How Menopausal Women Can Manage COVID-19 Stress

Available for Interviews: Dr. Eldred Taylor

Interview Dr. Eldred Taylor to answer all of your women’s health questions regarding hormonal imbalances and how to correct them. Dr. Taylor is a leader in the hormone industry and is passionate about helping women while using a holistic functional medicine approach.

 

Talking Points from Dr. Taylor On
COVID-19 and Menopausal Women:

The Effects of COVID-19 Menopausal Women

Menopausal women may be at an increased risk because the stress of going through menopause can weaken the immune system. Instability (either emotional or physical) is a stressor. Stress weakens the immune system.

• In my experience menopause is a time of stress even when there isn’t a pandemic going on.
• This is because this is the age where children are heading off to college, parents are getting older, etc.
• Many menopausal women are becoming caretakers of a parent and adjusting to the empty nest. During a pandemic, stress is more heightened.

How menopausal women can cope with stress and anxiety of COVID-19 in a healthy way

• Make sure their hormones are checked and balanced. The instability of hormone balance is what causes symptoms.
• Know your hormones. Progesterone is an anti-anxiety hormone, it increases GABA. Estrogen increases serotonin. Cortisol, the stress hormone causes instability of previously stable hormones.
• L-theanine is derived from green tea. This is a supplement that decreases anxiety. Can in some people work as well as Xanax or Ativan. Phosphatidylserine decreases cortisol levels. Meditation, deep breathing, exercising.

Stress Eating during Covid

Stress can cause you to stress eat. Carbohydrates increase serotonin. Serotonin makes you feel good. However, this is short-lived. This is why one may keep going to the pantry or refrigerator. Try the measures listed above to eliminate stress instead of eating.