Women going through menopause often start to get indigestion and gastric reflux. This may happen even though your diet is the same as usual and there are no lifestyle changes. There is a number of menopausal women suffering from gastro-oesophageal reflux and it is one of the most common symptoms of the menopause. Heartburn or reflux is more common in people who smoke or drink excessive alcohol.
It is suggested that falling levels of oestrogen can also slow down your indigestion. Poor digestion leads to gastric symptoms such as bloating, gas, constipation and reflux. Other existing conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can be exacerbated by the menopause.
Role of Stress in digestion and reflux
Stress is commonly experienced by menopausal women together or due to other symptoms of menopause. One of the many other things estrogen does in our body is to help regulate stress hormone cortisol. So, when oestrogen is low, cortisol increases, raising both blood pressure and blood sugars which in turn slow digestion. Cortisol increases stomach acids leading to gastric reflux. Our reaction to stress may become a bit more extreme too.
Simple lifestyle changes for better digestion
- Sit down straight with appropriate while eating a meal.
- Chew your food well before swallowing. Do not eat while rushing or working.
- Do not lie down, run or jump after meals. Sit for at least 10-15 mins upright.
- Try to avoid a lot of drinks with meals. This dilutes the digestive enzymes and reduces their capacity.
- Add phytoestrogen containing food in your diet to re-balance your estrogen or take supplements.
- Take food with healthy bacteria such as yoghurt or miso. You may want to consider a probiotic supplement too.
- Include enough fibres in your diet. You can choose fibre supplements or soluble fibre powders if you prefer.
- Quit smoking.
- Reducing caffeine may give you some symptom relief as caffeine intake is associated with worsened gastric reflux.
- Avoid alcohol, refined carbohydrates and sugar containing food.
- Get good sleep .
- Hydrate yourself well. Go for natural options such as peppermint tea or ginger to improve digestion while keeping your water intake high.
- Avoid chewing gum if possible. Sorbitol in most of the gums can make your digestion worse together with the extra air you swallow while chewing.
Worsened symptoms may be more than menopause
Ovarian cancer symptoms may seem similar to some digestive issues in perimenopausal and menopausal women. They include fullness in the stomach, abdominal bloating and pain. If you experience these symptoms often (3 or more times a week) with other symptoms such as urinary urgency, unexplained weight loss, consult your health care professional immediately.
Indigestion symptoms can be humiliating and troublesome sometimes especially for working women having menopausal symptoms. Choosing diet wisely and few lifestyle changes may provide noticeable relief.
Seek your doctor’s help if lifestyle measures do not provide relief.
