Focus on skin in the perimenopause and menopausal years!

30 Sep Focus on skin in the perimenopause and menopausal years!

Focus on skin in the perimenopause & menopausal years! 

We can’t beat ageing, age happens right! But how it happens is up to you to a certain extent. The most important changes you can make are to cut out habits that cause the collagen levels in skin to decline, such as sun exposure and smoking.

Although wrinkles, dry, sagging, and uneven skin problems seem to be more prevalent during the peri/menopausal years due to diminishing levels of Oestrogen, there is much we can do to hold back the clock using natural healing skin herbs and foods inside and outside of our body. Whilst research shows us that poor diet, sun exposure, lack of exercise and stress speed up the aging process due to the action of free radicals, a good Mediterranean style diet alongside lifestyle interventions can make all the difference to keeping our skin looking fresh, healthy, and vibrant.

The enemy here alongside reduction in our hormones is free radicals. There is no getting away from free radicals, they are all around us, even breathing is a major source of free radicals via the oxygen we breath! Free radicals are highly reactive compounds that our bodies produce via normal metabolic processes. Free radicals can do much damage such as attacking our DNA and preventing our cells producing energy leading to excessive fatigue. 

The great news is that our we have inbuilt amazing defence mechanisms to help keep them at bay! We just need to give the body the right tools so that these systems work like a well-oiled machine by providing ourselves with powerful antioxidants via the food we eat in the form of vibrant coloured fruits and vegetables. These foods contain powerful compounds called flavonoids and polyphenols which are vital to keep our bodies and our skin brimming with optimal health. Other nutrients that aid the process of collagen production include zinc, vitamin C, and copper which is another reason to fill up on fruit and veg as these foods are packed with vital micronutrients our bodies need build the proteins we need for vibrant health.

So what about the hormonal effect on our skin?

The decline of oestrogen compromises the skin’s collagen and elastin, which are the natural proteins that give youthful skin its smoothness, plumpness, and tautness. In fact, studies have shown that women can lose up to 30 percent of their skin’s healthy collagen within the first five years of menopause. Eating foods with antioxidants may help make your skin stronger from the inside out. Look for brightly coloured fruits and vegetables (they get their colour from these healthy compounds) and try to eat every colour of the spectrum. A good amount is at least 7 portions a day and try to incorporate around 30 different plant foods in the diet per week. Not only is this amazing for our skin but it is vital for a healthy gut microbiome which houses most of our immune system.

So what is collagen?

Collagen is the substance that holds the body together. It is a structural protein, in fact it is the most abundant protein in the human body, acts as a building block for your bones, teeth, muscles, skin, joints and connective tissues. It supports the appearance of smooth, un-dimpled skin and provides strength to our bones and muscles.

Top tips to improve collagen

1. Soy

Isoflavones are plant-based compounds that can increase production of oestrogen that may help improve skin aging attributed to the menopausal years. A good amount is around 50mg a day of foods such as tempeh, fermented soy or miso.

1. Bone broth

Animal bones are a natural source of gelatin, which in and of itself is packed with collagen. Try to use organic bones as much as you can, these contain less chemical and hormonal residues. Freeze it as stock cubes and add to cooking daily to give you that extra collagen boost for luscious skin. 

1. Eggs

Eggs, particularly egg whites, provide us with many amino acids alongside all 9 essential amino acids. Collagen present in egg whites include hyaluronic acid, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulphate, all essential for collagen production.

1. Herbs & phytoestrogens 

There are so many herbs that women find beneficial along the bumpy road of hormonal readjustment. Some common herbs include but are not limited to…

• Chaste berry
• Glycine max
• Black cohosh
• Evening primrose oil
• Horsetail
• Sage 
• Dong quai
• Ginsengs
• Red clover, and many more!

If you would like a personal consultation and bespoke medicine made for you, please get in touch at mnh-health@gmail.com or visit our shop to browse products.