Contrary to what you may think, menopause is not evil, it’s not the enemy, it’s simply a natural stage of life.
While we can’t stop or ‘cure’ menopause… we can reduce it’s side-effects.
It’s true. Many of us think that weight gain, dry skin, fatigue, depression, puffy face and a real inability to get rid of that extra weight… is all to be blamed on menopause. So what do most commonly do?
We try not to think about it. We don’t take any action because we think there’s nothing we can do about what appears to be the nasty symptoms of menopause, including the mid section weight gain.
Or maybe some of us will try to burn off that troublesome belly fat by…
- Treadmilling ourself into oblivion hoping that working out MORE is BETTER…
- Trying every new diet that comes along thinking “this is the one!” Only for any weight you lose to come ‘boomeranging’ back on weeks later…
- Or maybe even popping a few weight loss pills, that resulted in us feeling jittery, anxious and disappointed…
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
In fact, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by these five unusual tips that will reduce your symptoms and even help get rid of your ‘menopause belly’. I’m here to clear up some confusion. Keep reading…
5 Ways To Avoid That Dreaded Menopause Belly…
Tip #1:“Let’s Get A Physical…”
For starters, it’s easy to confuse your menopause woes with symptoms of other health related issues. Oddly enough, the real reason may well be that you’re suffering with an out-of-whack thyroid.
Hypothyroidism is actually the #1 reason for hormonal imbalance in women over 40.
So, my first piece of advice is this: Go see a physician and get yourself checked out. Ask your doctor to have tests to see the blood levels of the following:
- T3 and T4 hormones
- TSH
- And your thyroid gland antibodies (aTPO and aTG to test for Hashimoto’s)
These hormones are related to hypothyroidism and reviewing your test results will help you either rule out this disease or get treated for it.
Whatever your results, the following tips will help you manage and vastly improve the symptoms of menopause or hypothyroidism.
Tip #2: Include Fish Oil
Your thyroid gland is a bellwether for your health. Constantly assessing your body’s systems and ensuring everything runs smoothly.
That’s why it’s essential to support your thyroid, even if you don’t suffer from hypothyroidism.
After all, a healthy thyroid is crucial for the healthy metabolism you need to maintain a flat belly.
And there is solid evidence fish oil may increase thyroid hormone uptake – especially good news if you struggle with hypothyroidism. Fish oil also reduces inflammation, another symptom of hypothyroidism.
Recommended dosage of fish oil is 1 to 4 g. Or, if you don’t like taking pills, you can eat fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, or albacore tuna at least twice a week to attain the proper dosage.
Tip #3: Lower your stress levels
Easier said than done, right?
Yet, reducing your stress levels has untold benefits on your health. And all it takes is just 20 minutes a day.
20 minutes taking time for yourself… running a hot bath… meditating… just reading a book can put things into perspective and soothe away the damaging effects of high cortisol levels.
What’s cortisol? It’s a hormone that floods your body in times of stress. And it’s also known as the ‘belly fat hormone’ because it packs on weight around your middle as a survival mechanism.
Lower stress and you gradually decrease cortisol levels which helps to melt away belly fat.
Tip #4: Eliminate BPA Exposure
BPA, otherwise known as Bisphenol A, is an industrial chemical used to make plastics. In one study, 47% of women considered obese were found to have higher levels of BPA than women of normal weight.
BPA is an endocrine disruptor because of its structural similarity to sex hormones like estrogen, and this can affect your hormone’s natural function. BPA’s cause a myriad of health issues.
One cell culture study found that BPA increased both the number of fat cells, as well as the amount of fat the fat cells produced and clung on to.[1]
Bottom line? Make sure to reduce BPA exposure simply by using a BPA-free water bottle and other BPA free food containers.
Tip #5: Eat The Fat Away
Eat MORE Protein: It’s so much easier to avoid cramming your mouth full of fat-ballooning junk food when you’re not starving. Protein satiates and helps you avoid those energy crashes by moderating insulin levels.
Eat MORE Fat: Fat does NOT make you fat! Include delicious coconut oil to satiate you and give an energy boost. Reduce trans fats because they can cause inflammation.
Address NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES that interfere with thyroid function: Include magnesium, selenium and zinc rich foods in your diet. Examples include brazil nuts and oysters.
PLUS: Drink more water
Say NO to fruit juices and sodas. They flood your body with insulin and it’s impossible to lose weight in the presence of insulin.
TIP: Diet drinks are just as bad. The artificial sweeteners can wreak havoc in your body. Why? Not being natural substances, your body doesn’t know what to do with them and it triggers inflammation and bloating.(One of my clients lost 12 lbs simply by quitting diet sodas!)
There you have it, put these 5 tips to work and you can look forward to diminishing menopause symptoms day by day.
To speed up your results, you’ll want to integrate the RIGHT kind of exercise into your week. But don’t worry you don’t need to join a gym or buy a bunch of expensive equipment.
Discover more menopause hacks on the next page…