allure 14 April 2019

FASHION
down of the metabolism is a reality, and so,
there’s need to cut out empty calories,
because they add up quickly, and don’t leave
you feeling full. Avoid wasting your nutrient
needs on empty calories items like chips, soft
drinks
Don’t ignore your heart
Heart disease is the number one killer of
women, and the risk rises as women age.
Menopause doesn’t cause cardiovascular
disease. Instead, it’s those bad habits earlier
in life, such as smoking, obesity, and lack of
exercise that can begin to take a toll on heart
health.
Take care of your eyes
As you take care of the rest of the body,
your eyes and vision also need to be cared
for, too. If you haven’t had a comprehensive
baseline eye exam in a while, get one now, to
avoid future problems.
Get your doctor to look for issues like
glaucoma, which presents early with visual
field loss and later with central vision loss.
Though cataracts generally present much
later in life, some individuals may have issues
earlier.
“Dry eye” can be an issue for women in
their 40s, perhaps due to shifting hormones or
staring at a computer screen all day. The
doctor can help with the itchiness and redness
with prescription eye drops or other
recommendations.
You may have had a perfect vision all your
life. However, you may need to get reading
glasses as you clock 40 due to presbyopia, a
normal age-related change that makes it
tough to focus on nearby objects. If you don’t
fancy its use, there are other options.
You’ll have ‘the change.’
For most women, periods are regular until
their mid-40s. But then menopause may begin
and change that. Habits such as a high-fat
diet and smoking can hasten menopause as
well as a family history of early menopause or
significant health problems, such as
rheumatoid arthritis.
Your ovaries will start producing less
estrogen and progesterone, two types of
hormones because of estrogen levels, decline
causing night sweats, hot flashes and vaginal
dryness sets. As progesterone levels fall, your
periods may be irregular, more substantial
and more prolonged.
breasts feel so you can notice any changes
and then talk to your doctor about those
changes
Sleep is important
Midlife can be one of the most stressful
phases of life, no matter if you’re single,
married, have young kids or not. Demanding
families and demanding jobs often take a toll
on sleep, but if you want to be healthy and
alert, don’t be sparing with bedtime. Lack of
sleep can cause problems.
To help improve sleep, stick to a sleep
schedule. Go to bed and wake around the
same time every day, even on weekends.
Getting a plan helps regulate the body clock.
Experts also recommend keeping your
bedroom dark, noise-free and cool. If you
continue to have trouble staying asleep or
falling asleep, see your doctor.
It is essential to focus on getting quality
sleep, as it has a long-term impact on our
physical and mental health, as well as our
weight and disorders
associated with cardiac
function and diabetes.
While we can’t slow
the ageing process, if we
develop the right
attitude, we can feel
younger and more
energetic. Now is the
time to start caring for
yourself. Remember,
midlife is not the beginning
of the end, but at the end
of the opening.
Get breast mammography
screening done
Some doctors now recommend yearly
mammograms starting at age 40. It is
because breast cancer screenings can be
confusing, which leads many women in their
forties to ignore breast health. Remember, the
best way you can treat and cure breast cancer
is by finding it earlier. Screening
mammography reduces the number of deaths
from breast cancer among women. Talk to
your doctor. He or she can help guide your
decision based on individual risk factors. Also,
get to know your breasts with self-exams.
Self-exams keep you familiar with how your
April 14, 2019 / 13