Discover your hidden health secrets with this simple Menopause Test
Nov 10, 2024Can you stand on one leg like a flamingo for 10 seconds? It may sound quirky, but what’s commonly known as the #FlamingoChallenge is actually a unique and powerful menopause test that can measure your general state of health at this stage of life. Being able to balance isn’t just about physical stability - it’s also a key indicator of strength, bone and joint health, focus and clarity, calmness of mind, and it can even highlight the strength of your pelvic floor in menopause too.
What makes this menopause test unique?
Unlike a menopause test that require medical assessment or blood tests, this test is profoundly simple and can easily be done at home on a daily basis. Also known as the #FlamingoTest, it involves simply standing on one leg without holding onto anything and timing yourself.
This test was originally inspired by studies on balance and is widely recognised for assessing physical health and potential risks as we age. Research shows that those who struggle to balance on one leg for 10 seconds are at a higher risk of health issues, with one study linking inability to balance with a near doubling of risk of death over the next 10 years. A sobering thought, right? Yes, but it’s also a wake-up call.
However, whilst the Flamingo Test focuses primarily on general health and future longevity, it can also be classed a menopause test. That's because balancing on one leg can reveal much about our menopause health and can highlight several horrible perimenopause symptoms.
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Strength and Joint Stability:
The menopause test reveals the strength and stability of our joints. The ability to balance on one leg depends on strong hip, knee, and ankle joints, which can lose strength without regular movement. Menopause joint pain occurs due to the loss of estrogen, plus our bone density decreases too; making falls more likely and more dangerous as we age. This balance challenge can help strengthen these crucial areas, building stability.
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Brain Health and Focus:
Menopause brain fog and focus can also be assessed with this speedy menopause test. Balance becomes harder to maintain without intentional effort and balancing on one leg activates the same areas of the brain responsible for concentration. The better your balance, the more mentally clear and alert you may feel.
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Inner Ear and Vestibular Health:
This simple menopause test can also shine a light on our vestibular health. Hormonal shifts during menopause affect not only blood sugar levels but also the inner ear, our body’s ‘spirit level’. As estrogen levels fluctuate, many women experience menopause dizziness or light-headedness. Practicing balance exercises helps train the body to stay steady, even when our inner ear isn’t as reliable.
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Pelvic Floor Support:
The strength of our pelvic floor is another unsuspecting hero in maintaining balance and shows up when we balance on one leg. Weak pelvic floor muscles are another casualty of the decline in estogen in menopause, but as we balance, these muscles can be activated to help stabilise us. Working these muscles as part of a balance routine strengthens them in subtle but impactful ways and helps offset other issues such as urinary incontinence.
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Calmness of mind
Balancing on one leg requires long, slow steady breathing yet the tendency is to hold our breath when trying to balance. When dealing with stress and menopause fatigue, our breathing becomes more rapid and shallow, and this in turn can affect our balance. The calmer we are, the slower we breathe, the stronger our balance.
When should you take the menopause test?
Bone loss is a risk for women in menopause, leading to fragile bones and even osteoporosis, which makes balance critical for preventing falls. About one in three emergency calls from elderly people are related to falls - a statistic with deep implications as we age. Poor balance, coupled with weakened muscles and slower reflexes, increases this risk over time.
How to take the menopause test:
The Flamingo Challenge test offers a straightforward way to check your balance and your health in menopause:
- Stand on one leg with hands on your hips.
- Lift one foot off the ground and bending the knee with your foot behind you, time how long you can hold the pose.
- Your test ends when your foot touches down or you remove your hands from your hips.
How long should you aim to balance for?
NHS scientists in the UK have now discovered the optimal time each age group should be able to stand as follows:
- 40 seconds for ages 40–49
- 37 seconds for ages 50–59
- 30 seconds for ages 60 to 69
- 18 seconds for ages 70 to 79
- 5 seconds for ages 80+
What does the menopause test reveal for you? Does your balance needs work? If so, watch this short video for tips and advice:
This simple menopause test isn’t just a fun test of skill; it’s a clever indicator of your health in menopause and a powerful reminder of the importance of balance at every stage of life. Maintaining balance and strength through menopause is an act of self-care, strengthening the body, sharpening the mind, preventing injuries that can affect mobility later in life, and empowering you to maintain independence and confidence in movement. Take the menopause test TODAY to assess your balance and then make it part of your daily routine. And when you find balance, don't forget top shake your feathers like a Flamingo!
New to menopause yoga? Let's help you get started with our FREE Guide Yoga for Beginners at Home. All you need to know to start practicing yoga for menopause in the comfort of home.
About Julie Ann Garrido:
After menopause symptoms disrupted her life, Julie Ann Garrido turned to yoga and found a natural solution that restored her energy, confidence, and wellbeing - a solution that she'd been searching for over many years.
Determined to help other women, she created My Menopause Yoga Journey, an online yoga for menopause membership that brings affordable, beginner-friendly yoga for menopause directly to their home.
Julie's mission is clear: to help women navigate menopause with yoga and other natural solutions and every October, she launches her FREE 31-day yoga challenge for Menopause Awareness Month.
To learn just how much yoga changed Julie’s life, watch this short video:
