The word menopause is from the Greek word ‘mens’ meaning monthly and pause meaning to stop. Before the advent of menopause women undergo something called the perimenopause that is prior to menopause. This happens 3-4 years before the menstrual periods stop completely.
Sleepless nights, irritation, depression, water retention and osteoporosis are some of the symptoms of menopause. A woman physically as well as mentally undergoes changes during this time. How to reduce the effects of menopause?
Strict diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of exercise and security of the family can reduce the stress caused by menopause. Western women get hot flushes during this time.
For hot flushes, use cotton clothes that better absorb sweat. This way, allergies can also be kept to a minimum. Wear cotton underclothes and use cotton bed linen. Avoid the intake of hot drinks such as coffee and tea. If this is difficult, change over to herbal tea. Soy and soy based milk and foods are a great reliever of distress during menopause.
Curb spicy food. Alcohol is also a big no-no! Smokers who always wanted to quit, must quit now, as you are at a higher risk to experience heart diseases and osteoporosis, as nicotine depletes calcium.
Each and every symptom is distressing to menopausal women and managing these and making your family cope with your mood swings can seem a Herculean task. However, many times, the hype surrounding the phenomenon is sufficient to make women wallow in self-pity.
Let there be more action between the sheets with your loved one, and fantasizing and foreplay are better lubricants, compared to drugs. Nonetheless, lubricants are available to keep you sexually active even post menopause. This gives you the confidence that at least you have not ‘lost your touch’!
Pamper yourself by having a good massage at one of your favorite spa. Aromatic oils and flower therapy can reduce the stress and make you feel good about yourself. Change your wardrobe and add some bold colors to your clothes. Bright and cheerful attitude goes a long way in driving away the blues caused by menopause.
Remember that this is a passing phase and that you will be relieved of your monthly cycle for the rest of your life. How wonderful. Thoughts like these will lift your spirits and help in alleviating your mood. And do remember that this is not the end of life but a whole new phase begins from now.
Also known as pre-menopause, this is a phase just before the actual ending of periods, when ovulation declines or varies, resulting in various symptoms. Perimenopause is a time when periods are erratic and discomforts like hot flushes, insomnia etc occurs. Although according to research, perimenopause occurs almost a decade before actual menopause, medically this happens just 2-3 years before the actual time. Also, since it occurs in women who are just 35, symptoms are ignored.
Another reason this is ignored is because it occurs subtly. Women with a 28 day menstrual cycle, suddenly begin to have a 26 day cycle. Or, in some cases, the cycle gets prolonged to 30 days. Â Breast tenderness, hot flushes, vaginal dryness are prevalent too. Some women experience very heavy periods, making hysterectomy the only viable option.
Is it possible for a woman to conceive during perimenopause?
Yes! Although ovulation is frequent in women in their 20’s or 30’s, ovulation does occur, albeit with irregularity even during perimenopause. So just because your periods have become erratic occurring once in 45 days, does not protect you from pregnancy! Until there is a full-stop of menstruation for a year, you aren’t still safe. So, women in their 40’s could ovulate and thereby conceive.
Gynecologists these days believe that perimenopause is the right time to begin estrogen or progesterone or testosterone therapy. This is because when therapy at this stage is started, hormones are never in excess and are just being replaced by a declining natural supply. When actual menopause occurs, there could be an excess of hormones.
Perimenopause is the right time to change your existing lifestyle in case it is unhealthy. This is the right time to start the intake of calcium supplements, in order to prevent osteoporosis. Cut out unhealthy junk food and try to replace sodas and sweet juices with water. It will help you combat weight gain that can happen in menopause. Also, change your food habits to include more leafy vegetables, fresh fruits rich in fiber, reduce intake of salty food, stop smoking, try meditation, yoga and cultivate hobbies.
Exercising can help a lot during this time. Aerobics or dancing classes like Salsa or jazz can keep the spirits high as well as keep you fit and trim. Preparing for the actual arrival of menopause can mitigate many of the symptoms. Natural exercises like walking, running, bicycling and swimming can be helpful forms of exercise.
