Growing Older with Grace During Menopause

You’ve heard it before: Don’t sweat the small stuff. We agree! Instead, make sure you are managing the big stuff during menopause, then the small stuff should fall into place.

Big Stuff – Your Brain

Kick your brain into gear. After all, you use it or lose it. That applies to your brain, too. The best way to fight dementia and memory loss is to exercise your brain. And there are so many fun ways to do it!

The key is to find tasks or activities that make you actively think. Since it can be just about anything, choose something that’s fun and exiting. Read books, do puzzles, play games, learn a foreign language, take music lessons, enroll in an interesting class at community college – the list of options goes on and on.

Big Stuff – Your Bones

Get going. Your brain isn’t the only part of you that needs to exercise. Your heart and bones need it, too. You need to be moving about every day – and that doesn’t mean getting up to go to the fridge for a snack.

Like your brain exercises, physical exercising can be fun, too. Choose those that you’ll enjoy so you’ll stick with them. Go for walk with friends, visit the gym and try a new machine, join an aerobics class so you’re not alone, or jump in the pool. You have so many options and can switch them up depending on the time of year.

Big Stuff – Your Body

Overall health is important, too. It goes without saying, you need to do your best to be as healthy as possible. But you may not realize there’s more to it than regular exercise and eating well. You also need to manage stress, get plenty of sleep, and stay on top of any chronic health conditions. Don’t skip taking care of any part of your body from your brains to your bowels.

Good health also means making good lifestyle choices. That means no smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol, practicing safe sex, and avoiding risky behaviors.

Big Stuff – Your Soul

As part of good health, nurture your soul and spirit. Having a sense of well-being that starts on inside can go along way toward keeping you healthy on the outside, too. And the better you feel about yourself, the better choices you will make.

Some suggestions include spending time outdoors, having dinner with friends, starting a new hobby, keeping a gratitude diary, and volunteering. Do something that is interesting and engaging without being too taxing or stressful.

Big Stuff – Your Menopause

Managing menopause symptoms can go a long way toward helping you get though menopause gracefully. Hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, and a host of other common menopause symptoms can leave you frustrated and exhausted. It makes it difficult to care enough to take the steps you need to be happy and healthy.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one solution, but there are others as well. Together, you and your doctor can decide how best to mange your symptoms so you can start on the road to a better tomorrow.

This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support.  Reprinted with permission: Growing Older with Grace During Menopause