Health and Menopause
Why the hell do we gain weight at this time of our lives? If we are eating the same ? We are as active as we were before?
Well let me explain………
As we enter the Perimenopausal/Menopausal stages of our life, hormones start to fluctuate and our levels start to lower. This then means we start to store our fat differently. This is often around the abdomen instead of our hips. Which means we could find our shape changing from a pear shape figure to an apple.
Carrying this extra weight can mean we are at more risk of health problems including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So it’s important to take action.
I have gained weight completely across my belly which I know is the factors of fluctuating hormones.I also personally have had issues with digestion, mainly indigestion and heart burn. This is because the digestive system relies on hormone balance and if they’re busy changing levels then it can influence the delicate balance of the guts microbiome (millions of microorganisms) found in the gut supporting digestive and immune health. This can then cause other symptoms like……
Bloating-Wind-Constipation-Changes in bowl habits-Abdominal pain. So many of us gain weight during this time.
The declining levels of circulating Estrogen during perinmenopause, can cause rapid changes in the body metabolism, fat distribution and insulin resistance.
Did you know that we produce different types of Estrogen and Estradiol which is the most primary and most powerful form of Estrogen and plays an important role in regulating metabolism and weight.
Estrogen interacts with other hormones that also control the metabolism like the following ………
Leptin-Which helps regulate energy production by inhibiting hunger overlapping roles with Estrogen in the brain. They both influence appetite and fat formation. Which is why declining estrogen can effect how hungry we are and how much we eat and as mentioned earlier can change the locations of where the fat is stored.
Another hormone - Cortisol which is produced by the adrenal gland is involved in the bodies stress response. When Estrogen levels fall Cortisol levels rise raising the blood pressure and blood sugar this then slows down the release of stomach acid and the movement of the digested food in the small intestine which then results in issues like bloating, wind and constipation.
Insulin- this hormone controls blood sugar and glucose. Insulin enables the body to use the sugars from food that we eat rather than let large amounts get into the bloodstream. So Estrogen’s beneficial and essential function is optimising the action of insulin.
Weight gain is also linked to lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise, diet and sleep. Our bodies need less energy than when we were young or pregnant but as I said right at the beginning we eat the same diet! so this is something that we could look at changing. Smaller portions, and making sure your eating healthily.
Our joints become less flexible so we may find ourselves not moving as well of less. This then means we again use less energy. Life pressures also add to the issue, stress, financial pressures plus worrying about all of our symptoms. That’s a lot to think about.
