“You love yourself too much!”, “You feel really sorry for yourself,” “You only think about yourself!” and even the simple and short “Selfish” - these words are too familiar to most of us, women, whose childhood and youth occurred in the last quarter of the last century. A value system in which the collective is everything, and the individual is nothing, has raised horse women who will pull the cart to the last and take care of everyone, from their own children to the stray kitten at the entrance. About everyone - except yourself. We say: enough is enough! We say: this is a real crime! We say stop and learn to take care of yourself.
Put a mask on yourself
We have been taught to think that self-care is selfishness, and self-love is a bubble bath or a piece of cake at night. Ok, you can still buy a new skirt - but only after gifts have been bought for all other family members and there is some free money left... That is, most likely never.
We make sure our children, parents, husbands and pets are fed, healthy, and get enough rest and sleep. We figure out how to interest them in sports (an active lifestyle is useful), support if something doesn’t work out, take on their anger, aggression or sadness... And who does the same for us?
Mothers and wives usually make appointments for their loved ones to see the doctor, make sure that all medical examinations are completed on time and do not allow their legs to hurt - but when have we ever been to the doctor ourselves?
The airplane rule: “Put the oxygen mask on yourself first and only then help others” must be extended throughout life. To support and care, and to fully enjoy life, we need self-care and self-love. Are we getting enough sleep? Are we eating adequately? Are we getting enough physical activity? Do we see a doctor on time? The answers to these simple questions will help us understand whether we are giving ourselves at least the minimum care necessary to maintain health and well-being. We have compiled a small list of what every woman over 40 should do for herself and her health, and we ask you: please do not miss a single point. Take good care of your closest and most beloved person - yourself.
Ignore the personal trainer
Many modern women are characterized by humility and independence. But in sports, especially when working with a specialist, it is not recommended to ignore advice and requirements. A personal trainer, even if it’s free, monitors the correctness of the exercises. Often he makes sure that you do not concentrate on a certain part of the body, makes you do a warm-up and so on.
If a forty-year-old woman has just started her sports activities, she simply needs such a specialist. He will help you choose the right and safe program, based on the individual characteristics of her body, so that sport is not only useful, but also an enjoyable activity.
Get enough sleep
Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night is a necessary minimum, and depriving yourself of it is simply criminal. Lack of sleep, even for several days, has a negative impact on health: the level of the stress hormone cortisol increases, cell tolerance to glucose increases, inflammatory processes in the body become more active, and the risk of cancer and heart disease increases. In addition, it is very important how sound your sleep is: our body truly reboots and recovers only in the phase of slow, deep sleep. To prolong it as much as possible, it is important to sleep in a dark, cool room, stop using gadgets two hours before bedtime (blue light blocks the production of the “sleepy” hormone melatonin), and try not to drink coffee after 15:00.
Visible signs of aging
A face that begins to age looks overly tired: pale, haggard, with dark circles under the eyes. It ceases to shine with health. Clearly visible signs of aging are associated with changes in the skin itself and the underlying tissues.
Volume loss
The first signs of facial skin aging are the appearance of sagging areas in the area of the upper eyelids, temples, nasolabial triangle and cheeks. The face begins to look more gloomy or frowning, folds appear above the bridge of the nose, in the corners of the mouth, bags under the eyes appear more often, facial features become sharper or become blurred. The skin loses turgor, this is due to the thinning of the subcutaneous tissue and a decrease in the volume of the facial muscles.
Density loss
Signs of aging facial skin are often associated with a decrease in the amount of collagen, elastin, and fat cells. The epidermis becomes dry and rough to the touch, the layers of the dermis lose moisture, are more often subject to irritation, and meshwork of blood vessels appear on the surface. Wrinkles form faster in different areas.
Eat healthy and varied
We are what we eat, and every year our health depends more and more on our nutrition. After 40 years, we need more protein (as we lose muscle mass more actively), dairy products (calcium and vitamin D are important for losing bone strength), and unsaturated fats. You should also try to eat fresh vegetables and fruits every day (ideally, at least half of your plate should be vegetables), fish, whole grains and other slow carbohydrates. But you should avoid processed meats, fast carbohydrates, foods with added sugar and salt, sugary drinks and alcohol: every year they become more and more harmful to our health.
Women's health after 40 years
Nowadays, it is 40-year-old women who reach the peak of perfection and beauty. It seems that the health is like that of a young girl. Is it so? What do you need to know about during this wonderful period of time, what should you be prepared for?
First of all, this concerns physiology. It is after 40 years that reproductive function fades away and hormonal changes occur. Menopause is just around the corner. Surely, many may complain that it was after 40 years that extra pounds began to be deposited, metabolism was disrupted, and muscles became weaker. Nervous breakdowns and depression occur more often, and blood pressure rises.
During this period, you need to be especially careful in choosing your diet, work and rest schedule, and getting adequate sleep.
First, let's look at nutrition for women after forty years. We don’t give up on excess weight and don’t agree with genetics. Let's take care of ourselves. And let's start with nutrition, or rather, by reducing the calorie content of food. Here are some rules.
1. No mono-diets.
2. Let's remember what and how Mediterranean residents eat. And everything is fine with their health and longevity. The basis is tomatoes, garlic - we will support the cardiovascular system, this also prevents cancer.. At least 2 tomatoes a day and in any form (not necessarily even fresh).
3. It is very useful to eat fish and seafood 3-4 times a week. Polyunsaturated fatty acids will protect the heart and blood vessels, and will also have an anti-inflammatory effect on the entire body and on the female genital area, including.
