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.
Just as is the case with any medical condition or disease, it is advised that one starts with the conservative options. The rate of breakdown of macromolecules to produce energy is directly proportional to the rate of physical activity. The easiest option, therefore, is to increase your rate of physical activity. Taking part in intense physical exercises for at least 30 minutes three days in a week is good enough for most people.
Hormone replacement therapy has the advantage of taking care of many other problems besides the metabolic disorder. Estrogen and progesterone are usually administered together so as to archive the necessary hormonal balance. There are no hard and fast rules as relates to the duration of therapy of this is mainly determined by the initial severity of symptoms. Your doctor will typically carry out routine tests so as to monitor your hormonal levels.
Estrogen works mainly on two fronts; increasing the metabolic rate and influencing the distribution of fat. When the hormone is present in normal levels, fat is mainly deposited around the thighs, buttocks and hips. This is in contrast to situations in which the hormone is deficient in which case fat is mainly deposited around the anterior abdominal wall. The latter effect is undesirable for most women.
Proper weight control during the menopausal period is associated with many benefits. The amount of cholesterol is reduced and this in turn helps to reduce the risk of contracting non communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Low cholesterol also reduces the number of strokes and heart attack events. Other diseases whose risk is reduced include colon cancer, diverticular disease and kidney disease.
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.
It is important to watch your diet. Different foods have different levels of calories hence are broken at different rates. Choose foods that are broken over a longer period of time. This may also be achieved by having smaller frequent meals. When the level of glucose in the brain goes down, a hormone known as cortisol is released. This hormone leads to muscle breakdown and resultant reduction in the metabolic rate.
The metabolic rate slows down as we grow older. The effect is most evident among women in menopause due to the gradual changes in hormone levels that take place. Making lifestyle adjustments should be the first step in dealing with the problem. If this fails to yield fruits, hormone replacement therapy should be considered.
Just as is the case with any medical condition or disease, it is advised that one starts with the conservative options. The rate of breakdown of macromolecules to produce energy is directly proportional to the rate of physical activity. The easiest option, therefore, is to increase your rate of physical activity. Taking part in intense physical exercises for at least 30 minutes three days in a week is good enough for most people.
Hormone replacement therapy has the advantage of taking care of many other problems besides the metabolic disorder. Estrogen and progesterone are usually administered together so as to archive the necessary hormonal balance. There are no hard and fast rules as relates to the duration of therapy of this is mainly determined by the initial severity of symptoms. Your doctor will typically carry out routine tests so as to monitor your hormonal levels.
Estrogen works mainly on two fronts; increasing the metabolic rate and influencing the distribution of fat. When the hormone is present in normal levels, fat is mainly deposited around the thighs, buttocks and hips. This is in contrast to situations in which the hormone is deficient in which case fat is mainly deposited around the anterior abdominal wall. The latter effect is undesirable for most women.
Proper weight control during the menopausal period is associated with many benefits. The amount of cholesterol is reduced and this in turn helps to reduce the risk of contracting non communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Low cholesterol also reduces the number of strokes and heart attack events. Other diseases whose risk is reduced include colon cancer, diverticular disease and kidney disease.
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.
It is important to watch your diet. Different foods have different levels of calories hence are broken at different rates. Choose foods that are broken over a longer period of time. This may also be achieved by having smaller frequent meals. When the level of glucose in the brain goes down, a hormone known as cortisol is released. This hormone leads to muscle breakdown and resultant reduction in the metabolic rate.
The metabolic rate slows down as we grow older. The effect is most evident among women in menopause due to the gradual changes in hormone levels that take place. Making lifestyle adjustments should be the first step in dealing with the problem. If this fails to yield fruits, hormone replacement therapy should be considered.
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