Menopause is a natural part of aging, as a woman’s oestrogen levels decline resulting in a permanent stop in periods. As a woman ages, the number of her egg cells are reducing, and eventually the amount falls below a ‘critical level'.
The Menopause transition is broken down into 2 parts: Early and Late defined by the time intervals without menstruation. Throughout the early phase there is a fluctuation of hormone levels with a subsequent decrease in certain types of oestrogen. Oestrogen has roles in nearly every tissue of the body, so it is not surprising that women experience a variety of symptoms elsewhere in the body such as palpitations, anxiety and joint aches and pains.
Chemical and cellular changes with menopause
Decreases in oestrogen levels are associated with a shift to abdominal (visceral) fat storage which is commonly referred to as an apple shape, rather than the premenopausal gluteal fat storage, or pear shape. Differences have also been seen in levels of the other sex hormones in overweight women and may also contribute to a build up of abdominal fat.
With obesity, fat cells increase in cell number and size, which changes how they behave including their ability to control sugar levels in the blood and increase production of inflammatory chemicals in the body. These changes are linked to many bodily aches and pains suffered by women in menopause, due to inflamed tendons and poor healing and health conditions including increased blood pressure and type II diabetes.
What can be done to reduce the risk of obesity?
Lifestyle changes can be made to reduce visceral obesity and the health conditions associated with it. These include:
Taking part in regular exercise.
Eating a healthy balanced diet.
This includes eating foods with a low glycaemic index and lean meats, and avoiding white processed foods like bread and pasta and foods which are high in sugars.
Reducing your stress levels.
Head to our blog about stress for more tips on how to reduce your stress levels.
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