The change may be inevitable \u2014 but how you feel when you get there isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
The average American woman enters menopause at 52<\/a>, but the transition can begin a decade or more before that.<\/p>\n And according to Dr. Robin Berzin<\/a>, founder and CEO of Parsley Health<\/a>, some of the habits women pick up in their 20s, 30s and 40s can set them up for trouble later.<\/p>\n Women commonly make four mistakes during their younger years that catch up to them after menopause \u2014 including failing to keep stress levels in check. Getty Images<\/p>\n Berzin, a Columbia-trained physician and functional medicine expert, said she frequently sees patients make seemingly innocent choices that can sabotage their long-term health.<\/p>\n The problem? You can get away with them for years \u2014 until menopause, when the consequences suddenly become much harder to ignore.<\/p>\n The good news is that you can start changing course long before then. Berzin broke down four common mistakes women make that quietly undermine their longevity, so you\u2019re not blindsided in your second act.<\/p>\n 1. Exercising to be smaller instead of training to be stronger<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cFor decades, women were told cardio<\/a> was the answer and lifting heavy would make them bulky,\u201d Berzin told The Post. \u201cThat advice has not aged well.\u201d<\/p>\n Muscle isn\u2019t just about looking toned. It\u2019s one of the body\u2019s most important assets for longevity, helping regulate blood sugar, support metabolism, strengthen bones and preserve balance, mobility and independence as we age. <\/p>\n In one study<\/a>, researchers followed nearly 29,000 older women for 12 years and found that those who did 20 to 59 minutes of strength training a week had a 29% lower risk of death than those who did none.<\/p>\n Dr. Robin Berzin is a physician, functional medicine expert and the founder and CEO of Parsley Health. Robin Berzin<\/p>\n \u201cDuring your 30s and 40s, the focus should be on building muscle, which you\u2019ll thank yourself for having when you\u2019re 70 and older,\u201d Berzin said.<\/p>\n The federal government recommends<\/a> adults do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, with sessions often lasting around 20 to 30 minutes. But new research<\/a> suggests that 90 to 120 minutes of strength training a week may be a sweet spot for healthy aging. <\/p>\n 2. Assuming \u201cnormal\u201d blood sugar means you\u2019re metabolically healthy<\/p>\n \u201cFasting glucose and HbA1c are useful markers to track, but metabolic dysfunction develops on a continuum,\u201d Berzin said.<\/p>\n The body can compensate for insulin resistance by producing more insulin, allowing blood glucose to remain in the normal range for years.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I want to understand the metabolic picture before someone crosses a diagnostic threshold,\u201d Berzin said.<\/p>\n After all, diabetes doesn\u2019t appear overnight. \u201cThere can be years of metabolic dysfunction before your glucose finally crosses the line into disease,\u201d Berzin said.<\/p>\n And women shouldn\u2019t assume they\u2019re protected simply because men are generally more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n Research suggests<\/a> women with diabetes may face a higher risk of complications<\/a>, including heart<\/a> and kidney disease, stroke, depression and anxiety, compared to men with the condition. <\/p>\n 3. Ignoring heart health because you\u2019re young, thin or premenopausal<\/p>\n \u201cHeart disease<\/a> is still the leading cause of death for women, and menopause changes the cardiovascular landscape,\u201d Berzin said.<\/p>\n Some of the biggest warning signs can be hiding in routine bloodwork. Research<\/a> shows that certain cardiovascular risk factors, including LDL cholesterol and ApoB, can rise during the menopause transition, in part due to changing hormone levels.<\/p>\n Focusing on cardio while neglecting strength training can backfire later in life. GutesaMilos \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n \u201cI see women who look incredibly healthy on the outside, but their data suggests growing cardiovascular risk,\u201d Berzin said.<\/p>\n