Health Tips & Info For Women : What is Menopause?

Menopause is something that happens to all women as they get older. Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her period stops. It is a normal change in a woman's body. Natural menopause occurs when the monthly cycle of ovulation comes to an end. This is because the ovarian supply of follicles and eggs declines sharply as a woman approaches menopause. It occurs between the age of 45 and 55. 

Menopause is when a woman has not had a menstrual period for a full year. It marks both the end of menstruation and the end of a woman's ability to naturally conceive a child. Menopause is a natural occurance and not the one that occurs due to medical intervention. Menopause that occurs due to medical intervention like removal of ovaries etc, its termed as induced menopause. 

As you near menopause, you may have symptoms from the changes your body is making. Many women wonder if these changes are normal, and many are confused about how to treat their symptoms. The symptoms are differnt for every women, the only common symptom is stopping of periods. Some of the symptoms are :

• Vaginal dryness
• Sleeplessness
• Change in menstural cycle
• Hair loss
• Mood Swings

Women who had mood swings (PMS) before their periods or post-partum depression after giving birth may have more mood swings around menopause. This symptom fades away with time.

One can over come the symptoms of menopause by eating a healthy diet and exercising at menopause and beyond . Most women do not need any special treatment for menopause. Only some serious symptoms need to be treated. Hormone therapy is one way to deal with the most difficult symptoms of menopause. There are many kinds of Hormone therapies to treat the various symptoms like Reducing hot flashes, Treating vaginal dryness , Slowing bone loss , Improving Sleep. Your doctor could advice you on the best treatment.

Menopause is called "premature" if it happens at or before the age of 40--whether it is natural or brought on by medical means (induced). Some women have premature menopause because of Genes, Treatments for cancer.

Follwing healthy food habits and regular exercise routine would help to overcome menopause symptoms easily.

Health Tips & Info For Women : Menopause or Metamorphosis? - Irregular Menstruation, Absence of Menses

Among the various health problems menopause is the one every women has to face in her life. Though it is a natural event its accompanying symptoms cause a setback in her health and mind. More than 75 percent of women complain of menopause blues. The average age of a women to attain menopause is 51 years. The medical definition of menopause is absence of menses at a stretch for 12 months. In some menstruation ceases abruptly and in some it slowly tapers off.

Some of the symptoms for this syndrome include hot flashes, vaginal thinning, loss of control over urination, insomnia, pain during intercourse, irritability and irregular menstruation. These symptoms vary from individuals to individual. Some times these symptoms surface quite earlier to menopause even at the age of 40 signalling it’s setting on at a later date. This is termed as “perimenopause”. Menopause also occurs soon on removal of ovaries and uterus of the reproductive system. This is known as “surgical menopause”.

Principle female hormones “Oestrogen” and “Progestorne” are produced by a pair of “ovaries” located on either side of the uterus. These hormones are crucial to maintain menstrual cycle and reproduction. Besides, they also help in a way to keep the level of cholesterol lower in blood thus serving as a barrier from cardic problems among the premenopause women.

This explanation why cardiac problems occur among women mostly only after 50 years of age. These hormones are also very essential for the growth of bones. Hence, among some menopause may result in “Oesteoporosis” an ailment caused by the low density of bone. This can be averted to some extent by taking food rich in calcium.

Female body system carries male horomones also. It is essential that there should be a balance between female and male hormones. Since menopause involves withdrawal of female hormones and consequent increase of male hormone among a few women this may cause excessive growth of facial hair resulting in an embarrassing and unfeminine condition.

Though it is beyond our reach to dispense altogether the onset of menopause still by rudent management its evil effects can be controlled. Avoidance of smoking, alcohol, spicy food, doing yoga, frequent intercourse to maintain the elasticity of vagina are some of the means by which we can minimize these effects. In some cases Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is adopted in which related female hormones are administered to the patient to offset their loss. Since it has hazardous side effects HRT has to be taken strictly under medical supervision.

Courtesy: Indian Express, Health Supplement, February 7 2006