Some Tips 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.

Keeping your weight in check during the menopausal period has many benefits. These include reducing the risk of contracting some communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Reducing weight helps to lower the levels of cholesterol which in turn reduces the risk of suffering stroke and heart disease. Other diseases whose risk may be reduced include kidney stones, diverticular disease and colon cancer.

Getting enough sleep will greatly influence your metabolic rate. Contrary to what many people believe, staying awake for long hours does not increase the rate. The reverse is in fact true. There is close to 5% reduction in the rate for every night of sleep missed. At the same time, studies have shown that with better metabolism, sleep us improved. The target should be seven to eight hours of sleep per day.

Dietary modification will most certainly be required. Since different foods have different levels of calories, the metabolic rates will also be different. The idea is to have a metabolic rate that is sustained over a long period of time. In this regard, having small frequent meals will be more helpful. Large fewer meals may cause sudden drops in glucose and release of cortisol hormone. The hormone breaks down muscle and reduces the basal 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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