Category: workforce

Posts

Is your home office menopause-friendly?

/6 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Is your home office menopause-friendly?  Or is it making your menopause worse?

As a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner, I educate employees, managers, health and wellness specialists, and HR professionals about how menopause affects women in the workplace and how organizations can (and should) include menopause education and support as part of their holistic approach to employee health and wellness.  Women who feel supported by their employers cope better with menopause.

Sometimes work conditions and organisational factors—e.g.  stress, crowding, poorly-ventilated places, lack of access to appropriate toilet facilities, and formal meetings—can contribute to a worsening of menopause symptoms at work.

If you’re now working from home (WFH), it’s the right time to ask is your home office menopause-friendly?

It can be hard if you’re sharing the space with your family and don’t have your own home office.

Here are seven tips to consider when you’re creating a menopause-friendly home office:

1.  Temperature and humidity

If you can’t control the temperature without the rest of the family complaining, try working near a window that you can open or close as needed.  Or you can buy an inexpensive USB desk fan.

Dress in layers and remove or add them as needed.  If you have severe hot flashes, freeze a wet face cloth overnight and put it on your neck while you work.

My friend Rebeka Ly, co-founder of Addo Living, offered me a roll-on essential oils by doTERRA, called Clary Calm, that was very effective at relieving hot flashes.

Is your home very dry?  Invest in a portable humidifier and keep the humidity above 40%, if possible.

2.  Ergonomics

Aches and pains during menopause are a common complaint.  If your body is hurting since you started WFH could it be due to your home set up?  The ergonomics at home are probably less ideal than in the office.

Ensure your chair is comfortable and you sit upright.

If you can afford a sit-stand-up desk then invest in it.  It’s amazing and versatile.  Learn more about the desk here including how to set up your chair, computer, or laptop properly while sitting or standing at your desk.

I like the kneeling chair because it takes the weight off my hips and improves my posture by making slouching impossible.  You must use your abs and back muscles to sit upright and that improves core strength and posture.  It may take a few days to get used to it.

Stretch often.  We are bent over our computers for too many hours a day and it’s detrimental to our health.  Set up a timer to move around and do a couple of these stretches to combat the tightness that leads to back, neck, and shoulder pain.

3.  Breaks and lunch time

Don’t skip breakfast – your brain needs energy to work.

Don’t drink caffeine past 3 PM because it may linger in your system for up to eight hours and disrupt your sleep.

Avoid sugar.  Many women report more hot flashes with higher consumption of sugar and simple carbs (white pasta, rice, and pastries).  Sweeten your hot drinks with honey.

Plan and make healthy and hydrating snacks.  During your coffee break chop and eat fruit, carrots, peppers, and other colourful and nutritious vegetables that also boost your immune system and help you fight infections.  Leave them in the fridge for those munching attacks you’ll get during the day- you can eat as many healthy snacks as you want!

Make chickpea humus to add protein to the veggies to keep you satiated longer.  Have a light lunch, like soup and some whole grain bread to avoid the afternoon crash.

Water is very important for your brain, your skin, and it helps prevent coronavirus infection.  It may be easier to drink 8 glasses of water (1.5 L) a day if you remind yourself – fill a bottle with (cold) water and put it on your desk, ensure you finish it before your shift is over.  Need another reminder?  Set your phone alert for every hour (8 hours shift = 8 glasses of water!).  If your brain gets tired and your thoughts aren’t as clear drink a glass of water or go for a walk.

Note: stop drinking liquids three hours before bedtime to avoid going to the bathroom during the night.

Napping is very good for you if you keep it to 15-20 min, before 3 PM you avoid disrupting with your night sleep.

Can you work the hours you want?  Maybe taking a longer break in the afternoon and working in the evening will increase your overall well-being and productivity.

Note: wine is probably your worse enemy for sleep.  Don’t believe me?  Abstain from alcohol for a week and see how your sleep improves and you feel better rested and alert during the day.

4.  Commute-less.  Move more.

When WFH you save commuting time and your schedule may be more flexible.  Move.  Sitting is the new smoking.

Walk before you start working and at lunch, while keeping the recommended physical distancing during the pandemic.  Benefits of movement include: burning calories, better posture, increased blood circulation to the brain which improves cognition, and release of endorphins – the happy hormones.

