Nutritional Supplements

Alternative Treatment for Menopause: Nutritional Supplements

For women going through menopause, common menopause symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes and memory loss can be frustrating and at times overwhelming. As such, many women seek natural treatments for menopause. One increasingly popular form of menopause treatment is the use of nutritional supplements; but what kinds of dietary supplements can help to treat menopause, and what sorts of symptoms of menopause can they help alleviate?

Nutritional Supplements and Menopause Relief

The following dietary supplements can help to alleviate the accompanying symptoms of menopause:

Nutritional Supplement	Symptoms
Marine Phytoplankton	Because it provides raw materials that promote the healthy functioning of cells, marine phytoplankton helps to improve memory and mental functioning as well as minimizing common menopause symptoms such as mood swings and depression.
Flaxseed Oil	Depression and fatigue. Flaxseed oil also helps lower cholesterol and boost the immune system.
Evening Primrose	Helps alleviate common perimenopause symptoms such as irritation, water retention, cramping and headaches.
Coral Calcium	Cultivated from coral reefs, coral calcium has an alkalizing effect on the body, thereby helping to reduce acidity levels in the body, promoting calm and restoring balance.
Vitamin B6	Increases levels of sertonin and progesterone in the body, which helps reduce anxiety.
Go-ji	In Chinese medicine, menopause is linked to a kidney deficiency. Go-ji (lycium) helps to restore kidney health and therefore promote hormonal balance.
Vitamin E	Has properties that help alleviate a variety of menopause-related symptoms, and is therefore considered to be a mild form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Vitamin C	Beneficial in the strengthening of the immune system, which can help ward off a number of illnesses, infections and disease.
Zinc	Zinc helps increase levels of progesterone and decrease levels of estrogen. In addition, it can help to boost the immune system. Zinc also helps to build strong bones, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis, a condition common among menopausal women.

Be sure to consult your doctor before adding any dietary supplements to your diet for the treatment of menopause symptoms.

Reiki Healing

Alternative Menopause Treatment: Reiki Healing Therapy

Reiki healing therapy is becoming an increasingly popular form of alternative menopause treatment. The ancient healing practice of Reiki treatment has been linked to helping to alleviate a variety of common menopause symptoms. Also used to treat and prevent other conditions, illnesses and diseases, reiki therapy has been proven to be beneficial in promoting an individual’s overall health. But what is reiki therapy and how does this natural treatment for menopause work to alleviate common menopause symptoms?

What is Reiki Healing Therapy?

Meaning "universal life energy", reiki healing originated in Japan and is a non-invasive healing treatment.

Reiki therapy works by balancing the energy system of the body, which in turn helps the body to repair itself.

During a reiki holistic therapy session, the practitioner places his hands in various patterns on the body using light, therapeutic touches.

While sometimes confused with massage, this form of natural menopause treatment is a distinct holistic therapy that channels positive energy into the body, in order to encourage health and healing.

What Does Reiki Healing Help to Treat?

Reiki therapy is considered a complementary form of treatment.

In addition to being an alternative menopause treatment, reiki healing therapy is also used to both treat and prevent a variety of conditions, illnesses and diseases, such as:

• stress
• arthritis
• endometriosis
• fibromyalgia
• chronic fatigue syndrome

Reiki healing methods has also been proven to be beneficial in surgery recovery, in chemotherapy treatment, and it also helps to improve blood circulation.

Reiki Healing and Menopause

Studies have found that reiki therapy is an effective part of natural menopause treatment. Reiki therapy has been found to be effective in treating common menopause symptoms, including the following:

• insomnia
• depression
• migraines
• hot flashes
• cramps

Reiki holistic therapy is effective in alleviating menopause symptoms because it helps to balance various systems in the body, including the body’s hormonal system.

Reiki Treatment: Facts and Figures

An average reiki healing session lasts one hour.

The cost for one session averages $60 to $150, depending on whether treatment is conducted at the treatment centre or whether treatment is done in the patient’s home, which is costlier.

In order to enjoy the long-term benefits of reiki healing, a patient should undergo a series of treatment sessions, typically over a period of several weeks.

Finding a qualified reiki therapist is also important. Ensure that your reiki healing therapist is properly trained. Finding a therapist that lives close to your home is also a good idea because it reduces travel time. Asking friends and family for a referral is another effective method in which to find the best reiki healing therapist for you.

Twins and Menopause

Twins and Menopause

Are you a twin? If so, then you may be unhappy to hear that twin sisters are have a greater chance of undergoing premature menopause. Recent studies performed in Europe and North America seem to confirm that twins are more likely to go through menopause at a younger age than women who aren’t twins. Though in the early stages of study, this information could prove helpful in determining at what age a woman might begin to lose her fertility.

What is Menopause?
Menopause is a stage of life that every woman must go through. You may have heard it referred to as "The Change" or "The Curse." Menopause is actually a hormonal change that occurs in all women. It causes you to stop ovulating and to lose your period. Menopause doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it is a slow and gradual change marked by various stages. Most women begin to go through menopause around the age of 50, though some women will enter into it at earlier or later ages.

What is Premature Menopause?
Premature menopause is defined as menopause occurring before the age of 40. It is often confused with early menopause, which is defined as menopause occurring before the age of 45. Many women experience premature or early menopause, and this can happen for different reasons. Common causes of premature menopause include:

• surgical menopause
• infection
• certain cancer treatments
• premature ovarian failure

The Twin Studies
Recently, various studies have been undertaken in an attempt to illustrate when menopause occurs in twins. These studies were spurred on by a number of reports of twin females around the world undergoing premature menopause. The studies aimed to find out when twins tend to begin the menopausal process and the reasons behind it.

Two major studies have recently presented information on twins and menopause. The first study was performed on British and Australian twins. 850 female twins participated in the study, including 418 identical twins and 432 non-identical twins. A separate study was also conducted at Cornell University in the United States, consisting of 1700 identical and non-identical twins.

What the Studies Found
The results of these two studies were actually quite startling for many in the medical field. Both studies concluded that female twins do seem to undergo menopause earlier than women in the general population. In fact, twins were up to five times more likely to undergo premature menopause than women who were not twins. The both studies found that:

• up to 5% of female twins had gone through menopause by age 40
• up to 15% of female twins had experienced menopause by age 45

Usually, by age 40, only about 1% of the general female population has experienced any menopause symptoms, and by 45, only 5% have begun menopause. Moreover, the studies also showed that both identical and fraternal twins were equally likely to undergo premature menopause. Yet, typically only one twin out of each pair involved in the studies actually experienced premature menopause.

Causes of Premature Menopause in Twins
You may be wondering why twins are more likely than women without a twin to undergo premature menopause. Well, researchers are also eager to find an answer to this question. Unfortunately, there has not been enough research into the topic to find a valid cause for this early menopause phenomenon. A number of possible factors influencing early menopause have been theorized, though, including:

• the lower weight of twins at birth
• a change in epigenetics (the way your body reads your genetic code)
• the unequal splitting of the embryo during division

What are the Complications of Premature Menopause?
Unfortunately, premature menopause come with its own set of obstacles. Women who undergo premature menopause generally have to deal with more severe menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and mood swings. Early menopause also puts you at increased risk for:

• osteoporosis
• heart disease
• fertility difficulties or infertility

What About Male Twins?
With these findings of decreased fertility in female twins, questions as to whether the fertility of male twins also suffers an early decline have been raised. There has been no real evidence to show that male twins are at risk for losing their fertility earlier than men without twins. However, more studies need to be done to investigate this further.

