Episode 7 - Hot Flashes, Heart Health & Sleep

In this episode, we explore some of the most common menopause symptoms—hot flashes, heart rhythm disorders, night sweats, and sleep disturbances. 
Learn about the science behind these symptoms and how fluctuating estrogen levels impact the body. 
I’ll also share natural remedies, lifestyle tips, and nutritional advice to help manage discomfort and support heart health and better sleep. Whether you're in perimenopause, postmenopause, or just curious, this episode is packed with helpful insights for navigating this transition. Tune in for expert tips on feeling balanced and healthy during menopause!

LINKS:
https://diealte.de/
https://www.annkatrinpause.de/
https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/
https://www.drvondawright.com/

Muscle Relaxation:
https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/-/media/CCI/Mental-Health-Professionals/Panic/Panic---Information-Sheets/Panic-Information-Sheet---05---Progressive-Muscle-Relaxation.pdf

Supplements:
https://xbyx.de/products/phyto-power
https://www.sunday.de/meno-balance-kapseln.html
https://www.crataegutt.de/

Mouth Wash:
https://www.tepe.com/de/produkte/mundspuelung/ohne-geschmacksstoffe

Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to today's episode. I'm Daria, and today we'll continue talking about one of the most important topics in that affect women at a very personal level, menopause. It's a journey all women face and yet it still often goes undiscussed. With that a big thank you to all those wonderful people who dedicate their time and energy to this topic and share their knowledge and support.

I will add various links of brands and or people whom I trust in my show notes. Today, we're tackling some of the most common challenges women face during this transition. [00:01:00] So hot flashes. heart rhythm disorders, night sweats, and sleep disturbances. As many women in post menopause still have to deal with these symptoms, I don't want you to just take it all from me.

I have a very special guest with me today, my mother. She's 78 years old and well into post menopause, yet still experiencing some of these symptoms. I can't wait for you to hear her unique perspective and personal journey through menopause. So whether you're just entering perimenopause or you're curious about what lies ahead, stay tuned because we've got some powerful insights and practical advice for you today.

Mom, thank you so much for being here. You've always been my role model, and I know your listeners are going to learn so much from your experiences. How are you feeling today? Hey Daria, thank you for inviting me today to this exciting interview about menopause. I'm so glad you're here. [00:02:00] Yeah, me too.

Actually, I have chills since a few days. Oh, that's not nice. Because of my parathyroid adenoma is acting up again. Oh, wow. What is that? That's the small thyroid wrapped around the big thyroid. Okay, and how long have you had that? Actually, I inherited it from my mom. Okay, so it's something you're, you're, um, used to, you're adapted to.

Yeah. Okay, but how are you feeling today? Actually, I feel very good, little cold, but I can put on an extra sweater. I feel uplifted because I have a positive outlook on life. And my cup is always half full instead of half empty. Yes. I love that. Your glass is always half full. This is something I always clearly remembered as a child.

Um, your positive [00:03:00] energy, which you still have. So I know it's not always easy, but it's important. Uh, before we continue, of course, I call my mom, mom, but for you listeners, her name is Hannah in case you're interested. So I'm really thrilled to have you here. And like I just said, you've been through the transition for quite some time now, and I'm sure your story will resonate with a lot of our listeners.

But let's start from the beginning. How and when did you first enter menopause? Okay, I had my hysterectomy. in 1991. I was 45 years old, which was 33 years ago, and everything was removed. The uterus and the ovaries. Okay. Because the doctors told me it is better to do so to prevent cancer like breast cancer and such.

Okay. And I was fully convinced that That he's [00:04:00] doing the right thing, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I never wore it. I mean, in a way, it's 33 years ago. And for you listeners out there, this is something that, if you ever, um, um, are in the need of a hysterectomy, and you are like, I was also 45 when I had mine done, but my ovaries are still intact, is to make sure you get a second opinion if your doctors recommend having them removed at a young age.

Um, then when you had it done, it was, it was typical because they thought, okay, to have everything removed, like you said, to prevent, um, prevent cancers. But it's really important because actually when you had that done from the one day to the next, you came right into menopause. How was that for you? Yeah.

Yeah. But, uh, the doctor recommended that I take estrogens. Okay. And so, I never felt such a strict [00:05:00] difference. Okay. They had different methods, like a little plaster on your leg or buttocks or a gel. But I never took any oral estrogens.

You say that you never really had any, any issues. You felt okay with it. Do you remember if your estrogen was synthetic or was it already bio identical? I think it was synthetic. Okay. But I did a lot of sports at that time. My breast increased. Okay, yeah. So the, uh, hormones. Uh, but that was, uh, Otherwise I carried on like before.

Okay, and you look fantastic. So they did something right? Thank you. I do also want to add Um something about the synthetic hormones because if you remember a couple episodes ago where we talked about synthetic [00:06:00] hormones bioidentical hormones and also supplements I did refer to bioidentical hormones as my favorite way of working and then of course, um supplements You But I also did mention that synthetic is in some cases very necessary depending on what kind of symptoms you have.

And 33 years ago, that was the way to go. And it can still be for some women because if you remember the study I talked about, um, the women's health, um, initiative where women were given estrogens, it turned out later that these women were obese. Almost all of them, much too old, already had issues with high cholesterol, obesity, and also heart issues.

