In menopause, stress control is more important than ever. It is not only a negative effect of stress on your mood, but also that at the time of stress the body reacts with the release of cortisol. Believe me, this is not the best situation at a time when there is a problem in the body with the production of estrogen and progesterone.

Cortisol increases blood pressure and can trigger the development of cardiovascular disease. Your immunity is weakened, which means a decrease in resistance to infections and cancer. Your body reacts by accumulating fat in the waist area, which in turn increases the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Experiencing the stress of reading these lines? Do not despair – we are moving on to the more optimistic part.

One of the most effective and fastest ways to recover from stress is to change the frequency and depth of breathing. At the time of stress, our breathing is frequent and shallow, this is due to the fact that the body is preparing to respond to a threatening situation. Biologically, we have two options for responding to stress: flight or struggle. At the same time, the muscles become tense, blood pressure rises, heart rate and respiration accelerate, and the level of cortisol in the body increases even more. Once you recognize one of the symptoms, start breathing slowly and deeply to interrupt this chain reaction.

The basics of deep breathing

Deep breathing is not difficult to master. You can perform it while sitting or lying on your back.

• get ready for a deep breath by relaxing your abdominal muscles;
• start with a long exhale through the nose;
• then take a slow and deep breath through your nose;
• feel how the stomach bulges and the lungs are full;
• the stomach remains relaxed;
• when the rib cage is fully expanded, exhale deeply and vigorously, as if you are sighing noisily;
• do not try to control the breathing process too tightly;
• keep breathing deeply until you feel the stress recede; you should feel a surge of strength and calm.

Deep breathing is a proven and easy way to eliminate the effects of stress.

After that, the process slows down significantly. If you get enough calcium, then the risk of fracture is significantly reduced.

Your daily need for calcium is 1200-1500 milligrams when you reach 50 years of age. (Most women get around 500 mg of calcium with food.) In addition, the amount of vitamin D you eat affects the risk of fractures and bone loss. At 70, you should get at least 400 IU of vitamin D, and later, 600 IU. . If you rarely go outside, then the dose should be increased to 800 IU, because this vitamin is produced in the body under the influence of sunlight.

We recommend not to ignore dairy products, because they are an important source of calcium, protein and phosphorus, which are so necessary for a healthy musculoskeletal system. (Give preference to milk enriched with vitamin D.) In addition, you can choose low-fat foods (cheese, milk, yogurt), thereby protecting yourself from consuming excess calories.