleeping, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, aches and pains, headaches, irregular periods, pain with sex, and low sex drive can occur during perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause when hormones start fluctuating. I want to raise awareness about menopause and break the taboo. Let’s talk about menopause at home, in the work place, wherever women are.”
Let’s talk about menopause at the Menopause Café on March 6th! Booking is recommended. The event is posted on Eventbrite www.eventbrite.ca/e/menopause-cafe-toronto-tickets-43023204563.
Menopause Café Toronto
For more information about the Menopause Café, please visit www.menopausecafe.net, or contact
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Menopause & Urinary Incontinence. How to minimize it.
/in Incontinence/by Teresa IsabelMenopause & Urinary Incontinence
Always know where the bathroom is? Don’t let incontinence rule your life.
Urinary incontinence is common in women in perimenopause and menopause. There are two types of incontinence:
Urinary urgency is a sudden, compelling urge to urinate, it’s linked to an overactive bladder and a sensation of having to go to the toilet quickly.
Stress incontinence is a condition in which there is involuntary emission of urine when pressure within the abdomen increases suddenly, as in coughing or sneezing or laughing.
How many of you pee in your pants while running across the street before the light turns red? How many of you don’t go dancing, or running because of stress incontinence? These are examples of how menopausal symptoms can affect your quality of life (QOL).
These are things you can do to minimize incontinence:
Bladder irritation avoidance– certain foods and beverages can irritate the bladder, making it overactive. These include (don’t shoot the messenger) chocolate, tea, coffee, citrus fruits and juices, honey, sugar, tomato-based products, spicy foods, and alcohol.
Don’t smoke
Fluid restriction– limit intake of fluids to 8 cups a day but no less because concentrated urine may irritate the bladder and restricted fluid consumption can contribute to constipation. Limit fluid intake 1 hr before bedtime.
Weight loss– for obese women, weight loss can reduce incontinence by up to 60%
Good hygiene– keep genitals clean, avoid exposure to urine for long periods of time.
Pads-menstrual pads will work for some, while other women will need something more absorbent.
Time voiding-schedule times to go to the bathroom, gradually increasing the length of time between trips, thereby training your bladder to hold more and empty less often.
Kegel exercises-most likely you know what Kegel exercises are- exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. When done correctly they help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles but if done incorrectly they can make the problem worse. It’s worth getting qualified help from a certified Pelvic Floor physiotherapist.
Medication
Surgery
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
The Menopausal Vagina Dialogue. Menopause and sex.
/in Sexual Health/by Teresa IsabelWhat does menopause do to your vagina? Your sex life? Your intimacy? Your relationship? Your quality of life?
If you’re over 50 and sexually active you KNOW that sex feels different now compared to 10-15 years ago.
It’s usually because estrogen (and other sex steroids) decline (check with your MD to rule out other possible causes).
Estrogen acts on several tissues and organs in the female body, including the vagina; when it declines during the menopause transition women experience physiological changes that affect sex enjoyment.
Women may notice lack of lubrication, decreased arousal, and difficulty achieving orgasm; penetration may cause pain due to reduced elasticity of the tissues and narrowing of the vagina, and bleeding sometimes occurs because the lining of the vagina has become thinner and more friable. Women that are not sexually active may experience changes as well: vaginal dryness, discharge, and itching. This cluster of symptoms is called vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), and if accompanied by bladder symptoms like incontinence (read my blog from August 2016 for more information on incontinence) and urinary tract infections, it’s included in the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Unlike hot flashes, the most common and best-known symptoms of menopause, that improve with time, vulvovaginal atrophy worsens with time.
If you ever said or thought something like this…
“I go to bed before my husband and pretend I’m asleep when he lies down beside me, to avoid intimacy”.
“My private parts feel so raw during sex it overpowers all the pleasure I could be having”.