Of course, that was not good to give them estradiol because these symptoms then actually were increased. But you mom, you were very young. You were very healthy, so you didn't have any of these symptoms, you still don't, thank God. So giving you synthetic estrogens, um, was, [00:07:00] was then the right thing.

Bioidentical would have probably been good as well, but it didn't harm you because you were a very healthy young woman. So I think this is really important also to mention. So before we continue, I do have one important question as well, I think the listeners will be interested. When you had your hysterectomy done, was your cervix removed?

No, fortunately not. Very good. I love that you say fortunately. This is also something for you lovely women listening. If this is something you are considering, a hysterectomy, like I said, make sure that, um, if a oophterectomy, so if your ovaries should be removed as well to get a second opinion, unless, of course, they are ill.

This is something different, but in my mom's case and in my case, they were both healthy and also make sure that the surgeon explains the importance of your cervix. So this is, um, the opening or the end part of your uterus, which is very, very tight and closes this whole section. And if this is removed, then your bladder [00:08:00] can, um, be lowered and this can cause incontinence later in life.

So make sure, and usually the cervix, unless it's. Well, we have some unfortunate issues where there already is cancer where it has to be removed. But if you're a healthy woman, make sure that the surgeon explains to you if it has to be removed, why, and then also get a second opinion. Okay. So good, good. In your case, in my case, it was also not removed and this is what was explained to me.

Um, yeah. So speaking of pelvic strength, I mean you have your cervix, so do I, but it's still really important for us women to do something for our pelvic strength. What do you do? What kind of exercises do you do? Okay, before I go to bed and in the morning before I get up, I do some muscular contractions for the whole body.

Okay. Arms, hands. The cervix. The face, the feet. Okay, so it's more like a, [00:09:00] it's called isometric, so you don't do like a active bicep curl, so you just tense your whole. Yeah. Okay, good. And then let go, and then do again, and that, I think that helps also, especially for the cervix. And how do you, when you, when you, how do you do it with your cervix?

Can you explain? How, do you lay down on the floor, or do you do it standing? Actually, I'm still in bed. Okay. Just laying there. But you really strengths. Strengthen your muscles, contract your muscles as strong, as much as you can. Okay. And this is very interesting, especially since you said, you know, you tighten them and then you relax and tighten.

This is also a very, very good method of relaxation. It's called Progressive Muscle Relaxation by Jacobson. So after the contraction, your muscle has, gets the, um, reaction to, or the response to relax. So this is also something, if anybody's dealing with stress, also very good. Okay. Methods to relax. [00:10:00] Okay, good.

And how how often do you do that? So you do that every day? Actually every day. Wow. Yeah, good. Yeah. Okay. It's a it has become a routine. Yeah for me And I think especially at an older age routines are important because You might forget I didn't do this but If you do it regularly, it becomes part of your day.

And then if you don't do it, you will miss it, right? Yeah, yeah. Okay, cool. Thank you so much for this great tip. And with that, let's dig into the symptoms. And I'd like to start with the first symptom of today, hot flashes. As many women know all too well, hot flashes are often one of the first signs of menopause.

For some, it feels like being suddenly tossed into a furnace, while others describe it as a creeping warmth that leaves them flushed and uncomfortable. It's not just the heat, though. It can [00:11:00] come with a racing heart, And the sweat that follows often leaves you drained, and obviously completely drenched in sweat.

Mom, I know we have dinner a lot together, and it's often during dinner you suddenly mention you're feeling hot. Can you share with our listeners how you still personally experience those hot flashes? Well, while I took the hormones, I basically didn't have any hot flashes, plus I worked out a lot, went to the sauna regularly.

Which you still do, right? Which I still do, but I sized it down. Of course. Not every day. You're not 45 anymore. Yeah, exactly. And I took the estrogens till I was 70. Okay. Okay. And for quite a long time. Wow, that's 25 years. Yeah, and I thought that's enough. And I [00:12:00] occasionally have hot flashes. But mild, a mild version.

But I also have chills. Which is normal, and I'll get to that in a minute, um, that the chills are, of course, the other regulation because your body needs to cool down. Yeah. This is something I'll explain in a minute, but I want to get back to you taking estrogen for 25 years. And you said you noticed it was enough.

What did you notice? Why did you stop? Um, well, I didn't feel bad. But I, I just thought I'm old enough now. Okay, so it was more of a, a mental, you thought, okay, with 70, I'm going to stop taking, and how did you stop? Did you stop from one day to the next, or did you? No, I, uh, sized it down. Like you say in German, ausschleichen, if you take a [00:13:00] medication.

Like, first every other day, then every third day, then you didn't decrease, you didn't decrease the dose, you actually, um, just skipped days? Yes, yes. And then you just, you know, saw how your body responded and then? Yeah, but it was a easy process. It wasn't anything like, wow, now, it's. And if you recall, that's eight years ago.

Do you recall that, is that when, when your hot flashes, I mean, they're mild, I mean, I'm happy with you. Is that when they started? But, yeah. Very rare. They're rare, that's true. It's usually when you eat them. Not every day or so. And it often depends on the diet, too. Yeah. That's true. What I eat. That's true.

That's true. And like I mentioned before, I'm flexi vegan, but more vegan than flexi. Yeah. Meat is not often on the [00:14:00] menu, and occasionally fish. A meat, uh, rather, maybe a chicken, and, uh, no red meat whatsoever, but if I overdo it, then I feel it. Okay, this is very interesting, because we'll be getting to that as well, about your diet.

