Sensitive Midwifery - Issue 43 - July2019

B COMPLEX ZINC FOLIC ACID VITAMIN B’S Manufactured for and on behalf of House of Zinplex (Pty) Ltd. t: 086 111 9462 | f: 012 803 9283 w: www.zinplex.co.za | e: info@zinplex.co.za • RELEASES ENERGY • IMPROVES CONCENTRATION • RELIEVES STRESS • AVAILABLE IN 30’S & 60’S AVAILABLE IN INDEPENDANT PHARMACIES Palpitations, memory loss and vaginal dryness A racing heartbeat felt in the chest is common in the menopausal years too. Anxious women may become rather frightened, though menopausal palpitations are seldom of any significance. Breathe deeply and slowly through them, and rest for a while if you were exercising. If they don’t pass soon or if they make you feel ill, you may need to be checked to see if there is another cause. Decreased oestrogen may be linked to memory loss, but then general ageing is too! Research shows that the link between menopause and memory loss is in fact very tenuous. Use techniques like lists, memory games and actively concentrating, and you’ll likely have far less menopausal memory loss! When you’re feeling down, think of how much you do remember! Vaginal dryness is one of the most common and troubling menopause symptoms, affecting as many as 80% of women. Supplement essential fatty acids to help alleviate this and apply Vitamin E cream. Regular sexual activity may in fact also decrease vaginal dryness, research now shows – which is comforting for those who thought that a satisfying love life is over after the menopause. There are also very effective lubricants available to ease intercourse. Self-help tips Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may seem to be the surest way of stopping menopause symptoms in their tracks, but there are so many potential adverse effects, and times when HRT is not suitable, that many women are keen to try alternatives. These nine may well help you: • Add antioxidants and soy (a natural plant oestrogen) to your diet – make sure the soy is as unprocessed as possible and stick to dosage advice. • Regular cardiovascular exercise is linked to fewer or less severe symptoms and will help to improve sleep too – walk, jog, swim or dance. • Having a fulfilling relationship that includes satisfying lovemaking releases hormonal responses that can curb imbalances. • Actively decrease animal produce in your diet, especially if it has been hormone-treated. • Minimise the use of environmental, medicinal and dietary exposure to substances that affect the endocrine system, like some detergents, cosmetics, contraceptives and foods treated with hormone preparations. • Play the flushes down in your mind, calling them ‘warmings’ rather than flushes – the power of the mind is amazing. • Wear light cotton or no nightwear; use bedding that is easy to throw off; place a towel on your pillow at night; keep a thermos of ice-cold water at hand to sip from; and hold a small ice pack against your sternum when a flush strikes. • Stop smoking and decrease alcohol intake as both of these contribute to greater incidence of symptoms. • Relaxation therapies have been shown to decrease the severity and frequency of symptoms – such as yoga, meditation and breathing classes. Dimensions 30 eSensitive Midwifery Magazine Issue 43