Some of you might have been following my new workout regime on my Instagram stories. When I started my course of EMSculpt NEO, it was the perfect opportunity to get back to regular workouts and start strength training again. Caring for our body and keeping active is important at any age but as we approach menopause and head into our postmenopausal years, it becomes even more important! I am fortunate to be small and I am a healthy weight, I acknowledge I don't look my age - currently 56 but I still need to put the effort in to achieve my body goals. And a healthy diet and regular exercise can make a huge difference in managing menopause-related symptoms.
There are 4 main areas of my health I focus on .... Getting regular physical activity into my day. Making sure my nutrition is optimal. Getting enough sleep. Reducing my stress and looking after my mental health. Exercise and nutrition have to be as easy and as simple as possible but they need to be effective! I don't want to over-complicate things and spend hours in either the gym or in the kitchen! This blog post is sponsored by BOMIMO Nutrition.
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When I started researching for this post, to find out what women were thinking and feeling about one of the lesser discussed symptoms of menopause, it became clear that female sexual function and vaginal wellness isn't talked about or searched for online much. It is easy to find information on men's sexual health - including erectile dysfunction - but we are far less open about female libido, vaginal dryness and our intimate health.
I found out that the most commonly searched terms are 'private parts' or 'menopausal vagina'. It made me feel sad to think that so many women are still way too embarrassed, and that we are a long way off from an open and honest conversation about intimate wellbeing. So why is vaginal dryness still such a taboo subject? Why are women too shy to use the proper terms for their vagina and their vulva, and be honest about their sexual needs? In this blog post, I am not aiming to answer that, but I won't shy away from the fact that menopausal women have needs and want to look after every aspect of their health, including their vaginal health! Our vaginal tissue becomes laxer as we age, this is due to a depletion of collagen, elastin and glycogen and why menopausal women will often report an increase in vaginal dryness, sexual worries and incontinence. But in recent years, along with a gradual move towards better menopause awareness, we have also seen an increase in technology designed to help rejuvenate the vagina and improve intimate wellness. We no longer have to accept sore, dry skin or lack of sexual function as the norm. Women are seeking help and experts are happy to open up the dialogue and offer new solutions. This is a sponsored blog post with Issviva. HRT can be life changing for so many of us, but it can also be challenging to navigate and does not work for everyone. One of the difficulties of taking hormone replacement therapy can come from the progesterone element causing progesterone intolerance. It is a subject discussed on many of the menopause support groups I belong to and I am still trying to overcome it myself. Some of my most read blog posts are about HRT, many of you are looking for good quality advice, a little bit of support and understanding and above all a listening ear that can relate to the difficulties you are facing, real stories can make us feel less alone.
I understand! And I've done the research for you. When I realised I was intolerant to progesterone (both the Mirena Coil and Utrogestan - a micronised body-identical progesterone) I spent many many hours trying to find a solution and the best advice. I did not want to come off oestrogen as it was helping me so much. My story is unique and I am fortunate to be able to see a private menopause specialist who is supporting me but understanding progesterone intolerance is often the first step towards getting the right help so you can continue on your HRT journey. Adele Johnston is a Certified Menopause Coach, a qualified Nutritionist, a Positive Psychology Coach and a Breathwork Facilitator. She had to navigate her own early menopause at the age of 37 and she is deeply passionate about empowering women to reclaim who they are inside and out. She left her 20 year corporate career due to her menopause symptoms and she now helps other women reclaim their identify, their body and their confidence. Adele holds nothing back with her mission to 'Make Menopause Mainstream' by educating others and is making waves in helping other coaches up-level their client approach. I 'met' Adele online, via her informative Instagram account @the.menopausecoach and loved her content so I asked Adele to write a guest post for me to explain exactly what progesterone is, why we need it and how we can deal with progesterone intolerance should it happen to us. This is a guest blog post. Lumen review | can this little device really help you understand your metabolism in menopause?27/2/2023 Have you heard of the Lumen? It is the first hand-held device and app that tracks your metabolism and guides you towards healthy weight loss with a daily personalised nutritional guide.
I do have to admit - I found the results fascinating, especially once I upped my daily readings, I could see the benefits of my workout and how choosing a salad over a sandwich made a big difference to my metabolism. If I was struggling with the motivation to do my workout, taking a Lumen reading before and after was a good reminder of how much I benefit from moving my body! Lumen is easy and intuitive to use. All you have to do is download the Lumen app, pair the Lumen device using bluetooth and start measuring your breaths. Lumen uses a CO2 sensor and flow meter to analyse your breath. You are asked to take a deep breath into the device, hold your breath for 10 seconds then exhale fully. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the Lumen app will teach you how to do this. For an accurate reading you are asked to relax, sit down, both feet on the floor and using the handheld device, follow the breathing instructions to get your Lumen Level - an indication of whether you’re in a fat burn or carb burn state. Lumen ask that you do a daily reading continuously for two full weeks to allow it to get to know you and your body and start to create the best daily nutrition plan for your metabolism. This is a gifted blog post using an affiliate link. |
Michelle ...Welcome to Fifty & Fab, a lifestyle blog to inspire you. I am a blogger with a passion for writing about health, menopause, fitness, beauty and style with a focus on the over 50's. Categories
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Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s. I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life. I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month. Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.
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April 2024
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