I am 49 years old and I think that I am going through the menopause - I had a period last August and I didn't have another one until April, and I haven't had one since. I have noticed a weight gain around my stomach/hips, which is really upsetting as I am naturally quite slim. I hate having sex, and I keep making up excuses not to. When I do have sex, I just want it to be over and done with as quickly as possible. I feel very low, I can't sleep very well, and I have a sore back most of the time. Please help, I feel as though I am going out of my mind.

Your symptoms are all common ones in the menopause and you are in the average age range of 45-55, so it is possible that you are on your way!

However, there are things you can do to help yourself through this time more easily.

Hormonal changes can often affect the metabolism and carb digestion. Many women find that weight becomes an issue in the menopause, especially around the middle.

It often seems that no matter how little you eat, and how much you exercise, it makes no difference! I tend to suggest cutting carbs right down and increasing your intake of good quality proteins and veg as this can often help quite quickly.

Read more about it in the 'Low GL Diet' - you can get books on this from Amazon. Sensible exercise is important, but don't go overboard. The menopause puts tremendous strain on the body generally and if you push yourself too hard, the body can go into 'survival mode' and reduce the metabolism further!

Try eating little and often, with snacks between meals such as nuts, seeds, dried fruit, plain yogurt etc.

Loss of libido is very common in the menopause. There can be several things contributing to this. Falling oestrogen, again, is one of the main culprits but the strain on the body generally can affect energy levels causing fatigue which can be a contributory factor.

Low oestrogen can affect our mood too so, adding all these factors together, it is no surprise you don't feel like it!

You may find the herb Maca good for this as it is traditionally used for libido, energy and mood. It is not one of our products but you can Google for more info. I often recommend it for menopause issues which our remedies may not cover.

You could also add in Menopause Support as this is traditionally used to help gently raise and balance oestrogen, and you could use both if wished. 

Acupuncture can also be really good for this so worth looking into as well.

Joint and muscle aches are another symptom caused by falling oestrogen - you may find that Menopause Support and acupuncture helps with this as well.

Eileen Durward