4. Don’t forget about grain products (whole grains) – a source of complex, “slow” carbohydrates.
5. Olive oil should be a good doctor and assistant in the kitchen: fry, add this miracle product to salads.
6. Before lunch, it is advisable to eat carbohydrate foods - flour products, fruits, cereals, pasta dishes, and in the evening exclusively protein foods - meat, fish, plus vegetables (raw, stewed, boiled). In this case, excess carbohydrates will not turn into fat and be deposited in unwanted places.
7. No one canceled breakfast. It is important.
8. It is recommended to eat at least 3 times - main meals and plus snacks with fruits, nuts, and dairy products.
9. And once again about fermented milk products. There's a lot of calcium and protein. Fat content is not less than 2.5% and not more than 5%. And you don't need to choose sweet products. Choose fresh foods without preservatives, they are not sour and taste good.
10. We end any meal not with sweet desserts and pastries, but with fruits and dried fruits.
11. The best drinks are green tea, juices (freshly squeezed), clean water, at least 1.5-2 liters a day.
12. Women over 40 should especially monitor the amount of salt they consume. Because Water-salt metabolism is disrupted, potassium is excreted. Swelling appears from excess drinking water after eating salty food.
Here are a few more products that are extremely beneficial for a woman’s health at this age.
– sweet bell peppers, herbs, apples and apricots – prevention of vitamin deficiency and anemia
– pumpkin is a source of carotene, dietary fiber and vitamins
– lingonberries, sea buckthorn, blueberries, viburnum
– carrots with sour cream daily help strengthen vision, nails and hair
– any products containing bran and fiber. Moreover, bran can be bought and added to any dish.
What else do experts recommend?
Anyone who smokes should quit immediately - this is no joke.
Reduce the amount of alcohol.
It is mandatory to undergo examination by a gynecologist, mammologist, or cardiologist once a year.
After 40 years of age, it is recommended to undergo a bone density test. It is important to prevent osteoporosis in order to take action in time.
For any signs of illness, consultation and examination by specialists is necessary.
The risk of developing cancer of the skin, intestines, uterus, and ovaries increases. Visit specialists and be sure to take the necessary tests.
And most importantly, remain optimistic and have good spirits. If you take care of your health and proper nutrition, this will certainly affect your appearance and mood. And of course, sports and an active lifestyle will help fight depression, relieve anxiety and simply complete the harmonious picture of your life. After all, after 40, life is just beginning.
Elena,
Don't forget to drink
Water is life, no matter how trite it sounds. Fatigue, swelling, digestive problems, insomnia, excess weight - all these and many other problems can arise precisely because of insufficient hydration of the body. Doctors say: at the moment when we feel severe thirst, the body is already about 30% dehydrated. The best solution is to keep a bottle of clean water handy and simply sip on it a little every hour. But if you are prone to swelling, try not to drink two hours before bed.
Why more often?
Previously, doctors said that a woman should visit a gynecologist once a year.
And the doctor told me that now, after 50, I need to come for an examination once every six months. Why? Raisa Ivanovna, Tver
After 45 years, a perestroika period begins in a woman’s life, which requires increased attention. At this time, I also advise my patients to see a gynecologist once every six months. After 45 years, menstrual irregularities begin. They are fraught with endometrial hyperplasia - growth of the mucous membrane in the uterine cavity, bleeding.
In adulthood, cervical diseases appear. Here, more than with any other illness, it is important that the patient gets to the doctor on time. Very minor and imperceptible changes in the cell can cause oncological transformations. And we need to capture this process as early as possible.
And if there are already some problems, the doctor may ask the patient to come for examination once every 3 months or once a month.
Move
The older we get, the more important physical activity becomes. The required minimum is 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week and at least two strength training sessions. After 40 years, the process of losing muscle tissue begins and regular strength exercises are simply necessary to maintain the muscle corset - in the future it will be the one that will support the weakening spine and relieve stress from the joints. It is important to find a type of physical activity that you enjoy and devote as much time to it as possible.
Why do we start to grow old?
The reason for changes in the female body and appearance is hormonal. After about 40 years, a woman’s production of sex hormones decreases, and we begin to change. This period is called premenopause (the time before menopause, when the body prepares for the last menstruation).
Until this moment, it is easy to stay slim: the gym and fasting days quickly get you into shape, and the elasticity of the skin is easily maintained by cosmetic procedures. But as soon as a hormone deficiency begins in the body, everything becomes more complicated and the simplest procedures no longer bring the desired effect.
Three main female sex hormones:
- progesterone - pregnancy hormone,
- estrogen is a beauty hormone,
- Testosterone is a sex hormone.
It is these natural sources of feminine strength that are beginning to leave us. So, if, first of all, hormone deficiency begins with the beauty hormone estrogen, we observe the appearance of wrinkles. And if testosterone makes itself felt first, the initial symptoms may be strong emotional changes: reluctance to have intimacy and loss of “taste for life.”
Hormones influence many processes in the body, so wrinkles and lack of mood are only the first signs of hormone deficiency. After 45 years, deficiency manifests itself more acutely: hot flashes and sweating, urogenital problems (dryness, irritation, itching, decreased sexual desire, problems with urination).
After 56 years, already during the postmenopausal period (the time after the last menstruation), other risks increase: acute urogenital problems, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis (decreased bone strength), type 2 diabetes mellitus.
And after 66 years, we reach the peak of hormonal depletion, which leads to more global problems. Due to hormonal deficiency, our risks of fractures due to osteoporosis, visual impairment and hearing impairment increase. And it’s no secret that at this age we are most at risk of heart attack, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
This is how hormone deficiency manifests itself in the female body. We think that such symptoms are inevitable, but only in Russia is menopause considered a process that does not require intervention. But a way to maintain women's health, and therefore beauty, after menopause has been invented, and its name is hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