Yeah. Okay, thank you. So you just mentioned those chills after each hot flash. And I'm going to try to explain how that works during menopause. Um, our estrogen then eventually starts dropping, and this is interpreted by the temperature center in your brain as an overheating. So anything that happens in our body that is not, I would say per se, normal or regular, the body will respond with stress.

And in this case, this is increases the release of the stress hormone adrenaline. And with that, a dysregulation, um, via the neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are our messengers that [00:15:00] send the information from one cell to the next. And here the dysregulation happens between noradrenaline. serotonin and the nervous system.

So the consequences then of course due to stress are a rapid heartbeat because you know, that's that fight or flight, something's going on and the dilation of the smallest blood vessels in the upper layers of the skin. Also a stress reaction. You know, when you are in a stressy situation, you start sweating.

Um, and with that the skin reddens and the temperature rises. To counter regulate this, the pores of the skin open up to release the sweat to cool down, and then, um, depending how, uh, severe the hot flash is, of course, you'll be sweating more and longer, and then, once that body releases the sweat, It actually achieves the result at once.

It cools down and then you start shivering, especially if you're in bed at night and you're relaxed. And this can cause those, um, not so [00:16:00] nice, not so, um, comfortable night sweats. Okay. We talked about sports sauna diet. Um, what's also very important to ease hot flash symptoms is of course, um, hydration. And here in this Um, since you are, and you always were my superhero, because I know so many women, not even your age, even younger, who hardly drink, drink anything, mostly afraid to not find a toilet quick enough when they're out of the house.

So tell me, I know no matter where we go, you always have a bottle of water with you and you don't just carry it. You actually drink from it. How do you manage that when you're, because you are, you know, you're out and about a lot. How do you, how do you do that? Okay, actually I start out with water, lemon, and ginger, and tea, and when I go somewhere like a physical therapy, I visit the toilet when I [00:17:00] get there, and when I leave.

Okay. And I also, this is a secret, I carry a panty in my purse and some extra panty shields just in case. Just in case. Yeah. So you're, which is really good, so you make sure that whenever you go somewhere, you Even if you don't really have the urge to go to the bathroom, you still go. Yeah. Okay, to be on the safe side.

Preventive measure. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And how much do you drink a day? Do you know, a roundabout? Oh, I actually don't measure. But I also drink a lot of tea. Mm hmm. And water, and also juices. Homemade apple and berry juices. So you don't buy the, you don't drink the store bought, you make your own.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. But, uh, uh, and I'd like to drink some alcohol free wine. Mm hmm. [00:18:00] At night. And, that's I do very well with it, I think. And it's also interesting, alcohol free wine has obviously hardly, well hardly any alcohol to no alcohol. It'll, it'll explain it on the bottle. Um, it has less sugar than real wine, which is interesting.

Okay. Good. So, um, and I think that's one of the reasons why, um, you still have, yeah, fantastic skin. I mean, you don't look 78. That's a lot to do with your hydration. Yeah. Yeah, but, um, during the day there is no sugar added to anything, not to tea. Well, the juices. might have some fruit sugar. Well, that's normal, they would have fruit sugar.

But I like to add some water anyway. I mean, but if you, for example, um, if you, um, make your own juice out of berries, berries are actually not a fruit, they're a nut. Yeah. And that sugar is, yeah, not [00:19:00] as unhealthy as other sugars. And to eliminate sugar completely is not our goal, right? We still need to have a little bit of energy, especially when you do a lot of sports.

Just don't overdo it. Okay, great. Those are really good tips again. Thank you so much. Because hydration is so crucial, really, at any age. So try the following things to relieve hot flashes. First of all, hydrate, as we just said, always and a lot. At least one and a half to two liters. More when you do sports.

Speaking of sports, move your body and get sweaty. Plus sauna and alternating showers are a really good way to practice that temperature difference. Because with this your body will learn to deal with temperature changes and the hot flashes actually can decrease. Also, like you just heard my mom say, she can put on a sweater.

So dress in layers so you can easily remove layers or put layers back on. And I always say, communicate this to [00:20:00] people. Don't feel ashamed if you're somewhere and you feel, you know, flushed with heat to open up a window or ask to not even ask, but leave the room and things like that, because this is something we need to start communicating.

so we don't have to stick into a room and feel uncomfortable, um, just because we might be stepping on somebody else's toes. We often hear about the importance of heart health as we get older, but did you know that menopause can directly affect your heart? Before menopause, estrogen gives us some level of protection against cardiovascular issues.

But once estrogen levels start to drop, that shield begins to weaken. And this is actually the phase in our life, where we statistically actually have more heart attacks than men do because men usually are more prone to heart attacks. But here we kind of level up with them and sometimes even overtake them.

And this has to do with our estrogen. Now the [00:21:00] sneaky part is, and I always mention this, that heart health symptoms start silently. I know some of you out there might think, oh, I'm fine. But it's really important to stay vigilant. Get those checkups regularly. Mom, have you noticed any changes in your heart health or energy levels since menopause?

I know you've always been active, but has anything shifted for you? Well, let me think. Actually, I, we have to slow down when we're past 70, obviously. Um, We still like to work in the garden, ride the bicycle, fit to our abilities, work out sauna, but I feel it if I overdo it. Mm-Hmm. . If I try to do too much in a day, then the next day I feel old.

