Three Tips from members of FabOverFifty:

1.            Is menopause making your belly fat?

As women hit menopause, their metabolisms can slow down, which causes weight gain in the mid-section (aka: “The Menopot”). Carrying extra belly fat can be dangerous—it puts you at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 

Staness Jonekos, author of The Menopause Makeover, offers this tip:  “I started eating lean protein, low-glycemic carbs and healthy fats every four hours. That sped up my metabolism and I lost 25 pounds in 12 weeks. The trick is keeping your blood sugar level constant, so you don’t have cravings.”

2.            Have you been screened for metabolic syndrome?

Carolyn Nemec, MD, says:  “Not all doctors are talking about metabolic syndrome, but in women’s health we’ve been aware of it for years. Basically, as a woman ages into her 40s and 50s her metabolism can change, putting her at risk for heart disease and diabetes. The five critical factors that signify a problem:

·         Blood sugar is over 100 mg/dl

·         Triglycerides greater than 150 mg/dl

·         HDL under 50

·         Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher

·         A waist measurement over 35 inches or a BMI is over 25.   Ask your doctor if he or she screens for metabolic syndrome, and make sure you know your own numbers. You are your own best advocate.”

3.             Which is thinner, your hips or your hair?

As women go through menopause, the loss of estrogen causes thinning hair.

Fear not, says Dr. Wilma Bergfeld, MD, there are ways to prevent and treat it:

“A healthy lifestyle can really help. Hair cells turn over quickly, which means that external and internal factors such as diet and exercise have a large effect. Some women think a healthy diet means eliminating carbs and red meat but in fact those foods can provide nutrients that are helpful for hair loss.

Choose shampoos that contain zinc. They inhibit testosterone, which clogs the hair follicles, preventing growth.