Menopause: Cessation of Menstrual Cycle

The anatomy as well as physiology of the female reproductive system is quite complex when compared with the male reproductive system. Menopause is a very prominent stage in the life cycle of all females. It can be simply defined as the absence of the menstrual cycle for at least 12 months. The transition of the menopause starts with varying menstrual cycle length and finally terminates into menstrual period. The menopausal transitional period is often referred to as perimenopause phase although it is not a medical term but is often used while dealing a layman. Postmenopuase period is known to commence after the last menstrual period. Menopause can also be described as a phase of the female's life when the function of ovaries terminates. Ovaries are the female reproductive organs, located in the pelvis, one of each side of the uterus. Each ovary resembles an almond in its shape and size. They are known to produce ova as well as the female hormone estrogen.

A single egg or ovum is produced from either the right or the left ovary during each menstrual cycle. The egg then enters the Fallopian tube and finally reaches the uterus. The female hormones secreted by the ovaries participate in the development of secondary sexual characters in the female like development of breasts, body shape and body hair. These hormones also participate in the regulation of menstruation and pregnancy. Estrogens are also known to provide protection to the bones and osteoporosis develops in a female if ovaries fail to produce adequate amount of estrogen. Perimenopause is different for each woman and researchers are still under dilemma about the factors governing this phase, so study is under execution.

Commencement of menopause

In general menopause is known to enter a female's life at the age of 51 but no one can predict that when a female is going to enter menopause. The age at which menstrual cycle starts in the life of a female is also not correlated with the onset of menopause. Majority of the females are known to enter menopause between the ages of 45-55 but menopause can also occur at the age of 30, 40 or 60 years. Perimenopause is characterized by irregularities in the menstrual cycle followed by typical symptoms of early menopause and can commence 10 years prior to last menstrual period.

Conditions affecting menopause

Certain surgical as well as medical conditions are known to cast their spell on the timing of menopause. These conditions will be dealt one by one.

1. Surgical removal of ovaries

Surgical removal of ovaries from an ovulating female is known as oophorectomy and it results in immediate menopause and the condition is sometimes also designated as surgical or induced menopause. In this condition there is no perimenopause and the female automatically experiences the signs and symptoms of menopause. The ovaries can often be removed along with the uterus and this procedure is known as hysterectomy. If uterus is removed without removal of ovaries then they function normally and produce female hormones but such a female is not able to menstruate. In this situation symptoms of menopause occur naturally. The woman can experience other symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and mood swings. These symptoms cannot be correlated with the cessation of menstruation. Such a female is liable to get affected with premature ovarian failure before commencement of menopause within 1-2 years after hysterectomy. If this condition arises then the female will not experience the symptoms of menopause.

2. Cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy

Cancer is also known to affect ovarian function. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are given to a female depending upon the type and location of cancer. If these treatments are given to an ovulating woman then they result in cessation of menstruation and symptoms of menopause come into play. The symptoms may arise during or after treatment.

3. Premature ovarian failure

This condition can be defined by the appearance of menopause before the age of 40. This condition is common among 1% woman population. The exact reason behind premature ovarian failure is although unknown but it is believed that autoimmune diseases and genetic factors are associated with it.

Symptoms associated with menopause

Each woman experiences a different set of symptoms. Some women experience few or no symptoms of menopause while some experience a wide variety of physical as well as physiological symptoms. The major symptoms are:

1. Irregular vaginal bleeding

Vaginal bleeding may become irregular at the onset of menopause. Some females have little problems with abnormal bleeding during perimenopause while others have excessive bleeding. Menstrual periods may occur very frequently within short intervals or may get farther and farther apart before terminating completely. There is no usual pattern of bleeding during perimenopause but it may vary from individual to individual. If a female is experiencing irregular menses then she must consult the doctor as whether the problem is due to perimenopause or some other clinical condition is associated. The abnormalities associated with the menstrual cycle during the perimenopause are also responsible for the declination of the female fertility as egg production in the ovaries also becomes irregular. However, a female under the perimenopausal state can become pregnant and should take contraceptives if she is not interested to become pregnant.

2. Hot flashes and night sweats

Hot flashes are very frequent in the females undergoing menopause. A hot flash may be defined as a feeling of warmth spreading throughout the body but is more intense on the head and chest region of the body. It is sometimes associated with flushing as well as perspiration. They may last from 30 seconds to few minutes. The exact cause of hot flash is although not known but it is believed that is the result of a combined action of hormonal and biochemical fluctuations brought about by the declining estrogen levels. One cannot predict when hot flashes will arise and for how long they will appear. Hot flashes are known to occur in 40% of females under the age group of 40 having normal menstrual cycles. So hot flashes can appear even before menopause. Hot flashes end up within 5 years in 80% of the females entering menopause and sometimes they can run for about 10 years. Sometimes hot flashes are coupled with night sweats resulting in awakening, difficulty in falling asleep again resulting in daytime tiredness.

3. Urinary symptoms

Urethral lining also undergoes changes just like the tissues of the vagina and becomes drier, thinner, loses elasticity due to declination of the estrogen levels. These changes increase the risk of urinary tract infections as well as urinary leakage. Urination may also occur suddenly with coughing, laughing and lifting of heavy objects.

4. Vaginal symptoms

The vaginal tissues also become thinner, drier and lose elasticity as the estrogen levels fall. The symptoms include vaginal dryness, itching or pain during intercourse. The vaginal changes also increase the risk of vaginal infections.

5. Emotional and cognitive symptoms

Women entering perimenopause experience a variety of emotional symptoms like fatigue, irritability, memory problems and rapid mood changes. It is difficult to explain which behavioral symptom is directly associated with the hormonal changes. Emotional and cognitive symptoms are very common among women so sometimes it becomes difficult to determine whether these changes are due to menopause or not. Night sweats during menopause can also result in fatigue and irritation.

6. Other physical changes

Weight gain is very common among women during menopause. The distribution of fat may also undergo change and may get deposited more in the waist and abdominal areas rather than the hips and thighs. Wrinkles may also appear on the skin. As the body continues to produce small levels of male hormone, testosterone, some females may develop some hairs on the chin, upper lip, chest or abdomen.

Complications associated with menopause

1. Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is very common among the females undergoing menopause. Osteoporosis is the deterioration of quality and quantity of bone resulting in increased risk of fracture. However, the density of bone tends to decline normally in the females during the fourth decade of life but it declines rapidly during the menopause. Age and hormonal changes during menopause act together resulting in osteoporosis. The process can occur slowly for many years. Women may remain unaware of these changes unless and until she encounters a painful fracture. The treatment of osteoporosis includes slowing down the rate of bone loss as well increasing bone density and strength. The treatment includes lifestyle changes like cessation of smoking and drinking alcohol, regular exercise with adequate intake of balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. calcium and vitamin D supplements are prescribed for those females who do not take a diet rich in these nutrients. Medications responsible for preventing bone loss include alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate and teriparatide.

2. Cardiovascular disease

Females before menopause are at decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases when compared with men but the frequency generally increases as they approach menopause. The incidence of heart diseases is very high both among men and women in the United States. Coronary heart diseases are two-three times higher in the women reaching menopause. This may be due to the declining levels of estrogen and the women in post menopausal stage are advised not to undergo hormone therapy in order to avoid the risk of heart attacks.

Treatments available for menopause

Menopause is a normal part of life that cannot be combined with a disease. However, the treatment of related symptoms is possible so can be taken into consideration.

1. Hormone therapy (Estrogen and progesterone therapy)

Hormone Therapy (HT) or Hormone Replacement Therapy (HPT) or Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy (PHT) is a treatment that administers doses of both estrogens and progesterone. It is administered in order to prevent the symptoms associated with declination of estrogen levels like hot flashes and vaginal dryness and is still the most effective treatment available but studies have indicated that the women receiving HT have increased risk of breast cancer, heart attacks. Women receiving only estrogen therapy also have higher risk of endometrial cancer. Hormone therapy is available in the form of oral pills and transdermal forms. Transdermal hormone products are already in the active form so they don't have to get converted into activated form in the liver. As these products have no effect on the liver they are prescribed for majority of the females. There has been an emerging interest among the researchers for the use of a bio-identical hormone for the perimenopausal women. These hormones have same chemical compositions like those produced naturally inside the body. These products are prepared in the laboratory from the naturally derived plant products and are approved by the U.S.FDA so are in market. They are also used transdermal in the form of creams or gels. The use of hormone therapy is based on the decision of both the patient and the doctor.

2. Oral contraceptive pills

Oral contraceptive pills are other form of hormone therapy that is prescribed to the females undergoing perimenopause in order to treat irregular vaginal bleeding. Before prescribing these pills the doctor must check that whether the irregular vaginal bleeding is due to perimenopause or some other factors are associated with it. These do not provide relief from hot flashes but prevent a female from becoming pregnant.

3. Local hormone and non-hormone treatments

Vaginal estrogen deficiency is also treated with the local hormonal treatments. These include vaginal estrogen ring, vaginal estrogen cream or vaginal estrogen tablets. Local and oral estrogen treatments are sometimes combined. Vaginal moisturizing creams or gels or use of lubricating agents during intercourse are non-hormonal agents used to prevent vaginal dryness. Application of Betadine topically on the outer vaginal area or soaking in a bathtub or warm water may also relive the symptoms of vaginal pain or burning sensation after sexual intercourse.

