TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

One of the most important things you can do in perimenopause is to take care of yourself. This can be a difficult time in life with young children or aging parents or empty-nesting or increased responsibilities at work. Making sure to take time for good nutrition, lots of movement and plenty of sleep is critical. There is no magic medicine, rather it is how you live your life every day that will make the biggest impact on how you feel.

Make sure you are up to date on routine screening appointments and tests such as mammography, colonoscopy, bone density and cervical cancer screening tests (Pap test and HPV test). Speak with your primary care provider about screening for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.  A great website to calculate your ten year risk for heart disease is through the American College of Cardiology at

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https://www.cvriskcalculator.com

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It's never too late to start taking care of yourself! Good nutrition lowers your risk for cancer, heart disease, obesity, stroke and diabetes. Eat a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Choose whole grains and high fiber foods such as oats, bran and beans. Limit food high in fat. Avoid saturated fats in meats and hydrogenated fats in cookies, crackers, chips and fried foods.

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Limit or eliminate alcoholic drinks. It is recommended to have one drink (5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounces of liquor) per day (or less) to minimize the risk of breast cancer. Alcohol also adds calories without nutrition and can cause weight gain.

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It's also never too late to stop using tobacco. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the US. Smoking and vaping increase the risk of heart disease and pulmonary disease. Speak with your primary care provider about treatment options to help you stop using tobacco.

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Make exercise and movement a priority in your days. Gradually increase how long, how often and how hard you exercise with a goal of 30 minutes most days of the week for a minimum of 150 minutes/week. Some exercise should be weight bearing (walking, running, etc) to help keep your bones strong. Include exercise for your upper body as well. 

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Try to keep it fun and do a variety of activities. Schedule movement into your week and try planning it with a friend. Get outside when you can, if that is safe to do. 

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If you are struggling to maintain a healthy body weight, it may be helpful to be seen by a specialist in medical weight loss.

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Many women find that mind-body work can be very helpful in stress management as well. This could be yoga, meditation or prayer.