Women going through menopause feel better when they participate in a regular exercise program, according to a research study from Penn State University.
Compared to women who did not exercise, researchers found getting even a moderate amount of physical activity helped women going through menopause experience a better quality of life.
The researchers enrolled 164 mostly sedentary women for a four-month study. The women were divided into one group who took an hour walk three times a week, a second group who practiced yoga for an hour and a half twice a week and third group who remained sedentary and didn’t exercise.
Walking was chosen because it is aerobic and yoga because it non-aerobic.
During the study, the women reported on their experience of common menopause symptoms – irritability, mood swings, hot flashes and night sweats. Women who exercised reported less irritability and fewer mood swings. The results for hot flashes and night sweats were mixed. Only half of the participants reported improvement. The walking women had the best results.
Menopause may be known as the “change of life,” but one could also accept this natural experience, no matter how unpleasant it may be, as a “life changing” event, an opportunity to create a happier, healthier future.
Use menopause as an opportunity to take better care of yourself and eliminate old habits. Bad habits of smoking, alcohol and soft drinks, for example, interfere with sleep and escalate hot flashes, mood swings and headaches. Eliminating them will give you almost feedback on how well you’re doing.
Also, a recent Australian study found women who followed a Mediterranean style diet were 20% less likely to report symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats, compared to women on high-fat or high-sugar diets, who were 23% more likely to report these symptoms. The Mediterranean diet is composed of omega-3 rich fish, very little red meat and lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life. Why not try to deal with it in a more natural way rather than resorting to possibly harmful hormonal treatments.
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Note: The information contained on this website is not intended to be prescriptive. Any attempt to diagnose or treat an illness should come under the direction of a physician who is familiar with nutritional therapy.
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