5.  Meetings

Choose to join teleconference calls with no video so if you have a hot flash during your call you won’t feel so self-conscious.

6.  Stress

Work can have a negative effect on your menopause symptoms.

Stress and anxiety can increase the number and intensity of hot flashes.  Incorporate some calming breathing exercises into your work schedule.

Difficulty concentrating and remembering things (so-called “brain fog“) are very common during the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause).  Brain fog tends to lessen a couple of years after menopause (the last menstrual period).

Hot flashes, brain fog and lack of sleep can have a negative effect on your productivity and capacity to work.  Here are some tips for better sleep.

Do you suspect your work is making your menopause symptoms worse?

If yes, write down all that you believe could help decrease your work stress and decrease your menopause symptoms.  For example:

  • having my own work space at home
  • a better chair
  • better lighting
  • napping
  • moving more and sitting less
  • working fewer hours per day
  • working fewer days per week
  • sharing work with colleagues
  • more sleep
  • a flexible schedule
  • eating healthy and regularly
  • drinking enough water
  • mindfulness, relaxing, calming moments.

7.  Can you improve any of these on your own?

Which changes need your manager’s collaboration?  You should ask for an adjustment that will improve your working conditions and your menopause symptoms.

Don’t assume your employer isn’t interested in helping you.

There are plenty of reasons why employers should be aware of menopause and provide support:

  • women 40+ make up a large portion of the Canadian work force
  • it’s the law. Canada’s Employment Equality act says “…employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences”
  • employees and employers benefit
  • it’s the right thing to do

Need an icebreaker to start a conversation about menopause in your workplace?  Send your manager this link to an article I wrote about menopause at work published in the July 2018 Medisys Newsletter.

So, is your home office menopause-friendly?  It should be, and now you know what to do.

Teresa Isabel Dias is a pharmacist and a menopause practitioner (NCMP) certified by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). She lives in Toronto and all her services are available online-101 consultations, live workshops, and webinars. Sign up for her free biweekly MenopausED Newsletter www.menopaused.org to learn more about menopause and women’s health.

Gen Xers Struggle with Perimenopause

/0 Comments/in , /by

[et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text]Matt Galloway is the new host of The Current and on his first day on the job he interviewed Ada Calhoun author of the new book “Why We Can’t Sleep: Women’s New Midlife Crisis”. I’m not discussing the book here because I haven’t read it yet, but I am personally and professionally very pleased that Ada identified the hormonal changes of midlife, perimenopause, as one of the causes of Gen X women’s struggles. Yes, Gen Xers struggle with perimenopause.

For me it is refreshing to hear people talking about menopause on the radio because it is still a taboo subject, hardly spoken about in private, much less in public (radio)!  I appreciate that Ada researched the subject and explained how some women experience symptoms akin to those of mental illness—anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and much stress—during this natural phase of life.  And now we’re seeing Gen Xers struggle with perimenopause.

Perimenopause can start for some women in their late 30s or early 40s and just because it is natural and all women go through it, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. This can be a challenging phase for some women and affect their quality of life, relationships, and work.

Most women in their 40s aren’t aware that the fluctuation and decline of estrogen in midlife can cause physical, cognitive, and emotional changes, and they don’t associate the menopause transition with what their minds and bodies are going through. Unfortunately, most women aren’t aware of menopause and it catches them by surprise. It may even scare some into thinking they are experiencing some physical or mental illness. Furthermore, menopause not only affects the woman but also those around her:  her partner, children, family, friends, and co-workers.

Ada writes in her book that “in the middle of the night, I wake up feeling warm. I open the window and pull my hair back into a ponytail and drink some water. Then I glance at my phone, delete a few things, and see some spam. I hit unsubscribe and go back to bed. Then I lie there thinking, What if by opening that spam email I got myself hacked? What if I just sent everyone in my contact list a Burger King ad at two in the morning? Now wide awake, I move on to other concerns: my parents’ health, my stepson’s college tuition, pending deadlines”…

As someone who helps women navigate the change, I’ve heard countless times about nights like Ada’s. Nights like these happen to many women in midlife.

Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, MD, NCMP, executive director of the North American Menopause Society says:

“The unique confluence of stressors and hormonal shifts poses a sort of chicken-or-egg problem for Gen X women: the symptoms of hormonal fluctuation (like sleeplessness) are exacerbated by stress, while those symptoms (like not sleeping) in turn raise stress levels”. “How well your ovary functions depends on your cycle and your mental and emotional state. It’s all tied together”.

Women who need support navigating the change can’t find it easily, especially not from the medical community. The majority of physicians have very little menopause training in school and therefore aren’t very comfortable with or up-to-date on how to help women in menopause and how to provide individualized and customized care. Moreover, the way our healthcare system limits the amount of time one is allowed at the doctor’s office at each visit doesn’t even give a woman time to explain what she’s feeling and going through.

I’m hearing more and more that Gen Xers struggle with perimenopause. I don’t want to medicalize menopause, but as a pharmacist and a NAMS* Certified Menopause Practitioner I know how hard it is for women to find appropriate support and how much women appreciate being listened to.  Women want to be taken seriously and to hear that “what you are telling me is not just in your head” and “you are not alone, millions of women worldwide are going through similar challenges during this phase of life” and “this is normal and I can help you”.

I founded MenopausED to educate and support women in midlife, especially during the menopause transition, to raise awareness about menopause, and to break the menopause taboo.  I offer a range of services:

 

*NAMS, the North American Menopause Society, is North America’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting women’s health and quality of life through the understanding of menopause and healthy aging.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Menopause Café Toronto, March 6th

/0 Comments/in , /by

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.

 

First Menopause Café in Canada

Menopause Café Toronto

For more information about the Menopause Café, please visit www.menopausecafe.net, or contact

Teresa Isabel Dias, BScPharm, NCMP,   http://menopaused.org

Work and Menopause

/0 Comments/in , /by

Understanding 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: 

  • Work from home or flexibility of working hours. If they had a particularly bad night of sleep, due to night sweats, insomnia, or anxiety, they could take a nap in the afternoon and finish their assigned work in the evening.
  • Teleconferences work better than formal meetings and high-visibility work because hot flashes and sweats made women self-conscious and embarrassed in public.
  • Proper temperature and ventilation. Many women enjoy opening a window or turning on a desk fan to relieve hot flashes.
  • Carry a notepad around the office to write things down that may otherwise be forgotten due to poor memory and concentration.
  • Better access to sources of support.

For more information on menopause check my website http://www.menopaused.org/index.html

and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/menopaused?ref=hl

Or call me to make an appointment 416-587-4179

Menopause Is Not A Joke!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Let’s talk about menopause…and why not?  Menopause is too often, if not always, treated as a taboo or a joke.  For any of you reading this blog and who’ve experienced interrupted sleep due to hot flashes or night sweats, it is anything but!

Here are a few things you should know about menopause:

For starters, October is World Menopause Month and October 18 is World Menopause Day.   Yes, menopause is that important and it should be talked about.  After all, thousands of women experience menopause; a completely normal and natural occurrence.

But what is menopause?  It is in fact a retrospective diagnosis 12 months after a women’s last menstrual period. Menopause is a natural, spontaneous, and permanent cessation of menstruation that occurs on average in most North American women around 51 years of age.  However, smokers may reach menopause two years earlier, and induced menopause can occur at any age when both ovaries are damaged due to surgery or chemotherapy.

The timespan (usually several years) leading up to menopause when hormonal changes start to happen is called perimenopause.  The day after menopause and thereafter, a woman is in post-menopause. Hormone tests are usually not very helpful because the levels of hormone fluctuate throughout a menstrual cycle.

Women may start experiencing symptoms such as irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and memory changes during perimenopause due to changes in ovarian hormones. The most commonly reported symptoms are hot flashes, also known as night sweats (when they occur during sleep). According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC), hot flashes or night sweats affect 60-80 per cent of women entering menopause. Besides an intense heat that seems to rise from the belly up, hot flashes can be accompanied by sweating, palpitations, apprehension, and anxiety.

Menopausal women report mood swings, lack of energy, impaired memory, depression, and anxiety. According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), “43 per cent of midlife women complain to have loss of energy throughout the menopause transition and two years post-menopause.”

During midlife, besides hormonal changes, some women also experience other challenges such as relationship difficulties, grown children returning home, ill parents, loss of partner, medical conditions, and career and financial changes. Aging alone can be a factor of change and difficult to face in a society that values youth. Women’s self-esteem, self-worth, and body image change and may also contribute to feelings of anxiety, “feeling blue”, and even depression.