4. Antidepressant medications

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs most frequently used to control the symptoms of hot flashes and have given positive results in 60% of the women. The common examples of these drugs include venlafaxine, citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline. However, antidepressants are associated with some side effects like sexual dysfunction.

5. Plant estrogens or phytoestrogens or isoflavones

Isoflavones are chemical compounds present in soy and are plant derived estrogens. The structure of these plant estrogens is exactly similar to those produced in the body but their effectiveness is somewhat lower in comparison to the body estrogens. Their estrogen potency is estimated to be about 1/1,000 to 1/100,000 of that of natural estrogen. Two types of isoflavones namely, genistein and daidzein have been derived from soybeans, chickpeas and lentils that are considered to be the most potent phytoestrogens. Some studies have shown that these compounds help in relieving hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. Women suffering from breast cancer are also prescribed these phytoestrogens if they do not want to undergo hormone therapy (HT) during menopause transition. Some researchers have however shown that excessive intake of these plant derived estrogens result in over-growth of the tissues lining the uterus which can result in the development of cancer.

6. Vitamin E

Some women have reported that intake of vitamin E supplements can also help in relieving hot flashes but this fact lacks scientific support. Taking a dosage of greater than 400 IU of vitamin E is not safe as it increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

7. Black Cohosh

Black cohosh is an herbal preparation popular in Europe often prescribed against hot flashes. The North American Menopause Society does not support the short term usage of this herbal preparation

8. Non-pharmaceutical therapies

Survivors of breast cancer or females not interested to take oral or vaginal estrogens are prescribed vaginal lubricants however, they are not very effective.

So it can be concluded that menopause is a natural state of body and the symptoms can be controlled by the medications mentioned above.

Menopause - Symptoms and Treatment

Menopause or 'change of life' occurs in most women around the age of fifty. It is a natural process the woman's body goes through whereby the monthly cycle of ovulation comes to an end. Although age fifty is the normal age, there are some women who go through menopause in their fortys or even earlier.

It is estimated only about fifteen percent of women will have severe menopausal symptoms, while twenty-five percent will go through the menopause period with no problems at all, leaving about sixty percent to experience the normal symptoms of menopause.

Sometimes the symptoms associated with menopause can be frightening to a woman; such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating and mental confusion. Many times they feel they are going crazy. For instance, they go to a cabinet in the kitchen and do not remember what they were wanting from that cabinet. Am I losing my mind?

Hot flashes are probably the most common symptom experienced by most women. They will become extremely hot and uncomfortable even though everyone else in the room claims they are not hot.

Mood swings and emotional outbursts are also common during this time. Other family members sometimes feel they are living with a powder keg, ready to explode at any time. It doesn't seem to matter what other people might say or do that triggers the tears and outbursts. Anything can cause emotions to stir up.

Anxiety and depression are normal during this time. Changes going on in the body can cause one to feel ill at ease. This is also the time of life when the kids are growing up and leaving home, and a woman could experience the 'empty nest syndrome', which could contribute to the depression.

Unable to sleep at night is very frustrating and possibly leads back to the mood swings, anxiety and depression. Losing sleep causes irritability and makes a person grouchy. Loss of sleep makes a person tired during the day and unable to function properly. Sleep loss is a common symptom of menopause.

Weight gain can be experienced by women during this time. Some women think they can eat their way through menopause. This, plus the hormonal imbalance can cause women to gain weight very easily.

Once looked upon as a dreaded experience, nowadays there is treatment for menopause that can help either lessen the symptoms or completely eliminate them. There are several hormone replacement drugs. There are risks involved in these hormone therapy treatments which should be considered before using them. These risks include an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, breast cancer and blood clots. Also, estrogen may increase the risk of uterine cancer.

The conventional doctors' theory is that menopause symptoms are caused by a drop in estrogen production; thus, their solution is estrogen replacement with synthetic hormones. However, many naturalist practitioners feel too much estrogen is the problem.

The naturalist feels, since menopause is a natural transition in a woman's body, that natural solutions should be used, such as vitamins and herbs. Vitamin E has been found to reduce the discomfort of hot flashes. The vitamin E therapy has been used since the 1940s. Soy product replacement in the diet is also beneficial in relieving the symptoms.

Herbs such as cohosh, motherwort, common chickweed, elder flower and violet are used with success in treating the symptoms.

The post-menopausal years can still leave women with some of the menopausal symptoms that carry on through the end of their life. Some women are plagued with the hot flashes and weight gain for the rest of their life.

What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Perimenopause?

If you are over the age of 40, certainly by now you have heard of the symptoms of menopause. But do you know what perimenopause is? It isn't a commonly used word, but the symptoms of perimenopause are very common indeed!

Perimenopause is simply the time leading up to eventual menopause, when the symptoms first start to appear. Menopause by definition is when a woman has had a time period of 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle, but this can take several years to actually reach. Each woman's body is different, and the way her body reacts to the slow and steady decrease in female hormones (mainly estrogen and progesterone) is different as well.

Actually perimenopause can begin as early as the 30's for some women, or as late as the early-fifties. However the average age that symptoms begin is around 40. Since this is usually a very gradual process at first, some women misinterpret the symptoms at first. But here a few of the symptoms that you will find very common in most women, whether or not they appear early in your experience with perimenopause or much later.

The most common symptoms include:

o irregular periods

o hot flashes

o night sweats

o moodiness, or irritability

o tenderness in the breasts

o weight gain, especially in the midsection

o insomnia (sleeplessness)

o fatigue

o low libido

o vaginal dryness

With all of these symptoms, you would think women would really dread this period of their lives! Yes, most do. However there can be a certain amount of freedom involved, not having to worry about getting pregnant for one, and of course not having to endure "the curse" every month.

We all know that menopause is something very natural, and is not a disease at all since it is the result of the depletion of egg cells from the ovaries and the reduction of female hormones. With this in mind, this transition, once started, can also be a real nuisance for many women as well. Sleepless nights are very common and interfere with women especially when they need to stick to a schedule, like work or taking care of children.

Taking care of your health in general and learning more about how to cope with these symptoms is the best medicine, so don't sit idly and suffer in silence - learn to deal with these symptoms of menopause.

How to Improve Sex after Menopause?

One of the most noticeable changes occurring in a woman at the time of menopause is decreased sexual vigor. The main reason for a decreased sexual arousal in women at the time of menopause is due to diminished levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. However, men often fail to understand this science. Decreased virility in women during menopause might often be a cause for separation. However, there are certain strategies for improving sex after menopause.

The most common symptoms of menopause that leads to decreased sexual desires are vaginal dryness, pain during intercourse and swinging moods. Another important factor that has profound affect on the attitude towards sex is the amount of stress in daily life. These stress further increases after menopause as one need to face the challenges of life. As these symptoms are unavoidable, one could resort to medical or professional assistance so as to find alternatives.

Stress in daily life can be reduced through an open-minded discussion with the partner and working out ways together to sort out the challenges that are encountered in life. Also, activities such as regular exercising, yoga and weekend vacations with the family help a lot in reducing the stress levels in life.

Vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse can be reduced with the use of lubricants. There are various water-based and oil-based lubricants available in the market. However, in the opinion of experts, use of water-based lubricants is safe and convenient. Estrogen and progesterone are the hormones that determine the physical and mental balance of a woman. The mood swings and physical anomalies experienced during menopause can be reduced through a proper hormone replacement therapy through usage of estrogen-based medications. Estrogen treatment even helps women to regain their sex drive.

Know the Early Signs of Menopause

Menopause is a very natural part of life that all women experience. If menopause occurs after the age of forty, it is considered natural. When menopause takes place before the age of forty it is called premature menopause regardless of whether it happened naturally or via medical intervention. For women who do experience menopause naturally, it happens as a gradual process in stages that each carry their own set of signs and symptoms, some of which carry over into the next.

Peri-menopause is the first stage of the menopausal process which begins several years before menopause in most cases. At this time, the ovaries begin to produce less estrogen. Some of the signs of menopause that may appear at this stage include irregular menstrual periods, mood swings, depression and irritability. Insomnia and fatigue may occur as well as headaches, achy joints and muscle pain. Many women experience a decrease in their sex drive as well as vaginal dryness. Bladder control may also become a concern. Not all women will experience all of the signs of menopause at one time or even at all.

There are two menopause tests that may be done to determine the stage of your menopause and what may be happening in your body as a result. The first test is a blood test that checks the follicle stimulating hormone which will rise greatly as the ovaries begin to reduce their functions. The second is much like a Pap smear that will take cells from the vaginal walls to be analyzed for thinning and drying within the vagina. Keeping a calendar to record your periods and watch for irregularities will help your doctor determine a more accurate stage of menopause.

One year after the last menstrual period, the current stage is accepted as menopause. At this point there will be no more eggs released by the ovaries and they will have stopped producing a large part of their estrogen. The years after this are known as post-menopause when most menopausal symptoms will be less severe and eventually ease up altogether for most women. It is at this stage, however, that new symptoms may occur such as a reduction in bowel function, decreased brain function and an increase in wrinkling. Cataracts and macular degeneration may also occur. Treatments are available to reduce the healths risks that may occur in relation to menopause.