“I don’t want sex because it hurts. But then I feel guilty for depriving my partner of it. So I give in to my ‘duty’, and spend the time hoping it will be over soon. I feel no romance, pleasure, or intimacy during the act”.
…you’re most likely experiencing VVA. And you’re not alone: millions of women experience similar symptoms. In fact, GSM affects 50% of women, at least, and many don’t even know these symptoms are related to hormonal changes around menopause.
Vaginal discomfort affects a woman’s sexuality and self-esteem, upsets the relationship with her partner, and decreases intimacy, sexual desire, and quality of life.
In a survey of over 8,000 men and women from several countries, 69% of women and 76% of men reported avoiding intimacy due to symptoms of VVA. That’s a lot of people!
Most women suffer in silence and don’t seek help because they believe there’s nothing that can be done.
Talking about genital problems and sex is still taboo for many women and in many physician’s offices. During a visit women assume or expect their doctor will bring up the subject, and the doctor expects the women to ask for help if she has a concern with her vagina. Most women are embarrassed and uncomfortable discussing the problem and some clinicians don’t think VVA is a critical symptom that should be evaluated. Statistics show that only a small percentage of women affected by GSM get treatment and only about 7% are on any prescription.
Since treatment must be individualized, ask me or your physician what treatments are appropriate for you. Here are some choices:
Non-hormone treatments:
Hormone treatments:
Several vaginally-applied therapies are available, but if you also suffer from hot flashes then oral therapy may be more helpful for you.
If vaginal therapy is recommended for you do not be put off by the warnings and precautions on the accompanying product insert. If you use low dose vaginal therapies the systemic (affecting the whole body) absorption of the estrogen is very small, much smaller than if you were taking an oral pill, for example; we presume that the adverse effects are less too. But, for many reasons, the information in these low dose vaginal products doesn’t reflect that difference and lists the same warnings and precaution as for the oral products. It doesn’t make sense; we believe it doesn’t reflect the scientific knowledge we have about these therapies, hence many groups advocating for women’s health are trying to get the FDA and the manufacturers to change the information in these pamphlets.
To complicate matters a little more I must say that some available vaginal products, if used as recommended by the manufacturer, aren’t considered low dose, therefore it is very important that you be properly informed about the different vaginal therapies available and choose the most indicated for you.
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Perimenopause, Menopause, And Mood
/in Mental health/by Teresa IsabelPerimenopause, Menopause, And Mood
Mood changes during the menopause transition (MT) are common. At this time, both hormonal fluctuations and psychosocial factors specific to midlife may play a role in increased vulnerability to depression. During the menopause transition levels of estrogen and other hormones aren’t constant and may increase the risk of depression in some women. Some women are more sensitive to hormone fluctuations than others.
Perimenopause and menopause can cause mood changes
Some of the factors that influence a women’s “sanity” during the menopause transition include stress, young children, elderly parents, older children returning home, career demands, and changes in health and appearance.
Women that suffered adversity in early childhood or have had depression before are more prone to depression during the MT.
It’s important to distinguish between depressive feelings, like bouts of unexplained crying and temporary feelings of anxiety, for example, and clinical depression. If you experience these symptoms and they are bothersome and last for more than a few weeks you should see your doctor.
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Menopause: More Than Hot Flashes…
/in Menopause, Perimenopause/by Teresa IsabelMenopause: More Than Hot Flashes…
Menopause marks the end of reproduction, is defined as 12 consecutive months without menstruation, and the best-known symptom of menopause are hot flashes. Hot flashes that happen at night accompanied by sweating are called night sweats. They tend to disrupt sleep and may start during perimenopause. Women who don’t get enough sleep may have problems with mood, concentration, memory, and performance.
But women going through the menopause transition can experience many other symptoms besides hot flashes!
The time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause and many women may start experiencing symptoms as early as 40 years of age. Hormone levels change and affect the menstrual cycles, some becoming shorter, others longer. Bleeding may become lighter or heavier, and some women may experience spotting, which is bleeding between periods.