How Can the Twin Study Information Be Used?
Though the twin study can seem like bad news for all you twins out there, it may actually prove helpful to you in the long run. Continued research in the area of twins and premature menopause could help researchers develop markers for women at risk of premature fertility loss. These markers may one day help to identify women who are at risk of premature menopause. These markers might also help women decide when to begin planning and adding to their families.

Discovering a New You

Discovering a New You:
The Spiritual Side of Menopause

If you are going through menopause, then you may be experiencing a wide range of emotions. You may feel happy, you may feel relieved, or, like many women, you may feel scared and apprehensive. In the past, menopause has often been associated with negatives: the loss of fertility, the loss of youth, the loss of inner vitality. In fact, these views couldn’t be further from the truth. Menopause is a time of exciting change and spiritual beginnings.

Menopause: A Woman’s Curse
Like a woman’s menstrual period, menopause is often seen as a terrible "curse" to bear. It comes along with a variety of uncomfortable menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, mood swings, and heart palpitations. It is also associated with serious complications like osteoporosis. You can often hear women complaining that they have reached "that age" where everything seems to go downhill. But menopause hasn’t always been seen as a such an awful curse.

Menopause in Matriarchal Times
In the past, menopause was seen as an exciting and powerful time in a woman’s life. These views extended from thoughts about menstruation. Menstruation was associated with mystical powers and strength. Because a woman could bleed without falling sick or dying, she was given a magical status. Menstrual blood was also revered as it could provide life to unborn children.

During menopause, women became even more revered. Because they no longer lost their menstrual blood, menopausal women were thought to be able to retain even more power and strength. They could use this blood to help themselves and others. This blood also made them wiser and gave them intense spirituality.

Current Views on Menopause
Current views on menopause vary drastically from ancient matriarchal times. Standard views of menopause classify it as a "disease" or as "the end".

A Disease: We now tend to see menopause in clinical terms, using medicines and machines, doctors and nurses to treat it. It is no longer given the special status that it once was. Menopause is also typically thought of as a disease, instead of a natural part of life. Women afflicted by menopause are assumed to be in physical decline, experiencing mental deterioration, and are seen as having a lack of social worth.

An End: Menopause is often feared because it is associated with the end of life. Because it signals the closing of your childbearing years, you may feel that menopause is the end of your womanhood, youth, and freedom. Society often assumes that menopausal women are at the end of their shelf life just because they can no longer bear children.

Redefining Menopause
Though you may be nervous, apprehensive, or even afraid to experience menopause, it is something that all women must go through. By redefining menopause you may find it easier to experience this natural process.

Menopause actually signals a new beginning in a woman’s life. Yes, the time of menstruation is over, but with each end there is a new cycle that starts. This is a time to focus on you. In the past, you were expected to cater to everyone – your partner, your children, your coworkers, and your friends. Now is the time to answer your own needs and wants. The energy that you once had to dedicate to others is now yours to use. Take this opportunity to do things that you have always wanted to do. This is the beginning of new spiritual maturity.

What Menopause Offers
Menopause can offer you so much - it’s just up to you take advantage of it. You are now free from the burden of periods and childbearing and have time to get to know the real you. Consider trying some of these activities, which will help you to discover yourself and your place in the world:

• Travel: Now is a great time to see the world. With the better part of your childrearing days behind you, you can explore the world at your own pace and just the way you would like to.
• School: You may have put school on hold in order to raise a family. Or maybe you just feel the need to learn about new things. Signing up for a course at school or your local community centre can be liberating and fulfilling. You may even discover a new passion.
• Work: In the past, you may have had to work for financial reasons in order to support those around you. Or maybe you chose to work as a homemaker to be close to your family. Menopause is a great time to explore the world of work for your own benefits. You might even consider starting your own business.

Maintaining Your Spiritual Menopause
As a woman, you have the right to enjoy your menopause. It is a time for you to explore yourself and the world around you. Here are some tips on how to ensure a wonderful, spiritual menopause.

Tend to Your Body: Pay attention to the needs of your physical body. Get enough rest and relaxation. Pamper yourself and show your body love. Maintain your health through exercise and proper nutrition.

Tend to Your Mind: Menopause is not the beginning of mental decline. Instead, it is a time to expand your knowledge and embrace new ideas. Reflect on your past and acknowledge your emotions. Read books, magazines, and newspapers to absorb new information.

Tend to your Spirit: Menopause is a time for spiritual growth. Try meditation to get in touch with the inner you. Take up religion or continue with your own spiritual beliefs. Take a spiritual retreat to help nurture your spiritual health.

Menopause and Pregnancy

Getting Pregnant During
the Menopausal Years

If you are going through menopause you may be thinking that you are about to be free from the burden of children. Maybe your kids are just leaving home and you are thinking about how wonderful it will be to have the house to yourself again. Well, before you redecorate you should probably know that, even during menopause, it is possible to become pregnant. Women as old as 50 have been known to get pregnant naturally, particularly during perimenopause. It is therefore important for you to know as much as possible about your options during menopause to ensure a safe and healthy reproductive life.

Pregnant? That’s Impossible!
During menopause, your periods can be very difficult to chart or predict. One month you may have it, the next month it’s gone again. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are going through menopause. In order to be menopausal you have to have been period free for at least 12 months. If your periods are still showing up every now and then, you are probably still ovulating and thus have a chance of becoming pregnant.

Chances of pregnancy are lower in your menopausal years than during your 20s and 30s. By the time you are 40, your chances of becoming pregnant naturally are reduced by 50%. This percentage continues to decline the older you get. However, you are not completely infertile until your periods have stopped for at least one complete year. In fact, two-thirds of women between the ages of 40 and 44 ovulate regularly during perimenopause.

Risks of Pregnancy During Menopause
A lot of perimenopausal are unaware of the facts surrounding pregnancy during menopause. More than 60% of unintended pregnancies in women over 40 are aborted. More than 50% of women between 45 and 49 are not using contraception. 10% of these women in this age group use natural methods to protect against pregnancy. Natural methods are not enough to prevent pregnancy during this time. Your periods are too irregular, and symptoms of menopause may distort your cycle. Although your risks are low, don’t get caught unaware.

Pregnancy after the age of 35 is associated with a number of risks for both you and your baby. Chances of premature birth, low birth weight and still birth all increase after 35. Your baby also has a greater chance of being born in a breech position or via cesarean section. After 40, dangers to you and your baby increase again. You are at increased risk for developing bone loss or osteoporosis. There is also a greater risk of your baby developing gestational diabetes or chromosome abnormalities. Additionally, chances of spontaneous abortion increase.

Contraception and the Menopausal Woman
If you are going through menopause, you probably didn’t think that you were going to need contraception. But the fact is that pregnancy is a real risk during this time. If you don’t want to become pregnant, then look into getting some contraception that is appropriate for you and your lifestyle.

The most popular method of contraception among women over 40 is sterilization. Tubal ligation is a simple process in which your doctor cuts, ties, or clamps your fallopian tubes to prevent any eggs from traveling to you uterus. This process must be done in hospital under general anesthetic, but recovery time is only about one day. 20% of menopausal women have partners who have been sterilized. Vasectomies are quickly and safely performed, and involve cutting the vans deferens (the tube that carries sperm) to prevent fertilization.

Oral contraceptives continue to be one of the most effective methods of contraception. When used perfectly, the pill offers 99% protection against pregnancy. Low dosage pills are safe to use for extended periods of time and help protect against ovarian, endometrial, and uterine cancers. They also have the added benefit of reducing symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

Barrier protection, like condoms, sponges, and cervical caps are well suited to women who only need occasional contraception. Barrier methods also provide protection against some sexually transmitted diseases.

