Guest Author - Sharon Bejin

As women get older and work their way through menopause their concern about an expanding mid-section becomes more about health than how they look in a swimsuit.

During perimenopause, women tend to gain weight and for some it accumulates in the belly area. The abdominal fat cells cause the body to secrete more insulin to clear the sugar out of the blood. Women with apple-shaped figures are at greater risk for heart disease, diabetes, gallstones, kidney stones, stroke, breast cancer, and uterine cancer.

Another way to determine one's health is by measuring the BMI level. To figure out if you have a risky BMI level, measure your waist/hip ratio. The ideal number is just over 0.70. Anything greater than 0.85 puts a person at risk for the health problems listed above. You can calculate your BMI level at various health websites; they allow you to enter your weight and height and it will determine your BMI.

Doctors are studying the increasing waist size of women and trying to make a connection between toxic weight gain and toxic stress. In the 1960s, Twiggy’s BMI was a whopping number of 15. Granted she looked way too thin, but what a huge difference in comparison to women of today who have an average mean BMI of 24.9. Toxic weight gain and toxic stress tends to increase for women over forty who have many stressors in their life. It is during this time that women begin to pack on the pounds and increasing their BMI.

Some ways to control keep your BMI at a healthy level is to be aware of the stressors in your life and make changes if possible. Begin an exercise program; thirty minutes a day is a good number to start with. Lose excess weight. When you visit your doctor, ask about getting your thyroid checked. By the time women reach perimenopause, nearly 25 percent of women develop or have a thyroid problem.

Start a healthy eating plan of lean meat, fruits, and vegetables and drink plenty of water. These foods will allow your body to maintain normal levels of insulin and blood sugar, allowing your body's hormone levels to balance out.

Getting rid of extra abdominal fat can be challenging to say the least, although it is a challenge that will keep on giving in the form of not only a good looking body but a healthy one too.