During perimenopause hormone fluctuations may cause mood swings, with some women experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, feeling happy and blue within hours, or having crying spells apparently without cause. These feelings may wreak havoc on relationships and it’s important that friends, partners, and family members know and understand what women go through in order to provide support and understanding, both of which are much needed at this time in a women’s life.
Fluctuating or low hormone levels may also affect bladder function. Some women may experience urgency (a sudden, compelling urge to urinate) or leakage, the inability to hold urine in the bladder because voluntary control over the urinary sphincter is either lost or weakened.
Other common symptoms of menopause are bloating and alternate constipation or diarrhea in addition to nausea and/or gas.
The tissues of the vagina are sensitive to estrogen, and after menopause, when the levels of estrogen drop, women may experience vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse. Some women may also experience itching and burning. Low levels of estrogen have a drying effect on other organs such as the skin, mouth, and eyes. The skin loses elasticity and wrinkles become more prominent. Some women get itchy skin and nails also become drier. Hair may become brittle and start to fall out.
Stiffness and joint pain are reported by women during the menopause transition
Around menopause women may complain more of aching joints, especially in the hands, which can be linked to lower estrogen levels. Some women also experience soreness in muscles and even headaches.
Some of these symptoms may also be cause by medical conditions; it is important that you consult your physician to know more about your health.
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Menopause And Sex
/in Sexual Health, Menopause/by Teresa IsabelMenopause And Sex. Don’t let menopause ruin your intimacy!
Decrease in estrogen during menopause changes the tissues of the vagina and can cause painful sex. These changes can cause dryness, burning, irritation, discomfort, and painful intercourse. The term used to describe these symptoms was VVA-Vulvovaginal Atrophy.
Because vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) isn’t a media-friendly term this cluster of symptoms that affect a women during the menopause transition has been changed to Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).
This term is also more encompassing, as it describes not only vulvovaginal symptoms but also recurrent urinary tract infections, urinary urgency (a sudden compelling urge to urinate), and painful or difficult urination.
Also, the new nomenclature, GSM, doesn’t imply that the condition is a disease, like atrophy seems to, but it better describes a cluster of signs and symptoms linked to decreased estrogen and other sex hormones affecting female genitalia.
Decrease in estrogen can cause genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) and painful sex
About half of postmenopausal women experience GSM. Even though the incidence is so high, GSM isn’t a subject women talk about freely with their friends or even their physicians. GSM is under-reported and unfortunately for many women, under-treated. GSM affects women’s quality of life because of the negative effect on sexual function, enjoyment of sex, sexual intimacy, self-esteem, and emotional well-being.
Don’t let GSM dictate your washroom breaks, ruin your intimate relationships or decrease your enjoyment of life. There’s an array of treatments out there and no need to suffer!
There are over-the counter (without prescription) products to alleviate vaginal dryness, burning, irritation, and painful intercourse. If these treatments aren’t effective, women can use prescription topical hormone therapy, a cream or vaginal ovule inserted directly into the vagina which does not have the same side/adverse effects as hormone therapy taken orally (in a pill form).
(I will write more about hormone therapy and side effects in another post!).
Some women may also experience structural problems, such as organ prolapse*, for which there are treatments available as well.
If your physician doesn’t ask about the health of your vagina and you are experiencing genitourinary symptoms, bring it up at your next visit.
Don’t let GSM decrease your enjoyment of life!
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
To Drink Or Not To Drink In Menopause
/in Diet, Alcohol/by Teresa IsabelTo Drink Or Not To Drink In Menopause
Everyone knows that “everything (or most things) in moderation is good for you”, so how much to drink in menopause? This is especially relevant when we are talking about alcohol intake.
How the consumption of alcohol relates to women’s health during menopause is still being debated.
We know that too much alcohol is detrimental to our health, but some drinking, light or moderate, may be beneficial.
