Ms. Tripti Gupta, Lifestyle Nutrition Consultant (Health/ Beauty/ Wellness) talks about what Hurried Women Syndrome is, the symptoms and why it needs to be addressed immediately.
Affecting as many as 30 million women each year, the Hurried Woman syndrome can leave you feeling irritable, tired all the while, find sleep difficult, difficult to keep weight down (or steady), low libido.
Sounds familiar? None of the symptoms are what we go to the doctor for, so there are higher chances of the malaise going undetected for years!
What are the major signs of this Syndrome?
- She feels tired through the day and lacks the passion for daily challenges she used to have
- She loses interest in doing most things, and the capacity to feel satisfied
- Irritable and loses her temper even with the smallest things
- Waking up tired, needing a coffee to keep going. While lunch is invariably small, the tiredness continues into the afternoon nap. She often starts feeling more wide awake in the evening, post dinner time, when all the chores are done and the family is ready to sleep
- Weight gain which cannot be explained by any kind of binge eating. And an inability to lose the weight despite controlling what she eats
- Blood clots in menstruation
- Low libido
A lot of the symptoms associated with the Hurried Woman Syndrome could be mistaken for thyroid imbalances or the onset of menopause and it is a good doctor who recognises these symptoms for what it is.
Who could be suffering from the Syndrome?
It is said that women between 25 to 55 years, with children ranging from 6 to 16 could show the signs. It is said that it is usually the moms who stay at home who could be suffering. But even women who work, who may not be moms, may be susceptible!
What causes this?
A stressful career, a sick relative, overwhelming responsibilities of child rearing… different people react to stress differently, and the Syndrome could hit anyone even if you are outwardly calm and in control.
Stress seems to be the biggest cause, and how she handles the stress is important. Most of the stress is today considered “normal” and the Syndrome is the body’s mechanism trying to cope.
Men produce testosterone at times of stress, a woman produces oxytoxin. Prolonged stress means the body starts to function on adrenaline rather than the balance of progesterone, estrogen and other hormones which further lead to the Hurried Woman Syndrome.
But, is stress not normal today?
For a lot of us, taking a holiday or changing jobs, or sometimes even a walk on the beach can do the trick. For others, continual stress over a long period of time can create a sense of getting overwhelmed! This may sometimes cause a chemical imbalance in the hormones which creates a sense of fatigue- and a huge appetite.
When the fatigue becomes chronic, you lose interest in things you enjoyed, you are left with no stamina to stick to an exercise regime… combined with a larger appetite causes a weight gain. So you start feeling guilty, start a diet that keeps you hungry through the day, makes you irritable…. The cycle goes on….
Should I not see a doctor?
Yes, by all means. A doctor will probably recommend a blood test to check your hormonal imbalances, will probably recommend medicines to bring your progesterone levels to normal.
And, if you are at a pre-depression stage, seeing a doctor early is vital.
But for most women who fall slightly off the “normal” levels of the body balance of hormones, most doctors would recommend exercise, a diet that contains wholegrains, oily fish, nuts and fruit, magnesium, Vitamin B5, antioxidants, vitamins D3 and B12.
What are the solutions?
If by now, you realise what has been going wrong in your body, you could address the main symptoms. Here is what can make you feel good:
- Create a balance in your body with vitamins, exercise and limiting toxins like caffeine
- Treat the medical conditions immediately such as thyroid, anaemia, high cholesterol etc
- Correct the hormonal imbalances under your doctor’s supervision
- Find the right caloric balance between what you eat and what you burn.
- Follow a healthy balanced meal that gives you the right amount of carbs as well as essential fats your body needs.
How can we help you?
Monitoring and supervising your meals and exercise routines is a must, and that is where we can help you. You do not have to struggle towards wellness alone!
- What we will prescribe:
- A well planned lifestyle diet which is practical and easy to follow based on your needs
- Appropriate hydration balancing electrolytes scientifically for the feel good factor.
- Exercise of your choice is a must. This releases the cortisol required to help ALL the above
A gentle word for the gentlemen– you too can help. Make her feel special, take time out for a “date night”, TELL her you love her and learn to relate to her in non-sexual ways. All this will go a long way towards the last part she is trying to grapple with- releasing the happy hormones.
And, finally, the things YOU need to do
- Don’t let go of your ambitions girl, but learn to slow down.
- Don’t kill yourself in the race but rekindle your love and passions with stability.
- Don’t starve or binge but eat wisely to calm your mind and body.
- There is no haste even if you think there is no time to waste… your answer is simply to UN-HURRY.
Rediscover what you enjoy and we promise it will make you smile.
We hope you start feeling more like yourself soon!
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Tripti Gupta, a Post Graduate in Dietetics and Nutrition, has contributed over 14 years to the field of Nutrition and has incorporated her love for food along with her knowledge and experience in nutrition, to help achieve goals through simple and practical lifestyle corrections.
She has successfully catered to over 10,000 clients including bollywood stars, sports personalities, models and the likes in her career.
An awareness campaign on Hurried Women Syndrome is being conducted by Ms. Gupta and her team this month. You could visit her site http://www.triptigupta.com/ for more information