EASING THE CHANGE

Menopause is a challenging time in many women’s lives. This Cape Town mom says CBD products have helped to manage the worst of her symptoms

- LESEGO MKHIZE & MELON RADEBE

WHEN she heard of a clin­ical trial to test the efficacy of a CBD­in­ fused aloe gel on menopause symptoms, she jumped at the opportunity to be part of the group.

Linda Hannival from Cape Town was willing to try just about anything to put an end to the hot flushes and sweaty episodes that punctuated her day.

“I was about 54 when I be­ came menopausal and it took a while before I accept­ed it,” she says.

Although she eventually came to terms with the fact she was going through the “change of life” she just couldn’t get used to all the distressing symptoms.

“There were hot flushes, mood swings, low libido and sleepless nights, but it’s the sweating that was relent­ less.”

Linda, who worked as a buyer at a pharmaceutical company at the time, could barely get through a meeting without becoming a hot mess. What would start as a flush soon became a sweaty face until it felt like she was perspiring from every pore.

“You’re hot, then not, then too hot again; whether it’s day or night, winter or summer.”

This was going to be a part of her life for a long time, she realised. Linda made some adjustments to accommodate her new normal, stocking up on waterproof makeup and learning the art of layering her clothes so she could peel them off when things became a little too heated.

She also changed her diet to include leafy vegetables, legumes, soya and food high in omega­3s such as salmon and tuna. Spicy, fatty and fast foods were strictly forbidden because they did little to help ease her symptoms.