When Does Menopause Start?

One of the first questions an OB/GYN hears from a woman is "when does menopause start?" And actually the question has two answers. The most obvious one is the average age is 51. It's different for every woman, of course, but the range can be from 47-53. But the other, not so common answer to the question- when does menopause start -is it starts at the end of perimenopause. Perimenopause is the roughly four year period leading up to menopause. Menopause itself is that day when a woman has not had her period for twelve months.

Common but troubling symptoms can include:

o Hot Flashes

o Vaginal dryness

o Severe mood swings

o Irregular periods

o Joint pain

o Stress

Stress can be a real problem for many women. It leads to severe feelings of overwhelm. It can wreak havoc on your emotional life. These symptoms can be linked to hormonal changes. There are a number of popular approaches to stress reduction. You might try bicycling or yoga. Qigong and tai-chi are both very effective for reducing stress. My wife likes this tai-chi standing exercise that I taught her. She is able to get into a zone for ten minutes or so and says her stress just melts away. It seems to help with the hot flashes and mood swings, as well. I know a couple of women who swear by acupuncture for relieving symptoms. My middle sister, who's 46 and just starting perimenopause, says she couldn't do without her black cohosh supplements. This is a common herb native to North America.

We started with the question- when does menopause start -and answered it. Then we talked a little about symptoms. And finally we discussed what you can do to help treat those symptoms. Menopause does not have to be the harrowing experience that is sometimes made out to be. With a little patience, everyone will survive it.

Identifying The Phases of Menopause

The phases of menopause or the menopausal transition is usually broken down into four categories; pre-menopause, peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. The signs and symptoms of menopause experienced by every woman include cessation of menstrual periods and decreased hormone production by the ovaries. There is a long list of symptoms that may be associated with menopause and decreased hormone production. Not every woman experiences all of them, but most experience one or more.

The average age of menopause is 51, but a woman is only said to have experienced "premature menopause" if it occurs before the age of 40. Premature menopause is usually caused by illness or injury to the ovaries, but premature menopause occurs naturally in about 1% of all women. On the other end of the scale, some women do not enter menopause until they are well into their fifties. There is no way to predict at what age menopause will occur in a specific woman.

The different phases of menopause are experienced by all women, but may not cause any symptoms. During pre-menopause a woman's periods are regular. Symptoms such as worsening PMS, periods that are heavier or lighter than normal may be associated with "peri-menopause" or the time "around" menopause. Women in their late thirties may experience these symptoms, but may not enter menopause for another ten years. Symptoms such as this can also be caused by other more serious health conditions and sudden changes should be evaluated by a physician.

Menopause is simply a term that means the end of menstruation. When a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months, then she can no longer become pregnant. She is post-menopausal. Women may experience the signs and symptoms of menopause for several years before menopause and for several years following menopause. The most common symptoms for which women seek treatment are hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.

About 50% of all women have hot flashes and/or night sweats during the phases of menopause. About 10% have them in their pre-menopausal years and the percentage gradual increases as menopause approaches. Researchers refer to these symptoms as "vasomotor symptoms", because circulation and blood vessel dilation are involved. The exact cause of hot flashes and night sweats are unknown. It is known that women who are surgically menopausal, due to removal of the ovaries, typically have more severe vasomotor symptoms. Men who must take drugs to suppress hormone production also experience hot flashes. All of this seems to indicate that decreased hormone production causes hot flashes. But all women experience a gradual decrease in hormone production, but all do not have hot flashes.

Treating hot flashes and night sweats is nearly as confusing as investigating the cause. Other signs and symptoms of menopause, such as vaginal dryness, are more straightforward. There are clear answers as to their causes and remedies. Vasomotor symptoms, on the other hand, may respond to practically anything or next to nothing. Trial after trial has shown that placebo (an inactive substance) relieves hot flash symptoms by about 20%. Thus, finding an effective remedy means finding something that is more effective than placebo.

Researchers, doctors and experts debate about the effectiveness of different treatment plans. Clinical research yields confusing and sometimes contradictory results. The only long-term studies have focused entirely on hormone replacement therapy. The currently accepted philosophy is that while HRT is effective for relieving the unwanted signs and symptoms of menopause, the health risks should be taken into consideration. These include blood clots, breast cancer, uterine cancer, heart disease and stroke. The health risks increase with long-term use. Minimum dosage for the shortest duration possible is considered acceptable in most cases.

Various nutritional supplements, herbal remedies and plant components have been and are currently being studied for the benefits they provide during the different phases of menopause.

Menopause - Importance of Diet and Exercise

Menopause, for women this is just another one of those events in our lives we just can not avoid. It is also frustrating for many women because there are not always hard answers to certain questions. Some women sail through the experience while others suffer miserably. Some begin to see signs and experience symptoms in their thirties while others do not hit any speed bumps until they are in their late sixties.

What ever the case may be for you, there are steps that you can take that will assist in making the ride through menopause a little easier. To begin with the absolute basics, not surprising, nutrition and diet have tremendous affects on the symptoms of menopause. As always it is important to consume a wide variety or fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes as these food groups are a rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and numerous other compounds that are essential to overall health. More importantly they help your liver process hormones and at the same time reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Another fabulous food for conquering menopausal symptoms is flaxseed. This little seed packs a real punch; flaxseed is rich in fiber but more importantly contains lignans which help to balance estrogens and in turn reduce your symptoms. Soy foods contain isoflavins which also reduce symptoms. Foods loaded with Vitamin D and Calcium are highly recommended. Beets or beet juice is considered a must when battling menopause as they are extremely rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein. It is recommended that you avoid saturated fats, caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods as these are all known to acerbate hot flashes.

Regular exercise isn't it always listed as a benefit. Putting all of the other benefits aside, a couple different exercises will greatly improve your experience with menopause. First of all we know that aerobic exercise is a huge benefit to your cardiovascular system. The health of your cardio system has a direct effect on the occurrence of hot flashes. This does not mean you need to go out and start running five miles a day, intentional walking will do the trick as long as you are getting a workout and incorporating it regularly. Another line of activities that are good choices are Yoga, Qigong, or Tia Chi. Exercises such as these not only improve your body physically but also mentally and emotionally, again great for avoiding hot flashes.

Exercise regardless of the type you choose to incorporate into your daily routine also has the benefit of reducing stress which in turn helps with the menopausal symptoms of hot flashes, the sweating, irritability, anxiety, depression, mood swings. Exercise in general will also help to reduce other symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, head aches, memory loss, insomnia and low libido. In addition it would be beneficial to practice some sort of relaxation technique such as meditation or deep breathing.

Very small changes in our daily life style can have tremendous effects on how we experience menopause. Diet and exercise are essential to our over all health however there is a direct correlation between these and menopausal symptoms.

Menopause and Snoring - What's the Connection and Why I Can't Sleep

It is estimated that 70% of men snore and 40% of women but this percentage can change over different age groups. According to statistics, more men than women snore between the age of 30-35 years but as they age, women tend to catch up with the men after the age of 55 years. But whether a man snores or a woman, it is the physical changes leading to snoring that are similar.

As women get older and start to enter that 'middle age' bracket, physical and hormonal changes start to occur, which lead to them sleeping lighter, waking up more frequently and sleeping less soundly. This can lead to increased tiredness, less energy and mood swings caused by the patchy night's sleep. Add to that the hot flushes and night sweats, commencement of snoring can be the last straw for peaceful bedtimes for both themselves and their partners.

'Middle age spread' in both mean and women, starts to appear, not only as fat stored in the different parts of the body but also around the throat area. This results in layers of fat forming which exerts pressure on the trachea, breathing passages and airways. The narrowing of the air passages creates intense vibration as the air goes over the soft tissues and makes that magical sound we know as snoring.

And it is not just those heavily overweight that can suffer snoring. Just being a little overweight can bring on the problem. "Men about 20 percent over ideal body weight can develop snoring. Women have to be much heavier, usually 30 to 40 percent over ideal body weight. But the more overweight you are, the more likely it is that your airway will collapse." says Philip Smith, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins University Sleep Disorders Center in Baltimore, Maryland

"Snoring is frequently related to being overweight," says Dr. Dunn of the University of Toronto Sunnybrook Medical Centre Sleep Laboratory. "We've found that if a moderate snorer loses weight, the snoring becomes less loud, and in some people it actually disappears."

By eating a wholesome, healthy diet, and exercising regularly, this can help keep your weight in check. Exercising will also help you to sleep more soundly and reduce the intensity of the hot flushes, which is an added bonus. If you still continue to snore, try out some of the numerous snoring solutions that are available on the market before resorting to separate rooms.

I have described snoring as the 'silent relationship killer' as it can slowly destroy the intimacy of a relationship without the couple even realizing it and sleeping in separate rooms can also reduce the intimacy in a relationship. Menopause is a stressful enough time for women without the adding even more stress to their relationship.

Jennifer Ross-Taylor

Snoring Relationship Author.