Fortunately, we’re in an era when medical facilities are available and we have alternatives to choose from. Drugs and hormone therapy are in vogue, enabling women to cope with menopause. However, a healthy nutritious diet, comprising leafy vegetables, soy, fruits, brown bread and rice and an intake of calcium supplements are more beneficial. Regular exercise, yoga, meditation and stretches can also work wonders. Actually these cheap, natural remedies are advantageous than the common HRT-Hormone Replacement therapy, which although helps prevent bone loss, also has side effects!
Whatever you choose, do so at the right time. There are women who prefer not wasting money on these ‘frivolities’, believing this is a passing phase. But when your bones are fragile, you are more susceptible to fractures. And you don’t want to break your bones and have a nurse shove a bed pan under your bottoms!
Dehydroepiandrosterone, more commonly known as “DHEA” is miraculous in anti-aging effects, acts as an anti-depressant, and aids in fat burning. Testosterone in the form of crèmes or gels helps in balancing hormones and boosting libido. Aromatherapy and Bach flower remedy also help combat depression. According to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), ginger is known to combat depression and fatigue. Ginseng is supposed to be a panacea for menopause, alleviating hot flashes, and elevating your libido! Indian herbs like saffron are also supposed to boost libido.
According to Dr. John Lee, women with water retention, fibroids and wrinkling skin are the ones who suffer from a dip in their libido. These symptoms are a resultant of progesterone deficiency due to failure in ovulation. And when these women take progesterone supplementation, their sex drive increased too! Weak kidneys or adrenals also cause fluid retention. Cucumber, melons and grapes should help flush out excess water naturally. Essential oils like lavender, juniper and rosemary are known to relieve water retention and also alleviate depression.
Acupuncture and acupressure are known to relieve menstrual pains and even shrink fibroids. Homeopathy and vitamin-E supplements also help in dryness of the vagina. Acidophilus tablets inserted inside the vagina is supposed to lubricate the area and also prevent yeast infections. Consuming fresh vegetables and fruits, yogurt and a long foreplay are natural remedies to combat dryness. Homeopathy helps in reducing vitiligo that distresses a small percentage of women.
Another cheap and effective remedy is ‘Mudra therapy’, where your fingers are held in a certain way, helps in reduction of water retention, weight gain and depression.
Although menopause is inevitable, one can minimize its effects effectively. The trick is to start early. Women in their 20’s and 30’s must examine their lifestyle and make changes. Adolescence marks the beginning of a carefree lifestyle, where consuming junk food, starving to maintain a slim figure, changing partners, a sedentary lifestyle are all common, the results of which will be reflected during menopausal years.
Surgical menopause occurs when the ovaries along with the uterus is surgically removed. While you stop menstruating when the uterus is removed, you will still ovulate when ovaries are not removed. When both are removed, it’s surgical menopause. One main culprit can be the use of contraceptive pills. Avoiding these prevent the occurrence of fibroids etc.
Adopting a healthful diet, rich in fiber, calcium, potassium and iron will work wonders for your skin, muscles and bones. Start at age of 20 itself. Diabetes during menopause can worsen matters, so cut down on sugar. Most women at this stage have a sedentary lifestyle. Thus, it’s wise to work out in a gymnasium or try yoga. If you don’t have the time for exercise, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car a little away form home or office and walk it up. This way you’ll get your needed exercise. Avoid binging in between hours. Limit intake of alcohol and caffeine. Opt for a salt fat diet to prevent bloating.
If all the above doesn’t work, hormone patches are a good alternative:
HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) is known to decrease incontinence, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, itching and even osteoporosis, although there’re reported case of breast tenderness and uterine cancer. Hormone patches are available in all drug stores across the country. Do consult your doctor before using it. These patches are safer than pills. These are discreet patches which are quite effective than creams and pills. These are estrogen patches which induce more estrogen into our body which has been reduced due to menopause.
Risks cannot be ruled out as hormone therapy has side effects. Patches and gels are already known to be effective for relieving the hot flashes and sleeplessness and night sweats that plague many women. No one knows whether they will prove safer than pills in terms of breast cancer, heart attack or stroke risk.
Oral pills have to pass through your liver and stomach that may have effect on these organs. But a hormone skin patch is directly absorbed into the bloodstream, and therefore can be given in far lower doses to be effective. So stick a patch and feel free from menopausal blues.