Life after Menopause

Life after Menopause

In the past, menopause has been reduced to a sign of old age and the end of life. Women who entered menopause had to give up their work, their independence, and their sexuality and relegate themselves to the life of an old spinster. Thank goodness we now know better than to think this way. An abundance of new information about menopause and post menopause has led to a much greater acceptance of this phase in a woman’s life. Women are now free to enjoy their changing bodies, and can live an abundant and joyful life. There is life after menopause, and you may find it far more exciting than you thought possible!

Society and Menopause
Even as recently as the 1980s, menopause was looked upon as a scary, and even disgusting change. Women who were going through menopause were "cursed" to a life of solitude and asexuality. You may remember your mother or grandmother refusing to talk about menopause - she may not even have acknowledged that she was going through it. This was because society looked down on menopause as unnatural. No books or pamphlets were available to read, and if you so much as snapped at someone, it was evidence that you were definitely going through "the change."

Nowadays, we are witnessing a huge change in the perception of menopause. In part, this is due to that fact that women live over a third of their lives after menopause, in a period called postmenopause. Also, large numbers of women are now entering menopause thanks to the "baby boomer" generation. Women who are postmenopausal no longer have to be the old spinster. Postmenopausal women can be business people, homemakers, writers, travelers, and lovers. If you are postmenopausal, you now have the freedom to enjoy your life without having to hide your body or your emotional self. Society no longer views menopause as a sign of asexuality, but instead as a natural part of womanhood.

Well-Being after Menopause
If you are going through menopause or perimenopause, you may still be worried about what your life is going to look like after it’s all over. You are probably a little scared about how your body will feel, how your mood will be, and whether or not you will be able to enjoy life in the same way. Well, put your fears to rest, because life after menopause can be quite enjoyable.

Physical Well-Being: As you were going through menopause, you probably suffered from quite a number of unpleasant symptoms. From hot flashes to depression, you may have felt it all. Well, postmenopausal life should be a lot more comfortable for you. Symptoms of menopause will begin to decline and stress will fade, leaving you much more relaxed (and less hot)! As your body becomes accustomed to your new hormone levels, you will begin to feel more comfortable in your body. You may notice a few changes, including weight gain, but this is natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Be proud of your body and remember, you are still the same person you were before menopause, only with some great new features!

Sexual Well-Being: Many postmenopausal women wonder what their sex life will be like once they have completed menopause. Some worry that they will lose their libido or that their partner will no longer be interested in them sexually. However, a recent study in the UK found that most postmenopausal women actually have a better sex life than they did before menopause. 65% reported being happier in their sex lives and this may be due to the lack of concern over an unplanned pregnancy. Postmenopausal women may find themselves free to enjoy sex now that many of the worries associated with it no longer apply. Postmenopausal women also seem to have an easier time reaching orgasm, and are more likely to experience multiple orgasms during intercourse.

A small percentage of women do experience a reduced sex drive during and after menopause. This may be due to physical changes in the body, such as vaginal dryness, which can make sex uncomfortable. Emotional concerns can also impact your sex drive after menopause. If you are worried about the way your body looks or the way your partner may react to your body, this could impact your sex drive negatively. Health concerns such as heart disease or osteoporosis may also affect your desire to have sex. If a lowered sex drive is becoming a problem for you or your partner, discuss it with your health care provider, as treatments are available.

Emotional Well-Being: After menopause, you may find yourself experiencing new levels of satisfaction in your life. In a recent study, more than 75% of women reported that they were having more fun in their everyday lives, and 93% reported an increase in their independence. Menopause can be a time when new doors open up for you. You may find yourself having the freedom to explore new job options, travel, or leisure activities. Many women also find that they have time for greater self-exploration.

Some women will find that their mood may lower at certain times after menopause. Increased financial responsibilities, health concerns, and work problems can all contribute to low mood. Pile this on top of the menopausal changes that you have undergone and it just may be too much. If you find yourself very unhappy, speak with your doctor, as treatments are available. You may also want to look into joining a menopause support group.

Heart Disease

Heart Disease

You may be surprised to hear it, but heart disease is one of the most prevalent killers of women in North America. Typically thought of as a man’s disease, only recently have the effects of heart disease in women begun to be understood. It is responsible for half of the deaths of American women over the age of 50. Heart disease kills 12 times more women than breast cancer. As a woman, it is important to be aware of the risks that heart disease can pose. If caught early, a variety of treatments can help to stop the progression of the disease.

What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease, or cardiovascular disease, affects the muscles and blood vessels inside your heart. Symptoms of heart disease include: heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The causes of heart disease are often unknown, though there are a variety of predisposing factors that may contribute to you developing the illness.

If your family has a history of heart disease, there is a high risk that you too may develop the disease. This is known as congenital heart disease. Your risk can also increase if you are more than 20% overweight, inactive, or have high blood pressure or cholesterol. Additionally, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, or taking oral contraceptives have all been linked to heart disease and stroke.

Types of Heart Diseases Heart disease is actually an umbrella term for a variety of ailments. In fact, there are many different types of heart disease that you need to be aware of. Some are more dangerous than others, but many can be precursors to serious heart attacks and strokes. These are the most common diseases of the heart:

High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is often one of the first indicators of heart disease. Blood pressure is a measure of the force at which your blood flows through your veins. A normal blood pressure reading is usually around 120/80. A reading that is consistently greater than 140/90 should be treated by a doctor.

Angina: Angina is a type of heart disease that is characterized by intermittent chest pains. With angina, your heart isn’t getting enough blood, resulting in a squeezing pain. This pain can also occur in your arms, back, neck, or jaw. Angina attacks are usually triggered by physical exertion. However, alcohol, smoking, and extreme hot or cold can also cause attacks.

Coronary Heart Disease: Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart disease in both men and women. Coronary heart disease affects blood vessels in the heart, causing angina and heart attacks.

Arthosclerosis: Arthosclerosis involves the thickening of the arteries in your heart. Your heart is made up of a number of different passageways that carry blood. Your arteries are one of these passageways. With this type of heart disease, the inner walls of your arteries narrow due to a buildup of fat and cholesterol. As your arteries narrow, blood cannot flow through them, leading to possible heart attacks or stroke.

Stroke: Strokes are caused by broken blood vessels, blood clots, or a lack of blood flow to the brain. They can cause paralysis, loss of motion, and even death.

Heart Failure: When the heart fails, it is unable to pump blood efficiently to all parts of the body. A weakened heart has to pump too hard to circulate your blood, causing it severe strain. Heart failure generally manifests as a heart attack.

Menopause and Heart Disease
More than half of all women over 50 will die from heart disease. In the past decade, more research has been done in order to find out why so many women in this age group are suffering from the disease. It appears that menopause is one of the foremost indicators in causing heart disease.

Estrogen, the female sex hormone, governs your cycle of ovulation and menstruation. However, it also seems to fulfill other purposes in your body. Estrogen works to protect your heart during your childbearing years by controlling the amount of fat, called lipids, in your body. Lipids make up the cholesterol in your bloodstream and estrogen helps to combat the buildup of unhealthy cholesterol.

Cholesterol consists of two ingredients: HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). It appears that estrogen helps to increase the amount of HDL in your bloodstream and reduce the amount of LDL in your body. This prevents the arteries from building up fatty deposits and allows your blood to flow more easily through your heart.

During and after menopause, your body stops producing estrogen. As a result, the amount of LDL in your bloodstream increases, preventing the good cholesterol from doing its job. Unfortunately, cholesterol and heart disease are intricately linked. High LDL can result in the thickening of the arteries and an increase in blood pressure. Reduced amounts of estrogen can also increase the number of blood clotters, called fibrogens, in your body. This too can clog your arteries, impairing your heart’s ability to pump.

