I’m Postmenopausal. Now What? All About Staying Healthy After Menopause
Once you’ve gone without a period for 12 consecutive months, you’re postmenopausal by the next day. This sudden change of menopausal status leaves many women puzzled, especially since pesky symptoms don’t disappear overnight. On top of that, they’re faced with new health risks. Find out all about entering postmenopause, including how to stay optimally healthy for years to come.
What Does It Mean to Be Postmenopausal?
Entering postmenopause – which is the last stage of the menopausal transition – means that a woman no longer menstruates and cannot get pregnant naturally. It covers the years after menopause, which may equate to more 1/3 to ½ of her lifetime.
It also means that after turbulent hormonal fluctuations during the perimenopausal years, her estrogen and progesterone levels have declined and will remain consistently low.
Common Symptoms After Menopause
What often surprises women exiting perimenopause is that many of their symptoms continue into postmenopause. While a great majority do report their lessening, some of the symptoms may persist for even 10 years after menopause, including:
- Hot flashes
- Nights sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Weight gain
- Hair loss
- Low libido
- Painful sex
- Depression
- Memory lapses
- Concentration problems
Health Risks to Watch Out For
Due to a combination of hormonal decline, aging, and associated lifestyle changes, postmenopausal women are at a higher risk of certain health complications. Knowing those risks can help you catch the early signs and prevent their escalation:
- Osteoporosis causes bones to become thinner and weaker, putting women at risk of fractures. It usually becomes apparent 10-15 years after menopause.
- Heart disease, like stroke and coronary heart disease, is prevalent among postmenopausal women. It’s brought about by hormone lows, abnormal cholesterol levels, weight gain, and other factors.
- Hypertension – said to affect as many as ¾ of all postmenopausal women – may lead to cardiovascular complications if left untreated.
How to Take Care of Your Postmenopausal Health
The good news is that with a proactive attitude, you can maintain good health, physical strength, and psychological balance throughout postmenopause. Consider these pointers:
Combine eating a nutritious diet with daily movement for heart disease prevention, weight control, mood boost, and mobility. Keep in mind that calcium and vitamin D-rich foods will help you reduce osteoporosis risk.
Take care of your intellect by challenging your brain through puzzle, crosswords, and reading. Check on your mental and emotional health regularly, and seek help right away if you feel you’re struggling.
Undergoing regular medical check-ups will help you keep an eye on your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, among other key parameters. After 65, you should also get a bone mineral density scan to assess osteoporosis.
Finally, lean on Macafem to ease the effects of hormonal lows on your body during postmenopause. Its powerful yet gentle compounds will give the endocrine system the support it needs to thrive. Plus, balanced hormones mean less vaginal dryness, low mood, hot flashes, and other lingering discomforts.
After years of dealing with menopause symptoms, most women welcome postmenopause with hope for relief. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits and balancing hormones with Macafem early on can help decrease common health risks and allow you to fully enjoy the postmenopausal years.
Cleveland Clinic. (2021). Menopause, Perimenopause and Postmenopause. Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15224-menopause-perimenopause-and-postmenopause
Indian Journal of Psychiatry. (2015). Postmenopausal syndrome. Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4539866/
Office on Women's Health. (2021). Menopause. Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause
University of Utah. (n.d.). Postmenopause. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https://healthcare.utah.edu/womenshealth/gynecology/menopause/postmenopause.php