Ideas On How To Speed Up Metabolism During Menopause

By Daphne Bowen


Menopause is associated with many physical and psychological changes. One of the biggest changes that women may notice is an abnormal increase in body weight. Research has established that, this is related both to reduced activity and the hormonal changes that favor putting on weight. A reduction in estrogen hormone activity is responsible for most of the changes. Here is how to speed up metabolism during menopause.

Conservative treatment options have to be attempted first before considering the invasive interventions. The rate of metabolism is closely related to the energy requirement by body tissues which is in turn related to the rate of physical activity. This means that by increasing your daily physical activity will help increase the rate of metabolism. Thirty minutes of intense physical activity for at least three days in a week is good enough.

Hormone replacement therapy helps to take care of very many other problems other than the disordered metabolism. Estrogen may be given in isolation but more commonly it is administered alongside other synthetic hormones so as to achieve a balance in the resultant effects. The duration of therapy varies from one individual to another depending on the initial symptom severity. Serial tests will routinely be performed by your doctor to determine whether the desired levels have been achieved.

Estrogen has two main effects; increasing the rate of metabolism and influencing the site of fat deposition. In presence of normal hormonal levels, fat deposition takes place mainly in areas around the hip, thighs and buttocks. In its absence, it is mainly deposited around the abdominal region. This type of fat is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and other conditions.

Proper weight control during the menopausal period has many benefits. For example, it helps reduce the risk of suffering non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The levels of cholesterol are lowered and this also reduces the risk of suffering from heart attack and stroke. Other diseases whose incidence has been shown to be greatly reduced include diverticular disease, kidney stones and colon cancer.

Enough sleep is an important component in metabolism. Contrary to common belief, increased states of wakefulness do not increase calorie breakdown. Having adequate sleep does. Studies have shown that one sleepless night reduces the metabolic rate by up to 5%. Interestingly a better metabolic rate is also likely to contribute to better sleep. Strive to sleep for between seven and eight hours daily.

Different types of foods are broken down at different rates. Proper dietary habits include eating smaller frequent meals as opposed to large few meals. The frequent meals ensure that the breakdown mechanism remains active at all times. When the levels of glucose in blood reduce, a hormone known as cortisol is released from the brain. This hormone leads to muscle breakdown as an alternative source of glucose. The effect of all these activities is reduced muscle mass and metabolic rate.

As we advance in age, our metabolic rate is bound to slow down. This effect is most pronounced among women undergoing menopause as a result of hormonal changes associated with the period. Undertaking lifestyle changes is one of the interventions that can be undertaken. Hormonal replacement therapy is also beneficial and involves the use of synthetic estrogen and progesterone levels.




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