280 - What is lifestyle medicine and how can it help your menopause?
Oct 29, 2024
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Dr Tash Mirando and Dr June Tan Sheren, GPs at Osler Health International, share insights on lifestyle medicine's role in menopause care. They discuss crucial aspects like nutrition, sleep, and exercise for women’s health, emphasizing holistic approaches. The duo debunks myths about menopause across different ethnicities and share the importance of empowerment in making informed health choices. They also highlight the evolution of menopause care in Singapore with a focus on patient-provider rapport as key to successful health transformations.
Lifestyle medicine, encompassing sleep, nutrition, and exercise, plays a crucial role in effectively managing menopause and enhancing overall health.
Empowerment through education allows women to make informed decisions about menopause care, challenging myths and promoting proactive health interventions.
Deep dives
Understanding Menopause Care
Menopause care should ideally be managed in primary care settings, where doctors can provide holistic treatment tailored to individual patients. General practitioners are trained to address multiple diagnoses simultaneously, allowing them to consider various health needs of women going through menopause. This approach emphasizes a collaborative relationship between patient and doctor, promoting personalized care instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. By understanding each patient's unique circumstances, GPs can better guide discussions on lifestyle changes, medication options, and overall health management.
The Role of Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle medicine focuses on evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage chronic diseases, particularly during menopause. It emphasizes six key pillars: adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, regular exercise—including strength training—mental well-being, social connection, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking and excessive drinking. Prioritizing sleep enhances overall health, making women more resilient to stress and enabling them to engage in other healthy habits. Enhancing these lifestyle factors can significantly improve the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy and has long-term benefits for maintaining health.
Empowerment Through Knowledge
Education and awareness about menopause and women’s health can empower individuals to take charge of their well-being. Patients are encouraged to ask questions, seek knowledge, and challenge existing health beliefs, which helps them make informed decisions about their care. Many women may assume they are too young to experience menopausal symptoms, but it’s vital to recognize that symptoms can arise earlier than expected. This awareness can lead to better health outcomes, as individuals who take proactive steps toward understanding their bodies can initiate necessary lifestyle and medical interventions.
Joining Dr Louise this week are Dr Tash Mirando and Dr June Tan Sheren, who are GPs based at Osler Health International in Singapore.
Dr Tash and Dr June explain the pillars of lifestyle medicine, including sleep, nutrition and exercise, and talk about longevity and the importance of taking a holistic approach to menopause care.
They also discuss menopause care in Singapore, bust myths on how menopause can affect women of different ethnicities and highlight the importance of knowledge and empowerment in making informed decisions about your health.
For more information on Newson Health, click here.
Dr Louise Newson’s first-ever live theatre tour, Hormones and Menopause – The Great Debate, runs until 12 November. For more information and tickets, click here.
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