Dressing for work one morning in my mid 50s, I was stunned that one of my favorite button down blouses unexpectedly felt snug.
What’s going on, I thought. This blouse fit me last week!
Turns out, menopause was going on, so my body – and brain – were beginning to look and act in new and unsettling ways.
More disconcerting situations followed. Thinning hair. Poor sleep. Down moods. Decreased libido. And that brand new, expanding body shape – in all the wrong places – plus numbers ratcheting up on the scale.
What’s a woman to do?
I’ve learned a great deal about women’s health in midlife since then, and although I’m not a doctor, or married to one, I can confidently pass along sound advice.
First, don’t panic. That will only increase your anxiety, and won’t change a thing.
Second, please know you absolutely can take control over these unexpected and unwanted issues, not to mention feel physically and emotionally better than you’ve ever felt in your life.
Happily for women today, menopause is moving out of the shadows. Smart solutions – like the exceptional Reverse Health app – are now here to help. Really, really help. More on Reverse Heath in a moment.
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Third, don’t try to deal with everything at once. That approach will have you running around in circles since many of your issues are interrelated – and the result of one major factor: Your body’s naturally declining level of estrogen.
ESTROGEN DECLINE CAN MEAN DECLINING HEALTH
One of a woman’s most essential hormones, estrogen does far more than regulate our menstrual cycle. It helps maintain the smooth functioning of the reproductive and urinary tracts, the heart and blood vessels, bones, breasts, skin, hair, mucous membranes, pelvic muscles, and the brain.
Estrogen also helps manage how our bodies convert foods and beverages into energy, a chemical process called metabolism. When estrogen declines during a woman’s mid age, coinciding with naturally decreasing muscle mass, metabolism slows down, which leads to increasing body and abdominal fat. No wonder my button down shirt suddenly felt tight!
What’s more, if you exercise little and sleep poorly, it becomes a struggle to lose weight! Continuing to eat as you always have, without upping your physical activity, and you’ll likely gain weight.
Menopause weight gain – especially around the midsection, where fat surrounds our organs – means more than roomier clothes. It can seriously impact our health, increasing our risk for issues including breathing problems, heart and blood vessel disease, urinary incontinence, joint disease, and Type 2 diabetes. It also increases our risk for breast, colon and endometrial cancers, among others.
NOW FOR THE (VERY) GOOD NEWS
All this can no doubt be a distressing turn of events, but enough with the downside. These are the first unequivocally smart moves you can make for your body and brain when you’re confronting perimenopause or menopause:
- Consume the right foods, in the right amount – that can actually taste great.
- Move and think in the right way – with constructive mental and physical exercises.
- Interact with the right women – in an inspirational, motivating community.
My advice may be logical, but surfing through the countless diet-exercise-menopause websites for guidance is a daunting exercise. Everyone eager to get your attention professes to be a health and wellness expert on midlife women because it’s a hot topic these days.
I assure you that genuine experts, however, are few and far between. I’ve been researching the subject for years, and am working with an exclusive consortium of world-renowned medical ‘Menopause Masters’ who will soon be educating thousands of women.
Reverse Health is the real deal, with significant things going for it: In-depth nutritional knowledge & coaching experience specifically for mid age women. Plus, an exclusive, understandable, and uncluttered app that’s easy to follow and features tasty recipes, effective exercises, access to real experts, and the company of other motivated, terrific women.
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NO CALORIE COUNTING, THANK GOODNESS
Matt Jones holds a masters in nutrition science and co-founded Reverse Health with Monika Friedman, a certified health & life coach specializing in women’s health and wellbeing. When Matt’s mom wanted to start the Keto Diet during menopause, he told her “that’s no way to lose weight at your age, and it’s not a diet you’ll stick to.”
Matt knew his mother needed to adjust energy and macronutrient intake (fats, carbs & proteins) to avoid gaining weight and fat, and maintaining good health. So he created a meal plan, and had it packaged in an app to benefit her and other women like her. The plan features whole foods rich in protein and fiber, as well as micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) and phytonutrients (compounds found in plants and mushrooms).
The nutrients in the diet are powerful anti-inflammatories and antioxidants to help decrease blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, reduce fat mass, improve cholesterol levels, and increase bone and muscle density. Your energy level will rise. Your mood and sleep will improve. Your weight will stabilize.
Offering moderate amounts of fish, dairy and white meats, colorful vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts and whole grains, Matt’s plan is “similar to the Mediterranean diet,” he told me. “It’s not a secret or groundbreaking. It’s actually quite simple.”
Although you’re encouraged to track your meals on the app, you can forget about the dreadful practice of counting countries. “Food loses its identity when all you do is count calories,” Monika said. Besides, we develop unnecessary guilt feelings if we consume even an extra 50 calories. Instead, Reverse Health teaches us to think about the nutrients in the foods we’re eating. Nutritional info is highlighted right in every recipe.
Each woman receives customized weekly meal plans based on her personal answers to a simple quiz.
AND YES, WE DO NEED TO MOVE
“Our goal is to give women the tools and knowledge to not only lose weight, but to sustain a healthy weight, increase lifespan, reverse symptoms of aging, and learn how to stay committed,” Matt explained.
Besides the nutritional piece of the program, Reverse Health offers strength training and exercise segments for core, cardio, muscles and bones, neck and shoulders, and knees. You’ll also find yoga and chair workouts.
Your body and a mat are the only things you’ll need. No weights. No costly equipment that you’ll use two times. Just uncomplicated movements that are designed to kick start your metabolism, and help you lose your menopause weight gain, not turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger.
There’s more. Reverse Health also offers inspirational and motivational videos covering subjects including, all or nothing thinking and mindful eating; the opportunity to join a private and supportive group of like-minded women who share super recipes, as well as their challenges and triumphs, and chats with health coaches.
now for access to your personalized meal plan and the Reverse Health app!
Don’t Wait: Add Reverse Health to your life & give midlife weight gain the heave ho