Day 5 - How to boost your energy

Video transcript

So today I'm going to talk about fatigue, and this is a very, very common symptom in the menopause, and most women will experience it at some point. And it's quite simple really, that falling hormones are going to put tremendous pressure on your body, and that's going to really drain you of energy. And that in itself can cause a whole raft of menopause symptoms such as low moods, anxiety, sleep problems, and fatigue. And if you then add in your day-to-day stress, either emotion or physical, then it's no wonder you're tired.

You know, as women today, as we are approaching the menopause or going through the menopause, we're really busy. Most of us will have full-time or part-time jobs, we maybe looking after family or elderly parents, and where do we actually fit time for ourselves in for the day? And so it's no wonder, that fatigue, it is so very common. And it's basically just your body's way of saying, "Slow down, I need a rest."

What else can cause fatigue?

Now, just one thing that is really important, other health issues can cause fatigue. So if you've had very heavy periods on the run up on the menopause, you may be low in iron. We do know that falling hormones can affect thyroid functions in the menopause, you may be low in vitamin D, or vitamin B-12. So if you feel that your fatigue is getting worse, if you can't make it better, then it is just quite important to go to your doctor and ask them to test for these just to actually rule them out. 

How can you help yourself with fatigue?

So how can you help yourself with fatigue? Really important, remember the water. And I was talking about this on day two, dehydration will cause fatigue, and especially if you're getting hot flushes and night sweats, you really have to look out for this.

You need plenty of rest and relaxation, and I know this is probably the most difficult thing that we can actually do, is to find time for ourselves at some point during the day. If you can, try to get 30 minutes of me time all to yourself.

Now, this is not sitting down with a cup of tea watching the soaps or reading your favourite magazine, this is about shutting yourself away and just really relaxing.

You can get fabulous CDs from the likes of Amazon with all this lovely relaxation music or sounds of the forest or birds. And studies have actually found that if you do 30 minutes relaxation properly a day, that can actually very quickly reduce your menopause symptoms. So, you know, you really are worth of that little bit of extra time.

How can a good diet help?

Now, most important of all is that you need a really good diet, and I have talked about this in day three, and I mentioned how important it is to have a really good breakfast before you leave the house, to have a good lunch, and a really good dinner.

But for a lot of us, we find that there might be a mid-morning or a mid-afternoon slump. So healthy snacks are actually vitalest part of the menopause diet.

Now you can have things like small handful of nuts and seeds, or some dried fruits, or you can try these energy bites that I'm going to show you how to make. And these contain lovely energy giving foods such as dates, protein powder, healthy fats, yummy cocoa powder, and the zest and juice of a fresh orange. These are really easy to make, and all you need are these simple ingredients and a food processor. 

My energy bite recipe

So first of all, I'm going to put the dates in. And dates are great for giving you energy and for making you feel that little bit fuller. Next I've got protein powder. And today I'm using hemp protein powder. This is a vegetarian option, so it's fine if you're vegetarian or vegan and you don't actually want to have whey powder. And hemp is really lovely on your digestive system.

And next we've got the yummy cocoa powder. This is high in magnesium, so this is going to give you that little bit of calming. And then we've got coconut oil, which is great for energy, and the oil is very good for your skin, and your brain, and your joints as well.

And then we've got the zest of an orange, and this is going to make a nice and tangy. And if you have a little bit of a sweet tooth, if the dates are not enough, you can add just a little bit of a agave syrup as well. And then we've got the orange juice. This is high in vitamin C. So this is going to give you a lovely little boost during the day.

Now what you need to do is blend it for two to three minutes on high until everything is mixed together. Now it's ready to make the bites. I actually like to roll mine in a little bit of dedicated coconut just for a little bit of extra crunch. And you're looking at about a teaspoon size. You don't want to make them too big. And then just very gently roll them up and dip them in the coconut. 

So I'm just making the last one. This amount of ingredients will actually make about 8 to 10 of the energy balls. And when they're ready, you can put them in an airtight container, you can take them to work and share them with your colleagues or share them with your family. And they will keep in the fridge for up to about five days, but that's if they last that long.

They're also really good for a pre and post exercise workout snack, which very nicely leads me on what I'm going to talk about tomorrow, which is exercise and weight control. But in the meantime, why not have a go at making these yummy energy bites?