Hitting our forties can make us feel a lot of things…
I remember shedding a few tears when I hit that milestone 40th birthday.
It felt scary entering a new decade, one in which I would be considered middle-aged…
But all was quickly forgotten once my friends arrived for a night of cocktails and dancing… I was still young after all.
The next day I didn’t feel it though…
If you are in your early forties, you may be starting to look back over your 20s and 30s wondering how life is going by so quickly… And although you may suddenly feel older, you don’t necessarily feel wiser…
You may have started to notice that your skin is changing, with some fine lines and wrinkles starting to appear, and a few (or more) grey hairs.
Your kids may still be in primary school, preschool or nursery and you may be running around every day getting them to school on time, swimming lessons, ballet, karate, gymnastics or whatever their thing maybe
Those years can all be a bit tiring and a bit of a blur… and the saving grace could be opening that bottle of wine as soon as the kids have gone to bed or you get in from work.
But whilst I hate to be the party pooper… What you may not be thinking about is menopause
Although, it is likely that your hormones are starting to change and perimenopause could be just around the corner
You probably aren’t thinking about your long-term health and your risk of disease either
But now IS the time to put the foundations in place to make your journey through menopause smoother
Here are 3 Actionable Ways you could Support your Health and Hormones now
- Take a good look at your diet – keeping a food diary for a week or so is a good way to do this. This can help you to identify where you could make some positive changes to what you eat and drink. Small incremental changes can add up to big health benefits. What stands out for you in terms of what you eat and when you eat (and drink…)? Do you eat a good balance of proteins, healthy fats and fibre at each meal? Do you drink enough water? You can find out more about this in my free meal planner here
- How much sleep are you getting? Do you get morning light? Burning the candle at both ends can affect your hormones and your food choices. Read more about how to manage your sleep here
- How are you moving your body and maintaining your muscle mass? Muscle mass starts to decline around age 35 and will continue to do so with age and menopause. Regular exercise, even as little as 10 minutes a day of resistance training or HIIT could help to maintain your muscle mass and manage your health and hormones in perimenopause
Want to know what to eat during perimenopause? Get my meal plan and food guide for women over forty here