If you don’t drink alcohol please don’t start now, the health benefits aren’t strong enough to recommend you do so.
But if you drink moderately, it may have some positive impact on your health especially if you don’t have any personal or family history risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for breast cancer
A standard drink equals:
* 360 millilitres (12 oz) of beer or
* 150 millilitres (5 oz) of wine or
*45 millilitres (1.5 oz) of 80-proof liquor
Many US surveys define:
* light drinking for women – one to three standard drinks per week
* moderate drinking for women – four to seven 7 drinks per week
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines at-risk drinking for women as more than seven standard drinks per week or more than three standard drinks per day. Out of curiosity, the at-risk drinking for men is defined as more than 14 standard drinks per week or more than four standard drinks per day.
Drinking may have some health benefits. Many studies show that drinking moderately reduces cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, heavy drinkers have higher risk of dying from a heart attack. In women after menopause, light to moderate drinking may help increase bone density. Increased bone density may help prevent fractures, and falls increase the risk of fracture. It’s easy to make the connection that heavy drinking that causes intoxication and affects the balance can increase the risk of falls and consequent fractures.
In menopausal women the risk of breast cancer is related to the amount of alcohol consumed.
In The Nurse’s Health Study, women who drank at least two drinks per day had a greater risk of breast cancer than women who didn’t drink any alcohol at all. Therefore, if you have a personal or family history of breast cancer, you should reduce or eliminate your alcohol consumption in order to decrease your risk of developing breast cancer in the future.
Sometimes the risks or benefits depend on the type of alcohol consumed. For example, light to moderate drinking seems to decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, however, if a woman drinks distilled spirits the risk increases. Let’s also not forget that heavy drinking can cause weight gain, and that in itself is a risk factor for diabetes.
To drink or not to drink?
The answer depends on your personal and family physical and mental health history, your lifestyle, your preferences and the type of alcohol you ingest, among others.
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Contraception For Midlife Women. Perimenopause.
/in Pregnancy, Contraception, Sexual Health/by Teresa IsabelContraception For Midlife Women. Perimenopause.
Contraception is important during perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause, if pregnancy is to be avoided in midlife. During perimenopause it’s harder to predict ovulation, women may have irregular menstrual cycles shorter or longer), and if sexually active they may become pregnant.
Women who do not desire pregnancy should use contraception until menopause, which is confirmed after 12 months with no menstrual periods.
Combined oral contraceptive
Because age is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and venous thromboembolism (blood clots), birth control containing estrogen, “The Pill”, should be used with caution in women with other risk factors like obesity, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and migraine headaches. For these reasons some women may be prescribed progesterone-only contraceptives.
Intramuscular injection and oral tablets are available in Canada under the brand names Depo-Provera and Micronor respectively.
According to The North American Menopause Society, “intrauterine contraceptives offer safe, highly-effective, convenient, and long-term contraception”. There are two types of Intrauterine Device (IUD), copper (hormone free, sold in Canada under the brands Mona Lisa and Liberte ) which may increase menstrual bleeding or menstrual cramping and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system ( Mirena and Jaydess, and others brands are available in Canada).
The hormonal IUD is a particularly suitable method of contraception for women with heavy menstrual bleeding since it causes uterine bleeding to decrease and even stop over time.
Some women may opt for non-hormonal methods of birth control like condoms and diaphragms which are less effective than hormonal methods of contraception but also have fewer adverse effects.
And if all else fails there’s emergency contraception (EC) available over-the-counter without a prescription, (in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec). The best-known brand is Plan B and may be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex although the effectiveness decreases with time. The most effective form of EC is a copper IUD inserted within 120 hours of unprotected intercourse.
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Work and Menopause
/in Menopause and work, Menopause/by Teresa IsabelUnderstanding menopause at work is increasingly important to today’s career woman. Menopause is a natural process for most women and refers to the time when menstruation has ceased for 12 consecutive months. Most women start experiencing symptoms during perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause, when hormones levels change most significantly.