Natural menopause appears to have less of an impact on your heart; as your estrogen levels decrease slowly. Therefore, your risk for heart disease and stroke increase slowly. However, women who go through menopause due to surgery tend to increase their risk of heart disease much more quickly. This is mainly due to the fact that your estrogen levels drop suddenly.

Heart Disease Treatment If caught early, there are many effective treatments for the different types of heart disease. Although there is no cure for heart disease, many women can reduce their risks significantly through appropriate treatment.

Depending upon your symptoms, different heart disease treatments are available. High cholesterol can be safely lowered with cholesterol-lowering medications. Similarly, high blood pressure can also be lowered with medication. For more advanced heart disease, nitrates can be prescribed. Nitrates work to reduce your heart’s workload by increasing the amount of oxygen and blood that flows to your heart.

Beta blockers also ease the stress on your heart. They slow your heart rate down, decreasing the amount of energy needed to pump your blood. For arthosclerosis, calcium channel blockers may be an effective medication. These blockers help to open up your coronary arteries, which allows your heart to work with less blood and oxygen.

Preventing Heart Disease
The best treatment for heart disease is prevention. Early and continued prevention can help all women avoid heart disease and its consequences. Maintaining a healthy diet that is low in fat can help prevent your arteries from clogging, especially after menopause. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink and avoiding cigarettes can also reduce your risks of high blood pressure and help in your heart disease prevention efforts.

Moderate exercise for just 30 minutes, three times a week, can also greatly reduce your risk of heart disease. Exercise helps to strengthen your heart and purify your bloodstream, preventing heart attacks and stroke.

Early Menopause

Early and Premature Menopause

When we hear the word menopause, we usually think of older women above the age of 60. Very rarely do we ever think of ourselves. However, menopause is not a stage necessarily relegated to elderly women. Early or premature menopause is more common than most women realize - it affects about 1% of women between the ages of 15 and 45. Early or premature menopause can occur for a variety of reasons, but in the end it leaves an imprint on the lives of all of the women it affects.

What are Early and Premature Menopause? Early onset menopause is often confused with premature menopause, but actually the two are different things. These terms hinge on the age of the woman involved; if menopause occurs before the age of 45, it is considered early menopause; if menopause occurs before the age of 40 it is considered premature menopause.

Because doctors are finally beginning to recognize the symptoms of menopause in younger women, more and more women are being diagnosed with early or premature menopause. As a result, women who are experiencing infertility or are dealing with menopause symptoms at a young age no longer have to wonder why.

What Causes Early and Premature Menopause
More often than not, doctors are unable to determine a cause for menopause in younger women. This can be very frustrating for women as it makes it difficult to accept and deal with this new stage of life. Sometimes though, there are very obvious causes of premature or early menopause.

Premature Ovarian Failure (POV): Premature ovarian failure is another name for naturally-occurring premature menopause. Women with POV have ovaries that aren’t functioning properly. Either they stop producing eggs or no longer produce the hormones needed to ovulate. POV can occur for a variety of reasons. Autoimmune disorders are responsible for more than 65% of POV cases. With these disorders, the body sees itself as an invader and develops antibodies to its own products, including ovum and menses. Genetic factors may also be involved in POV. Five per cent of women seem to follow in their mothers’ footsteps, entering into menopause early. Some women are born with irregularities in their X chromosomes, interfering with egg production before menopause should begin. Other women are just born with very few eggs, causing menopause to occur years before it should.

Surgical Menopause
Surgical menopause involves the conscious decision of forcing women into menopause for specific health reasons. Women who suffer from endometriosis, polyps, or ovarian cancer may have to undergo an oopherectomy (removal of the ovaries) or a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and sometimes ovaries). These surgeries dramatically cut off ovarian function causing estrogen levels to drop suddenly and forcing the woman into menopause.

Menopause Caused by Cancer Treatment
Menopause can be caused by chemotherapy or radiation cancer treatments. Chemotherapy and radiation kill cancer cells but, unfortunately, they also kills healthy cells. Hair cells, digestive cells, and ovarian cells are particularly at risk. Some women who have undergone cancer treatment temporarily enter menopause, while others permanently enter menopause.

Infection
Infection is also linked with premature menopause. Infections such as the mumps and tuberculosis can infect the ovaries, affecting your hormonal balance. This is extremely rare, however.

Early Menopause Symptoms
Premature menopause symptoms are essentially the same as those of natural menopause. Women commonly suffer from night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, headaches, and joint or muscle pain. Body shape changes are also common, causing you to put on weight around the abdomen. Additionally, water retention and menopause commonly go together.

Menopausal women can experience emotional ups and downs, including anxiety, depression, cravings, and forgetfulness. All of these symptoms are triggered by the fluctuation of hormones in the body during menopause. In particular, estrogen levels reduce dramatically during the onset of menopause, causing a variety of changes in the body’s functions.

Early and premature menopause tends to be associated with more severe symptoms than menopause occurring after the age of 45. Because early menopause is often due to illness, surgery, or genetic issues, there is a rapid decline in the amount of estrogen (known as "estrogen crash") in your body. This causes you to enter menopause more quickly than other women. Estrogen crash can cause extreme hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, and depression in some women. In a survey of early menopausal women, 100% of women who experienced surgical menopause experienced a number of menopause symptoms in quick succession. 90% of these women complained that their symptoms were severe and lasted more than 8 years.

Treatment Options
Unfortunately, there are no menopause cures. Menopause treatment has progressed by leaps and bounds over the years, though. It is suggested that most women who have undergone early or premature menopause seek out hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Menopause symptoms will be very sudden and severe, especially after surgery, and can be lessoned by taking appropriate doses of estrogen. If oral medication is too difficult to take directly after surgery, estrogen patches that release hormones through the skin can be used to help lessen symptoms.

A good support network is also recommended to help you through the difficult times. You may be unprepared for such an immediate entry into menopause and friends, family, and other menopausal women can really help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Living life after menopause isn’t so bad – in fact, it can be a very rewarding time when you have the right support.

Menopause Diet

Your Diet During Menopause

These days, numerous menopause treatments are touted as the cure-all for menopause. From mega vitamin supplements to medicinal creams, you can spend lots of time and money trying to get rid of all those symptoms of menopause. While many of these treatments do offer relief from menopause symptoms, often there are much simpler ways to deal with the associated discomforts. Just following a simple, well-balanced diet can go a long way to reducing menopause symptoms and your chances for developing many of the complications that go along with menopause. Read on for some tips on how to improve your menopause diet and ensure that you keep feeling great in the years to come!

The Basics
The key to having manageable menopause is to keep your diet as balanced as you can. If you focus on nutrition and remember all of those food groups, you will feel a whole lot better no matter what your symptoms are. Remember to include servings of grains and carbohydrates, proteins and protein alternatives, dairy products, fats, and of course, lots of fruits and vegetables. Try not to overdo it on certain food groups, particularly fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

In order to keep yourself satisfied and healthy, eat at least 3 meals a day, with some nutritious snacks in between, to keep you energized. Don�t become obsessed with calories, but instead, focus on portion sizes. This will keep your weight at a healthy level. And don�t forget to include the occasional treat. Sweets can be part of a healthy diet too! Get the skinny on dieting at FemPlace.com.

Foods to Manage Symptoms

If you are going through menopause you may be suffering from a whole host of symptoms including hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain. You may be surprised to hear that many of these symptoms can be managed by eating specific foods. Try including some of these in your diet so that you can get on with enjoying your life.

Managing Hot Flashes
Hot flashes and menopause night sweats can be the bane of a woman�s existence once she reaches menopause. Waking up at night all sweaty is not a fun thing. Hot flashes make working uncomfortable, sleeping impossible, and can just generally drive you crazy. Luckily, some simple changes to your diet can really ease those sweats.

