How to Deal With Menopause

Talk to anyone who has experienced the upheaval menopause can bring and she’ll tell you it really is life-changing and it’s not necessarily all bad. Part of the problem is the negative press around HRT. Sure, it’s great that we now know about its dangers and doctors are using it more conservatively. “But we don’t want HRT to go off the agenda,” says Dr Read. For many women, it helps manage very debilitating symptoms.

Menopause wrongly gets the blame for a lot of midlife problems, says Dr Read. It’s time to throw out the stereotypes and face menopause with optimism.

That means looking at preventive care, such as diet, exercise and getting yourself as fit as you can so you can deal with all the stuff that’s going on in your life. Menopause is not just about coping with the effects of hormone change – it’s about setting yourself up to age healthily. Have that Pap smear, treat symptoms like depression or painful sex seriously and lose some weight, if necessary.

“There’s too much negative stuff about menopause. It’s a very good opportunity for women to assess what they are doing with their life and to become more aware of healthy behaviours,” says Dr MacLennan.

Keep reading to find out what you can do to deal with menopause more easily.