As a woman, you may notice changes in your mood, energy levels, and overall well-being that you can’t quite put your finger on.
Many of these symptoms can be attributed to hormone imbalances.
I’ve made it my mission to change the narrative of what women think about getting older and how we perceive our bodies. Our opinion is the only one that really matters, the only one that will make or break our future.
I want to help women discover their abilities to forge their own paths, regardless of what the majority of people believe and want society tells us. With a little bit of guidance we can feel confident, look and feel amazing and maybe even turn back the biological clock of time.
It is important to note that biochemically men and women are very different, and this means we need to approach our health and wellbeing differently.
Women should recognize, understand and honor their physiological differences.
For example, women’s bodies are far more sensitive to things like fasting, low carb diets, over-training, and lack of sleep. We also typically react to stress and burnout differently, especially in how stress takes its toll on our physical and mental health. If we can understand and honor our differences we can also learn how to appreciate, celebrate, and ultimately make the most of how wonderful it is to gracefully enjoy the second half of life.
Today I am going to discuss simple things I have adjusted in my routine to help ease this transition.
1.) Hormone imbalances
Let’s talk caffeine. Caffeine can cause hormonal imbalances, dehydration and lead to mineral deficiencies. Lower your caffeine to one cup per day, tape off slowly, or switch to matcha (which has a lower caffeine content than coffee).
Matcha also has just so many amazing benefits, it’s skin-loving, great for metabolism, for stress, and its anti-oxidant properties; it really is incredible. I switched from coffee to matcha 2 years ago and never looked back. I use Pique Tea Sun Goddess. Pique is the most rigorously tested matcha – tested for purity and quality
BONUS BOOSTER #1: Skin Health I drink my matcha daily to support my skin. It has EGCG to firm and brighten skin, and chlorophyll to clarify.
BONUS BOOSTER #2: Immune Health Green Tea boosts your immune system due to an antioxidant called EGCG. It improves your production of T-cells, which help fight pathogens. Matcha is truly a super antioxidant.
BONUS BOOSTER #3: Metabolism Many studies have found that green tea can increase metabolism and increase fat burning during exercise. One study found that women drinking matcha before a brisk walk burned more fat while walking. It’s so interesting how green tea functions.
Our bodies have different types of fat. There’s white fat and brown fat. Brown fat burns energy and is often higher in those with higher metabolisms. White fat is linked to heart disease and other illnesses. Matcha activates brown fat cells to increase caloric burn.
BONUS BOOSTER #4 Matcha is especially high in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound that has been shown to have powerful anti-cancer properties. Matcha is also good for liver health. The liver is our main detox organ. A sluggish liver can affect both digestion and metabolism.
2.) Stress, cortisol and anxiety
Cortisol is huge in mid-life. If you’re stressed you’re body won’t function well. Period. Lowering your stress hormones is key to ensuring your functioning at your best. And also so important to keep your metabolism humming (read on for more on that)! When you drink caffeine it makes it harder to lower cortisol levels. If you wake up feeling anxious and your mind is racing the moment you wake up, your cortisol may be out of balance and coffee isn’t helping.
Since I switched from coffee to matcha, I have noticed a huge difference in my anxiety, I feel calm energy when I drink matcha. I’ve been making my matcha lattes with Pique Sun Goddess Matcha mixed with frothed nut milk. You can prepare my matcha recipe, see the reel here.
3.) The weight roller coaster
As we age it’s easy to assume our weight is out of control and our bodies are somehow failing us.
The science of weight-loss is complex, revealing that your ability to lose weight and, more importantly, keep it off, hinges on a set of biological and psychological responses. This starts with biology delivering unfair obstacles that are outside your control, such as a genetic predisposition to storing fat, especially in the midsection as we age—the kind that’s notoriously difficult to lose and especially dangerous to your health. Peri-menopause, menopause and the natural aging process add their own sets of hurdles to overcome, including a reduction in fat-burning muscle mass and slower metabolism.
Avoiding temptations and exercising self-control are outdated views on losing weight. Today, health experts understand that biology and neurology serve up a set of challenges that you’re not even aware of and are largely out of your control.
You may be shocked to discover that the act of losing weight can actually cause you to subsequently pack on more pounds by increasing your appetite despite your best efforts to eat less. This is because of an ancestral trait built into all of us – you cut back on calories, you trigger a switch that releases ghrelin, a hunger hormone that intensifies appetite and cravings.
Then there’s stress. Stress is a powerful emotion that makes you lose touch with your body’s hunger cues. A heightened fight-or-flight response activates your body’s production of cortisol, a stress hormone that’s known to induce cravings and slow the metabolic rate.
4.) Lack of radiance and loss of elasticity
With middle age skin, you may notice your youthful glow is not what it should be.
A key to boosting your skin from within is natural collagen. Collagen is more popular than ever, and the anti-aging science demonstrating the amazing benefits of collagen has never been stronger.
