Dry Mucous Membranes During Menopause? Here's What You Can Do
You keep blinking, swallowing, and shifting in your seat. But nothing seems to alleviate what you're feeling: dry mucous membranes. A common occurrence among women going through menopause. Why do you experience dry mucous membranes during menopause, and what can you do about it? Read on.
What are dry mucous membranes?
Let's start by understanding mucous membranes. Mucous membranes play a crucial role in our immune system as they form the body's first line of defence. They cover areas directly exposed to air, food, and other external influences. You can find mucous membranes in places such as the eyes, mouth, nose, throat, lungs, vagina, bladder, and intestines.
The mucus produced by our mucous membranes helps in eliminating waste. Think of mucus from your nose, tears from your eyes, or vaginal discharge. Changes in your hormone balance, as well as age, diet, stress, or medication, can affect the health of mucous membranes.
Dry mucous membranes have reduced mucus production. The lack of moisture can cause irritation, itching, or even pain.
Vaginal Dryness: A Common Menopausal Symptom
Our vagina also contains mucous membranes. During menopause, many changes occur in your body, such as the thinning and drying of the vaginal wall and labia. This is due to a decreased production of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones ensure that our mucous membranes and vaginal flora, the bacteria in our vagina, remain healthy and balanced.
A healthy vaginal flora has many lactobacilli – a particular type of bacteria – and low bacterial diversity, meaning fewer different bacteria. Women with a healthy vaginal flora experience less vaginal dryness than those with the opposite balance: fewer lactobacilli and higher bacterial diversity.
Why do you get dry mucous membranes during menopause?
Reduced oestrogen production during menopause can dry out the mucous membranes. Think of dry eyes, a dry mouth, or vaginal dryness. During menopause, your body gradually produces less oestrogen and progesterone. This results in the thinning and weakening of the vaginal skin. This is known as vaginal atrophy and is associated with dryness, irritation, itching, pain during intercourse, and vaginal and urinary tract infections.
How to take good care of your mucous membranes during menopause?
Take good care of your mucous membranes. Here are our five tips:
1. Opt for Pomegranate Extract
Pomegranate extract is beneficial for vaginal atrophy due to the presence of bioactive substances, such as phytoestrogens, which have a similar effect to natural oestrogen. These substances can help maintain vaginal tissues and moisture, reduce dryness and irritation, and contribute to alleviating symptoms of vaginal atrophy.
2. Choose Foods with Phytoestrogens
Contrary to the advice to consume soy products in moderation due to the hormones they contain, foods with phytoestrogens, such as soy, can actually help reduce menopausal symptoms like dry mucous membranes. Foods rich in phytoestrogens include soy, legumes, blue grapes, broccoli, and nuts.
3. Optimise Your Gut Health
When we eat foods with phytoestrogens, these substances are broken down in our bodies. During this process, they can be converted into active metabolites, which have effects similar to our own oestrogen. A prerequisite for converting phytoestrogens into active metabolites is a healthy gut. Take good care of your gut by eating enough fibre and pre- and probiotic foods. Ensure you drink plenty and stay active.
4. Restore with Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral, meaning our body does not produce it, and we can only obtain it through diet. Zinc contributes to the production of cells and tissues, which make up our entire body, including our mucous membranes. Additionally, zinc contributes to normal hormone balance. You can find zinc in large quantities in oysters and other seafood, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
5. Protect with Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant, meaning it protects our body from external influences and helps maintain healthy cells and tissues. You can find vitamin E in nuts, seeds, kernels, sprouts, green (leafy) vegetables, and corn.
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