Symptoms like hot flashes, nausea, dizziness, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes, poor concentration, fatigue, irritability, and anxiety may last for several years. Some women have mild symptoms while others can have symptoms severe enough to disrupt their lifestyles and wellbeing. If a woman is still working her work may be affected.
According to Statistics Canada, “the percentage of women employed in 2009 was 58.3%, representing 8,076,000 women”. Also, around midlife women may have chronic health conditions and have a greater share of responsibility for child-rearing, some have adult children still living at home, and elderly relatives and/or partners.
The British Occupational Health Research Foundation commissioned researchers at the University of Nottingham, led by Professor Amanda Griffiths, to explore women’s experience of working through menopause.
In this study almost fifty percent of the women found it somewhat difficult to cope with work during the menopause change. Less than fifty percent didn’t think it difficult at all, and five percent thought it was extremely difficult.
According to this study “some women felt their job performance had been negatively affected by menopause. And some women said they worked extremely hard to overcome their perceived shortcomings. Nearly a fifth of women thought that the menopause had a negative impact on their managers and colleague’s perceptions of their competence at work, and felt anxious…”
“This study has made it clear that the menopause presents an occupational health issue for some women”.
Some jobs make it more difficult than others. Women may be more self-conscious and anxious about having a hot flash or sweats while delivering a presentation. Women supervising younger staff, especially male, may feel less understood. Office layouts, workplace rules, and uniforms can make working conditions very difficult for women during peri and menopause.
It is important for women in the workforce to find understanding, sympathetic, and appropriate support from their managers and colleagues. But this can only happen when women stop treating menopause like a taboo and start explaining what it really means to them. Women have to be educators to change the workplace perception of menopause. Workplace culture has to change from joking and minimizing menopause and its symptoms to an occupational health issue that deserves as much attention as pregnancy, for example.
Women interviewed by Professor Amanda Griffiths suggested that “employers can help by communicating to their workforce that health-related problems such as menopause are normal”, and that managers should be more aware of menopause as a possible occupational health issue for women.
Some women developed coping strategies and suggestions such as:
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
Be Kind To Your Skin In Menopause And Beyond
/in Cancer, Menopause, Skin/by Teresa IsabelSummer is here and we must take good care of our skin!
Estrogen levels are very low after menopause (menopause is confirmed when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months) and this contributes to a decline in skin collagen. Since collagen is responsible for skin volume and its elasticity—the ability to return to its original shape after it has been pulled or stretched—the skin wrinkles and also becomes dry and flaky.
Normally skin ages well but exposure to damaging factors such as smoking and sunlight accelerates aging. It is very important for midlife women always to wear sunscreen–broad-spectrum, minimum SPF 15—while outdoors, all day, every season, to minimize skin damage and cancer risk. To quote the North American Menopause Society “tanned skin means that skin is damaged”.
For healthy skin, apply moisturizing lotions, creams, or oils immediately after washing while your skin is damp. Avoid gels which can cause dryness. When you moisturize your face do not ignore your neck…and your hands!
Drinking plenty of water helps to hydrate the skin. Alcohol, tea, and coffee decrease hydration and should be avoided or consumed in moderation. Avoiding stress and getting enough sleep also contribute to healthy skin.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables containing antioxidants (orange, dark green, and purple foods like squash, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, spinach, blueberries, and beans) contributes to healthy skin.
The layer of fat under the skin, subcutaneous fat, decreases and gets redistributed with age. Loss of weight and muscle contributes to excess skin that doesn’t shrink. Exercise, including face exercises, increases muscle that fills the skin and reduces sagging.
Go on, get outside, enjoy the weather and replenish your energy and your skin!
Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women at work and at home so they’ll feel like themselves again and enjoy a vibrant and productive life.
Grab a quick guide and subscribe to the MenopausED Newsletter on the MenopausED home page.
If would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition then schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.