You’ve all seen Jennifer Aniston touting its benefits and her natural glow is enviable. The stunning 54-year-actress takes collagen every morning and describes it as “that working from the inside-out thing”. Since starting her collagen routine, she reported stronger nails and a healthier glow.
How Collagen Works
Collagen is the key structural protein in skin. As the “glue” that holds your skin matrix together, the more collagen you have, the plumper and firmer your skin looks. Plus, it minimizes brittleness in nails and promotes growth. So, if you want to maintain your natural glow in your menopausal years and beyond you can work on boosting your collagen intake now.
Collagen is the very foundation of your skin, essential for elasticity and plumpness. As the most plentiful protein in the body, collagen makes up 25-30% of all protein content.
Few people know that skin is your largest organ. So, protecting your collagen should be your top priority, especially as you age. The deep wrinkles, sagging, rough texture, and loss of elasticity and moisture are signs that you are losing collagen.
Moisture loss intensifies too. By the age of 50, you can expect HALF of your skin’s hyaluronic acid to be depleted.* A key molecule in plump skin, its job is to retain moisture and make connective tissue remain supple.
In fact, menopause dramatically accelerates collagen breakdown: in your first 5 years of menopause alone, you can lose 30% of your collagen volume, according to studies.
When estrogen comes to a screeching halt, it can deliver a staggering double blow to women—because this vital hormone helps maintain normal levels of collagen production. According to experts, you may lose 30% of collagen in the first 5 years of menopause!*
In recent years, dietary collagen, which nourishes the skin from the inside out, has become the focus of extensive scientific research, with multiple studies revealing that one specific type of dietary collagen can reduce wrinkles in as few as 4 weeks.* And not only wrinkles but other telltale signs of aging like crow’s feet, dryness and loss of firmness.**
Did you know you can compound your collagen production with liposomal Vitamin C? Vitamin C also stimulates your body’s natural collagen production and has been proven to also increase the synthesis of elastin. I added the pro-collagen antioxidant, vitamin C, which your body needs to synthesize new collagen with this product -it’s called Daily Radiance.
BEAUTY BOOSTER
When I learned there was drinkable skincare with other added benefits, I added it to my routine immediately.
It’s called B•T Fountain. This beauty electrolyte is stacked with minerals optimized for deep cellular hydration. Plus replenishing your store of ceramides for a stronger skin barrier, and boosting your hyaluronic acid reserves (you need those to soak up water deep in your skin layers).
I wrote more about my experience with it here in my glow-getting skin guide (where I spill all my skin secrets). This beauty electrolyte drink truly hydrates from within. It also goes beyond promoting youthful skin, as it is a beauty electrolyte that can help fight brain fog (and it is super refreshing).
Here are some other ways to boost your skin from within:
BONUS SKIN BOOSTER #1: Biotin
Biotin and collagen are better together. Beauty’s most popular B-vitamin, biotin helps metabolize proteins and produce moisturizing oils your skin needs for hydration, elasticity and density.* B•T Fountain fortifies your skin with 2500 mcg in every serving.
BONUS SKIN BOOSTER #2: Hyaluronic Acid
You probably have a serum or moisturizer that contains this water-loving ingredient. Like a sponge, hyaluronic acid absorbs moisture and locks it in at the surface of your skin for a plumper appearance.* A dose of hyaluronic acid in every B•T Fountain serving transforms this collagen powder into your most pampering beauty product.
BONUS SKIN BOOSTER #3: Vitamin C
I added the pro-collagen antioxidant, vitamin C, which your body needs to synthesize new collagen with this product – Daily Radiance. This is a liposomal Vitamin C necessary for healthy collagen production. I also wrote more about my experience with it here in my glow-getting skin guide. It helps support the skin collagen you have and it helps stimulate your body’s natural production of collagen!
Special Offer: For a limited time, receive 15% off + free shipping for life on Pique’s Radiant Skin Duo (which includes my favorite Sun Goddess Matcha) when you shop with my link! Plus, you’ll also get a complimentary Starter Kit which includes Pique’s beaker and frother.
With essential building blocks of beautiful, glowing skin, you’ll be amazed at how B•T Fountain can transform your skin from within!
Perimenopause is often, well, a period of great change but also confusion. In the years leading up to menopause, you may no longer feel like the same person you were in your twenties and thirties—which is usually a good thing. We can approach this transition with ease and grace, with just a little bit of knowledge on our side, we can take our power back.
I’m not ready to go on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) yet (stay tuned!) but I am doing some things to help balance my hormones naturally including this amazing ritual.
A Hormonal Balancing Ritual
Pique Tea is supporting the changing needs of women as they age with this powerful Hormone Balance Ritual package. Use this link to save on the and annoying else from Pique.
Watch me prepare my favorite matcha recipe
In this stage of life let’s focus on feeling our best and looking like the best versions of ourself as opposed to looking “younger”
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