[00:22:00] Yeah, yeah, yeah, and that's not only happens your age This is also for you along young listeners. If you overdo it in sports, you don't get that recuperation I talked about last time it'll cause stress in your body and the stress will respond with cortisol and this again We'll bring all your other hormones into haywire So it's really important to relax and make sure that you listen to your body.

Okay, interesting um Is there anything that, um, How, other, let me put it differently. How do you, how do you notice that you've overdone it? Do you feel tired, or you say you feel old? Yeah, tired. And fatigue. Mm hmm. Anything sore? Yeah, yeah. The muscles, uh, Like, sometimes the leg hurts. Sometimes the shoulder.

Sometimes the neck. Like, um, But I'm in therapy and I [00:23:00] think you shouldn't give up just because it aches here occasionally. That's a mistake because you need to have your muscle strength even at an advanced age. And that's very important for your well being. And you just have to, like you said, Relax, take a break, and then try again.

And then try again. And it's interesting you speak of muscles because, um, one muscle really never gets a break, and that's our heart. That's also a muscle. It contracts and releases. Um, is there anything you ever notice when you overdo it? Like, do you have any heart palpitations, or do you feel like, you know, skipping a beat?

Is there something you've ever dealt with? Um, very seldom. my, when I check my pulse, it's elevated or the heart skips, but [00:24:00] that's very, very rare, but it could happen after overdoing it, and my blood pressure is pretty good, and my cholesterol and such, I have lowered. The HDL is very high in my body. Okay, remember listeners, I've said this a couple of times before, HDL is the good guy, the high density lipid.

And the low density was actually elevated, but since I changed my diet and I eat 8 hours on and take a break of 16 hours. Ah, so we're getting into that interval fasting. Okay. That really has helped. And also I lost a few kilos, which is not bad. [00:25:00] I'm not a person that's obese, but It's good. Yeah, just to Yeah.

Okay. Yeah, we talked about that interval fasting as well. So it's not for everybody, but, um, you seem to get along with it quite well. Your body can relax and also recuperate in the time where you don't eat. Okay. Um, I know, you know, you're still living with dad. How is that with you, the two of you? Does he also work out with you?

And I mean, I know the answer, but our listeners don't, our listeners don't, but how is the diet for him and how does he deal with all, all this stuff? Yeah, he sometimes likes to get off the track because Reagan, for a man, he sometimes feels you need something. More stronger. But generally we eat the same together.

We do the exercise together. We [00:26:00] do the biking together. The traveling. Everything together. And I think that strong bond over 55 years is also very important. Yeah. If you have a good relationship, I mean everybody sometimes gets upset over something little and you say, but if you overcome that and in the evening you're lovey dovey.

I think that's also a very important And you're right, um, because there's also a hormone that gets released when you talk about lovey dovey. That can be with your partner, that can be, uh, it actually is increased when women have a baby, when they hold the baby for the first time. For those people living alone, please get a pet.

This is also, this hormone is called oxytocine. Yeah. [00:27:00] And this is released when you, um, when you fall in love, when somebody touches you, when somebody gives you a hug. And this is actually very, very good for your heart. So it's really important that you have that daily. Okay, good. So I think that's good when you share those, um, share those things together.

Thank you. You're welcome You obviously have a very positive side effect. I can imagine, you know, you spoke of taking estrogens for 25 years That you have a very healthy heart I mean, we won't know because we can't turn back the time and you're not taking them for 25 years But this could definitely be one of the reasons why that is, um, especially after your artificial menopause that you took that, um, we spot spoke about, um, oxy.

Toine. We spoke about relaxing. Um, that would be our, actually our next topic. 'cause the best way to relax is sleep. Really, really important. Um, and that's one of the symptoms also linked to [00:28:00] menopause is sleep disruption. It's often caused by nice night sweats. But also, um, different reasons and night sweats are essentially hot flashes that occur during sleep.

So at night, making it really difficult for you to stay comfortable and well rested because you wake up drenched in sweat. Then you start freezing. A lot of women sweat so strongly that they have to take a shower. And, um, another disturbance can also be due to a hormone called melatonin because it's also proven that, um, the reduction or a natural reduction of melatonin, um, occurs as we age.

And this hormone is responsible for our sleep wake cycle. And like I said, the production drops, and this will result in fewer deep sleep phases, more frequent waking, or in general, less restorative sleep overall. And as we learned in the last [00:29:00] episode, prolonged or chronic stress can actually increase sleep disruption.

And sleep disruption, obviously, on the other hand, can, you know, lead to stress. So it's that very vicious cycle. And, uh, speaking of, um, sleep, Sorry, of chronic stress, the antagonist is cortisol. So if you're in stress and cortisol increases, then you will have a decrease in melatonin and otherwise. And I think this is something I want to share before I continue asking you questions.

Mom, I also learned this recently. I found this very interesting. Is that some, so if you wake up at night and you feel, Oh, Uh, really drowsy and then you fall back asleep or you, you know, you're actually very comfortable. I mean, you're probably Mad because you can't sleep but uncomfortable that really means that you have a melatonin Deficiency, but if you wake up at night in shock heart [00:30:00] palpitations really Gasping for breath that actually means that it's not your melatonin.

It means you have a low cortisol So your body is actually struggling to survive So for you listeners, if you're taking melatonin and you are not getting that sleep, please have that checked because it might be that your cortisol levels are too low. So, I think that's really important. But, um, coming back to you mom, is this something you have to deal with?

