Menopause mood swings, flushes, and more can make you feel like relaxing and having fun is but a mere memory.
However, our menopause experts have some surprisingly sexy advice to help you tackle menopausal moodiness…
Revive great sex
Sex can become less enjoyable after menopause. The natural drop in oestrogen can make it uncomfortable, and some women also find that their interest in sex declines.
Your 3 Most Asked Questions About Menopause
There are a variety of ways to relieve vaginal dryness, and therefore make sex easier and more pleasant: try to avoid washing your intimate areas with soap, shower gel, or bath oil, as they can make dryness worse.
Alternatively, use a soap-free cleanser like Lactacyd, R47,95 for 120ml, Clicks. Also try a lubricant like Gyna Guard, KY Jelly, or Femagene Intimate Gel, from R49,95 each for 50g, all available at pharmacies without a prescription.
If these measures don’t help, your doctor can prescribe HRT, which alleviates dryness completely. But, if you can’t or don’t want to take it, you can use oestrogen applied ‘locally’, that is just to the vagina, to increase the flow of natural lubrication.
There are different options, including an oestrogen cream (applied using an applicator); pessaries; small tablets (again, inserted with an applicator); or an oestrogen-releasing vaginal ring inserted by your GP, which stays in place for three months at a time.
Try a libido-boosting smoothie that tastes amazing and can help rev things up.
Naturopath Rick Hay suggests blending a cup of raspberries together with half a beetroot, a little spinach and ginger, and some pumpkin seeds. Add a teaspoon of maca powder, and that’s it. “These ingredients help stimulate circulation, boost libido, and help energy production,” says Rick.
You can also take an extra supplement – try Foodstate Lots of Libido, R159,95 for 60 tablets, Dis-Chem
DISCLAIMER: You must not rely on the information on this website/newsletter as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
