Menopause Facts
Menopause is a change in life phase that a woman
goes through when the
ovaries no longer
produce eggs and the female hormone estrogen and progesterone. At this
stage, the woman is no longer able to get pregnant and give birth. The
menstruation stops completely.
However, it doesn't happen suddenly and it can take many
years.
During this transition period, women can experience perimenopause (also
called premenopause) symptoms. These symptoms appear because of the
imbalance in the production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
by the ovaries.
The average age of menopause is 51 and perimenopause commonly starts in
the mid 30's to the early 50's.

Myths of menopause
Menopause is a disease. It
is a natural state that all women will get into. The purpose of any
treatment is to ease the symptoms during the transition period
(perimenopause or premenopause stage).
You need to
take prescription estrogen and or progesterone.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of many options and is not a
requirement. Moreover, using estrogen has its risk such as breast
cancer so it is not entirely free from dangerous side effects. First
consider lifestyle changes and natural supplements to help ease the
symptoms.
How long does
menopause last?
Menopause
is
defined when a woman goes one year without having a
menstrual period. However, many years before this period, a woman will
experience peri- or pre-menopause symptoms.
Click
here to get the one-minute answer to "How long does
menopause last".

Signs of early
menopause (Perimenopause symptoms)
Here are the
signs and symptoms that show up when a woman is
going through perimenopause.
- Mood changes or disturbances (anxiety,
depression or irritability)
- Hot flashes
- Dryness in the vagina
- Difficulty sleeping
- Menstruation changes
- Night sweats
- Weight gain
- Fluid retention
- Hair loss or thinning of hair
- Loss of sex
drive (low libido)
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Heavy bleeding
- Bladder infections
- Incontinence
- Fatigue
- Foggy head
- Memory problems or difficulty concentrating
- Changes in skin quality
- Cold hands and feet
- Headaches or migraines
- Joint pains
After
menopause, most women will not experience many or any of these symptoms.
What alternative methods can also reduce
premenopause symptoms?
Stress
is one factor that can make premenopause symptoms much worst.
Find out all the ways to control and manage
stress.
Meditation
and yoga
are techniques that are known to reduce stress. Acupuncture
as well as massage
therapy also promotes relaxation and reduces hot flashes.
Exercising
regularly can cut down the symptoms of hot flashes. Clinical studies
show this benefit. Moreover, exercise improves sleep, stabilizes mood
swings, reduces heart disease
and builds strong bones.
Enjoy life.
Humour and laughter are truly the best medicine. When you are laughing,
it's hard to be depressed. Movies, comedy shows and friends who are
upbeat and funny are highly recommended.
Dress in
layers. By wearing clothing in layers, you can take them
off as needed to reduce the discomfort from hot flashes.
Stop smoking.
Smoking makes hot flashes worst. It may cause or worsen depression,
anxiety and
irritability.
How does menopause
affect sex drive?
During
the premenopause phase, women may experience reduced
libido (sex drive). The reduction and
fluctuation in female hormone production combined with symptoms such as
mood swings and irritability can dampen sex drive.
There are many natural remedies
that can help along with foods
to eat to boost libido.
Moreover sexual intercourse can be uncomfortable both for the female
and her partner when there is dryness in the vagina. Use of a vaginal
lubricant will solve this problem.
What is the best diet for menopause?
To reduce the
severity of the premenopause symptoms here are some
recommendations for the choice of foods.
Foods to eat
more of
Include
more
fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes in your diet. These food
groups contain a rich source of essential vitamins, minerals, fibre and
antioxidants.
They
will go a long way to improving heart health and reducing the risk of
cancer.
Soy-based foods are a rich source of plant-based estrogen (isoflavones)
that can reduce premenopause symptoms. Eat tofu. If you don't like
tofu, try soy milk, soybeans, miso soup or soy nuts. You can even
request your
favourite latte to be made with soy milk at Starbucks!
Essential fatty acids found in fish
oil,
nuts, fish and seeds can contribute to improved skin and
heart health. Moreover, essential fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty
acids (found in fish oil) are proven to lower the risk of heart disease.
Flaxseed
contains both a type of essential fatty acid (ALA) and lignans (a type
of phytoestrogen) that can help with premenopause symptoms. It's also
rich in fibre, helpful in promoting regular bowel movements, lowering high cholesterol
and reducing the risk of colon and breast cancer.
It is known that Japanese women have less perimenopause symptoms,
thanks their diet rich in soy and flaxseed products.
Foods to avoid
Avoid
excessive amounts of caffeine
and alcohol. They can aggravate hot
flashes. Make sure you are aware of foods containing
caffeine.
Cut back on saturate fats (for example red meat) to protect yourself
against getting heart disease.
As well, avoid trans fat
products such as processed and deep-fried foods. Avoid eating too much
from "fast-foods" places.
Cut back or avoid drinking too much carbonated beverages as they can
take calcium away from your body.
Natural remedies
for
menopause
There are many
herbs and natural remedies
that are effective for treating various perimenopause symptoms.
Prescription hormone replacement therapy (HRT) such as estrogens
carries with it the risk of breast cancer and heart disease. We
suggest using natural remedies first before considering prescription
drug treatment options.
Get the full details and a list of herbs that you can
use for premenopause symptoms in our article Natural Remedies for Menopause.
Related Articles and Resource
Natural Remedies
for Menopause
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