Do you have any problems at night with night sweats or waking up at night? Give us a little bit of overview how you deal with, if you have it, how you deal with it. Very seldom. I, uh, feel a little hot, maybe in summer. But I never excessive sweat. Okay, so it's more like a little bit of a But do you wake up because of that or is it Yeah, yeah.

You wake up and notice that you're hot. And I change, uh, like in summer I wear a t shirt and And then you change that panties and I change that. Mm-Hmm. . And I'm good to go. Uh, but [00:31:00] I've noticed I must sleep with my mouth open and even snore because at the old age, everything loosens up like everywhere.

Mm-Hmm. . And sometimes I, I have the sensation of a dry mouse. Mm-Hmm. . But I al already couldn't. I consulted my ENT about this issue and he gave me a recommendation to a, uh, Pulmonologist. Okay, so it's somebody that checks your lungs. But I have to wait till next year to see him. Okay. But I have a different tip for you, Mom, because, um, first of all, you listeners, ENT is ears, nose, throat doctor, and the pulmonologist is somebody that will check your lungs and everything to make sure that, um, you're, you know, you're not stopping, because an apnea can also mean that you stop breathing at night.

Yeah. But did you know that, I mean, [00:32:00] I think I spoke about this in the episode three. I don't really recall, but, um, we have problems with vaginal dryness. Your eyes can get dry. So can your mouth. And this is really, really important for you listeners. So you have the feeling that cause it's really important that we have enough saliva to protect our teeth and also things like you say that we have a good sleep, that actually there's enough fluid there.

So this is my, something you might also want to talk to your dentist about because there are some things like a, Mouthwash that, um, like with the cream on your skin that actually, um, reinforce, um, a good, I would say a dental hygiene, a good dental flora, so you have that, um, um, Okay, I will do that. In fact, we both have a teeth cleaning appointment next month.

Good. And I can address that. Address that. And make a note of it. Because this is something, like you said, of course we start snoring because everything relaxes more, we're getting older, we don't have that muscle, [00:33:00] um, tenseness. In a way it's a good sign, that means you are actually relaxing at night, but that dryness can come from, um, also old age, and it can also happen with men as well, because as we've learned men also have estrogen, progesterone, and of course testosterone, if there's something in unbalance.

But for us women it's very typical. And this is where we talked about estradiol. This is where estriol comes in place, because that's that moisture binding hormone that you could Okay, okay. And that's something that the dentist will be able to tell you because there's a special mouthwash you can use. Oh, okay.

But I also would like some advice from you, Daria, on that issue. And I also It's a tip. It's a tip. for the elderly. We never could imagine to sleep separate, but when you start snoring or you want to still read a book or [00:34:00] something, it might be a good idea to have separate bedrooms. Totally. And I think that's important that both want it.

So it's not one partner doesn't feel upset. And it's also not only, I mean, you're not dead yet. You're still, um, an active person. And we don't want to go into this topic now because it will be a topic in a different episode, but it's also, um, then for younger people, um, to have a separate bedrooms because, um, you can increase your libido.

Because often we associate going to bed to sleep and that can also be, you know, decrease libido. So if you have that space where you actually sleep and try to experience having sex somewhere else, that can also, um, create, um, more libido. Fun and also increase libido. So that's also a good point. And I think it's it's good and you probably sleep better now, right?

Yeah, and I always like to read a little bit often. I fall [00:35:00] asleep on it and Mentioning melatonin. I don't take it every night. I Occasionally when I really need it because most the time I have no pain And when you take it, um, when do you notice it? So how long, how many minutes do you, do you look on, do you ever check that?

Uh, yeah, I think it's, it says half an hour, but I don't take that long. Okay. Yeah, probably because you don't take it all the time. Also for your listeners, so melatonin depends. Like everything remember your fingerprint. It's individual melatonin can Have an effect from 30 to 120 minutes So it can kick in after 30 minutes and for some of you when you notice that that it might take longer than you can Adjust when you take it before you go to bed Yeah, and you're probably since you don't take it that often it probably kicks in earlier.

Yeah the effect. Okay Yeah. But I like [00:36:00] that, that you don't just, you know, randomly take things. You kind of listen to your body and then you decide. Exactly. Good. Yeah. Okay. Fantastic. Um, yeah, speaking of all these issues we've talked about, I think it's really, really important and I cannot repeat this often enough.

If you feel you have symptoms you can't deal with that are causing issues, please get the support you need. And if you're not getting the support, keep searching. There is somebody out there that will listen and will help you. And also what I always share is track your symptoms. Um, write them down for yourself.

This is a beautiful example, mom. Like you said, I mean, if you don't take melatonin all the time, you take it when you need it because you know your body. So get to know your body. Really realize what's going on. And what we notice now is communicate because you didn't know that with your dry mouth. This is another tip.

Exactly. [00:37:00] Communication has always been an issue. throughout my life, asking other people, Hey, how did you deal with this? How would you do that? And it has helped me many times. But, um, this is, since we're already talking about communication, this is something I remember you sharing with me. And I think, um, it's not really, well, it could still be an issue for some women, depending on where you live and how you are brought up.

But I think for your, for your time in life, it was probably quite typical. Can you give us a little bit of a insight of how, or how you started your period and how that was for you? Yeah, in fact, I started very early. and I was born in 46 and I was 10 years old. Oh, that is early. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And I had no idea.

