Around this time of year, we all start thinking about planning those summer vacations. Most of us spend weeks and weeks preparing for our trips. We research, Google, Facebook, Instagram, and become all “aTwitter” about where to go, what to eat, what sites to see, and what to wear.
Preparation for a Healthy Life Trip
On this year’s vacation, remember to put yourself on the top of your to-do list. Spend some time getting your perimenopause and menopause ready to go on your trip so that you can have a great time. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the many symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Start charting your symptoms with my handy Menopause Symptoms Chart, and find a Menopause Specialist with whom you can discuss these issues openly and honestly. Find hormone happiness before you leave! Act now!
Adjusting to the Weather
Hot flashes and night sweats are very common symptoms of perimenopause. On-road trips, you may still be hot in twenty-degree air conditioning, and on airplanes, you have to try to aim that tiny spout right at your forehead to even get a whisper of relief. Traveling by plane, train, or automobile, your body temperature isn’t as easy to control as an adjustable thermostat. Wouldn’t that be nice if we could just turn ourselves down a few degrees when needed?
Unless you’re going to either of the poles or you transform into Ariel and live under the sea, you’re likely to remain hot on your summer vacation. Of course, your idea of an arctic vacation could be standing in front of an open refrigerator. If you’re in perimenopause, you’ve probably been in your own personal summer since the dead of winter. There’s nothing fun about waking up in a pool of sweat, and hot flashes and night sweats can make your beach vacation a little, um, swampy.
To help reduce that hot flashing how about try: acupuncture, yoga, meditation, reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake (especially before bed), and cut back on spicy foods. There is new evidence that switching to a vegan diet can keep those hot flashes at bay. You can read more about this here: MENOPAUSE MONDAYS® HOT News Flash.
Extra weight can also increase those pesky hot flashes so how about try changing your eating habits. There are lots of healthy options such as eating in a more Mediterranean Style. Many women and men find intermittent fasting very effective. My husband and I tried it. We eat between the hours of noon and 8 PM. The result is we dropped extra pounds and have more energy.
Speak to your menopause specialist about systemic hormone therapy options which come in pill, skin patch, gel, cream, or spray form. Many women find that this is the most effective treatment for the relief of troublesome menopausal hot flashes and night sweats.
To learn more about the latest in hot flash remedies read this MENOPAUSE MONDAYS® HOT News Flash.
Spicing Up Your Getaway
When I first entered perimenopause, I was shocked by the fact that my vagina had taken its own personal trip to the Sahara Desert. It didn’t matter whether I was on my summer vacation – my vagina was dry, uncomfortable and sex was painful. Landing strip or not, there was certainly not going to be any visiting aircraft with me feeling the way I did! Vacations are about letting loose and enjoying your time away from responsibilities and daily stress, and a parched vagina makes you feel anything but sexy and amorous. There are lots of great options on the market for relieving the discomfort and bringing fun back to the bedroom (or wherever else the mood strikes you). It might be time for a lube job! Speak to your Menopause Specialist about the latest moisturizers and lubricants that would be helpful for your individual issues.
Local Estrogen Therapy (LET) can ease vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as dryness, itching, burning, and discomfort with intercourse. LET can offer more long-term, ongoing relief. Some women need a combination of LET and lube. Speak openly and honestly with your menopause specialist and you can get the help you need!
Act now so that by the time you are ready to take off, you can leave your menopausal baggage home and enjoy your much-needed vacation!
You deserve it!
Remember: Suffering in silence is OUT! Reaching out is IN.
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*EllenDolgen.com does not recommend, endorse or make any representation about any tests, studies, practices, procedures, treatments, services, opinions, healthcare providers, physicians, or medical institutions that may be mentioned or referenced.