Try reducing your intake of coffee, tea, alcohol, colas, and spicy foods. Many women find these to be triggers for hot flashes. Refined sugars also tend to increase the number of hot flashes women suffer, so try to avoid corn syrup and other sugars found in highly-processed foods.

To fight a menopause hot flash, increase the amount of water you drink to at least 8 glasses a day. Also, try to include foods that contain phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant estrogens that can bind to estrogen receptors in your body, relieving you of many of your symptoms. Foods that are rich in phytoestrogens include beans, legumes, seaweed, yams, apples, potatoes, and carrots. Soy is also a very high source of phytoestrogens.

Managing Mood Swings
Mood swings often occur during menopause because of the fluctuation of hormones in the body. One minute you may be feeling great, but the next minute you could find yourself feeling pretty depressed. Some women find that they may even suffer mild bouts of menopausal depression. A change in your diet can help to alleviate a poor mood.

A lowered level of serotonin, a chemical in the brain, is often associated with depression. Eating foods rich in carbohydrates can help to raise your levels of serotonin, thereby alleviating that depression. Try eating bagels, sandwiches, and whole grain breads and cereals.

Managing Weight Gain
Weight gain and menopause often go hand in hand. As estrogen levels decrease in the body, fat redistributes itself around the stomach and is lost around the hips and breasts. Muscle mass decreases, slowing your metabolism, often ending up in unwanted weight gain.

To help combat this, try reducing your fat intake and focusing on eating healthier fats instead of saturated fats. Try olive oil, canola oil, or flaxseed oil. Rather than frying your foods, try broiling or grilling them instead � it tastes just as great, if not better. Increasing the amount of water you drink will also help you lose any water weight that you could be retaining, as well as helping your metabolism kick in.

Foods to Prevent Complications

A number of complications are associated with menopause. Lowered estrogen levels put menopausal women at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Menopausal women also tend to lose bone mass at a higher rate than other women, increasing their risk for osteoporosis. Here are some ways that your diet can help protect you from these diseases.

Preventing Heart Disease
Heart disease, including high cholesterol, clogged arteries, heart attack, and stroke, are more likely to hit a woman after menopause. It is important to engage in preventative measures in order to decrease your risk of heart disease. Changing you diet is a simple way to do this.

Try to increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables that you eat. This will help cleanse your arteries as well as provide beneficial vitamins and nutrients to your system. Make oily fish, like salmon and mackerel, a feature in your diet. These fish contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help the body to circulate oxygen and blood efficiently. Reduce the amounts of saturated fats in your diet, which can clog your arteries and increase you cholesterol levels. Try to avoid processed flours and focus on whole grain breads and cereals, and brown or basmasti rice instead.

Preventing Osteoporosis
More than 50% of women will be affected by osteoporosis in their lifetimes. After menopause, as estrogen productions decreases, more and more bone mass is lost in the body. This causes bones to become brittle and can even cause them to fracture or break. It is important to include sources of calcium in your diet to guard against osteoporosis.

Menopausal women should be getting between 1200 and 1500 mg of calcium every day. Adding low fat yogurt, milk, or soy milk is a good way of meeting this target. Other foods that are rich in calcium include cheese, sardines and salmon (with bones), prunes, figs, and leafy green vegetables. Avoid taking in too much caffeine, as caffeine causes the body to not absorb calcium properly.

Herbs and Menopause

Herbal Supplements for Menopause

A number of herbal supplements are on the market to help women deal with their menopause symptoms. Anxiety, depression, and hot flashes are among the most common symptoms of menopause and women are seeking alternatives to traditional medication in order to solve these problems. Some of the most common herbal and botanical supplements used during menopause include:

• black cohosh
• dong quai
• maca root
• red clover

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh is a flowering plant that grows naturally in Eastern North America. It contains phytochemicals that are thought to relieve symptoms of menopause. Black cohosh is believed to contain phytoestrogens, specifically isoflavones, that bind to the estrogen receptors in your body.

These plant estrogens work very much like natural estrogen, helping to produce lubrication in your vagina, working to regulate temperature, and helping to strengthen bones. Black cohosh may work directly on your hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain. The hypothalamus regulates body temperature and hormone production, and may be the cause of many of the symptoms that come along with menopause

Benefits of Black Cohosh
Black cohosh is touted as a great reliever of many menopause symptoms including night sweats, anxiety, and depression. Effects of black cohosh include the reduction of those horrible hot flashes that affect so many menopausal women. It does this by reducing the lutenizing hormone in your body, which is associated with extreme temperature fluctuations. So, how effective is black cohosh? Well, in a recent study, 80% of women taking a black cohosh supplement experienced an improvement in their hot flashes, sweating, and heart palpitations.

How to Take Black Cohosh
Black cohosh is available in supplement form by a variety of different commercial companies. It may be taken up to two times a day for six months, but should not be taken for a longer period of time. Side effects of black cohosh include headaches and mild stomach upset. More seriously, it has also been linked with an increase in liver enzymes. There have been some cases of liver inflammation due to overuse of black cohosh.

Dong Quai

Dong quai, or Chinese Angelica, is an herb native to China and is used commonly in Eastern medicine and cooking. Nicknamed the "female ginseng," dong quai is seen as one of the foremost herbs in treating symptoms of menopause. Dong quai contains phytoestrogens that bind to the estrogen receptors in our body, thereby increasing our levels of estrogen. This increased estrogen then works to reduce a variety of menopausal symptoms. Dong quai also contains Vitamins E, A, and B12.

Benefits of Dong Quai
Dong quai is thought to provide a number of benefits to menopausal women. In particular, dong quai dilates our blood vessels and thereby increases our blood flow. This helps to relieve hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Additionally, this herb aids in regulating the levels of estrogen in your body, which also assists in relieving menopause symptoms. Moreover, dong quai is a mild sedative that will help reduce mood swings and stress related to menopause.

In clinical studies, women taking dong quai reported a 25% decrease in the severity of their symptoms. Dong quai is also thought to help prevent a variety of illnesses associated with menopause, including heart disease.

How to Take Dong Quai
Dong quai is available in a variety of forms. The easiest way to take the herb is in pill form and the recommended dosage is between 400 and 600 mg daily. The dong quai root can also be steeped in water to create a tea. Dong quai is especially effective when used in combination with black cohosh.

Maca Root

The Maca root has been used for centuries in South America, both by indigenous people and by the Spanish. Combined with food, the maca root was thought to be an aphrodisiac and people today still eat it for its sexual benefits. The maca root, which looks much like a radish, is also excellent at reducing the frequency and intensity of menopausal symptoms.

The maca root does not contain plant estrogens but, instead, is an adaptogen – that is, it helps to balance out our body’s own existing hormone system and encourages the production of hormones. Maca root also contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron as well as Vitamins B1, B2, B12, C, and E.

Benefits of Maca Root
Maca root is highly beneficial to women entering menopause, because it encourages an increase and then a balance between estrogen and progesterone. This increase in estrogen helps especially to reduce hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Maca root also helps to increase libido, restoring sex drive that was lost during menopause. Maca root is also thought to help decrease the effects of memory loss and osteoporosis.

How to Take Maca Root
The daily recommended dose of maca root is around 900mg. Maca root can be taken in capsule form three times a day, preferably with meals, or it can be boiled and taken as a tea.

Red Clover

Red clover grows naturally in Europe and Asia and has been introduced into North America for grazing purposes. Also called cow clover, bee-bread, and purple clover, red clover is now being touted as a cure-all for menopause symptoms.