Alcohol Magnifies The Symptoms Of Perimenopause And Menopause

Since Perimenopause, the beginning of Menopause, can start at very different ages for different women it is difficult for a woman to recognize new feelings. It is impossible for a woman to know that changes are beginning to happen to her system that will affect the way she feels and thinks. Are you an active social drinker? When you drink have you rarely had problems with becoming overly intoxicated before now? Have you always known your tolerance level for alcohol, and knew when to quit until now?

But, now you are noticing episodes of over intoxication, even unreasonable thinking, anger and behavior that just isn't you. Some of this must sound familiar, because, you are reading this article. I am a man. My perspective is different, but I have gone through this from the opposite side. Perimenopausal symptoms never just pop up and became obvious to women. It isn't just one day and "BAM", hot flashes, moodiness, bloating, fatigue, night sweats, etc.

This Menopause thing is a long, slow and hard process. The changes may occur slowly and be subtle. Anger caused by hormonal changes can feel like the anger you have dealt you're your whole life. "I really am mad about this" is how it feels. But the cause of this feeling is hormonal without your knowing it.

Obviously, all the symptoms don't start at once, but begin to appear over long periods of time and you just don't pick up on it easily. This is why women believe feel like they are going crazy. You feel like you are just, in a "bad mood" today. Then, more symptoms begin to happen more often and you don't really notice that this a change in your body either.

When the frequency of Menopause symptoms, become noticeably closer together, you begin to question what is going on with you. You knew that Menopause was a part of life, but no one starts out with personal experience with what it is like, and what changes the process is going to cause. Sometimes the symptoms of moodiness, depression, insecurity, sadness become very hard to cope with.

Much like any person with anxiety and depression, people sometimes begin to "self medicate" to ease the pain. If you are a social drinker, who knows his or her tolerance for alcohol and your problems cause you to drink more, this could create a cycle of increased drinking beyond the amount you can handle. You are drinking yourself toward problematic results.

Is it the same with a menopausal woman? Yes it is, but worse. Due to new and unfamiliar hormonal imbalances caused by the changes happening in her system, her entire body make up is altering dramatically in inconsistent ways. You can see what might happen here?

The hormones that flow through your body are you. They make up how you think and feel. Hormones are the key to how your mind and body react to everything around and in you. This includes the fact that, as hormonal levels "fluctuate", your tolerance of alcohol can change also. These hormonal imbalances can change from one day to the next., Your system may change from hour to hour. You may logically look for something to slow down the rush of emotions, moodiness and anxiety. A drink seems harmless.

But, without your knowing it, you no longer are aware of what its effects will be. What begins to happen in women is rapid, more dangerous. You may find that on one night you can have social drinks all evening and everything is normal and fine. Two days later, you might stagger and slur your words. You might say things that could never really mean. Later on, the next morning, you may not remember what it was that you said or did. Or, if you had an argument with your husband, or a loved one, you may not even remember the the reason why you were why you were upset. What I have observed, is that as the months and years go by there emerges a pattern.

Women will gulp all drinks when on her period, and then drink more slowly and conservative when not on a period. This cycle was the "aha" moment for me and my wife. Perimenopausal hormonal fluctuations can cause women to think in a totally emotional way, without the balance of intellect. The next day a better hormonal balance can return for you and thought is more correctly a balance intellect and emotion.

This is what you were like before. But, as I said, you have never felt these changes in your life. You certainly are not prepared to deal with them when in a highly emotional state. If you begin drinking alcohol in this state to relax, you will be hit with a double whammy. You are highly emotional and your tolerance to alcohol is lower.

I have observed that different forms of alcohol can affect you more than others. For my relationship, the most damaging form of alcohol is red wine. A favorite of her for many years, it is still very appealing to her, but brings on the worst episodes. This fact makes it important that you keep communicating to the close people around you, such as a husband or a friend, they can can help you watch out for the signs and slow you down on those evenings when tolerance is low. On some nights red wine can just be too hard to tolerate. You may notice that you do not have just "hot flashes" on red wine; but instead you have "hot full evenings".

Red wine is an example. For some women it might be something else, such as gin or whatever. This demonstrates again how important it is to communicate with partners and friends. Be sure that you talk to those around you about all the changes that are going on with you. You can work together to keep life as normal as possible.

As I said, this all moves slowly, but I'm convinced that if you are aware and watch for the changes, then you have an increased chance to concentrate on seeing the changes and dealing with the symptoms. There is a reason that I wrote this article. It is based on my desire to inform others of what we have learned. I have observed what I am passing on to you.. I am a man and I can't feel what my wife is feeling, but I can observe her and see what she is doing. Then I can help her when she needs it.

A friend of ours, who is the same age as Andrea or so once said. "I can't drink red wine. It makes me hate Jim (her husband)". My suspicion is that our friend was in some stage of perimenopause when she said this. It's a funny statement, but a serious subject. I'm not going to moralize or preach against drinking. I'm going to point out that the man and the woman in the relationship need to do their research, communicate. Only by working together can a relationship involving menopausal women (and women will alll eventually be menopausal) be able to thrive.

Reserveage Menopause Advantage Pill

Hitting the menopause can be a stressful time with a lot of discomfort and unwelcome distractions from your busy daily life. Many supplements and menopause aids claim to help reduce symptoms and return your body to a comfortable state. Menopause Advantage is a new supplement claiming to do just that.

The main issue as women age is the reduction in the hormone estrogen which is higher when a woman in of a fertile age. The reduction in this hormone creates an unbalance, which at first can cause negative side effects. By combining two key ingredients, Menopause Advantage claims to restore balance within the body and calm symptoms. These two ingredients are Resveratrol and Dong Quai.

Resveratrol reportedly acts as a phytooestrogen in some women's bodies. It has been suggested that it has helped the effects of aging and can act in a similar way to estrogen. Resveratrol is an all-natural ingredient as it is extracted from the root of the medicinal Japanese Polygonum Cuspidatum plant.

In Chinese medicine, Dong Quoi is said to have a balancing effect on the female hormonal system, naming it the "female ginseng".

Other ingredients included in the pill are Genivida Genistein which is an allergen-free form of Phytoestrogen Geinstein. Black Cohosh is also highly present which is used as a replacement of estrogen, which the body lacks during menopause. Research shows that the active ingredients can help minimize hot flashes by 57% and help ease intensity by 38%.

Menopause Advantage also claims to heighten energy levels, which are often low in menopausal women. Another symptom claimed to be reduced, is night sweats. The organic herbs used in the pill are specifically designed to work in harmony with the body and without any negative side effects or artificial ingredients.

Benefits: The pill can help with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and hormonal imbalances however there is no guarantee person to person.

It is organic and made of all natural ingredients.

Menopause Advantage may also promote cardiovascular health.

Negatives: Women taking this pill must commit to it as daily doses are required for the ingredients to be effective. One capsule per day.

Pregnant or nursing women cannot take this product.

Slightly higher price than competitor products listing similar ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic French Red Grape, Certified Organic Red Grape Seed and Grape Pomace, Natural Wild Japanese Knotweed, Black Cohosh, Vitimin K2, Genivida Geinstein, Red Clover, Pometgranate, Dong Quoi.

Healthy Aging - Stages of Menopause

Menopause is the transition from reproductive to non-reproductive phase which refers to the natural part of the aging and is a normal life stage of every woman. However, there is a large individual variation and each woman experiences menopause in a different way. One woman may go smoothly through these hormonal changes, while another can suffer with many debilitating symptoms until she receives proper treatment.

Stages of menopause

Perimenopause is a transitional period from a normal to completely absent ovarian function. During this time ovarian function becomes erratic with fluctuations in estrogen levels that results in some physical symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, mood swings and irregular periods. Perimenopause usually begins when a woman is in her 40s and lasts as long as four to eleven years.

During perimenopause the ovaries start to decrease their ovulatory function. The majority of women do not notice the menopause onset until they reach the last few years of perimenopause when estrogen production drops more quickly and dramatically.

Menopause begins when the ovaries stop to release eggs and a woman no longer has periods. Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 with an average age of 51 in the US. A general indication of menopause is cessation of periods for 12 consecutive months.

The postmenopausal time is divided into two stages:

• Early postmenopause is within the first five years since the last menstrual period. At this stage hormone therapy is initiated if the symptoms, osteoporosis and bone loss become severe.

• Late postmenopause is five years and beyond.

Who is more likely to experience the symptoms of menopause

• Women with personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer

• Women who have blood clots

• Women with personal or family history of hormonal abnormalities

• Women with autoimmune diseases and thyroid problems

• Women who have early menopause

• Women with surgical removal of the ovaries, after chemo- or radiation therapy

Factors affecting menopause

It is not well understood why the age of the menopause onset varies form woman to woman. Many environmental and lifestyle factors such as the use of oral contraceptives and smoking are related to the beginning of the natural menopause.

Genetics determines the number of eggs in the woman's ovaries and the age when she goes into menopause. A strong association between genetics and the onset of the menopause were found based on the studies of the menopausal age of mothers, daughters and between siblings. If the women in your family went into menopause around 50, chances are 30 to 85% that you will experience menopause around this time also.

