Perimenopause and menopause: beating water retention and abdominal fat
Perimenopause and menopause mark an important moment in a woman's life, bringing forth a change that we may not be ready to embrace and that faces us with small and not so small inconveniences.But is "the Change" really the problem? Contrary to common perception, menopause can be one of the most fulfilling phases in our life, provided that we are prepared to listen to the signals our body and mind send us. Change doesn't have to spell problem and it will only do so if you let it!
When perimenopause sets in, we try to carry on as usual and keep on eating whatever takes our fancy. We dream of a magic pill that will deliver us from hot flashes, water retention, insomnia, weight gain, irritability and dizziness and try to solve the problem by delegating our well-being to a specialist.
Yet, menopause is there to tell us that our time has come to live life to the fullest. Research shows that not only can ageing processes be slowed down, they can even be stopped.
How? By taking control and responsibility for our own well-being.
We need to respond to perimenopause and menopause by adopting a radical change in our lifestyle and by becoming aware that our wellness depends mainly on our choices – “mainly” meaning by as much as 90%!
It’s up to us – so let’s seek guidance and start preparing for our new life.
Here are a few tips to help you improve your lifestyle right now.
To fight water retention:
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
Do not take diuretics: in the long run, they deplete the body of important minerals and increase water retention.
Drink at least two litres of water a day: drink preferably in small sips to provide every cell in your body with the optimal level of hydration.
Take a daily dose of a glycerine preparation over a three-month period, to boost the venous and lymphatic circulation and detox the connective tissue.
Drink vegetable juices and take alkalising salts daily to prevent or rebalance tissue acidosis.
Reduce the intake of foods with added salt or sugar.
To tackle bloating:
Bloating is often linked to an unbalanced diet and bad chewing.
Sugar-rich foods, dairy products, refined and yeasty cereals and carbonated drinks should be avoided.
Limit fruit consumption to three portions a day.
Prefer fresh, seasonal vegetables and eat them with moderate portions of meat or fish.
Specific faecal tests are recommended to detect any alterations in gut flora and digestive enzyme secretion.
To reduce abdominal and trochanteric fat:
The measures recommended above are useful to reactivate your metabolism and prevent the build-up of fat and excess water in body tissue.
Add this trick for a shape-changing result:
avoid foods with a high glycaemic index and opt for low to medium glycaemic index foods instead, as recommended by the WHO (World Health Organisation).
Low glycaemic index foods prevent sudden insulin surges. In fact, it is excess insulin that converts blood sugar into abdominal and trochanteric fat.
The solution lies in a simple formula!
Low and medium glycaemic index foods +
30 minutes’ exercise a day
= less fat, less cellulite, reduced water retention
Once you become aware that your body is the result of what you eat and how you take care of it, not even genetics can stand in the way of better looks, health and fitness.
Written by MD Stefania Mazzieri, Surgeon and General Practitioner