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Steps to Prevention: Menopause
If you like this article:
What is Menopause?
Menopause is the cessation of menstruation in women which usually occurs between the ages of 50-52 years. A woman is considered to have reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months although some state that six to twelve months without a period is the commonly accepted rule for diagnosing menopause. The time period right prior to menopause is referred to as peri-menopause and the time period after menopause is referred to as post menopause.
What are the symptoms of Menopause?
- Cessation of menstruation in older women for 6-12 months
- Average age of onset is 50 years.
- Hot flashes in 65-80% of women.
- Atrophic vaginitis
- Frequent bladder infections in 15% of women.
- Digestive disturbances
- Sleep disturbances
- Headaches
- Cold hands and feet
- Memory impairment / forgetfulness
- In inability to concentrate
- Depression
- Mood fluctuations
What are the causes of Menopause?
Menopause is thought to occur when there are no longer any eggs left in the ovaries. This is a natural course of events. At birth there are about 1 million eggs (ova). The number drops to 300,000 to 400, 000 at puberty. Only about 400 of these ova will actually mature during the reproductive years. The rest are reabsorbed, destroyed by toxins or just fail to mature.
With menopause the absence of active follicles results in reduced production of estrogen and progesterone levels. When the estrogen drops the pituitary increases secretion of FSH and LH. After menopause FSH and LH are secreted in large and continuous quantities. Although there are no longer any follicles to stimulate in the postmenopausal woman, LH and FSH cause the ovaries as well as the adrenal glands to secrete increased amounts of androgens which can be converted to estrogen by the fat cells of the hips and thighs. Converted androgens account for most of the circulating estrogen in postmenopausal women but the total estrogen levels are still far below the levels in women with reproductive function.
What can you do to make menopause a healthy experience?
Current medical treatment of menopause primarily involves hormone replacement therapy utilizing a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Is hormone replacement necessary? Rather than use estrogens to artificially counteract the symptoms of menopause, the natural approach focuses on improving physiology.
DIETARY MODIFICATIONS
Increase phytoestrogen containing foods
Increase soy foods
Decrease saturated fat
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamin E 800 IU/d until symptoms have improved and then 400 IU/d
Hesperidin 900 mg / d and vitamin C 1200 mg / d
Gamma-oryzanol 300 mg / d
BOTANICAL MEDICINE
Dong Quai (angelica sinensis)
Licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra)
Chastetree ( vitex agnus castus)
Black cohosh (cimicifuga racemosa)
Ginkgo biloba 24% ginkgo flavonglycoside content
LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS
Exercise at least 30 minutes three times a week.
Stop cigarette smoking
WHAT ABOUT HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY?
There are many natural measures that can help alleviate the most common symptoms of menopause. In most cases, HRT is not necessary. However, for women at high risk for osteoporosis and women who have already experienced significant bone loss, HRT may be indicated.
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Related Information: The Menopause Years Herbal Catalog Steps to Prevention: Osteoporosis Menopause and Mood Disturbances
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© Copyright 1997 - 2008 by Mary Ann Copson and Evenstar. All rights reserved.
About the Author:
Mary Ann Copson is the founder of the Evenstar Mood & Energy Wellness Center for Women. With Master's Degrees in Human Development and Psychology and Counseling, Mary Ann is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist; Certified Holistic Health Practitioner; Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician; and a Health, Wellness and Lifestyle Coach. Reconnect to your physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual natural rhythms at
http://evenstaronline.com