Red clover is one of the premium sources of phytoestrogens, plant estrogens that mimic the female sex hormone. These phytoestrogens help to increase the levels of estrogen in our bodies, thereby reducing menopausal symptoms. Red clover also contains many vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, niacin, potassium, and Vitamin C.

Benefits of Red Clover
Studies on red clover show that it does seem to reduce menopause symptoms of hot flashes and mood swings. In a recent study in the Netherlands, women taking a red clover supplement reported a 44% decrease in their hot flashes over 8 weeks. Red clover is also thought to be helpful in fighting osteoporosis. Because it contains high amounts of calcium, red clover may slow down or even prevent bone loss. Red clover also increases the amount of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol, in the bloodstream. This has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease in menopausal women.

How to take Red Clover
Red clover is usually taken in capsule form. To treat menopause symptoms, the recommended dosage is between 400 and 500 mg.

Remember, herbal remedies can be quite potent so always consult a trained herbalist or holistic practioner before taking any supplements. Also, always follow the directions of whatever herbal supplement you decide to take.

Soy and Menopause

Soy, Menopause and You

Maybe you aren’t ready to take on Hormone Replacement Therapy just yet, but you still want to try and reduce your menopause symptoms. Those night sweats and hot flashes are probably getting to you and you may be worried about your increased risks for osteoporosis and heart disease. Well, a variety of alternative treatments are available to combat the effects that menopause has on your body. It is important to choose the right treatment for your symptoms in order to get the best results. Remember to consult a health practitioner or registered naturopath before trying any alternative therapies.

Diet For Menopause
A simple change in your diet can really help to reduce your symptoms of menopause. If you are suffering from insomnia, hot flashes, or mood swings, simple additions to your diet can work wonders. Changes in your diet can also reduce the effects of osteoporosis or help to prevent the onset of the disease. After menopause, your risk of heart disease also increases. Soy menopause supplements can reduce your risk of suffering from high cholesterol, heart attack, or stroke.

Soy For Menopause
It is thought that somewhere between 80% and 90% of North American women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats during menopause. These symptoms can wreak havoc on the body, and contribute to insomnia, fatigue, and depression. However, it has been noticed that only about 30% of women living in Asia ever experience hot flashes during menopause. What are women in Asia doing that we are not? Well, it appears that the high intake of soy in their diet may be contributing to their reduced symptoms.

During menopause, the estrogen levels in your body drop dramatically. This drop is even more dramatic if you have experienced surgical menopause. This loss of estrogen is what causes those horrible symptoms associated with menopause.

Soy contains special chemicals that seem to fight illness and disease. These chemicals are known as phytochemicals. Phytoestrogens, a special kind of phytochemical, appear in high quantities in soy products. These phytoestrogens are a weaker form of our own natural estrogen, and seem to help combat the symptoms of menopause. A particularly beneficial type of soy estrogen is the isoflavone. Isoflavones are linked to the reduction of serious illnesses that plague menopausal women, including osteoporosis and heart disease.

Benefits of Soy
The jury is still out on the benefits that a soy diet may provide. Soy has definitely been proven to reduce cholesterol levels thereby lowering the risk of heart disease in menopausal women. However, the effectiveness of soy in lowering menopausal symptoms is still being hotly debated.

Some studies show that taking 60 mg of soy everyday for three months can reduce hot flashes and menopause night sweats by up to 45%. Sounds great, doesn’t it? But other studies show that simple sugar pills also reduced hot flashes by a similar amount. It appears that more studies need to be done to find out if soy can really help reduce menopause symptoms. Moreover, soy has also been linked with a possible increase in breast cancer risk, as it appears to stimulate the growth of breast cells.

Some studies have also shown soy to be helpful in increasing bone density, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis in menopausal women. While this too is being debated, soy products do contain high levels of calcium, a must for women who care about their bones.

Sources of Soy
The best sources of soy contain high levels of isoflavones and calcium. Try these out in your next meal:

• soybeans
• fortified soymilk
• tofu and tempeh
• soy flour

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy in Menopause

Menopause can be a wonderful time in a woman’s life. But it can also be rough time. With hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, and mood swings, menopausal women may not know whether they are coming or going. If you are starting to feel the heat of menopause, there is no need to suffer needlessly. Hormone replacement therapy is one of the most popular treatment choices for menopausal women. Read on to find out if hormone replacement therapy is the appropriate choice for you.

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT for short, is a highly popular medical regimen used to help reduce the symptoms of menopause. Natural hormone replacement therapy is currently used by more than 10 million American women and has become one of the fastest growing menopause treatments ever. Many women find that hormone replacement therapy drastically reduces their menopause symptoms, helping them to enjoy life again.

Hormone replacement therapy involves putting back those hormones that your body loses during menopause. During menopause, your ovaries gradually produce less estrogen, the female sex hormone that stimulates ovulation. Levels of progesterone, another female sex hormone, also begin to drop. It is this drop in hormones that seems to cause the nasty symptoms associated with menopause. HRT gives your body an artificial supply of estrogen and progesterone, allowing your body to function with fewer menopause symptoms.

Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy can be used in a variety of combinations to suit your individual needs, symptoms, and health concerns.

Estrogen and Progesterone: The most common type of HRT involves both estrogen and progesterone. More than 8 million women are currently taking combination HRT and it is designed specifically for women who have a uterus. During this therapy, estrogen is given regularly, while progesterone is added in on a supplementary basis. Estrogens used in hormone replacement therapy are all naturally sourced. Progesterone, though, is artificially created and is called progestin. These two hormones are given in combination in order to prevent the overgrowth of your uterine lining. Estrogen alone may irritate this lining, which could lead to endometrial cancer.

Estrogen Only: Estrogen therapy alone is usually given to women who have lost their uterus due to surgical menopause. Because no uterus is present, the need for progesterone is not as great. Instead, regular courses of estrogen are supplied.

Progestin Only: Progestin-only therapy is not prescribed very often. Progestin does seem to provide excellent relief for women plagued with hot flashes, though.

Advantages of HRT
Hormone replacement therapy can provide a number of benefits. These benefits do not come without drawbacks though, so you must carefully weigh your decision with a doctor, before committing to HRT.

Effects of HRT are widespread. Hormone replacement therapy is excellent for reducing the symptoms of menopause, including: insomnia, fatigue, depression, incontinence, and vaginal dryness. HRT can also significantly reduce the number and intensity of the hot flashes and night sweats that you experience.

Estrogen in hormone replacement therapy can also help plump up your skin, improve your sleep, and give you a better outlook on life. It lubricates your vagina and tightens your pelvic muscles, limiting incontinence. An added benefit of hormone replacement therapy is the reduction of your risk of developing osteoporosis. Plant estrogen is excellent at building up bone mass in your body, making your bones stronger. In fact, studies have shown that within five years, HRT can reduce the incidence of bone fractures by up to 80%.

Disadvantages of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy was once thought of as the be all and end all to menopause. However, recent studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy may in fact be more dangerous than it is beneficial. HRT was once prescribed to prevent illnesses associated with menopausal women, including heart disease, breast cancer, and dementia. After a long-term study by the Women’s Health Initiative, it was discovered that hormone therapy actually increased a woman’s risk of many of these diseases. Since these discoveries, HRT has been cast in a negative light.

The Women’s Health Initiative reported increased risks in women taking estrogen and estrogen/progestin therapies over long periods. Estrogen is known to stimulate cell division, and this seems to increase you risk of breast cancer by up to 9%. HRT also appears to increase your risk of heart disease by 24%. Women taking HRT to reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s disease actually increased their risk by a small percentage. It is now recommended that women do not take hormones to safeguard against potential diseases. In order to prevent increasing your risk of certain diseases, it is suggested that you use HRT for no more than five years.