Smokers and women with chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, surgical removal of the ovaries or damage to the ovaries from the chemotherapy or radiation therapy are more likely to experience an early menopause. On average smokers reach the menopause two years earlier than non-smokers.

Early menopause

Premature menopause is characterized by the absence of normal ovarian functions and occurs in less than 1% of women under the age of 40 and 0.1% before the age of 30.

Clinical diagnosis of early menopause is based on the absence of periods for at least 4 months in combination with FSH levels exceeding 40 IU/L before age of 40. However, about half of the patients show intermittent estrogen production and could ovulate making pregnancy possible after a diagnosis is made.

Around menopause many women experience symptoms such as palpitations, heat intolerance and hot flashes that are believed to be caused by fluctuations of estrogen. Often these symptoms are mistaken for hypothyroidism, hashitoxicosis or aging.

The incidence of premature ovarian failure of the autoimmune origin is higher in women with Hashimoto's and Grave's disease. Premature ovarian failure or oophoritis is a painless autoimmune inflammation of the ovaries resulting in early menopause before age forty with a loss of fertility and ovary hormonal functions.

Caring For Middle Age Menopause

When a woman stops menstruating after reaching middle age she is said to have entered menopause. If a woman fails to have her period for an entire year after she reaches the age of 45 she would have entered menopause. The age at which menopause happens depends on various factors like the woman's family history, the medical treatments she has had, smoking, surgery etc.

The symptoms of menopause include mood upswings, changes in monthly period like lighter flow or skipping of periods. Other symptoms include hot flushes, breast changes like tender breasts and bone changes. You may develop fractures or osteoporosis and great care should be taken to include calcium and other mineral supplements especially if you are at the pre menopausal stage.

You might even suffer from more urinary infections as you near menopause and experience hair fall. You must seek professional guidance and keep other conditions like diabetes and blood pressure under control as these may aggravate once you enter menopause. Special medicines must be taken to reduce bone loss. You must exercise regularly, even walking for half an hour morning and evening will help to reduce the risk of heart disease. You must make dietary changes and include a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet and reduce the intake of unhealthy fats and junk foods. You should take efforts to control your weight and cholesterol levels. You might develop cancer, lung disease and other diseases if you smoke so you must try to quit smoking too.

Unusual vaginal bleeding must be checked thoroughly by a doctor to avoid clots and other related problems. You should also have a medical examination done regularly. Other tests like bone mineral density check, mammogram and blood check ups are also mandatory to prevent major issues later on. You might also experience change of moods like anger, depression, fear etc and you must speak openly to family or friends and be involved in a social support group to come out of menopausal stage and lead a healthy life.

Menopause and Weight Gain - How Hormones and Weight Gain Are Connected

I'm sure it's no big secret, particularly amongst women, that once we begin to trend towards the menopause age, nature tends to play somewhat of a cruel trick on us.

Not only do we suddenly find ourselves dealing with feeling as though we're about to lose our minds between the daytime hot flashes and the evening night sweats, but we are also often faced with watching our once shapely bodies morph into something that resembles more like a beer mug!

We often find ourselves feeling increasingly frustrated as we watch our body shape begin to change on the outside, yet many of us have no idea of the changes that had already begun several years prior on the inside!

As our childbearing years begin to draw closer to an end, our female hormones also begin to change.

During peri-menopause estrogen levels typically begin to fluctuate and as a result monthly menses also begin to become more sporadic. Eventually they just disappear and never return, taking us into full blown menopause.

Estrogen is stored in fat.

The body always strives to maintain balance.

I want you to keep these two points in mind as you continue reading, because I'm about to explain the connection between your hormones and weight gain; and more specifically menopause and weight gain.

Now if estrogen is stored in fat, and your natural estrogen production is slowly dropping, what do you suppose your body will strive to do in order to maintain its supply of much needed estrogen?

Remember, the body always strives for balance.

If you guessed that it stores more fat, you'd be absolutely right!

Yes, in order for your body to continue producing and storing necessary estrogen, it will naturally begin to store more fat.

Remember, estrogen is stored in fat.

Now if this isn't already horrifying enough consider this....your fat cells will now split in an effort to create MORE fat cells and even THOSE fat cells will expand and grow almost FIVE times larger in order to produce and store MORE estrogen!

The larger the fat cell, the more estrogen it's able to produce and store.

Now your body has been very busy creating this army of fat cells and of course they need to be stored somewhere as well....and where do you think that fat would most likely be stored?

If you guessed the abdominal area, you'd be absolutely right again! Yes, it's also known as menopause belly fat.

I've just described the very basics of the menopause and weight gain connection.

Now mind you, there's a whole lot more to this that I haven't even mentioned; for example how your metabolism is affected by all of these gradual hormonal changes. Neither have I mentioned the role that other important hormones play such as progesterone, androgen and testosterone.

Although you may not be aware of it, these shifts actually begin during peri-menopause and progress as we move closer towards menopause age.

How to Stop Premature Menopause Symptoms

So you just came home from a long day at work. All you want to do is hit the sack and get a good night's rest. Twenty minutes into a deep sleep, you wake up suddenly in a hot sweat and perspiration. Your clothes are drenched to the point that you have to change them to get comfortable again. These feelings came onto you abruptly and you are not sure what could be bringing on these hot flashes. Well, if you're in your 40s or even in your 30s, it's quite possible you could be experiencing premature menopause symptoms.

First, let me tell you why you are experiencing these symptoms and I can tell you how to stop these annoying flashes and other symptoms as well. Premature menopause symptoms are caused by two things: physical discomfort and the imbalance in our estrogen levels. Below are some other symptoms associated with premature or perimenopausal symptoms:

- Mood swings

- Bloating

- Breast tenderness

- Increase in fatigue

- Hot flashes

- Vaginal dryness

- Irregular periods

- Urine leakage

There are natural supplements available today that will take care and alleviate these symptoms. And using natural supplements is much healthier in comparison to prescription medicine. I have tried prescription medicine for my pains they brought on very harsh and dangerous side effects. And even though every woman is different, I know many that have experienced the same harsh effects as well. So my advice is to try a natural supplement and if that doesn't work, talk to your doctor about medication.

Trying To Determine The Average Age Of Menopause

Menopause is a completely normal phase of life for women, and when it happens in healthy women it is accompanied by certain physical changes which could be distressing, unless the women experiencing them understand why they are occurring. Many myths and untruths have arisen around the subject of menopause, however, including the one that during menopause the ovaries will shrivel and eventually disappear.

Menopause Starts In The Thirties Or Forties

Research ahs shown that in some women menopause can begin as early as the thirties and forties, and early menopause may be a sign that those experiencing it simply have too much stress in their lives. The entire process of menopause will take at least a decade to complete, and its fully pronounced effects will be visible in most women by the time they reach their mid-fifties.

So the average age of menopause is usually between the mid-forties and the mid-fifties, but science has yet to come up with a method for pinpointing the onset of menopause. The general rule of thumb is that any woman who has not menstruated for twelve consecutive months is in menopause. Another factor used to determine the average age of menopause is the age when a woman's mother reached menopause, as most women will experience menopause at around the same age as their mothers.

Ethnicity, birth control use, the number of children a woman has had, or the age at which a woman began menstruating have no effect at all on the average age of menopause. Research does indicate, however, that smoking can cause early onset menopause.

The Stages Of Menopause

Menopause occurs in three distinct stags; perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. The ages at which they occur can be a factor in the average age of menopause.

There are three types of menopause to consider which are perimenopause, menopause as well as postmenopause that can help determine the average age of menopause. But the most accurate way to gauge the average age of menopause is to keep track of when a woman first experiences changes in her menstrual periods.

If her periods become lighter and last for a shorter time, she is likely to have entered perimenopause. But some women can experience full menopause and the cessation of menstruation in their thirties, while others may continue to menstruate well into their fifties. So the average age of menopause can be difficult to estimate.

Women who begin menstruating early in life tend to have a delayed menopause. But women who have had a hysterectomy, research shows, are likely to experience menopause about four years earlier than the average,. Finally, perimenopause can affect the average age of menopause because it lasts anywhere from ten to fifteen years.

Some Interesting Facts About Menopause

Menopause is actually three distinct phases: perimenopause, menopause and post menopausal. In the United States, the average age of menopause is 52 years old.

There is wide age range for menopause, it can occur naturally between 40 and 60 years old. If menopause happens earlier than 40 years old, this is considered premature menopause.

If menopause happens earlier than 45 years old, this is considered early menopause. Early menopause can occur due to genetic disorders, illness, medical treatment or surgery.

Women who have early menopause due to surgery usually have more serious symptoms such as hot flashes due to the sudden hormone imbalance.

Due to the aging baby boomer generation, about 6,000 women are going into menopause very day, this makes 2,000,000 women each year. Since baby boomers are the largest generation in history, this is unprecedented. This number will decrease dramatically for the next few generations.

Not all women get menopause symptoms

In women that do report symptoms, hot flashes are the most common, with 90% of women with symptoms reporting hot flashes.

Hot flashes are usually the worst at the beginning of perimenopause, this may be due to the body adjusting to the hormone imbalance that is taking place.

