* Menopause Defined
Menopause is defined as the time in a woman’s life when she has not menstruated for one year, indicating the end of fertility. Menopause in general occurs around the age of 50, but some women menstruate well into their 50s, while others experience menopause sometime in their mid-40s.
Perimenopause refers to the time of hormonal changes leading up to menopause; it can begin as early as the late 30’s. Women in perimenopause may feel such symptoms as unbalanced periods and hot flashes.
Menopause is not a disease — rather, it is a natural part of the aging process. The hormonal changes which accompany menopause are often responsible for a number of unpleasant physical symptoms, and women may go through some emotional distress as well.
However, it is important to take into account that not all women have difficulty coping with the physical changes that happen during this time. Menopause does not signal an end to sexuality or femininity; as a matter of fact, many women embrace their new-found freedom from worries regarding becoming pregnant and the discomforts of menstruation.
For women who do feel uneasy symptoms during menopause, there are a lot of options for treatment. While some women select hormone replacement therapy, an increasing number of women are finding that life changes and natural remedies are highly successful in easing this mid-life transition.
* Causes of Menopause
As you approach middle age, your ovaries begin producing increasingly lower levels of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that regulate menstruation and fertility. Smaller number eggs are produced, and ovulation becomes less regular during this time.
During this process, your periods may become changeable; sooner or later, your ovaries will shut down absolutely and menstruation will cease altogether.
Although some women menstruate every month until their final period, it is much more common to feel a gradual cessation of menstrual periods. This process can take several years, and it is not possible to predict which period will be your very last.
* Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause symptoms differ from one woman to another; not all women experience the same indicators of the change of life, but the next are the most commonly recognizable signs:
- Unbalanced periods;
- Vaginal dryness;
- Hot flashes;
- Mood swings;
- Fear or depression;
- Sleep disturbances;
- Thinning hair;
- Increased ab fat;
- Declining fertility.
* Diagnosing Menopause
In the most of cases, a description of the symptoms should be sufficient for your doctor to find out that you are going through the process of menopause.
Hormone tests can detect lessening levels of estrogen and progesterone and confirm the diagnosis; additionally, hormone testing can rule out any other condition, for example impaired thyroid function (which can produce lots of the same symptoms as menopause).
* Treating Menopause
In the past, lots of doctors treated women for menopause by hormone replacement therapy to replenish estrogen levels. However, amid increasing concerns about the dangers of hormone cure (which incorporate increased risks of heart disease and cancer), women are more and more often turning to lifestyle adjustments and herbal remedies to treat their menopause symptoms.
- Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies for Menopausal Women
Some plain adjustments in your daily habits can ease lots of of the unpleasant symptoms and
discomforts of menopause:
> Keep hot flashes controlled. Dress in layers, so you can remove one or two when hot flashes strike.
Exercise regularly, consume right, and try to identify and avoid things that cause them. Common triggers are
alcoholic beverages, foods that are spicy, hot coffee or tea, hot rooms, and hot weather.
> Get a lot of sleep. Train during the day, but not too close to bedtime; this can boost melatonin
levels necessary to aid you fall asleep and stay asleep. Stay away from caffeinated beverages if you have trouble
sleeping.
> Eat right. Good nutrition is more significant than ever as you grow (gracefully) older, and getting plenty of
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lots of calcium can counteract numerous diseases associated with aging.
> Do exercises methodically. Training reduces stress, helps to balance the neurotransmitters that regulate mood,
controls hot flashes, and helps to avoid many age-related diseases. These comprise heart disease,
diabetes, and osteoporosis.
> Don’t smoke. Smoking is never good for you. It increases stress levels, brings on hot flashes, and
contributes to heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. It is never too late to quit smoking.
> Combat vaginal dehydration and discomfort with over-the-counter lubricants.
* Herbal Remedies for Menopause
Herbal treatments and natural supplements can effectively ease menopause symptoms safely, devoid of the health risks associated with conventional medications. Numerous efficient natural menopause treatments have one or more of these herbal extracts:
- Ginseng enlarges the production of estrogen and protects against hot flashes;
- Dong quai helps to keep reproductive system function, increases heart health, and enlarges the effectiveness of
other herbs;
- Damiana increases libido and calms hot flashes;
- Black cohosh is a natural pain reliever;
- Aloe gel relieves vaginal dryness naturally;
- Sarsaparilla increases sexual desire;
- Calendula relieves vaginal dryness
- St. John’s Wort relieves mild misery.
Besides, many women find that soy products are really helpful in reducing hot flashes. Phytoestrogens are additionally helpful for relieving menopause symptoms, and they are frequently available in supplement form.
With herbal remedies and adjustments to your life, you can deal with menopause and enter the next phase of your life without undue distress or difficulty.
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January 28th, 2010
ftsuser
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