Menopause & Nutrition
Menopause & Mindset coaching
Embrace the new you!
Why choose a Menopause and Mindset coach?
Menopause if you listened to the media speaks doom and gloom but with the right mindset and the right support system in place it can be a new you! and the right menopause coach will empower you through this period of change inclusive of supporting you every step of the way. Some people come out of menopause thinking it was the best time of their lives as they gained clarity and became a stronger version of themselves!
A menopause coach is someone who can empathise and a lot of people going through this period of life feel lonely! A coach has your back! will help you with clarity, motivation, positive mindset and guide you to make healthy choices. They will also be your place you can talk openly and it will be your safe space! No thought is trivial! During menopause, you can lose confidence and motivation to make those choices so a good coach can help you through new behaviours and help you stay accountable for the new you! As an Angel therapist, the work I do already deals with the symptoms of menopause and very quickly symptoms are reduced so when we add menopause coaching to the mix it becomes a time of amazing changes!
Men also go through male menopause and I get many men coming to me with this so ladies be gentle with the guys too.
I would advise using an app called Balance which is free of charge. It has lots of information and allows you to log your cycle and symptoms accurately to share with your coach or GP.
Menopause
There are over 30 symptoms of menopause;
difficulty concentrating, weight gain, stress incontinence, brittle nails, allergies, irregular heartbeat, body odour changes, irritability, panic disorder, osteoporosis, hot flushes, night sweats, irregular periods, mood swings, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, headaches, breast tenderness, burning mouth, joint pain, digestive problems, electric shocks, muscle tension, gum problems, itchy skin, sleep problems, hair loss, tinnitus and memory lapses.
It is important to know what is happening to your body as when we understand something then it is easier to accept that what is happening to us is normal. At a session, we discuss all the hormones and why you are feeling like you are but again this is ‘normal’. We will help you better understand the changes
happening in your body. Now let us talk a little bit of those hormones that cause the issues! On the page, I won’t talk about Cortisol, FSH, LH Or Progesterone but I will in the session just to help you understand what is happening to you ! No, you are not going crazy but we do need to calm your body down.
I will discuss Oestrogen, E1 & E2 and testosterone though briefly just so you can understand what is happening to your body.
During Menopause we have those pesky hormone changes! which the decline of oestrogen is not slow and steady but up and down which causes the roller coaster of emotions! We need to focus on E1 and E2 during the phase of Menopause. The decline of Testosterone also is responsible for many things. Testosterone helps with our libido, confidence, and mental clarity and stabilises our moods so when this declines it is responsible for lots of things including brain fog!
Nutrition and gut health
Good nutrition and gut health are so important during menopause which I help you with during our sessions. In a nutshell though during menopause, the gut talks to the brain via the enteric nervous system. This means that mental health affects the gut. Maintaining healthy levels of resilience so excess stress can be avoided. Remember a happy bowel is a happy mind and as a nutrition advisor, everyone knows my thoughts on the bowel! During menopause, it can increase bouts of constipation and we are going through enough without adding pelvic organ prolapse to the mix so we want to avoid that at all costs if possible!
Good ways to improve your gut health!
- Diaphragm breathing which relaxes the enteric nervous system in the gut.
- Feed your gut good bacteria ie leeks, garlic, ginger, soaked oats, insoluble and soluble fibre
- Starve the bad bacteria which we can do by eliminating excess sugar, gluten and dairy.
A powder that is very good to add to food during menopause is Maca Root and some studies have shown beneficial properties to help with ;Acne, stamina, fatigue, insomnia, depression, infertility, menopause, sex enhancer, boosts energy, low sperm count, hormone balancer, adrenal gland function, mental and physical vitality, high in potassium and calcium and increases libido.
The bladder
The menopause can cause many issues with the bladder and most of my clients complain about the bladder but I show them how we can reverse this. Healing again! 🙂 They look at me gormless till their sensitive bladders become a thing of the past. Honestly, GPs won’t find a reason for it and one client was on antibiotics monthly until she came to me and now hasn’t has another since! Your bladders love me 🙂 but more than that clients do 🙂
Menopause can cause sensitivity, prolapse, atrophy or incontinence.
My favourite tip when I was on the course for Menopause coach! Have an orgasm! There has to be some perks to the menopause but to be fair some don’t need a reason. There is a reason for this it strengthens the pelvic muscles. As a ball of energy I have always loved this part of life and chakras of the body receive an unrestricted flow of energy. I have always had a good sex drive though and when I started investigating Menopause I realised why.
Avoid too many stimulants like dark chocolate and coffee! This really does trigger that sensitivity!
Learn how to activate your pelvic floor muscles before a cough or sneeze. They advise to do this on a trampoline. Make sure there are no kids about as they are little buggers if they see an adult on a trampoline!! before you know it they are bouncing in the air trying to kill you and getting off will become mission impossible!
Diaphragmatic breathing as it relaxes the area.
Pilates to help maintain muscles within the pelvic area. If you are new to pilates and don’t want to venture to a class. I advise you type in Youtube pilates for a bad back … trust me on this one! even if you don’t have a bad back lol.
