Wies: “What I wish I had known: three golden menopause tips”

If you're approaching 60, like I am, your menopause years are mostly behind you. You've gone through most of the hormonal changes and your symptoms have calmed down. OK, there are women over 60 who still have hot flashes, but in general, menopause doesn't have any big surprises in store for you.  

When it comes to menopause education, I feel a bit like a senior compared to women in their early 40s who are on the brink of perimenopause. If I had to do it over again, I would have done certain things differently. Here are a few tips about menopause I wish someone had told me about back then. I hope they are of some use to you. 

Read up and prepare yourself

You're 40. I bet menopause is the last thing you want to think about. After all, menopause is something for 50+-year-old women, right? Wrong! The first symptoms of menopause can show up years before menopause itself (when you stop having periods for good).  

Around the age of 40, my PMS suddenly got worse. Little did I know, my hormones were at the root of it all. I also had many other ‘weird’ symptoms that I did not attribute to menopause.  

My number one tip is to educate yourself. Get your hands on as much information as you can! Also, make an appointment with a menopause specialist. It helps if you know what to expect. You may be unaware that your symptoms are related to menopause. Perhaps it's better to switch to a different type of contraceptive or hormone replacement therapy is an option at this point in your life. 

A healthy lifestyle is important, now more than ever

Living a healthy lifestyle is always important, but it’s extra important when perimenopause sets in. Not just because a healthy diet, regular exercise and quality sleep puts you in the best position to deal with what menopause throws at you, but because menopause also increases your risk of many diseases and health problems. 

For example, someone who is overweight has an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. If you add menopausal high blood pressure or high cholesterol into the mix, the risk is even greater.  

Coffee, ginger tea, cola, alcohol and smoking can all trigger menopausal symptoms. I resisted changing my lifestyle for a long time. I could have saved myself years of suboptimal health had I known better. Adopting a healthy lifestyle has helped me in so many ways, even more than hormone replacement therapy. It's a good place to start. The sooner, the better. Here's a great tip: The Menopause Diet by Faye James offers delicious recipes that are specifically designed to reset your body and improve your health. 

Don’t despair

There are different ways to approach menopause. Even though it’s a necessary and natural period in your life, it doesn’t mean that you have to live with your symptoms. Take action if they are getting in the way of your life. There are treatment options out there that can help. You don't have to feel like you're over the hill. You're not.  

Look into your options and don't take no for an answer. Speak to your GP or a menopause specialist about your symptoms, or get a referral to a gynaecologist or pelvic floor physical therapist. 

Who is Wies?

Wies Verbeek (58) is a healthy ageing journalist, founder of website BLOW.nl, and author of ’n Beetje Leuk Ouder Worden, 101 verrassende en bewezen tips (Ageing Happily, 101 surprising tips that work). And… she’s going through menopause like the rest of us. 

Tips and advice