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MENOPAUSE
What is menopause?
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her periods or menses stop , and cause mood swings. It is a normal change in a woman's body when she reaches a certain age. A woman has reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months in a row and there are no other causes, such as pregnancy or illness. Menopause is sometimes called, the change of life. When a women reaches menopausal age, a woman's body slowly makes less and less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This change often happens between the age of 45 and 55 years old. Women are not likely to get pregnant after this, because of the risks associated. As you near menopause, you may have certain symptoms from the changes in your body . Many women wonder if these changes are normal, and many are confused about how to deal with it.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Menopause affects every woman differently. The most common of them may be your period stopping. You may have other symptoms, too. Other common symptoms of menopause include:
- Change in pattern of periods (can be shorter or longer, lighter or heavier)
- Hot flashes (hot flushes), night sweats sometimes followed by a chill
- Trouble sleeping through the night
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood swings, feeling crabby, crying spells
- Feeling mixed-up or confused
- Hair loss or thinning on your head
Does menopause cause bone loss?
Yes. When a woman is young, estrogen helps to keep bones strong. When estrogen levels fall at menopause, bones weaken. When bones weaken a lot, the condition is called osteoporosis.
How do I manage menopause?
Eating a healthy diet and exercising are important to feel lively and good, when your body is going through so may changes. Most women do not need any special treatment for menopause. But some women may have menopause symptoms that need treatment. Several treatments are available. Talk about the treatments with your doctor so you can choose what's best for you. There is no particular treatment that is good for all women.
Hormone therapy (HT) -- If used properly, hormone therapy (once called hormone replacement therapy or HRT) is one way to deal with the more difficult symptoms of menopause. It's the only therapy that is approved by the government for treating more difficult hot flashes and vaginal dryness..
HT can help with menopause by:- Reducing hot flashes
- Treating vaginal dryness
- Slowing bone loss
- Improving sleep (and thus decrease mood swings)
For some women, HT may increase their chance of:
- Blood clots
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Breast cancer
- Gall bladder disease
So always consult your doctor for the best course of action to be taken.
Natural treatments for menopause
Some women take herbal or other plant-based products to help relieve hot flashes. Some of the most common ones are:
- Soy. The best sources of soy are foods such as tofu, tempeh, soymilk, and soy nuts. These soy products are more likely to work on mild hot flashes.
- Other sources of phytoestrogens. These include herbs such as black cohosh, wild yam, dong quai, and valerian root.
What is premature menopause?
Menopause is called "premature" if it happens at or before the age of 40. Some women have premature menopause because of:
- Family history (genes)
- Medical treatments, such as surgery to remove the ovaries
- Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation to the pelvic area that damage the ovaries
Having premature menopause puts a woman at more risk for osteoporosis later in her life. For women who want to have children, premature menopause can cause great distress. Women who still want to become pregnant can talk with their doctors about other ways of having children, such as donor egg programs or adoption.
Important tip for women to deal with Menopause
It is completely natural to have menopause when you have reached a certain age in your life. Don't panic or get disappointed. Keep yourself bust in other activities , eat properly and exercise regularly. You will pass through this stage smoothly, and peacefully, if you do not worry too much. Keep yourself happy and content. After all, you don't have to worry about those monthly periods again.