Women with more education and higher incomes report better overall health and fewer symptoms.

Employed women fair better than unemployed women, they also report better overall health and fewer symptoms.

Only 10% of women report depression, anxiety or other negative emotions about menopause.

Depression and anxiety are reported more in the US than in other countries.

In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative stopped a study into to the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women. This study was stopped before its conclusion because it revealed serious health risks involved in HRT use, these risks included heart disease, breast cancer and blood clots. Prior to this study, HRT was the treatment of choice for menopause, but after this study, HRT use dropped almost overnight.

Menopause might not be as bad as you expect, over 80% of women say that menopause didn't impact their quality of life at all.

Menopause is unique for each woman, many factors such as diet, exercise, stress levels, genetics and outlook can all influence menopause.

Women who smoke go into menopause earlier than non-smokers.

Post menopausal women have an increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.

Asian women who live in Asian countries have virtually no hot flashes. Studies have been done to determine why this is the case, it has been widely attributed to higher consumption of soy products.

Soy may or may not work to control hot flashes. Some studies have shown that it reduces the intensity, but not the frequency of hot flashes. Other studies have shown that soy consumption may interfere with the body's ability to produce estrogen and progesterone, the hormones responsible for controlling menstruation and ovulation. This would mean that soy is actually working at cross purposes with the body.

In cultures where older people are more respected and aging is viewed as a positive experience, women have less symptoms and problems associated with menopause.

According to a Gallup poll from 1998, 51% of post menopausal women between the ages of 50-65 reported a greater sense of happiness than women in other age groups. The other age groups reported as follows: only 10 % of women in their 20s reported being happy, 17% of women in their 30s and 16% of women in their 40s.

What Age Do Women Experience Menopause?

The average age that women go through Menopause is approximately 51, which means that for many women it happens before this time. There are various reasons why the age differs from woman to woman. Hereditary and medical reasons are but two.

Because your hormones play a big part in protecting your bones, the later you start Menopause the better, but saying that all women that have not started Menopause when they reach the age of 55, should go to their General Practitioner and have a check-up, in case there is a medical reason for the delay, such as Fibroids.

The age your mother had her Menopause, can be a good guide, but that does not mean that your experience will be the same as hers. So if she had a difficult time, there is no reason why your experience should be the same. Women who smoke tend to have an earlier menopause, by about two years on average, because smoking diminishes the secretion of estrogen in the ovaries. A hysterectomy, even without the removal of the ovaries, can accelerate the onset of Menopause, by about five years. It is believed this happens because of the change in the supply of blood to the ovaries after surgery. Sterilization, where the Fallopian tubes are cut as a contraceptive measure, can bring on an earlier Menopause for the same reason.

Women who are overweight can have a later Menopause because of the extra oestrogen manufactured by the fat cells. Women who have fibroids (benign growths in the womb) may experience a later menopause because they produce higher levels of oestrogen. Although fibroids can be removed surgically, this is not always necessary because they frequently shrink at Menopause when oestrogen levels drop. Unfortunately women sometimes find themselves in a Catch-22 situation, where the oestrogen excess which allows the fibroids to grow delays the drop in hormone levels needed to make them shrink.

How do your Periods Stop? The way your periods stop is as varied as the timing of Menopause. They may stop abruptly; even though your cycle has been perfectly regular, one month your period does not appear and you never have another one. Sometimes periods are regular but bleeding becomes shorter and shorter until it stops. Other women experience irregular bleeding and often periods become heavier but with gaps of several months in between.

Menopause does not always happen as it should. Surgical intervention, and unusually small supply of eggs and even stress can lead to a sudden rather than a gradual Menopause. Surgical Menopause occurs because of the removal of the Ovaries. Ovaries can be removed because they are diseased, but healthy ovaries are often removed as a matter of routine during a hysterectomy. If the ovaries are taken out before Menopause then the effect can be very traumatic for you and your body, because it then arrives literally overnight. As soon as the ovaries are removed, the female hormone supply from the ovaries is cut off. Hormone Replacement Therapy is usually prescribed to prevent the onset of Menopausal symptoms.

When you think about natures way - it gradually reduces the amount of oestrogen produced over a period of 15-20 years. With surgical intervention this is cut off over night. It can be devastating for a young woman whose periods have stopped to discover that she has reached menopause. Not only does it make having a baby impossible without the use of donor eggs, but it also means she has to cope with problems such as hot flushes vaginal dryness and, even more dangerous for young women, osteoporosis. Hormone Replacement therapy would normally be given to help avert this condition.

Aging and Menopause

A significant percentage of women are worried that the onset of menopause marks a sudden increase in their rate of aging and that physically, their youthful looks will fade overnight. This need not occur, if you learn how to reduce some of the things that tend to accelerate the aging process. The rate at which you age is defined by several factors. The ones that are beyond your control are your genetic inheritance and the age at which you pass through menopause. Factors over which you can exert control include exercise and exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Exercise is essential for women in midlife. After menopause, the body's metabolic rate decreases, causing a tendency to gain weight easily. 50 percent of post menopausal women experience in increase in body weight of at least 10 pounds and in many cases much more. Ideally, a menopausal woman should do at least twenty to thirty minutes of aerobic exercise daily to stimulate your heart, blood circulation and respiration. This can consist of swimming, jogging, or working out on a stationary bicycle or stair-climbing machine.

Many menopausal women find that aerobic exercise can be awkward because of stress incontinence. This means that when pressure in the abdomen is temporarily increased by exercise, urine is passed uncontrollably, soiling the underclothes. This often happens in menopause because a deficiency in estrogen can cause the pelvic floor muscles to weaken and sag, which causes the bladder to be to be insufficiently supported. Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles can overcome stress incontinence in 40 to 50 percent of cases.

As far as aging of the skin is concerned, there is nothing worse than ultraviolet radiation from the sun. of course, protection from this radiation should begin at a young age, but many women who are now menopausal have no idea whatsoever about the harmful effects of the sun while they were growing up, so it is common to see sun-damaged skin in this age group.

There are two different types of ultraviolet rays, ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays. The latter is stronger in the middle of the day and in summer and is the major cause of sunburn and skin cancer. Ultraviolet A rays are present regardless of the season and time of day and although they do no usually cause sunburn, they do contribute to skin cancer and premature aging, especially with long-term exposure.

To protect yourself from the sun, whenever you are outdoors, use a sunscreen cream or a lotion with a sun protection factor of at least 15. If you are very fair-skinned, you will be safer choosing a sun protection factor higher than 15. Whatever sun protection factor you choose, look for products that specify full spectrum protection. This means that they screen out both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays. Apply the sunscreen to all exposed areas of the skin every two hours - more often if you are swimming or perspiring a lot. Avoid spending time outdoors between 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M., when the sun's radiation is strongest, without adequate protection. In addition to sunscreen, wear a broad-brimmed hat and protective clothing, making sure to protect your face and neck, as these areas really show your age. Use good-quality sun glasses that specify broad-spectrum ultraviolet protection to filter out the ultraviolet rays.

Menopause Statistics - The World Over, It's Not Only Happening to You

Women experiencing menopause around the world are facing a very challenging part of their life - change. These are changes that make women like you feel incapable, angry and frustrated. What do menopause statistics say? 

Menopause Statistics  

State that menopause often occurs between the ages of 40 to 58 years. During this time, the transition from being fertile to non-fertile can take about 4 years. Around 10% of menopausal women will not experience changes in their menstrual flow, which is usually expected in this phase.  

There are many menopause questions such as health risks that worry many women at this stage of life. Lifestyle factors contribute to this statistic as well. Women who smoke are likely to experience menopause 1.5 years earlier than those who don't. This also correlate with the number of cigarettes smoked and age at which they started smoking. If you don't want to experience menopause earlier, maybe you should kick the habit fast!  

There are around 45 million Americans going through menopause at any given time, and 5 percent of them are around forty-five to fifty years old. These are the ones who are experiencing menopause naturally. Undernourished women have a tendency to start menopause four years earlier than healthy women.  

Menopause Solutions  

Women can take advantage of the several menopause solutions available. One common treatment is hormonal therapy, which uses estrogen alone or a combination of progestin and estrogen (to lessen the chances of getting uterine cancer), to fight off the symptoms of menopause. Although it helps relieve heart illnesses by up to 50 percent, it increases the risk of getting endometrial and breast cancer. It is always recommended to have periodical medical check-ups with your health care provider.

Culturally speaking, approaches to the menopausal dilemma are different. In United States, this is a subject that is commonly avoided. Women going through this stage are often ridiculed, and some health care professionals consider the condition as non-medical.

In Australia, menopause is considered as a medical problem. Care is delivered holistically - that is, it would encompass both the woman's mental and physical health.

Menopause statistics may vary in every culture. Women of different cultures will feel menopause differently as well. For example, hot flashes are more often experienced by Westerners while Japanese women don't experience this at all.

However, most women around the world fear the effects of menopause, such as loss of sexual drive and exaggerated mood swings (which can also drag your social life down). The positive perception and acceptance of this state of physical being should help you understand your condition and make the most out of it. 

