Happy World Menopause Month!
Yes, this was the theme for World Menopause month, this October.
This month’s blog brings you a collective summary of aspects of our heart health in midlife I shared on various social media platforms, over the weeks.
Some explanation as to the connection between Menopause & our heart and what we can do to looked after it. ♥
Women are twice as likely to die of coronary heart disease, the main cause of heart attack, as breast cancer in the UK. And coronary heart disease was the single biggest cause of death of women worldwide in 2019.
And not surprisingly our old sex sibling oestrogen plays a part. As our oestrogen levels drop both during & after the menopause transition our susceptibility to cardiovascular disease increases. Menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease. Oestrogen offers some protection against coronary artery disease therefore reducing the risk of a heart attack. It helps to control your cholesterol ls and so reduces the risk of fatty plaques, building up inside your artery walls. As we get older the blood vessels can become stiffer, caused by HBP. This is a risk factor associated with heart attacks and stroke. During and after the menopause, our bodies gradually produce less oestrogen than it used to. This increases the risk of the coronary arteries, whereas it previously protected the lining of the artery walls reducing the build-up of plaque. This increases your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.
A really helpful infographic in the comments that highlights how the menopause transition can affect our cardiovascular health with tips on what we can do to take our ‘Menopause’ to heart. https://www.goredforwomen.org/-/media/GRFW-Files/Know-Your-Risk/Menopause_Infographic.pdf
Movement:
Walking:- Good for our mental health. A natural reset for the brain, clears our, helps with remembering things to do. That must be a plus in midlife! A walk boosts the production of dopamine and endorphins, those HAPPINESS “feel-good” chemicals, leaving you with increased energy.
Just 30 minutes every day can increase our cardiovascular fitness, strengthen our bones, boosts our immunity, mood, memory and reduces stress. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers. Grab your trainers and let’s get moving.
Qigong.
I’ve been going along to Qigong classes for about 6 months now (if not longer). Qigong, pronounced “chi gong,” was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, to help improve and 3
Qigong had similar effects on blood pressure as a conventional exercise routine, potentially benefiting heart health through repetitive movements that improve circulation.
It helps to balance & reduce heart diseases such as high or low blood pressure. The ‘crane’ Qigong exercise is one of the best heart qigong exercises.
We know how important ‘movement’ in midlife is for ourselves.
Maybe ‘Qigong’ has your name on it, like it did mine?
What movement are you doing, or maybe even start doing to support your heart health in midlife?
Alternative therapies:
Have you every tried ‘5 element’ acupuncture?
Sharing my recent experiences of 5 Element acupuncture: I find it both fascinating & a helpful way to support my menopause symptoms (I’m talking ‘inflammaging’ again)
I’m the FIRE element – Heart & Small intestine. In traditional Five Element Acupuncture the Heart is the Emperor of the body, mind and spirit. The Heart has an outer aspect, a gatekeeper, called the Heart Protector or Pericardium. The Heart Protector acts as an ambassador, taking charge of all the other parts of the body to pass on the Spirit of the Heart – this Qi, fuels life granted by the power of the Heart, is set in motion by the heartbeat and by the rhythm of the Lungs. The Heart Protector is both gatekeeper and communicator, governing the circulation of blood and energy. The Heart’s presence is felt simply through the joy of unconditional love.
In Five Element acupuncture, in ‘treating’ my ♥, we respectfully go first to the gatekeeper, Heart Protector. Studies have shown important implications for the treatment of trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and other disorders of emotional regulation. Research on acupuncture for Atrial fibrillation suggests that acupuncture treatment on the Heart Protector can be beneficial for regulating the rhythm of the Heart, and perhaps even helping to regenerate heart tissue. Important for us, to know with our menopause in mind.
Cold Water Swimming:
The hormonal changes that occur during menopause can bring increased cardiovascular risk in the form of higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The real benefits from swimming when we are in menopause and post-menopause are not only to do with our muscles and joints however, but all to do with our blood pressure and lymphatic system.
High blood pressure (hypertension) poses a major health risk to women as they age. To date, most studies have focused on cycling and walking and less on swimming. So, the news that regular swimming confers cardiac health benefits, including an increase in ‘good’ HDL cholesterol in post-menopause women is important (Tanaka, 2009). Swimming decreases the vascular stiffness that arrives as we lose oestrogen in menopause. It can help boost circulation: Cold water exposure can constrict blood vessels, promoting better blood flow and circulation throughout the body. This can be beneficial in reducing inflammation and potentially easing joint and muscle pain, which some menopausal women experience. Swimming in cold water has been found to be particularly beneficial during menopause. Cold water diverts the body’s focus from the hot flashes and reduces their intensity. It also helps to regulate hormones and helps keep cortisol levels stable.
What’s going on in the rest of the world to support’ Inflammaging’ n in our bodies?
Have you caught this recent series on Netflix yet? – 4 episodes about the blue zone communities in the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it-8MIm29bI
The ‘blue zones’ are Sardinia Italy., Okinawa, Japan, Nicoya, Costa Rica, Loma Linda, Calif., U.S.A, & Ikaria, •
Dan Buettner – identified in 2003 communities hot-spots with increased longevity:
Key similarities:
Less stress – naps, laughter, family centric
Balanced lifestyle (nutrition, activity level)
Good social support/connection – belonging to a faith
Purpose (N.B. can add 7 years to our lives)
Low Inflammation – largest predicting factor for longevity
Less intense menopausal symptoms than in the western countries (imo)
Diets in the Blue Zones are typically rich in veggies. – a great source of fibre and many different vitamins and minerals. Eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.
The most common exercise in the blue zones is walking – an integral part of daily life and walking is great for our hearts, boosts our immunity & increases our lifespan (and it’s free!)
How can you incorporate some of the blue zone community lifestyle factors into your midlife experience, to support your heart health?
Relationships & Connection:
What is your relationship “language of love”? (This can with friendships, partners, husbands, wives, family)
We may experience challenges in our relationship (s) at times. I’m thinking too, particularly in midlife when we may feel the loss of connection with loved ones, when we ourselves are feeling a loss of confidence, self-esteem & identity too.
The languages of love are:
1.Affirmations
2 Physical contact
3.Giving & receiving gifts
4.Quality time
5.Acts of service
I wonder what yours is/are & those for loved ones around you?
Do you connect or might you miss each other with your signs of affection?
And last but by no means least: Therapeutic coaching in midlife
Our ‘heart’ & therapy.
A study, published in the European Heart Journal, is the first to show a link between talking therapy and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have shown people with depression are up to 72 per cent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. Are talking therapies linked with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease? People whose depression symptoms improved after therapy had a 10% to 15% lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who did not improve.
A recent article shared in the Independent on how talking therapies could reduce future risk of heart disease. The therapies can help with common mental health problems like stress, anxiety and depression.
Call it A&E for the ‘mind’. In midlife our mental health can take a knock whilst our hormones are playing a merry dance.
If therapeutic coaching, has your name on it, contact me nic@clarity-kent.co.uk and we can have a quick introductory chat. Using the Embers model, I can give you strategies to rebalance your body & mind through lifestyle modification together with addressing difficulties around self-identity, mindset & relationships with cognitive & behavioural strategies.
You can find me here too:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicclarity
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claritykent/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-pendregaust/
Happy World Menopause Month!
