The loud and public discussion of menopause over the past few years has been nothing short of a revolution in women’s healthcare. But with so much coverage in books, podcasts and on social media, it’s easy to forget that not too long ago, few people talked openly about hot flushes or brain fog – unless it was to poke fun at them. Women would silently despair as a familiar word eluded them and would head to the office toilets to cool down, anxious not to be seen as “past it” by colleagues.
Menopause is still an area that’s underfunded and under-researched but at least it’s no longer taboo, and we are getting rid of attitudes that distanced women from the knowledge they needed to access support.
Lisa, from Glasgow, started experiencing signs and symptoms in her late 40s, and found herself increasingly anxious about her hot flushes, which would strike randomly, often during meetings at work. “I felt as though everyone could tell that I was sweating down the back of my shirt,” she says.
But it was actually changes in her skin – caused by declining levels of oestrogen and collagen – that prompted her to seek help. “I was so self-conscious all the time,” she says. “Particularly as it seemed to me as if my skin had aged a decade in the space of a year.”
In search of advice, Lisa headed to her local Boots, where in-store beauty advisers introduced her to the No7 Menopause Skincare range. The Instant Radiance Serum contains nourishing lipids and ceramides, as well as hydrating hyaluronic acid to brighten up dull skin. The advisers also showed her other menopause-friendly products and, says Lisa, the No7 Instant Cooling Mist has been a handbag staple ever since.
No7 Menopause Skincare Protect & Hydrate Day Cream with SPF 30 hydrates dry skin all day long. Co-created with over 7,000 menopausal women, and dermatologist approved for menopausal skin.
The tips she was given on how lifestyle changes can help improve menopause signs and symptoms prompted her to take action to support her physical and mental wellbeing. Lisa, now 56, says: “I actually feel more confident than ever. It might sound like a midlife cliche but I’ve taken up wild swimming and it makes me feel great. I don’t really care what anyone else thinks any more.”
For some women, menopause can arrive earlier, making signs and symptoms more distressing because they’re so unexpected. Laura, from Woking, was 41 when breast cancer treatment pushed her body into early menopause. “Honestly, I was too young to be worrying about things like bone density and vaginal dryness,” she says, “particularly on top of everything I was dealing with around my treatment.”
Three years on and cancer-free, she has found ways that work for her when it comes to dealing with menopausal signs and symptoms. “My pharmacist talked me through what supplements would support my bone health, and emphasised the role of good nutrition and exercise.” The advice complemented the medical guidance Laura received from her care team, which she found reassuring during a very destabilising time.
For women everywhere, it’s empowering to have easy access to more information as it lets them know it’s not selfish to expect a good life during perimenopause, menopause and beyond: you are entitled to strong bones, a healthy libido and a calm mind.
At the age of 48, Kelly, from Manchester, started recognising perimenopausal symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, and poor memory and concentration (brain fog). “I’m so grateful for the open conversation around perimenopause these days,” she says. “I don’t think my mother’s generation would have had any idea that the years leading up to menopause can be so disruptive – and that you don’t have to suffer in silence because there is a lot that you can do about it.”
The Boots Menopause & Me range of supplements includes products for the years before periods stop, such as Perimenopause Complex tablets containing 16 multivitamins, minerals and botanicals, among them B6, which regulates hormonal activity. The tablets provide nutritional support for wellbeing during perimenopause. But supplements are just one part of taking care of your health, because your lifestyle can have an impact too.
Karen Newby is a menopause nutritionist and the author of The Natural Menopause Method. She says that a good starting point is to follow these tips:
Get enough quality sleep, and limit caffeine and alcohol if you find they exacerbate your symptoms.
Eat a healthy diet that includes a wide variety of different coloured plant foods, since a range of polyphenols and types of fibre will keep your gut microbiome happy.
Move your body every day, ideally incorporating some kind of strength or resistance training three times a week, to help keep those bones strong.
Remember to speak to your GP before starting any new forms of exercise if you have an existing medical condition or have not exercised in a while. Once you’ve identified the things that make you feel good at this stage of life, it can be the start of a brilliant new chapter. In China, menopause is known as the second spring. It’s seen as a new beginning, where women are free from the pain and disruption of periods and childbirth. They have more confidence, wisdom and experience – and are respected for that.
So never feel that these signs and symptoms are something that you just have to live with, as part and parcel of getting older. There are tools out there to help you through it. If you need them, make sure you’re using them.
Whether you’re looking for products to ease specific signs and symptoms or for advice, Boots can help. Find out more at Boots Health Hub or head in-store to speak to one of its pharmacists