The Age of Onset of Menopause

The average age of onset of menopause depends on race, family history and a number of other factors different in each woman. Although the normal age of menopause can vary between 45 years to 55 years, the average age of menopause is 51 years. Surgical menopause, of course, can occur at any time the uterus is surgically removed.

All women are born with a finite number of follicles that are determined genetically. Menopause occurs when this stock of follicles are exhausted at the end of the reproductive life.

It is estimated that there are about 7 million primary oocytes or primary follicles in a 24 week old fetus. These decrease to about 2 million at birth. Of these only about 500 follicles are destined to develop into mature Graafian Follicles. The rest are lost through degeneration.

The age of menopause depends to some extent on whether a woman ovulates (releases an ovum) every month. Most woman do not. Certain factors like the number of children a woman has given birth to, the years spent breastfeeding, years of taking birth control pills (the pills stop ovulation) - each of these factors prevent ovulation and help build up the stock of follicles. This delays menopause.

During pregnancy , that is for 9 months, there is no ovulation. Normally, at least 5 -6 follicles develop in each menstrual cycle during the non-pregnant state. So, each pregnancy means that these follicles remain in excess in the ovaries. The woman who has been pregnant more often, will thus have a larger stock of follicles in her ovaries and will thus menstruate for a longer time.

Ovulation is also arrested in some women during the first 5 - 6 months of active breastfeeding. So, pregnancy and breastfeeding are likely to delay the onset of the age of menopause.

Birth control pills contain hormones that can block the process of oocyte maturation. Ovulation is thus prevented every month. This will help in preventing the decrease in the number of oocytes in the ovaries.

One important factor that should be noted is that lack of ovulation does not prevent the aging of oocytes within the ovary. Over time, oocytes will continue to be lost, even when there is no ovulation as in pregnancy, breastfeeding and taking of birth control pills. But this loss is substantially less than the loss that occurs when ovulation is actually taking place.

There are other factors that also affect the age of onset of menopause. Women with the same ethnic background get their menopause at about the same time. For example, Japanese women are known to get their menopause later than women with African ancestors. This is probably because of a similar genetic component.

Stress, obesity, environmental factors, nutritional deficiencies can all affect the age of onset of menopause. It has even been suggested that climactic conditions can affect the average age of onset of menopause. Women of colder climates generally get their menopause at a later age than women of tropical climates. But this is also probably due to a similar genetic composition of the women who stay at the same place(either colder or warmer climate ) together.

The average age of onset of menopause thus depends not only on the genetic makeup of the woman concerned as well as on other factors which influence her life.

The Symptoms of Menopause

Overall, medical professionals agree that there are at least 37 indicators of menopause, ranging from the mild and easy-to-overlook, to the more dramatic and potentially disruptive to your lifestyle. While the average age of onset for menopause is between 50 and 52, bear in mind that most women start experiencing the symptoms several years beforehand. Here is brief information about the more common symptoms, followed by a list of the remaining ones. When you read this, don't be worried. Every one is merely a sign that your body is functioning like a normal woman's body should!

1. Hot or cold flushes:

Many women report having hot of cold flushes, as well as feelings of associated clamminess or sweatiness. Indeed the hot flush has become one of the more 'stereotypical' signs of menopause. Both hot and cold flushes reflect a change in your body's internal thermostat, a factor that is regulated by the hypothalamus. During menopause, less estrogen is produced by the ovaries. The hypothalamus detects this drop in estrogen levels, and responds by altering your body's temperature hence causing these otherwise unexplained feelings of hotness or coldness.

2. Periods of rapid or irregular heart rate:

This is one of the lesser-known and more frightening symptoms of menopause. In fact, some women say they feel as if they are having heart failure, palpitations, or a panic attack. Despite research into this matter, the medical community has no clear answer as to why heart arrhythmia occurs in some menopausal women. It often begins during the lead-up to menopause proper (during the "peri-menopause" phase) and naturally it causes concern. It is important to report this symptom to your physician to eliminate other, potentially more serious causes.

3. Moodiness, ill temper and feelings of irritability:

See-sawing emotions can make menopausal women feel as if they are on a rollercoaster they can't control. Like pre-menstrual-syndrome, feelings of irritability or moodiness during menopause are very common and easily explained. They are caused by natural hormonal fluctuations. Most women learn to cope with mood swings by doing regular exercise, or performing relaxation techniques such as meditation, and yoga.

4. Becoming easily upset and teary:

Because their hormones are changing so dramatically, menopausal women can also find they become teary and emotional at the drop of a hat, and sometimes for no reason at all. Again, dealing with unpredictable mood swings isn't easy but by learning coping mechanisms, such as breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, you can start to lessen the impact.

5. Disrupted or disordered sleeping patterns:

For various reasons, menopausal women can often develop calcium deficiencies. Because calcium acts as a sedative on the human body, this deficiency can lead to restlessness, an inability to fall to sleep, as well as poor sleeping patterns throughout the night. Naturally, this can be extremely frustrating and tiring for women. Not surprising, a lack of quality sleep can also compound other problems such as feeling emotional or experiencing moodiness. The answer for many women is a calcium supplement, as well as engaging in gentle relaxation exercises to help them better sleep.

6. Unusual or irregular menstrual cycles, including lighter or heavier bleeding:

Since menopause is the cessation of menstruation, it seems self-evident that women would experience changes to their menstrual cycle, finally culminating in a failure to menstruate at all. What women might not know is that disturbances to their periods can occur well before menopause begins. Indeed some women report unusually long or short periods, different bleeding patterns, as well as skipped periods well before menopause takes place.

7. Decrease or loss of libido:

With menopause comes a decrease in hormonal levels, including a drop in estrogen levels. This can cause a reduction in libido or lowered interest in sex. That said, some research points out that although many menopausal women report having a lower libido, their level of sexual activity nevertheless remains steady, suggesting the relationship between normal menopausal hormonal changes and libido is a complex one.

8. Vaginal dryness:

As mentioned earlier, menopause involves a reduction in estrogen. Estrogen is the so-called "female" hormone, which amongst other things, is responsible for maintaining healthy, supple vaginal tissue and lubrication. When estrogen drops, as it does during menopause, this leads to vaginal dryness. An unfortunate consequence can be painful sexual intercourse.

9. Gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, indigestion, gas and bloating:

Many women aren't aware that balanced hormones help keep their gastrointestinal tract functioning normally. Indeed, it's not until there is an imbalance (such as there is during menopause) that they come to realize how important hormones are to digestion. For instance, estrogen is a stimulant for the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore the drop in estrogen levels can cause any number of symptoms, such as gas, constipation, diarrhea and indigestion. Likewise changes to progesterone levels during menopause can cause disruptions to your usual bowel patterns. Menopause also places pressure on your liver, leaving it less energy to do its usual cleansing duties.

Other symptoms of menopause include:

10. Anxiety

11. Morbid thoughts and feelings of dread and apprehension

12. Mental vagueness and inability to concentrate

13. Memory loss

14. Incontinence and "frequency" of urination

15. Unusual sensation on one's skin, such as phantom itches, and crawling skin

16. Sore joints

17. Muscle tension and soreness

18. Tender breasts and hypersensitive nipples

19. Headaches and migraines

21. Feeling bloated

22. Depression

23. Changes to, or worsening of, existing health problems

24. Exacerbation of allergies

25. Weight gain and metabolic imbalances

26. Thinning or loss of hair on the head

27. Increase in facial hair

28. Giddiness, loss of balance and light-headedness

29. Strange or unpleasant body odors

30. Increased perspiration

31. Poor circulation, tingling sensation in limbs and extremities

32. Sensitive and/or bleeding gums

33. Gingivitis

34. "Burning Mouth Syndrome" or the sensation of one's tongue, or mouth burning as well as strange taste in the mouth

35. Osteoporosis

36. Tinnitus (ie. Ringing or strange noises in the ears)

37. Lethargy

Not all women will experience everything on this list or may go through a combination of several. The secret to getting through menopause is to remember that each symptom is normal and will eventually pass.

What is the Average Age of Menopause?

Some common questions women that are getting closer to menopause ask are;

What age does menopause start?, what is the exact age of menopause?, At what age does menopause commence?

A lot of them have heard much about menopause with many thinking it's an abnormality, hence the need for the above questions to really ascertain the age of onset of menopause. This article will tend to answer the question and give reasons why menopause starts at a certain age.

The average age of menopause vary from woman to woman depending on some predisposing factors of menopause. However, it is generally noted that menopause starts or occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 years. The menstrual period does not often stop abruptly. In most cases, the cycle first becomes, irregular and then lengthens. The ovulation may also become irregular. In medical practice, recognition of menopause requires six months cessation of menses; a condition medically known as Amenorrhea.

In another development, early or premature menopause can also occur. This is said to occur when a woman ceases to see her period (menses) before 40 years of age, in the absence of any other known causes of Amenorrhea like pregnancy.The actual cause of this premature menopause has generated a lot of controversies in the past due to several conflicting but compounding theories. Some schools of thoughts state that premature menopause may occur due to any of the following reasons:

* Early depletion of the woman's egg in the ovary.

* Reduction in the number of the original number of eggs.

* Excessive exposure to ionization radiation

* Impaired ovarian blood supply. That is the decrease in the blood flow to the ovary.