Deciding on Hormone Replacement Therapy
Choosing hormone replacement therapy is a difficult decision for many women. The risks associated with the treatments may outweigh the possible benefits of HRT, and this must be carefully considered. Hormone replacement therapy is recommended if you are facing moderate to serious symptoms or if you have undergone surgical menopause. HRT should only be taken for a short period of time (less than 5 years) and at the lowest effective dosage. If you follow your doctor’s advice and raise your own awareness, HRT could be a beneficial choice for you.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to degenerate and decrease in mass. It affects millions of men and women worldwide, with more than 10 million currently struggling with osteoporosis in the United States alone. 50% of women and 12% of men will be affected by osteoporosis in their lifetime. Though there is currently no cure for osteoporosis, several treatments are available that can help to increase bone density and prevent potential fractures. If you are currently suffering from osteoporosis or are at risk for osteoporosis, it will help you to know the choices that are out there so that you can choose the right treatment for you.

What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis occurs when your bones lose a certain percentage of their mineral density. It can lead to severe fractures, including those in the hip and spine. These fractures can be very painful and may limit your independence and freedom. Osteoporosis is most common among the elderly and women, though osteoporosis in men and young people can occur. Osteoporosis is a lifelong disease but can be reversed through careful treatment. The causes of osteoporosis are numerous and can include: estrogen loss during menopause, eating disorders, disease, or genetic factors.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is called the "silent epidemic" because it is accompanied by no symptoms. If you are suffering from osteoporosis, you likely will not know about it unless you have been diagnosed by a doctor. Eventually, your bones will become so brittle that you will probably experience a fracture or a break. Commonly, fractures result from everyday falls. Fractures of the spine and hip are very common and consequences of osteoporosis can be severe. 20% of people with osteoporotic spine fractures die within the first year.

How Do Bones Grow?
Our bones are comprised of two major ingredients: minerals (including calcium and phosphorous) and bone cells (consisting of osteoblasts and osteoclasts). Large amounts of calcium and other minerals are laid down during our teenage years, in preparation for adult growth. In order to stay strong and healthy, our bones constantly regenerate themselves. The bone cells work together to reabsorb and then regenerate our bones. Osteoclasts eat away at our bones, while the osteoblasts help to recreate the bones. Our peak bone mass is reached somewhere between the ages of 20 and 30.

After the age of 30, our bones do not regenerate in the same way. For some reason, the osteoclasts begin to eat more bone than the osteoblasts can replace, causing a net loss in bone mass. Most women and men lose about 1% of their bone mass throughout a year - this is part of the natural aging process. However, during menopause women begin to lose much more bone than their male counterparts. If you are a menopausal woman, you will probably lose between 2% and 7% of your bone mass every year. This can cause great health risks, as your bones are susceptible to breaks and fractures.

Osteoporosis and Menopause
Menopause can wreak havoc on your bones. During menopause, estrogen levels in your body drop rapidly. Unfortunately, it seems that estrogen plays an important role in bone health. Estrogen keeps the osteoclasts in check, allowing the osteoblasts to build more bone. Unless the estrogen that you lose is being replaced, your bones can become thin and brittle quite rapidly.
Sometimes these brittle bones can lead to a from of arthritis called gout. Gout can be a very painful condition, so if you are suffering from gout it is important to look for appropriate gout relief.

Osteoporosis Treatment
Your doctor will probably check you for osteoporosis once you enter menopause. In order to do this, he will perform a bone density scan, which measures the amount of minerals in your bones. This determines whether or not you are entering the stages of osteoporosis.

Bone density is measured on a point scale, called a T score. Normal bone density has a T score of 0 to –1. If your T score measures between –1 and –2.5 you will probably be diagnosed with osteopenia, a milder form of osteoporosis. A T score of less than –2.5 indicates osteoporosis. Osteoporosis treatment can be quite effective, especially when taken quickly after diagnosis. A variety of new treatments for osteoporosis have also been introduced into the market.

Calcium Supplements: Calcium is a mineral that is integral to healthy bones and is a natural medication for osteoporosis. If you have mild osteopenia or if your family has a history of osteoporosis, calcium supplements can help reduce your risk of bone fractures. 1000 mg supplements are recommended daily, in addition to a diet rich in calcium.

Calcitonin: Calcitonin is a hormone found naturally in your thyroid. This hormone shrinks your osteoclasts, stopping them from absorbing any bone. Calcitonin may be taken by injection or through a new nasal spray. However, calcitonin is not effective in producing new bone mass.

Estrogen Replacement: Estrogen replacement is the most effective treatment for osteoporosis. Women suffering from osteoporosis or osteopenia can take estrogen in order to prevent further reabsorption of bone and to boost the creation of new bone mass. Estrogen therapy, also an effective treatment for menopause, helps to increase bone mass by at least 5% over two years. At least 5 years of estrogen therapy is recommended to protect against serious fractures, including those of the hip and spine. Once estrogen therapy is stopped, though, its benefits will begin to disappear. Estrogen can be taken orally or transdermally via a patch.

Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMS): SERMS work by manipulating estrogen receptors in your body. Estrogen receptors are located in various different parts of your body, including the bones. SERMS block estrogen from working at certain receptors, while increasing their activity at receptors located inside of your bones. This allows new bone mass to be formed.

Biophosphonates: Biophosphonates may be suitable for you if your osteoporosis is accompanied by bone fracture and you cannot take estrogen. Biophosphonates work to reverse osteoporosis by stopping the reabsorption of bone. Biophosphonates enter your bones and prevent osteoclasts from eating the minerals in your bone. Taken daily or weekly, biophosphonates can reduce fractures by up to 70%.

Osteoporosis Prevention
Preventative action is the best way to avoid getting osteoporosis. Osteoporosis at a young age can have severe consequences. Women should be especially concerned about their bone health, and take active measures to keep their bones strong.

Osteoporosis and nutrition are closely linked. Particular attention to diet and exercise should be taken during adolescence and the teen years, and in women, during pregnancy and after menopause. A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D will help your bones stay strong and regenerate effectively. 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure every day will also help the vitamin D in your body produce healthy bone.

Prevention of osteoporosis and exercise often go hand in hand. Weight bearing exercise, such as swimming or walking, can help strengthen your bones. Ask you doctor for more information on osteoporosis and on preventative measures.

Self Testing

Self Tests for Menopause

Feeling more tired than usual? Missing the occasional period? Perhaps you’re even noticing a few hot flashes during the day. Could this be menopause? Many women are asking themselves these very questions and it is important to be able to find out some answers. Menopause can be a scary and even depressing time for many women. But a lot of these negative feelings arise from the fact that it is difficult for many women to know if they are truly menopausal or not. Well, wonder no more! Self-testing is now available to help you find out if you could be entering menopause.

Why Testing is Important?
Whether you visit with your doctor or self-test at home, it is always important to get an accurate picture of what is going on with your body. It can be frustrating to have to deal with symptoms like hot flashes and insomnia and not know why they are happening. Getting a test done to measure your hormone levels could provide you with an explanation for all those uncomfortable symptoms.

Getting tested will also help prepare you for changes that your body may be beginning to experience. Aging is associated with various health issues, including osteoporosis, heart disease, and infertility. By getting your hormones tested you may be able to get on top of these issues sooner, decreasing your chances of having to face a serious illness. Testing for menopause is also a way that you can take control of your body and your health.

