As I’m writing this, I’m still recovering from the worst menopausal month I’ve had in months. My joints are still a little achy, and my head hurts, but I’m doing slightly better. I’m going to be blunt here today. Peri-menopause slash menopause sucks! There is no other way to describe it. When I see young women online making fun of “menopausal women”, I can’t help to think “girlfriend, just wait a few years and I would like to see how you feel”, because going through “the change” is no joke. Can we please raise our hands for our mothers and grandmothers?! These women were absolute troopers! Just to think that back in the day these older generations of women had to silently suffer makes me respect them so, so much more! So where do I start? Here I was, feeling pretty darn great for a while. Taking my supplements, working out, and watching my diet, but then BAM it all came back again. You might remember my post: How To Ease Menopausal Symptoms” a few months ago. I “enjoyed” zero night sweats, hot flashes, and my energy levels and mood greatly improved. Not as great as I felt like I when I was in my early forties, but hey, it was all very manageable. This past week, I felt like I got hit by a truck. My joints and muscles ached, my head was pounding, my mood was low, brain fog so heavy that I couldn’t see straight, extremely fatigued and bloated like I was 3 months pregnant. On top of that, I felt those heated sensations popping up again. I didn’t recognize myself anymore and I still don’t. Where is that energetic, “get up and go:” woman from ten years ago? I feel like I’ve lost her. It’s not all bad of course. Being in my early 50’s, I’ve acquired an inner peace and an “I don’t give a f..k what people think about me” attitude that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. There are certain aspects that I’m absolutely loving about this age, but oh that menopause. It’s a havocking bitch, and all I can do is to tame it as much as I possibly can.

Cutting Out Sugar Completely

When I started getting symptoms, the first thing I did was re-evaluate what I ate the weeks prior. It was easy for me to figure this out. I usually don’t eat sugar, but the in the weeks before my relapse I had eaten cakes, cookies, and chocolate daily. Where ever I went friends and family were serving all sorts of sugary foods. As I have mentioned before in another post,  if you eat a lot of sugar, menopause symptoms will worsen. I can eat a bit of sugar here and there and be okay, but when I eat too much of it for a few weeks, my menopause symptoms always return with a vengeance. I cut out sugar completely for over a week and I can already feel my pains and aches subsiding, a clearer brain a happier mood, and feeling much better in general. Cut the sugar girls. It is the number one trigger for menopausal symptoms! 

Watch your Caffeine and alcohol intake

Caffeine and alcohol are one of the most important menopause symptom triggers! I can drink a glass of wine and within an hour my body starts to ache. I am very careful with alcohol and only drink it on very special occasions. The same for caffeinated drinks. I drink them maybe only once a week. Choose decaf if you crave the taste of a latté or capuccino!

Go For Long Walks

When menopause symptoms are at their worst it’s sometimes really hard to go to the gym and workout. I usually lift weights and do some running on the thread mill to keep in shape. If you feel really bad, opt for long walks instead. Try to take between 8.000 to 10.000 steps a day. That is about an hour and a half walk. Doing this regularly really helps me. Every time I come home from a long walk I feel so much better and lighter in my head.

Doing fun things helps while going through this transition! If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed I picked up singing, songwriting, and performing again.  Doing things that makes you feel accomplished and creative is one of THE best ways to stay positive during this time of a woman’s life. I think picking up a hobby or skill that I used to do when I was younger helps me stay in touch with that young and playful side of myself. So yes girls, pick up an old or even a new hobby. Be it belly dancing, ice skating, painting or drawing, any type of sports, acting, gardening, or trying new recipes in the kitchen, the possibilities are endless! We got this thing babes!

With love and thanks for reading!

xo Tamara Chloé