Mm-Hmm. . Then you were not educated about the [00:38:00] issue. And I was in school and I went to the toilet and it happened and I was shocked. Mm-Hmm. . I thought I'm seriously ill. Mm-Hmm. . I ran up to. to the classroom, told my teacher I have to go home immediately because I'm very ill, and I came home to my mother and she said this will happen now every month, but she took time to go for a walk with me.

She tried to explain, but for her generation it was very hard, difficult to open up to. And she took me to the doctor because I also developed migraine headaches. At ten? Yeah. Yeah. With the period. Wow. And very strong ones. With [00:39:00] nauseation, with aura, where I couldn't see on one eye. And often I went home from school because I just couldn't function anymore.

And had to lay down in dark for No noise and everything. And that was really hard. But I learned to cope with it. And I went on. I was a very active child, climbing trees, riding my bike, skiing, skating, all that. And I continued and I just lived, lived with it. And I think I did pretty good. Yes, you did. And I know it's not easy for you listeners because I know there are a lot of listeners that have symptoms and, um, are struggling to cope with it is, of course, you have a very positive mindset and to tell somebody just, you know, cope with it is not easy.

But you were very fortunate that you grew up, you've always had that positive mindset. And I think that [00:40:00] probably helped you a lot. But when did your migraines stop? Actually, They, well, they didn't stop with the hysterectomy. Actually, they stopped around 70. And very, very seldom, I don't know what upsets it, I still have one.

But very mild, and very rare. But if I recall, I was already at a, age when they stopped. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. And listeners will be going into that topic in a different episode. So this is just something I wanted to share with you because I think it's mom. I think for you now, you know your experience a lot you listen a lot.

You talk about this a lot. Is this something you regret you didn't have at your age that you know, People are starting to open up about menopause, about women's sexuality, or is it, are you just thankful that [00:41:00] it's happening for the younger generations? I, I'm very thankful. Like, my granddaughter, she was well educated.

She started at 11. Like me, yeah. Yeah. And she knew everything and I, it happened actually while she visited us. I remember I was there that night. Yeah. Right. And she came up and she said, and we talked about it before and I said, soon you'll be a young lady and all that. And then she came to me and she said, Germa, do you have something?

Yeah. And I always have panty shields in my bathroom. And, uh, it was very a comfortable feeling to see. that she went with ease. Yeah, yeah. To experience that. But I don't regret, actually I don't regret anything I did or happened to me [00:42:00] before. That was life. That's part of life and it was the generation They weren't ready yet.

Yeah, yeah. They just couldn't help it. The generation before them was even Was even More Yeah. That's true. And I think it's just a matter of, you know, um, communication, uh, social media where these things are, you know, I was also 11, um, and I was also prepared, you had me prepared and I was actually, I was excited when it happened.

I wasn't scared at all. It was like, yay, it's finally here. I mean, it later, it came a little bit of a problem, but at the time I was, yeah, I remember that. And, uh, That's how it should be. Yeah. But through the years, it developed and people are more open on issues which they weren't before. Yeah. And women just Had to [00:43:00] go through Unfortunately still in some situations But it's there's a lot going on and a lot happening and a lot like I said in the beginning a lot of wonderful people Not only talking about menopause but also about menstruation because that again like menopause is not an illness It's something very natural and it's not okay if it's not It's not okay if it's not regular, so it's, you know, it should be something we should embrace and it's part of being a woman and it's something that can be really beautiful and it shouldn't be cured with any pills.

Again, if you have a really big issue like PCOS or endometriosis, then you might want to consider taking hormones, but otherwise I think it's something that, should be supported differently. Okay. Thank you. That's a really, really intimate what you just shared. Thank you so much. Um, so let's continue.

Another hormone that is important for good sleep is progesterone. And this is the hormone. If you recall is the first hormone to take a dip when we go into [00:44:00] perimenopause, sometimes causing a dominance of estradiol. I personally take progesterone. I've been taking it now for almost three months and it was it's just so good for me I sleep really really well.

My muscles are much more relaxed and I've been experimenting a bit So I tried it orally and vaginally and I must say the sleep is definitely now I realized much better when I take it orally and I take it before I go to bed Um, so this is something you might want to consider if you really have difficulty sleeping, have your hormones checked, and a good version of either a gel or a, like I said, capsules with progesterone can do the trick, um, and there are also some really good supplements that we talked about last time when we had the hormones in episode five.

So don't um, don't let that keep you awake because sleep is so important. This is where our body heals, our mind heals, our brain heals, and this is where we [00:45:00] can actually recuperate that one time during the day. All right then, so how can we manage these symptoms? Let's start with diet and lifestyle. So research shows that women who are physically active have a much better hormone balance.

This is thanks to the increased muscle mass, which helps convert male hormones into the weaker estrogen, so the estrone that we talked about. This is very important for us in postmenopause. Exercise also improves your blood circulation and your overall cardiovascular health. So this then again reduces the issues of cardiovascular diseases.

promotes better sleep, decreases cholesterol, and so forth. So regular exercise, particularly endurance training, has been shown also to improve mood and reduce hot flashes and to improve sleep quality. Just don't overdo it. Physical activity also increases the, um, hormones, noradrenaline [00:46:00] and dopamine. So these are hormones that make us feel good.

Like I said, it increases our mood. So our mood can be lifted. It also enhances wellbeing. So it makes you actually feel more balanced during this transition. It can help you support you also and relax. If you think of that, um, muscle, um, progressive muscle relaxation, my mom does. So after the. contraction comes the relaxation if you have to take the time to recuperate.

