Wies: "We need to talk about serious matters"

But I’ve noticed that whenever I talk about menopause with my friends, the focus is always on hot flushes, poor sleep, or mood swings. We never discuss the ‘more serious’ consequences of declining oestrogen levels. For instance, one-third of women experience elevated blood pressure, and two-thirds face increased cholesterol levels, which significantly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, we never talk about that.

My cholesterol and blood pressure have also gone up. Still within the healthy range, but it’s noticeable. Almost no one escapes this. We should talk about it more, especially because the symptoms associated with cardiovascular disease can be so insidious.

Two of my friends experienced heart-related issues, such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and a sense of restlessness. In both cases, neither they nor their doctors initially considered heart problems. It must be stress, they thought, because, yes, they weren’t sleeping well due to menopause, and they were overwhelmed with work and caring for their parents. Later, it turned out to be heart-related after all.

I don’t want to scare anyone or come across as a know-it-all, but it’s so important to raise awareness and talk about this more. Myself included. Websites like this one and the Dutch Heart Foundation provide excellent information on recognising cardiovascular problems.

Another recommendation: regularly check your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Your GP can do this, but you can also use tests from the pharmacy or chemist. “Know your numbers,” as the cardiologist I often speak to always says.

Which numbers, you ask? These:

• Cholesterol: follow the 5-3-1 rule. Your total cholesterol should stay below 5, your LDL below 3, and your HDL above 1 mmol/L.
• Blood sugar: should not exceed 6.1 mmol/L when fasting.
• Blood pressure: 120/80 mmHg is ideal. At 140/90, it’s considered high blood pressure.
• Heart rate: should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

Wies Verbeek (58) is a journalist, founder of the website BLOW.nl, and author of the book ’n Beetje Leuk Ouder Worden, 101 verrassende en bewezen tips (A Bit of Fun Ageing, 101 Surprising and Proven Tips). She is currently going through menopause.