These were found to be the possible factors that can lead to premature menopause. However, it was then concluded that the actual cause remains idiopathic; meaning the cause is unknown.

Interestingly, following a resounding scientific evolution in molecular medicine, it has been found that all these; early menopause and aging, diabetes and hypertension have a common molecular cause known as the Free Radicals. Scientific evidence has also proved that eradication of these Free Radicals amount to eradication of the so called illness of unknown origin.

Average Age of Menopause

Traditionally, the average age of menopause was 60. Women would enter perimenopause in their 50s and finally menopause (defined as having had 12 consecutive months without menstruation) at around the age of 60, give or take a few years.

In recent years, however, the average age of menopause has been getting younger and younger. Now it is quite normal for women to enter perimenopause in their 40s and menopause in their 50s. While this did cause alarm in the beginning, what has become more alarming is that women as early as 35 can enter perimenopause, which according to the trend can have women menopausing earlier. Also, it seems that the younger perimenopause hits, the longer it lasts, which is terrible for women.

Doctors have been noticing these trends, and have been wondering why the average age of menopause seems to become younger through the generations. So why is the average age of menopause shifting? At present, doctors presume it has to do with the increasingly stressful lifestyle women lead, as well as the sudden influx of unhealthy foods available to women. Unhealthy habits such as alcohol and excessive caffeine may also be triggering women's bodies to believe that they are "older" than they really are. This is worrisome because the shift in ages poses certain health implications for women, and these implications can be serious.

First, earlier onset of perimenopause means earlier hormonal imbalances in a woman's body. This can complicate a woman's reproductive system, and can be one of the reasons why an increasing number of women are getting hysterectomies. It also increases the chances of having unexpected pregnancies or pregnancies in which the children have higher chances of having pre-natal problems.

Second, the imbalance caused by perimenopause hormones can be very disrupting in a woman's life, especially when they are still in their 30s, and are expected to be very active at work and in the home. Some women connect the stress of their lives and the symptoms of perimenopause to the increasing numbers of women who are diagnosed with psychological problems like depression or bi-polar disorder. While it is very possible that going through some of the hormonal changes of perimenopause and having it be so disrupting can exacerbate psychological symptoms, there are no clear connections between the two, though the correlation is something worth taking note of.

The problems mentioned above are just two of the more serious health problems that can arise from the average age of menopause becoming younger. If the current lifestyle trend is what is causing this alarming shift in the average age of menopause, then women are asked to lead healthier lives starting in their younger years so as to lengthen their reproductive life, as well as to shorten the length of perimenopause.

There are other health problems that can pose complications, and women who perimenopause early should take the time to read about what they are up against so that they may better prepare themselves for the challenges ahead. There is a lot of literature on perimenopause, such as Pam Andrews' 'Perimenopause: Have it, Live it, Love it' which can really help you figure out how to cope with the situation.

Does Menopause Age You?

There is a quite a bit written about the process of menopause. The question at hand is if menopause actually accelerates the aging process and if so, in what ways does menopause age you? Menopause is a natural process that women go through as their bodies begin to age. Menopause is triggered when the ovaries begin to release eggs more and more infrequently. When a woman stops having her monthly period and her ovaries no longer release eggs, she is in menopause.

This process can take up to ten years before a woman is truly in menopause. On average, a woman enters true menopause in her early fifties when her period completely stops. Peri-menopausal symptoms such as insomnia, mood swings and vaginal dryness are caused by the decreasing levels of estrogen during the ten year time period prior to menopause. When we are answering the question of does menopause age you, clearly menopause itself actually does cause the aging process to accelerate.

A few complications caused by menopause:

• One way that menopause ages you is by making you more susceptible to diabetes. As a woman goes through the process of menopause her ovaries gradually stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Both estrogen and progesterone affect the release of the hormone insulin, which in turns affects a woman's ability to break down glucose, making her more likely to developing diabetes in her later years.


• Another area where the accelerating effect of menopause is experienced is in the skin and other soft tissues of the body. Many women experience a decreased skin elasticity and thinning of the skin overall. A woman's breasts may also become very tender due to the fluctuating levels of estrogen in her body. So, when we wonder does menopause age you, clearly it does negatively affect the skin and other soft tissues of the body.


• Vaginal atrophy is another area where women experience the many affects of menopause. The skin of the vagina begins to thin and can become quite itchy and dry. A woman can also experience a loss of interest in sex due to the pain caused from the increasing fragility of her vaginal skin. She may also experience an increase in susceptibility to urinary tract and vaginal yeast infections. So again, if we are answering the question of does menopause age you, yes it does.


• The skeletal system is also affected by menopause. A woman may experience more joint and muscle pain with a decrease in estrogen and progesterone. over time, her risk of developing osteoporosis or weak bones does develop. In order to keep her bones strong, it is important for a post-menopausal woman to have a diet rich in calcium and to do some weight-bearing exercises several times a week.

In answer to our query of does menopause cause aging, we must unfortunately answer with a resounding yes. A handful of complications of menopause were mentioned above. There are many more complications from the aging process due to menopause that are important to take into account. At this crucial time in a woman's life, it is important for a woman to see her gynecologist on a regular basis. It is also important for her to be proactive about here health by keeping a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking health promoting supplements and considering hormone replacement therapy.

Important Facts About Menopause - What Age Does it Start?

All women are different, not only in physical and emotional standards, but also on when they will experience the first signs and symptoms of menopause. There is a major debate going on regarding what age does menopausal usually kicks in.

In brief, this condition happens when you're reproductive system stops producing functioning ovaries. It doesn't happen in a single day but is mostly seen to range from 10 to 12 months at best. Women may experience lessening of their menstrual cycle at this point until it stops when the condition reaches its peak.

1. Premature Menopausal

There are some women that go into this condition at an early age. Statistics shows that around 2 to 3 percent of women today experience the signs and symptoms at 35. Most Asian women go into menopausal when they reach 40 and above. It was also observed that identical twins have a higher chance of going into early menopausal between 35 and 39 -- both experience it at the same time.

There were also cases wherein environment factors affect the age where women undergo early menopausal. Studies show that women who live in a polluted area are prone to experience the first signs of this condition around the age of 30 or 35. Also, it is best to consider that there is a possibility of experiencing pre-menopausal symptom instead of ruling it out.

2. Normal Menopausal

The average age that most women experience menopause is between 51 and 55. In most cases, the onset of this condition is mostly hereditary, wherein women follow the steps of their mothers at the age when the first stages of menopausal are visible. There is also a possibility that you will experience the same condition at the age similar to that of your eldest sister in the family.

Keep in mind; however, that the symptoms experienced during premature menopausal is quite different from the normal ones. In most cases, the signs and symptoms of the former appears early and may take 2 to 3 years before continuing on to the actual menopausal cycle.

Early Signs and Symptoms

Women at the age of 40 and above may encounter irregularities to their menstrual cycle that marks the start of the pre-menopausal stage. Fluctuation is common at this point -- like one day getting some minor spotting and a lot of bleeding on the next period.

Hot flashes and night sweats are common signs of menopause. Whether it's at an early age or later in your lifetime, all women encounter irregularities with their body temperature, as well as unexplained sweating during cold nights. Sleeping problems is also possible during the pre-menopausal stage that might also contribute to the emotional changes that happens during this condition.

Menopause Age

There is no set year when every woman is of menopause age. Traditionally, she is said to be in menopause when she has had no menses for one year. Up until that time a woman is in perimenopause. "Peri" means around; so perimenopause is the time around menopause. Others will use the term pre menopause. That's easy enough to understand.

Perimenopause can begin as early as the late 30's when periods that might once have been regular like clockwork become irregular. There are other signs such as increased irritability, and changes in dysmenorrhea or PMS symptoms, changes in sexual desire, skin texture becoming courser or rougher, short term memory loss, or shifts in body shape (this is a partial list). Women are individual in how they each will experience the change. Some, as they get near their last period will have very scant periods and others will experience what is called flooding or continuous bleeding with large clots, which can be rather alarming. Both can be inconvenient and uncomfortable, but can be considered completely normal.

There are at least two schools of thought among medical professionals about menopause. One side treats it as a hormonal deficiency syndrome with dysfunction of the ovaries. Their reasoning is that menopausal women have an increased risk of heart disease, bone thinning, breast or endometrial cancer. These doctors believed in the past that if they supplemented estrogen for these women, such risks could be significantly lowered. Unfortunately, in February 2004, their theories were proven dangerous by the Women's Health Initiative Study results. The other side of this argument believes that the "medicalization" of menopause builds negative attitudes toward natural aging. Menopause is a natural stage in a woman's life and should not be feared. Currently supplementing estrogen is safely recommended only for short term use as a treatment for hot flashes.

It's possible that most women living today will live 25 to 30 years or more after their menopause age. Something to keep in mind is that menopause is not a disease to be cured. Perimenopause is transitional to the state of being menopausal and all the pills, potions and creams in the world will not prevent it from happening. If you are a woman, when your body reaches your individual menopause age, you will be in menopause. By definition, though, you can't know it until one year has passed. Understanding the process can ease the transition and help women be prepared to protect their health in later years.