And for hot flashes, there are some herbal remedies that can provide relief. Plants like chased berry, sage, and ginseng have been traditionally used to address menopause symptoms. Alternating between hot and cold showers, as we talked about, reducing caffeine and alcohol, incorporate incorporating vitamins like vitamin C and E into your diet can also help manage hot flashes and improve your overall health.

I have also added a great supplement in the show notes, especially for you women in postmenopause. It's called Phytopower. Like I said, you can read it in the show notes. And I've [00:47:00] also added, again, the supplement I take. It's called Menobalance, so you can read that there. So if you're just into postmenopause or still perimenopause, this is also something good you want.

You might want to try. If you don't want to try hormones yet, um, this would be a very good variation. And to improve your sleep quality, herbs like valerian, hops, lemon balm, and lavender are very well known for their calming effects. And then if you add magnesium and a vitamin B complex to your diet, or supplement it.

This can also help your sleep, wake, regulate your sleep wake cycle and improve relaxation. So magnesium is something also good for your bones. This is something definitely I would consider. Personally, I take 400 milligrams a day. Before I go to bed, this is important. Take it before you go to bed as well.

Um, cause it also enhances sleep. And if I do a workout, um, longer [00:48:00] mountain bike rides, which I'm still used to, but nevertheless, I know that through the lot of sweat, I mean, if you bike for a couple of hours, then I will actually take one during the tour and one at night. So that'll, um, come together to 800 milligrams, but I don't, don't do this daily.

So it also, here, I listen to my body. and then take what I find necessary. So please check out, um, good magnesium supplements that you might want to add to your diet. And when it comes to your heart health, there are certain vitamins and minerals that are very beneficial. Like I just mentioned, the vitamin B complex, so vitamin B6, folic acid, niacin, and then also the vitamins C and E.

They can actually help maintain healthy blood pressures and your cholesterol levels. Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oils and in flaxseed oils, also in flaxseed, ground flaxseed, like we talked about in episode 5, are particularly [00:49:00] helpful for lowering your blood lipids, so your blood fats.

Things like evening primrose oil, which contains A so-called gamma linoleic acid can also help reduce the risk of blood clots and improve cardiovascular function. Um, I name a lot of things. I just want you to be wary of the fact that before you try things, um. I would talk to somebody first. I would talk to a therapist or a homeopath to find out what you need and then start tracking once you take it because the example I shared before with melatonin this is something you can actually purchase over the counter And, uh, as I mentioned, if you take it, but you have low cortisol levels, then it's, it's actually counter, uh, productive.

You would want to then be taking cortisol. So have that checked and track your symptoms so you know what's good for you. Mom, please share with us what if any supplement, um, you take and [00:50:00] what's your secret sauce for your energy and your fantastic skin. Well, thanks Daria for the compliment about my skin.

I love to use aloe vera gel daily on my skin. And I drink a little, like 15 milliliter of aloe vera fluid daily. I don't go into the hot sun anymore. I exercise and go to the sauna, as you heard earlier. I love to eat veggies, work in the garden to get some extra fresh air, and additional vitamin D. Oh, that's good.

And is there anything you supplement, other than aloe vera? Yeah, yes, in fact. Okay, in the morning, I like to take a Krattegut, which is a heart supportive medicine. [00:51:00] I'll add that. Substitute. I'll add that in the show notes if anybody's ever interested. Okay. Mm hmm. Vitamin D. Mm hmm. For the bones. Uh, take one.

Herzass. Because I have a light mitral valve prolapse. Mm hmm. Okay, so you have a little issue with your heart. Okay. Yeah. Which was inherited by, from my mom. Oh, that's important. So it's nothing that had to do with, you know, menopause or things like that. It's something you had this forever? Okay. Magnesium and potassium at night.

Mm hmm. And occasionally, as mentioned before, melatonin. If you have troubles falling asleep, okay. And magnesium is important at night because it also relaxes, and that's, you know, helps you sleep good. Okay. Um, yeah, and you've always been disciplined about staying active. Um, can you share with us how you structure your day and, [00:52:00] um, when it comes to your energy level?

Okay, I'm getting up. First of all, I make myself some, for instance, green tea with ginger and lemon. And I also like to drink some warm lemon water with ginger. I do a little exercise, like parts or elements of aerobics, yoga and Pilates. And after showering, I take care of phone calls. Appointments, etc. You say you take care of phone calls and appointments.

I think that's really Probably also one of your, um, secret sauces is that you stay, like you said, in communication with people, you talk to people, and, um, you make sure that you, you know, well, you do a lot with dad, but also get out and, and you have a community, right? Yeah. Okay. And, um, when you say you do your interval fasting, so you, uh, [00:53:00] 16, what, what's, what's the difference?

What do you have for breakfast, well, your breakfast then. Okay, I, I like to brunch after noon, sometimes twelve or sometimes even two, it depends on my schedule, and I have a yogurt with berry muesli and my teas. And that's also important is that, um, that you, um, For you listeners also when you do fast the first meal you take should be something low in the so called Glucemic load, so it's nothing that spikes your blood sugar.

So your insulin so yogurt is good Berries as we learn are good things like oats are good. Yeah, or flaxseed we talked about so yeah Perfect what you do. You can also add a little bit of flaxseed oil to your to your yogurt before you add the berries [00:54:00] and the oats because that's another extra good healthy fats that you need.