If sex is painful use a dilator and take it slow.
Diet and menopause health
To help to maintain bone strength and density and prevent osteoporosis, you should look out for two nutrients that are associated with bone health: calcium and vitamin D. The amount of people that tell me “I take vitamin D” but when I look at their calcium intake and explain they need to have enough of both as they work well together but just vitamin D on its own will not work on reducing fractures.
Calcium
Important sources of calcium are:
- dairy products, such as milk, yogurt or cheese (go for the lower fat options)
- products fortified with calcium, such as bread (most bread flour is fortified with calcium), breakfast cereals and dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
- some green leafy vegetables such as watercress and kale (but not spinach)
- sesame seeds
- dried figs
- and fish that is eaten with bones (such as sardines).
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is also important for bone health as it helps the absorption of calcium from foods. Vitamin D is produced in our skin when we are exposed to sunlight.
Important dietary vitamin D sources are:
- oily fish –
- eggs
- red meat
- and foods fortified with vitamin D by the manufacturer, such as fat spreads, breakfast cereals and dairy products.
Women who are post-menopausal have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and so it is important to make sure you are eating foods that help to protect your heart.
- Cut down on saturated fat and replace with unsaturated fats – for example swap butter and coconut oil for rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils and spreads made from these.
- Have fish twice a week – once should be an oily type (such as mackerel, salmon or sardines).
- Watch your salt intake – aim for less than 6g a day. Check the nutrition label on foods and do not add salt in cooking or at the table.
- Include high-fibre and wholegrain foods in your diet, such as wholegrain breakfast cereals, wholewheat pasta and pulses (such as lentils and beans). Fruit and vegetables are good fibre providers too.
- Do not drink alcohol to excess – adults should drink no more than 14 units a week, with several alcohol-free days each week.
Several dietary factors, supplements and herbal remedies have been suggested to be of benefit in relieving symptoms of the menopause. There has been a lot of interest in the role of phytoestrogens (the two main types are isoflavones and lignans) as they are similar in structure to oestrogen and therefore may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of low oestrogen levels associated with the menopause. These substances are found in plants.
- Dietary sources of isoflavones include soyabeans, legumes, lentils and chickpeas and foods made from these such as texturised vegetable protein, tofu and soya drinks.
- Dietary sources of lignans include cereals, linseeds and fruit and vegetables.
There is some evidence that consuming isoflavones in foods or as supplements can help to reduce the menopausal symptoms of hot flushes and vaginal dryness. However, more studies are needed to confirm whether isoflavone supplements are safe and effective in reducing menopause symptoms.
A healthy balanced diet is always a win/win situation regardless of your time of life! It is never too early to make those changes. Everything in moderation including alcohol 🙂
Menopause consultation form
Menopause Consultation Form (docx)
Nutrition
Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit with
Andrea's Angelic Healing Centre
I am passionate about food. You can eat yourself to good health and for me to say this! is HUGE!! after spending a lifetime of having an unhealthy relationship with food. That is my past as I realised that eating the right foods made my frequent visits to the GP turn to practically never seeing them! If my health starts changing I adjust my diet to improve the condition.
I am qualified in behaviour change coaching in relation to health and diet.
I am still working on this qualification Level 4 (RSPH – Royal Society of Public Health) However, I am fully qualified to work with you and had many successes! including behaviour change coaching.
Weight Management (loss and gain)
Older persons diet
Vegans/Vegetarians
Diabetes
Nutrition for sport and exercise
Children in obesity prevention
Pre and post natal nutrition
“I lost 4 stone working with Andrea and no one can motivate you like she can! she is so easy to work with and the weight just dropped off. I have loads of energy and after a lifetime of bullying for my weight ! well now I hold my head up high as I look and feel healthy! If there is a gain you never feel like you cannot turn up to a session as life happens! If you are down Andrea just picks you back up and gets you back on it! “
What happens in a session?
The initial session takes longer as we are getting to know each other, after all, how can I motivate you if I do not understand your barriers to success? On the initial visit we will look at the following;
- Medical and family history
- Activity levels and habits
- Long-term nutrition and weight management goals
- Barriers to success
- Dieting history – even though this is not a diet but a way of life.
We will find out how I can motivate you. What makes you tick; I will provide you with an app where you can log your activity and food so I can log in and send you a weekly report on how to tweak your diet.
As I am a hypno gastric band consultant if your BMI is >35 we can explore that option but for clients I do not charge for this, but you must have worked with me and put your all into this for a minimum period of 12 weeks.
I will teach you all about food groups and why we need to eat the foods we do to remain healthy; I will give advice on what foods to add to your diet to improve your diet but most of all you will understand healthy eating is all about moderation! When we learn how to eat and what to eat the pounds just drop off unless you are eating to gain obviously! and education is key to success.
I also run a monthly group session with guided meditation to reinforce our motivation plus we motivate each other. Support is key especially when we are changing behaviours.
I am your biggest cheerleader and together we will achieve!