Perimenopause: How To Take Care of Hair, Skin, Nails, Muscle and Bones

As you move through perimenopause, you might start to notice changes in your skin, hair and nails along with losing muscle mass.  This could be thanks to perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause).

Whilst it can all be somewhat despairing, there are diet and lifestyle choices that can help maintain your hair, skin, nails, muscle and bones.

The changes you may be noticing are happening because of the hormones progesterone and estrogen declining, along with your collagen levels. This is all part of the natural ageing process.

What to expect…

Perimenopause SKIN

As part of the natural ageing process thanks in the main to the decrease in estrogen and collagen levels in our skin it can appear less plump, less elastic, thinner, drier and can become more sensitive.

Protect your skin by

• Using sunscreen
• Not smoking
• Eating a whole food diet high in fresh foods and
• Supplementing with a collagen supplement.

It’s normal too that you might start to react to skin care products you have used for years.

If you become sensitive it might be worthwhile seeking an appointment with a dermatologist or look at using natural skin care ranges for women in their perimenopause and menopause years.

As our skin gets drier it’s important to moisturise most days, as drier skin can become more troublesome.

As always in perimenopause, importantly, be sure that you're drinking enough water to keep your skin hydrated. 

Perimenopause HAIR

As we age and estrogen levels decrease, hair fibres become thinner and are more prone to breaking.

Lifestyle and nutritional tips to combat hair thinning and brittleness are:

• Eat a whole food diet with a variety of fresh foods
• Lead an active life
• Don't smoke.

If you are experiencing hair loss, read this helpful article which will give you some pointers around what might be happening and treatments you could try.

Perimenopause NAILS

With collagen levels decreasing as we age you might start to notice your nails breaking more easily and generally weakening.  Supplementing with collagen can be helpful to maintain healthy and strong nails.

Losing Muscle in Perimenopause

You guessed it, reduced muscle mass is also linked to reducing estrogen levels.Perimenopause is a time when you need to make sure you're eating enough protein to keep muscle mass and bone strength up.

As well as muscle mass, protein provides the amino acids needed for maintenance and repair of every cell in your body, supports your immunity and maintains your metabolism.

Secondly, it’s important to choose exercises that are weight bearing to encourage increase in muscle mass and reduction in body fat. The more muscle you have around your bones will protect your body from injuries.

Read more here about the Power of Protein in Perimenopause.

The Health Benefits In Perimenopause of Collagen Supplements

In perimenopause with all the above wreaking havoc on us, collagen can help to:

• Build tissue and maintain joint health.  Studies show that supplementing with collagen can be useful for treating osteoarthritis and other joint disorders.
• Maintain muscle mass.
• Rejuvenate skin, hair and nails
• Preserve the youthful appearance of your skin.  Studies have shown that taking collagen peptides will support skin elasticity, hydration levels, and promote youthful texture.
• Improve gut health - it can help repair and grow muscle tissue in your gut lining.  Find out here how to work on your gut health in perimenopause.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein found in the skin, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue of all living animals and most abundant in mammals.

It is the foundations of our bodies, basically holding us together. Collagen fibres are in connective tissue that are like pieces of string of all different shapes and sizes that connect our bones together. They stabilise our joints or hold the ends of two bones together. They protect our joints and make sure everything works as it should.

The collagen in our skin is what gives it volume and a youthful appearance, as we age the collagen in our skin breaks down and that’s when we start to see wrinkles and fine lines.

Source of Collagen Supplements

Collagen supplements are mainly from the skin and bones of cows (bovine) and fish sources (marine).

When you see vegan collagen supplements advertised, they are promoting supplements with nutrients that may help boost the body's ability to make its own collagen.

Hydrolysed collagen peptides (which are short chains of amino acids) are considered the best form of collagen for ingestion and are easy for the body to digest. 

Our Peri Chai Latte contains hydrolysed collagen peptides.

Foods That Contain Collagen

We don’t eat as much collagen in our diets anymore because we tend not to eat nose to tail.

To help maintain a healthy, strong and mobile body, we need adequate amounts of collagen in our daily diet, so make sure you eat the skin, tendons and connective tissue from good animal sources such as:

• Chicken - don’t just eat the breast, try the thighs, skin, legs and wings
• Fish and shellfish - eat the meat and the skin
• Bone broth
• And supplement with hydrolysed collagen peptides supplement. I would suggest finding a supplement that is at least 3g of Collagen per serve (the SheBANG! Peri Chai Latte contains your daily requirement of Collagen).

Wrap up

To look after your skin, hair, nails and muscle mass in perimenopause, It’s important to eat protein daily.

The rule of thumb is 1.2kg of protein per kg of body weight daily and choose exercises that are weight bearing.

Supplement with collagen, eat a whole food diet, no smoking, movement and moisturise your skin daily and find skin care products that suit your skin's needs.

 

 

Reference

Duvel L, Herbal A, Daniels L, Kong R, & Hillebrand GG. Age, lifestyle and self-perceptions of hair: Is there an association with hair diameter and tensile properties?. Int J Cos Sci [Internet]. 2019. [cited 2022 Feb 10];41:509-515. Available from: doi: 10.1111/ics.12569