The Menopause + Heart Connection
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Tafiq Akhir (Mr. Menopause): [00:00:00] If you've ever been told to keep an eye on your cholesterol or to watch your blood pressure, but no one ever explained why your heart suddenly feels more relevant during menopause, well, this episode is definitely for you because today I'm not here to scare you or to talk about worst case scenarios.
I'm here to help you understand what's actually changing in your body and why heart related symptoms and risks become part of the menopause conversation. First place. Now, by the end of this episode, you're gonna understand how menopause affects the cardiovascular system, why some symptoms show up quietly before anyone connects the dots, and what proactive support actually looks like without fear, extremes, or guesswork.
I'm Tafiq Akhir, Mr. Menopause here and welcome to the Mr. Menopause Show.
Now let's get something clear right away, because [00:01:00] menopause does not cause heart disease. But menopause does change how the heart and the blood vessels are supported, regulated, and protected. And that difference matters. And it matters because. Estrogen plays a really important role in cardiovascular health.
It helps to keep blood vessels flexible. It supports healthy cholesterol balance. It influences inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and how your body responds to stress. So when estrogen starts fluctuating and declining, the heart isn't suddenly in danger, but it is operating under new conditions. And this is where a lot of women start feeling confused because changes don't always show up in big obvious ways.
They actually show up pretty quietly. You might notice that you're more fatigued than usual. You might feel short of breath doing things that never bothered you before. Heart palpitations might show up out of nowhere. Your blood pressure starts [00:02:00] creeping up. Cholesterol numbers change even though you haven't changed how you eat or move, and without context, that can feel really unsettling.
Now, I've worked with women who say nothing feels wrong, but something definitely feels different, and that instinct right there. That matters. And here's something else that's really important to understand. Before menopause, women generally have a lower risk of heart disease compared to men. Estrogen offers a level of cardiovascular protection.
It supports blood vessel flexibility. It helps to regulate cholesterol, and it keeps inflammation in check. But after menopause, when you're in post menopause, that protection changes. Heart disease risk doesn't just increase quietly. It actually becomes very visible. In fact, heart disease becomes the number one cause of death for women after menopause, not during perimenopause, not when symptoms first start, but later in post [00:03:00] menopause when many women think they should be passed.
All of this. And this is where so many women are caught off guard because diagnosis rates increase in post menopause, not because women suddenly did something wrong, but because the long-term effects of hormonal change, inflammation, stress, and metabolic shifts that show up. More clearly during this time.
Now that doesn't mean menopause caused heart disease, right? It just means that menopause changed the terrain and when no one explains that, well, women are left blaming themselves instead of understanding what their bodies have been adapting to for years. And you know, this is something that I go deeper into in my book, decoding the 80 symptoms and side effects of menopause, especially the heart related symptoms that many women.
Aren't even warned about because look, when symptoms show up without explanation, well, women often assume that something is seriously wrong or worse, that they're [00:04:00] overreacting, and neither of those things are true. And once you understand the physiology, a lot of that fear just falls away. So let's talk about what's.
Actually changing. As estrogen declines, blood vessels can become less elastic, and that means that they don't expand and contract as easily, which can affect circulation and blood pressure. And at the same time, inflammation can increase, and cholesterol balance can shift. Add in changes to insulin sensitivity and stress hormones like cortisol.
And now the cardiovascular system is managing more variables all at the same time, and that's not weakness. Ladies, that is adaptation. And here's something that doesn't get talked about nearly enough stress hits differently during menopause. The nervous system becomes more reactive. Cortisol raises faster heart rate spikes more easily.
Things that used to feel manageable suddenly feel [00:05:00] overwhelming. And a lot of women say that they feel on edge and they don't know why. And look, that's not emotional instability either. That is physiology. And when stress stays elevated for long periods of time, it directly impacts heart related symptoms.
But. Here is the good news. There are proactive strategies that support cardiovascular health during menopause without extremes or fear-based rules. Movement matters, but punishment does not see consistent. Moderate movement supports blood vessel health, insulin sensitivity, and stress regulation. Things like walking, strength training, mobility work, gentle cardio.
It all counts. Intensity. Here is not the goal though. Consistency is nourishment matters as well. Fiber rich foods, healthy dietary fats and protein support, inflammation, balance, and cholesterol metabolism. And this isn't about restriction, y'all. This is about [00:06:00] giving your body what it needs in order to adapt easily.
Sleep is also a non-negotiable. Poor sleep raises, blood pressure, increases inflammation and disrupts hormone regulation. So protecting your sleep during menopause, it's not optional. It is foundational. And of course, stress awareness matters. Not eliminating stress because let's be real, that's unrealistic, but recognizing when your body is asking for support and responding with compassion instead of frustration.
Doing things like breathing techniques, rest setting boundaries, those aren't indulgent, those are protective. And here's what I really want you to take away from this episode. Heart related symptoms during menopause are not random. Your body is not failing you. It is simply changing. And when you understand what is actually happening, well, you can respond with strategy.
Instead of panic, and that's always the goal, right? You wanna be able to [00:07:00] move through this stage of life and thrive, not just survive. Now, if this episode helped connect some dots for you, know that you're not alone and nothing about this is random, menopause is a whole body transition. And for many women, heart related symptoms and risks become more visible in post menopause.
Not because something suddenly went wrong, but because the body has been adapting. Four years now, if you wanna go deeper into what happens after the transition, especially around balance, health, and confidence beyond menopause, watch my episode called Post Menopause Decoded. You'll find the link in the description, so next time, stay safe and be well.