It is important to be aware of what to expect during this time of change and to report any physical changes to your healthcare provider, pharmacist or physician, because they may be caused by other conditions such as thyroid disorder, depression, or even the side-effects of certain medication.

The myth that menopause is something women “must put up with” is just that- a myth.

Not all women experience the same symptoms to the same degree. Some women breeze right through menopause, while for others menopause symptoms wreak havoc on their lives. Unfortunately, many women find lifestyle modifications (avoiding hot flash triggers, exercising, dressing in layers, etc.) insufficient.

Pharmacists can provide information on available treatments for your symptoms. Besides prescription medication- hormonal and non-hormonal, there are some complementary and alternative treatments available at the pharmacy which may help reduce symptoms.  Although Natural Health Products (NHPs) may not be as rigorously studied compared to prescription treatment, some women prefer this as an option. I can provide information on their use and potential side-effects and interactions with other medication and medical conditions.

Talk to me about menopause, learn about your symptoms, and get informed on what to expect from midlife. Break the taboo and take this opportunity to implement or continue a healthy lifestyle, during peri, menopause, and beyond.

Ask me, I’m not joking!

This post was written by Teresa Isabel Dias, BSc Pharm, R Ph, NCMP

Originally posted on Ontario Pharmacists Association website on October 9, 2014 — see the original article here.

For more information contact me here.

Events

Midlife does not have to suck! The best has yet to come.

/0 Comments/in /by

Midlife does not have to suck! The best has yet to come. My guest speaker for the February WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network ONLINE meeting is Annie Gaudreault, holistic nutritionist, speaker, and wellness coach. All are welcome.

In this interactive workshop, Annie will discuss the essential 6 Pillars of Healthy Aging, promoting a life of vitality, and learning how you can take charge to optimize your health outcome. Business demands that we operate at 100%, yet our energy can often be much less. Learn the foundation and strategies that will have you operate at peak levels.

Understand how practicing each pillar of health can prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and so much more. This is an educational talk with a ton of practical tips that everyone can apply in their daily life. Remember, midlife does not have to suck! The best has yet to come.

This is an ONLINE event open to all and provided through Zoom. To attend you’ll need a computer or smart device and an internet connection. Post registration, a few days prior to the event, I will email you a link to join the webinar online. Five (5) minutes before the event just click on the link and you’ll join us.

Note:  If you are a 2020 member of the WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network you attend this online meeting FREE. You received a Promotion Code with your membership to purchase online tickets FREE.

If you’re not yet a 2020 WHIM (Women’s Health In Midlife) Network member, the cost of this ticket will be deducted from your annual membership fee if you decide to become a member during this event (not to be used with any other membership discounts).

If you would like to become a member of the WHIM Network, you can learn more and register at https://menopaused.org/whim/.

If you are a member and forgot your Promotion Code, email me at teresa@menopaused.org

PS:  Midlife does not have to suck! The best has yet to come.  So click here to learn more and register for this special event!

Menopause Cafe’, Toronto, Canada

/0 Comments/in /by

What is a Menopause Cafe’?

The objective of Menopause Café is to start conversations about menopause and to increase awareness of the impact of the menopause on those experiencing it, their partners, children, friends, work colleagues and families.

There is no agenda, no speaker, just lots of conversation. The topics for discussion are chosen by the people who attend. It is a discussion group rather than a support or counselling session.

We usually split into small groups and you are welcome to just listen, although we hope you will join in on discussions.

Menopause should not be taboo, let’s raise awareness, talk about and demystify menopause.

Who is it for?

Anybody interested in sharing their stories, experiences, and questions about menopause. Men and women of all ages.

Menopause Café, Toronto is offered:

On a not-for-profit basis (aside from an investment in a cup of coffee, or tea, or a glass of wine and a snack if you so wish) .

If you have any questions contact me on teresa@menopaused.org or see MC website www.menopausecafe.net

Helping women thrive through every stage of menopause

HOME ABOUT COACHING WORKSHOPS CORPORATE WELLNESS BLOG EVENTS CONTACT

Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms of Use

MenopausED © 2021

Pin It on Pinterest