Natural Menopause Relief

Hi ladies, it’s Jackie here 💜 Today I’m going to talk about the 6 lifestyle habits that women over 50 should know about:

Did you know World Menopause Day was on Saturday 18th of October?

I’ve been looking at the International Menopause Society’s website. The society founded World Menopause day in 2009 to raise awareness of menopause and improve the experience of women around the world.

Their website gives a link to The 2025 White Paper, The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in Menopausal Health and I’ll put the link in the description.

So today, I’m going to share six key lifestyle habits that this white paper shows which can completely transform how we feel during menopause and beyond. and that can make this stage of life not just manageable — but actually empowering.

Firstly though, for me personally not having periods is one of the best things about menopause. Also, headaches I used to get really bad (over the eyes) headaches. I literally have forgotten how awful it was!

However, I was not prepared for the other symptoms to move in and take over my body!

Hot flushes which get worse when you’re anxious, sleep – well I was never a good sleeper but this is on another scale and I’m still working on the sleep.

The aches and pains – now interestingly, they don’t get mentioned in this paper which is surprising but it’s something I’ll be dealing with in my new community on Skool – called Thrive over 50.

 And the weight gain around the middle – don’t get me started on that!

At the end of the day, Yes, our hormones change, and sometimes it feels like our bodies are rebelling… but lifestyle — the way we eat, move, rest, and connect — can change how we feel, for the better in most cases.

So, let’s get back to the six key lifestyle habits.

Lifestyle Medicine has been talked about for many years now and since I graduated in Nutritional Medicine in 2008, I’ve always focussed on living and teaching this:

And it really boils down to our daily choices — not perfection, but small, consistent steps — can support our hormones, energy, and long-term health in incredible ways.

Let’s start with nutrition.

What we eat really can become our medicine.

Aim for colourful plates — lots of vegetables, lean proteins and healthy (non-processed) fats –

Foods rich in phytoestrogens — for example  legumes (which are beans chickpeas and lentils) organic soy, flaxseeds, nuts (such as almond, cashew and walnuts) — can naturally help balance hormones.

And, cutting back on processed foods for sure,  but also I personally don’t recommend low-fat versions of any foods and I’ll be talking about that at a later point.

 Plus reducing alcohol can do wonders for energy, sleep, and mood.

Remember: it’s not about restriction — it’s about nourishment.

Next, movement.

Exercise after 50 isn’t about punishment or pushing through pain (I can vouch for that as I currently have what I think is tennis elbow and I believe it’s from working out with too heavy weights without adequate rest) — so yes don’t push it.

Within movement, we also need to talk about bone health. Strength training, Pilates, and walking help protect our bones ( if it’s done in certain ways which is something I’ll be discussing in my new community).

 Movement also builds muscle (which of course burns more fat), it also can help improve balance, and even lift our mood.

You don’t have to spend hours in the gym — even 10–15 minutes a day can make a real difference, and I’m planning on putting out more movement videos here over the coming weeks. So please like and subscribe.

Now let’s talk about sleep — one of the biggest struggles during menopause.

Hot flushes, night sweats, and racing thoughts at 3/4am can make rest feel impossible.

Try keeping your room cool and dark, limiting screens before bed, and adding a short bedtime stretch or breathing routine or read a book which is what I do every night.

Better sleep isn’t just about feeling rested — it helps balance hormones, manage weight, and boost your focus the next day.

Then there’s stress — something we can’t always avoid, but we can learn to manage.

When stress stays high, cortisol rises — and that can trigger more belly fat, poor sleep, and anxiety.

Taking just 10 minutes or so a day to slow down — whether it’s with breathing, a walk, or a short Pilates flow — can calm your nervous system and bring everything back into balance.

The fifth area is about avoiding risky substances.

Alcohol, caffeine, and smoking can all make symptoms worse  — from hot flushes to anxiety and poor sleep.

You don’t have to give them up completely, but cutting back — even a little — can make a huge difference in how you feel.

And finally — social connection

We talk about food and fitness a lot, but friendship and community are just as powerful for our health.

Research shows that staying connected can lower stress, reduce inflammation, and even help us live longer.

That’s why I created my Thrive over 50 community — a place for women over 50 like us to move, learn, laugh, and grow stronger together.

So if you take anything from World Menopause Day, let it be this:

Menopause isn’t the end of vitality — it’s a chance to rebuild it.

Every small choice — what we eat, how we move, when we rest, and who we connect with — adds up to a stronger, healthier, more confident you.

If this message resonates, come and join me inside Thrive over 50.

It’s completely free — and inside, you’ll find practical fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing tips that make midlife your strongest chapter yet.

Here’s to thriving — not just surviving — over 50. 💜