Menopause Challenge: How to face it?
Menopause is a difficult stage in the life of women with usually occurs around the age of 50. A woman experiences various body and health changes during this phase apart from emotional changes. A change in lifestyle, good nutrition and herbal remedies can make this transition smooth.
Menopause is a natural phenomenon and there are many health problems associated with it.
Menopause is that stage in a woman’s life when the monthly cycles or menstrual cycles stop. There are no monthly periods once a woman reaches menopause which happens at the age of 50 on an average. This phase signify that a woman is no more fertile i.e. able to produce kids.
Menopause is not a disorder as believed by many. This is a natural stage or a biological process that occurs in every woman’s life when she reaches a certain age. However, there are many myths associated with menopause. Read on to find out.
Myths Related to Menopause
Menopause can make a women feel sad and depressed and may also experience a feeling of loss. Such feelings are the results of many myths that surround menopause. Many women think that menopause signals end of life. This is not true. In fact menopause is the beginning of a second innings of adulthood when women can enjoy life without any tensions about menstrual cycles. It should rather be seen as a liberation.
Again menopause is not just about hormonal changes. After a woman reaches menopause, her ovaries stop producing eggs and production of estrogen and progestin also reduces significantly.
Many women believe that once they reach menopause they will definitely gain weight. It is true that many women gain weight post menopause but the reason is slow metabolism with age. However, with exercise you can surely stay in shape and maintain your weight.
And lastly, menopause has nothing to do with femininity and sexuality. It is true that menopause may result in health problems that may affect one’s sex life but gain saying that sex life is totally over would be wrong. With extra efforts, you can surely enjoy physical intimacy too. However, emotional intimacy helps in improving overall health during this stage of life.
Menopause Symptoms and Health Problems
Signs and symptoms of menopause are irregularity in periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, mood swings, thinning of hair, increase in abdominal fat, sleeplessness. Within 2 to 5 years of the onset of menopause, with change in lifestyle like exercising, yoga, meditation and diet you can make a positive difference to the way you feel.
· Hot flashes are a common symptom experienced by almost 75% of women. During this a woman may feel heat on face, neck and chest. One might also experience sweating and palpitations.
· Sleep disturbance and insomnia is also common. This may be due to anxiety. Further, disturbed sleep can lead to getting irritated, weak memory and poor concentration.
· Low estrogen results in vaginal dryness which can be stressful for many women as it might result in discomfort and itching. Low estrogen may make the vagina thinner and atrophic. Menopause also results in frequent urination and urinary infections.
· Most women also experience weight gain that is the result of slow metabolism. Low oestrogen also results in concentration of fat from hips and thighs in abdomen area. Menopause also results in joint pains, stiffness in the body.
· Other physical changes include reduced elasticity in the skin. The skin might either become too dry or oily. There might be a change in the skin’s tone, thinning of skin, thinning of hair and increase in facial hair.
· Also after menopause, women might suffer from health conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease. Osteoporosis occurs due to bone loss and makes one prone to fractures.
Menopause: Diet Checklist
·After menopause a woman’s diet must be high on iron and calcium. You must eat dairy products, fish, broccoli and legumes.
· To ensure you take enough iron, you must have poultry, fish, eggs, green vegetables, grains, nuts and red meat.
· You must also have fiber in the form of cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables.
· If you are over weight, then you must surely watch what you eat to have a perfect body weight.
· Avoid fatty foods and drink plenty of water. Also eat salt and sugar moderately.
Natural remedies are very effective in improving a woman’s female reproductive health not just during menstrual cycles but also during the premenopause and menopause stage. It should be understood that menopause is a phase in life and not a disorder. Though the transition is a bit difficult with the right attitude you can make it smooth.
