Loose Women presenter Nadia Sawalha is known for sharing her experience of ageing, her changing body and posting her findings on her social media.
This discovery, however, made her hold her breath a bit.
She told the Express that she mistook her early symptoms of menopause for a major health scare, thinking she had ‘Alzheimer’s or womb cancer’ after ‘scary’ symptoms of hair loss and weight gain.
However these were actually indicators of cancer or something similarly serious.
The mother of two said: ”My menopause was all very crazy and scary for me at the beginning, I didn’t know it was the menopause.
“I thought I had Alzheimer’s or womb cancer.
(Image: ITV)
“My hair started falling out and thinning and I had bouts of anxiety, depression and weight gain which I had no idea how to deal with.”
She continued: “At that time no one was talking about how to care for your hair during the menopause and what happens to your hair during it.”
But the one thing I never thought about was the menopause because it was never mentioned – as far as I can remember – at school.”
(Image: Instagram)
Nadia wants to now urge female viewers to do their own research on the changes in their body and the unusual symptoms that come with the next milestone in a woman’s life.
Hair loss is actually a common side effect of the menopause as the body produces less oestrogen and progesterone hormones.
These hormones are the same ones that help hair grow faster and stay on the scalp for longer.
However, when those hormone levels drop, hair growth slows down and causes hair to thin.
Nadia spoke as part of her collaboration with Pantene, who have recently conducted some research into menopausal women being judged over their hairstyles.
(Image: ITV)
Pantene found that at least 50% of Brits have negatively labelled the hairstyles of older women.
The Loose Woman star has shared her struggle with hormones, health and menopause.
Fellow TV personality Davina McCall has even been open about her journey with HRT patches to help her body along as it ages.
She and her co-stars of the ITV show have also discussed symptoms and even provide a help sheet online that viewers can download for free support.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
