3 Things Peri Menopausal Women Get Told That I am SICK Of!

As a nutritionist I hear all sorts of things about the things peri menopausal women get told or the way they get treated that really get me riled up. I’m going to share 3 of the myths that make me most upset!
I want you to have the right information when it comes to getting the help you need, and want, for peri menopause! Because then you can make educated decisions.

 My mission is to help more women solve the riddle of peri menopausal weight loss and hormonal peace and while these 3 myths about peri menopause  go unchallenged, then I can’t achieve my mission!

 So here goes… the 3 Things Peri menopausal women get told that I’m sick of!

1.”You need to eat less and exercise more.”

This makes me what to punch someone. It’s so shaming and dismissive. This is a BIG fat, myth! In peri menopause the old tricks we used to drop weight simply don’t work and we end up feeling worse than ever before. The internet is full of this bul***t and personal trainers, doctors and even family and friends are totally unhelpful here too.

Chances are you have tried every ‘diet’ there is and given exercise a really good shot only to find your self still struggling to get out of bed, still struggling to do up your jeans and still struggling with all the same symptoms. And that’s because it doesn’t work!

The issue is starving ourselves and also doing crazy amounts of cardio is increasing our stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol has the fun effect of increasing our waistlines and decreasing insulin sensitivity in the long term. Even worse than that, it accentuates our hormonal imbalance by decreasing our calming hormone progesterone. This hormone decreases naturally in peri leaving oestrogen on a rollercoaster. Why would we want to make it worse? Crazy huh?

So why are medical professionals, sports professionals and bloody influencers still shaming us with this comment? My guess is lack of experience. It’s just not ok anymore to assume that someone struggling with their weight is just eating too much and exercising too little. There is so much more to it than that. You don’t deserve this comment and I’m sorry if someone has said something like that to you.

2. '“It’s not peri menopause. You’re depressed/anxious take an SSRI or other drug to fix it.”

Ugh. You’re a women and all that emotion is too much to bear apparently *insert eyeroll*. Now I will be the first to champion women’s right for medication to alleviate suffering but in this case, it misses the point. You’re in peri. That’s the problem. A lot of women tell me they weren’t even depressed or anxious when they got the prescription. They were just fighting to get their peri menopausal symptoms  recognised and get the appropriate help. It seems kicking up a fuss and being difficult gets you anti depressants whether you want them or need them.

Without any shadow of doubt, your first and primary method of creating a smooth and sparkling menopausal transition should be diet and lifestyle. This is a long term solution that works! If you also need medication that is 100% fine but medication alone will not solve the riddle of peri menopause.

If you are offered anti depressants and you don’t think you need them or want them then look for alternatives because they are out there. The Sparkle Method is one!

3. “You’re not in peri because your hormones are fine.”

Oh this one cracks me up! I commonly have this repeated to me by clients whose GP has said this to them after getting blood work back. It drives me wild! Let me explain. In the earlier days of peri menopause our hormones are all over the place, varying from one day to the next, making it impossible to tell if we are in peri or not from a blood test.

Progesterone takes a slow slide so it may still be within limits. Eostrogen is unpredictable and fluctuates day to day and ditto for follicle stimulating hormone. Add to that, that most GP’s don’t ask for the test on a particular day, even though they know that hormones fluctuate through the cycle, and you have a blood test that cannot be trusted to indicate if you are in peri menopause or having peri symptoms.

But you know what is a great indicator? What the women is saying she is experiencing! Symptoms, age, menstrual cycles, emotional wellbeing, ability to manage stress levels…if there is a cluster of peri menopause symptoms, well it quacks like a duck, it’s a duck!

Don’t trust the blood tests over what you are experiencing.

 What now?             

That felt good to get off my chest! Thanks for letting me do that lol! So, now you know just how passionate I am about peri menopausal women finding their sparkle again, and their waist and embracing life!

If you relate to any of these, or have your own story, email me and let me know! I am sure it’s one I have (sadly) heard before! But feel free to surprise me! I know there are a lot of peri horror stories around what we have been told!

And, if you’re ready to get my help to find a smooth passage through peri menopause and lose some weight along the way, then click this link right here and let’s chat!

May your day be filled with laughter!

xxS