Nina: "Menopause is the time when a woman takes control of her health and her body."

BarcelonaSinger and actress Nina (Barcelona, ​​1966) entered menopause suddenly after surgery. She was 44 years old, and suddenly, her body began sending her signals indicating that she had entered a new phase of her life. That experience led her to further strengthen the lifestyle she had followed until then, based on a healthy diet and regular physical exercise. In the book Menopause (Column/Destino) The artist and speech therapist explains that becoming aware of our bodies and knowing how to respond to their needs is essential for a healthy life, and offers guidelines for achieving this without getting discouraged.

You say we experience menopause worse than our mothers. Why is that?

— They are children of the postwar period; their daily goal was to put food on the table. It didn't even occur to them that they should take care of themselves; they took care of others. We experience it very differently because we live in a society that increasingly tells us we must be eternally young and beautiful. It's important to take each context into account. From our mothers and grandmothers, we must learn this ability to accept menopause naturally. And then I think we urgently need to develop an awareness of ourselves, of our bodies, and of the importance of taking care of ourselves.

Menopause hits you unexpectedly, but you've already had that awareness of your body before, and it's closely tied to your job.

— In fact, when I reached menopause, I realized how much all these years of grinding away at the stone and taking care of myself had served me. I didn't experience perimenopause, the climacteric, that stage in which your body alerts you to what's coming so you understand and can respond. When I was commissioned to write the book, I thought I could articulate it through my profession and everything that the demands of working with my voice for so many years have required of me. I'm anxious about sharing certain things about my life because I've already had significant media exposure, but I thought sharing information would interest me and make me feel comfortable. I'm talking about my experience because I believe it can be useful, and also from the scientific foundation provided by my status as a speech therapist and all the years I've dedicated to working with the body and training others.

The title is accompanied by the phrase "The best years of your life." Are they?

— Yes. First, because menopause is the moment when a woman truly takes control of her health and her body. This isn't a curse, but a blessing. You connect with your body, listen to it, and learn to give it what it's asking for. We often look for external solutions, but we don't realize that the first solution we have to find is within our own bodies, making things easier for them through diet and exercise. And then, if you have an underlying condition or need something else, you should see a specialist. Menopause is a time of decline and aging, yes, but we're just passing through this life, so it's best to be clear about that. We shouldn't be afraid to talk about it.

Sports are often associated with young people, but you break the taboo and champion physical exercise as a vitally important practice for all ages.

— Until we die. I meet many people who tell me they're too old to start exercising, or that they've entered a spiral of pain that's very difficult to escape, and they find it impossible to start exercising. It's important to dispel both ideas: you can escape this spiral, and you're never too old to exercise. There's a wealth of scientific literature showing that neuronal plasticity continues until we die, that synapses are created, and that cell regeneration occurs. We must let our bodies surprise us. They can reach places we never imagined.

What is the "common sense diet"?

— It was my grandfather's diet. It's funny because as I get older, I realize how much he shaped me. I grew up with my grandparents and their way of life. We lived next to some farm terraces, I helped the farmer harvest, and she would bring me a basket full of vegetables. I still maintain this; I don't buy vegetables from just any old place. The common sense diet is based on eating what the land gives you at the time it gives you and not overindulging. Before, they ate very healthy and balanced meals all week, and on Sundays they made a tortelito (a typical Spanish breakfast). Now we're overinformed, but on the other hand, we have very little awareness. We don't consider what we're eating today, what we ate yesterday, or what we'll eat tomorrow to ensure everything is balanced.

Why did you stop cooking with oil?

— In 2000, I went to a naturopath because my digestion was very slow, and she recommended that I cook with water instead of oil. I was surprised because suddenly the food tasted so good, the way it should. If I'm alone and working, I don't put oil in my food. My digestion is much easier.

How do you maintain this lifestyle with your acting job, which involves traveling around town and sleeping away from home?

— On stage, I want to feel as light as a feather, and to achieve that, I have to eat well and exercise. It's very tiring to hear my digestive system complain. Is it a sacrifice? It depends. For me, it hasn't been, because I've prioritized feeling good. I've traveled with two suitcases, one full of utensils and pots, so I can cook my vegetables in the dressing rooms, at the hotel, and wherever else I need to. The life of an artist has no schedule; you have to do a lot of promotion and very little time. You often eat anything, but I can't. I take my lunchbox with my quinoa and vegetables.

Will you return to the stage?

— I don't know. I'm not going to be a 70- or 80-year-old actress on stage. If I get a proposal that's within my physical and vocal reach, why not? But I'm not going to die on stage. I'll die swimming, cycling, or playing sports.