There are many changes, both physical and psychological that take place during the period of menopause. While some of these changes are almost unnoticed, others are very dramatic and bothersome. Weight loss is one of the changes that has been reported by a large number of women approaching this period. The two main causes for this problem appears to be a reduction in general physical activity and reduced estrogen levels. Here is how to speed up metabolism during menopause.
The starting point is to try out the conservative options. It should be understood that the metabolic rate is controlled to a great extent by muscular muscle requirement which is in turn related to physical activity. More activity translates to more energy requirement and higher metabolism. Increase your daily activity gradually so that you have at least thirty minutes of intense workout for three days in a week.
Hormone replacement therapy helps to take care of very many other problems other than the disordered metabolism. Estrogen may be given in isolation but more commonly it is administered alongside other synthetic hormones so as to achieve a balance in the resultant effects. The duration of therapy varies from one individual to another depending on the initial symptom severity. Serial tests will routinely be performed by your doctor to determine whether the desired levels have been achieved.
Estrogen works mainly on two fronts; increasing the metabolic rate and influencing the distribution of fat. When the hormone is present in normal levels, fat is mainly deposited around the thighs, buttocks and hips. This is in contrast to situations in which the hormone is deficient in which case fat is mainly deposited around the anterior abdominal wall. The latter effect is undesirable for most women.
Proper weight control during the menopausal period has many benefits. For example, it helps reduce the risk of suffering non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The levels of cholesterol are lowered and this also reduces the risk of suffering from heart attack and stroke. Other diseases whose incidence has been shown to be greatly reduced include diverticular disease, kidney stones and colon cancer.
Adequate sleep is important. Contrary to popular opinion, being awake for long hours does not increase the metabolic rate. Enough sleep does. Studies indicate that there is about 5% reduction in the rate whenever a night of sleep is missed. Ensure that you sleep between seven and eight hours. A better rate of metabolism will improve your quality of sleep.
Different types of foods are broken down at different rates. Proper dietary habits include eating smaller frequent meals as opposed to large few meals. The frequent meals ensure that the breakdown mechanism remains active at all times. When the levels of glucose in blood reduce, a hormone known as cortisol is released from the brain. This hormone leads to muscle breakdown as an alternative source of glucose. The effect of all these activities is reduced muscle mass and metabolic rate.
As age catches up with us, many things happen to our bodies. Slowing down of metabolism is one of these changes. It is seen in a significant number of women in menopause. This effect is mainly attributed to reducing levels of estrogen hormone. Lifestyle changes are an important intervention that can be undertaken by affected persons. Hormone replacement therapy is another popularly used treatment.
The starting point is to try out the conservative options. It should be understood that the metabolic rate is controlled to a great extent by muscular muscle requirement which is in turn related to physical activity. More activity translates to more energy requirement and higher metabolism. Increase your daily activity gradually so that you have at least thirty minutes of intense workout for three days in a week.
Hormone replacement therapy helps to take care of very many other problems other than the disordered metabolism. Estrogen may be given in isolation but more commonly it is administered alongside other synthetic hormones so as to achieve a balance in the resultant effects. The duration of therapy varies from one individual to another depending on the initial symptom severity. Serial tests will routinely be performed by your doctor to determine whether the desired levels have been achieved.
Estrogen works mainly on two fronts; increasing the metabolic rate and influencing the distribution of fat. When the hormone is present in normal levels, fat is mainly deposited around the thighs, buttocks and hips. This is in contrast to situations in which the hormone is deficient in which case fat is mainly deposited around the anterior abdominal wall. The latter effect is undesirable for most women.
Proper weight control during the menopausal period has many benefits. For example, it helps reduce the risk of suffering non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The levels of cholesterol are lowered and this also reduces the risk of suffering from heart attack and stroke. Other diseases whose incidence has been shown to be greatly reduced include diverticular disease, kidney stones and colon cancer.
Adequate sleep is important. Contrary to popular opinion, being awake for long hours does not increase the metabolic rate. Enough sleep does. Studies indicate that there is about 5% reduction in the rate whenever a night of sleep is missed. Ensure that you sleep between seven and eight hours. A better rate of metabolism will improve your quality of sleep.
Different types of foods are broken down at different rates. Proper dietary habits include eating smaller frequent meals as opposed to large few meals. The frequent meals ensure that the breakdown mechanism remains active at all times. When the levels of glucose in blood reduce, a hormone known as cortisol is released from the brain. This hormone leads to muscle breakdown as an alternative source of glucose. The effect of all these activities is reduced muscle mass and metabolic rate.
As age catches up with us, many things happen to our bodies. Slowing down of metabolism is one of these changes. It is seen in a significant number of women in menopause. This effect is mainly attributed to reducing levels of estrogen hormone. Lifestyle changes are an important intervention that can be undertaken by affected persons. Hormone replacement therapy is another popularly used treatment.
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