Yeah. Okay. What do you, what do you have for dinner or for lunch? What's what's what happens then? Okay, for lunch is, is more or less a snack. I usually get hungry on four. My stomach is telling me Please give me some food. Food. And I love hummus. And I like those crackers, those rice crackers, with, uh, With.

But hummus is good because that's a lot of protein and that's also very important, not only at your age, is that we get enough protein. So you listen to your body and you don't starve yourself because when you do kind of, let's say, um, starve yourself, then you're actually sleeping. So that's, that's good.

Exactly. And you, I know you eat a lot of garlic. Yes, yes, [00:55:00] yes. Like for instance, uh, a big salad, which actually you shouldn't eat at night, but I do very well with it. Again, our fingerprint, right? Some people can't stomach it, but you do well with it. Yeah. And I, I come to the stomach. digestive problem later.

But if I think back as a child, we had a huge garden and my mother and my grandmother were always occupied there. So from school I went straight to the garden and sat in the field, pulled carrots, um, tomatoes. Peas. Peas. Cucumbers. On the trees, they had cherries and apples and plums, and I ate that right there.

Bio, natural, fresh. [00:56:00] Nothing added, nothing cooked. And I still love lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes. And I love the, the um, Kohlrabi, which is very weird. I like to buy those kohlrabi, and cut them up in little pieces, and add them to the salad. That would, that would kill me, yeah, that would really kill me. For you, those of you, um, kohlrabi in English is, um No idea.

No idea. We'll figure that out and give you a note. We have to figure that out. But it's something that actually can cause, um, bloating. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a cold. It's a cabbage. It's a cabbage, um, Other cabbage I cannot eat, like green or red or, that'll have a revolution in my stomach. But, weird enough, and I must have had a lot of that when I grew up, Yeah, it's maybe also, it's probably also psychological.

Yeah, yeah. You know, associated with, you know, [00:57:00] growing up and all that. Isn't it amazing? Yeah. And also fresh mushrooms from the woods and blueberries. Blueberries, yeah. Blueberries. Berries are good in general. Yeah, yeah. Okay. And, uh, you mentioned garlic. We once took a trip and it was in Las Vegas. We said in a, uh, Italian restaurant and they served with the Italian meal a little cup with oil and garlic and bread and since then we fell in love with that.

I love it with my salad, a good bread, sour teich, so sour dough, sour dough bread and toasted, cut it, toast it. And Troy always makes the oil and chops the vinegar in it. And we take a little [00:58:00] teaspoon and eat that with it. Okay. You just said vinegar. You probably meant garlic, right? You said he chops the vinegar.

I'm sorry. No, no worries. No worries. So, luckily, you and Dad both like garlic. But you do sleep in separate rooms anyway, so it's not an issue. Yeah. Okay, great. Um Thank you so much for joining me today. Um, is there anything you want to share with us before we wrap up? Anything you want to tell our audience?

Well, like I say, listen to your insight, listen to your heart, have a good outlook on life. Like I mentioned before, if you first don't succeed, try again. Not only on food or in your daily life, but also projects you might have. And [00:59:00] exercise. We did a lot of traveling, which is also good, I think. Experiencing, exercising your brain, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Other countries, other people, and open up to the people. Try to speak their language and, uh, not, ugh, they're eating this or that. Uh, be positive. Be positive. And get educated. Talk to people. How is this and how is that? And I'm very grateful to you, Daria. That you invited me, and that you helped me, and that you're working on this issue for other women.

Thank you very much. You're welcome. And it means a lot to me as well since I, um, yeah, obviously I experienced a lot myself, but I think it's just meeting so many people, um, or [01:00:00] women, also men, that have issues. And it's interesting that, We're talking about menopause a lot now for women, but a lot of men suffer in anthropos, and they will never speak up.

Well, I hope they will someday, but this is something that I think needs to be, um, also addressed sooner or later, is that, um, men, some men have somewhere where they can go and open up and have issues that they have to deal with, so, yeah. Like midlife crisis. Yeah, exactly. So it's something. Yeah. But I think when it comes to andropause, it's, it's something, it's, it's that part, um, where men have to have to accept that them, you know, they're also decreasing in strength and libido and things like that.

And I think it's, it's harder for them cause we kind of, you know, we all go through it. Not every man goes, man goes through it as, as, as we do. But yeah, but it was great. You were here. I'm sure our audience will love what you just shared because it's something that. is, um, yeah, to hear from somebody that's [01:01:00] been, you know, been there, done that.

Um, I think it's really, really good because I'm not, I'm not quite there yet. I'm already in post menopause, but I still have a way to go because I don't really know what's going to happen the next 25 years. So, um, thank you so much. And, um, for you lovely people listening, next episode, we'll dive deeper into that.

into another set of common menopause symptoms. So I'll be always talking about a group of symptoms. It'll be weight gain, water retention, and fibroids. So you won't want to miss it. And again, like I said, mom, thanks for joining me. Um, you've been such an amazing guest. For you listeners, don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with anyone, um, like I said, also male, um, friends, uh, who might benefit or your partner.

Uh, take care everyone and, um, I'll hear you next time. Yeah, it was a great pleasure to being here today. Thank you. Thank you too. Alrighty, you guys embrace your change.

And please always [01:02:00] remember, embrace your journey with love and understanding. Daria