Types of Self-Tests Available
A number of self-tests are now being marketed to individual consumers. Most of these tests are inexpensive and easy to perform, and many offer surprisingly accurate results. The FDA has also approved many "at home" menopause test kits. It is important to keep in mind that menopause tests analyze different hormones in your body. Although each of these hormones plays an important role in your reproductive system, you should get a menopause test that you feel will provide you with the results you are most interested in. It is also suggested that tests are repeated on a regular basis in order to ensure the most accurate results possible.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone Tests (FSH Tests)
FSH levels and menopause are related. FSH tests measure levels of a hormone called follicle stimulating hormone that is present in your body. FSH is responsible for stimulating ovulation during your monthly cycle. FSH rises each month in order to encourage egg follicles to be released from the ovaries and travel through the fallopian tubes for fertilization. As FSH rises, levels of estrogen will drop. Once the egg has been released, your body recognizes the need to either prepare for pregnancy or produce a period, causing estrogen levels to rise and FSH levels to drop.

FSH tests can tell you if your FSH levels are particularly high. A high level of FSH may indicate that your body is trying to stimulate ovulation but isn’t getting anywhere with it. This is generally one of the initial signs of menopause. Normal FSH levels are typically between 5 and 25 mlU/mL. An FSH test that tells you that your FSH levels are higher than 25 mlU/mL may indicate that you are entering perimenopause, the initial stage of menopause. If your FSH levels are higher than 50 mlU/mL, then you are in menopause.

Taking the Test
FSH self-tests are available as both urine and saliva tests and can be purchased online or at your pharmacy. Urine tests consist of a stick that you place in your urine stream and allow to process until it produces a result. Saliva tests involve you taking a sample of your saliva and sending it to a lab where it can be processed. Results are then mailed back to you.

Urine FSH tests are FDA approved and typically about 90% accurate. Saliva tests are not as accurate, and tend to be influenced by environmental stressors, including cigarette smoke, certain foods, hormone replacement therapy, or oral contraceptives. However, saliva tests can give you an excellent idea of whether or not you should pursue further menopause testing.

Both of these tests should be performed on particular dates of you cycle. It is important to read the directions on the test carefully. If you are no longer menstruating, you can perform the test at any time. A follow-up test should be performed 5 to 7 days after the first test. It is also helpful to conduct a baseline test before your body begins to be menopausal; a test around age 35 should be helpful in establishing your "normal" FSH levels.

Progesterone and Estradiol Tests
These tests measure levels of individual sex hormones in your body. Both progesterone and estradiol, a type of estrogen, play important roles in triggering reproductive functions. Low progesterone or estrogen levels may indicate the beginning of menopause.

These tests are typically saliva tests, though your doctor can also perform them using a blood sample. Hormone tests are available for order online at relatively low cost. Saliva tests may not be as accurate as a blood test, because they can only measure the amount of unbound or "free" estrogen or progesterone in the body. Your body also stores estrogen and progesterone by binding them to certain receptors, but only blood tests can measure levels of these bound hormones.

Like the FSH saliva test, this test is sent in to a laboratory and then results are mailed back to you. Normal estrogen levels usually measure between 30 and 400. Estrogen levels lower than 30 could indicate the onset of menopause.

Things to Remember
When taking a self-test for menopause it is important to remember that the results are merely an indication that you might be entering into a stage of menopause. The tests themselves cannot correctly determine if you are actually in menopause – they merely measure levels of certain hormones. An abnormal hormone level may indicate menopause or it could be a symptom of another complication. All tests should be repeated on a fairly consistent basis, because hormone levels do fluctuate.

Do not use menopause tests as a form of birth control. Even if you test positive, you could still be ovulating and can still get pregnant. You should also discuss the results of your test with your health care provider. She may be able to use these test results along with evidence of any signs of menopause in order to make a diagnosis and prescribe an appropriate menopause treatment.

Male Menopause

Male Menopause

Have you noticed your father, brother, or partner acting strangely lately? Does he forget things, seem lethargic, or wake up sweating? If so, he may be suffering from male menopause. While this likely sounds unbelievable to most women, more and more people are suggesting that male menopause really does exist. Like female menopause, menopause in men seems to involve a drop in hormone levels around middle age. Often referred to with contempt as the "mid-life crisis," men may really be suffering from a documented illness. So grab the man in your life and make him aware of what he may be facing when he reaches middle age.

What is Male Menopause?
Male menopause, also called andropause, refers to a gradual decline in a man’s testosterone levels. Not all men will go through andropause and it is unknown why those that will, do. Testosterone is the male sex hormone that is responsible for creating and releasing sperm, initiating sex drive and providing muscular strength.

Hormone levels tend to peak around the ages of 15 to 18 in most males. Sometime during his mid to late 20s, a man’s hormone levels will begin to drop slowly. Usually, these hormone levels will remain at a healthy level, but some men will see their testosterone levels drop significantly by the time they are 40. By age 50, half of all men will experience a significant reduction in testosterone levels, causing a variety of uncomfortable ailments.

Causes of Male Menopause
Male menopause can occur naturally in some men. More often than not, though, andropause is triggered by illness, depression, dementia, and obesity. Certain diseases that attack the heart and lungs also seem to affect the production of testosterone. Men who have had autoimmune diseases or cancer seem to be at an increased risk for low testosterone levels.

Andropause vs. Menopause
Menopause in men is not entirely similar to female menopause. Female menopause involves the complete decline of sex hormones. During menopause, your estrogen levels will decrease and then disappear, causing acute symptoms and the complete loss of fertility. Men will never lose their fertility completely during andropause. Testosterone will continue to be produced, as will sperm, permitting a man to have children well into his 80s. For this reason, there is much debate over whether this testosterone drop should be referred to as the male "menopause."

What are the Symptoms of Male Menopause?
Male menopause symptoms are very similar to those experienced by women during menopause, only much less intense. Common menopause symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, muscle and joint aches. Men also suffer from emotional symptoms like mood swings, irritability, depression, and listlessness.

Sex and menopause in men is also an issue of concern. The most common symptom experienced by men with low testosterone is a diminished sex drive. 80% of men with documented andropause complain of low libido and an inability to maintain a strong erection. Like women going through menopause, men can begin to feel like they no longer enjoy sex. If this is the case, a visit to the doctor can really help men to feel more in control of their physical and sexual wellbeing.

Treatment Options
Men often do not seek treatment for andropause. A lot of men feel uncomfortable speaking about their symptoms and, in the past, doctors haven’t taken men’s menopause seriously. Signs of menopause in men can also be difficult to diagnose. Thanks to new studies, though, doctors have become more aware of this problem and are beginning to realize the importance of treatment.

The primary treatment for andropause is Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT). Like estrogen replacement in women, testosterone replacement aims to bring hormonal levels back up to a healthy level. Once testosterone levels are increased, most men begin to experience fewer symptoms. Unfortunately, testosterone replacement doesn’t always work well to combat erectile dysfunction. Because this is such a severe symptom for most men, other treatments for erectile dysfunction should be investigated.

It is important for men to understand what is happening to their bodies as they age. Andropause does not affect all men and its symptoms have varying degrees of severity. However, if you know someone who is affected by andropause, encourage him to talk about his symptoms with a doctor.

Sexual Drive

Menopause and Sexual Drive

Just when you think that you’ve finally got menopause under control, one of the biggest hurdles yet comes flying right at you – you are no longer interested in sex. Loss of sexual desire is one of the most common symptoms of menopause, with somewhere between 20% and 45% of menopausal women reporting a decrease in their sex drive. If you are frustrated by this lack of libido, read on and find out what you can do to improve your sex life after menopause.

Attitudes Towards Sex after Menopause
Sex during and after menopause has always been an issue of great debate and every woman feels a different way about it. In the past, sexual intercourse after menopause was viewed with horror. Many people wondered how "elderly", infertile women dared to satisfy their sexual urges once they had lost their baby-making abilities. Menopausal women were not seen as women, but instead as sexless beings who had no business engaging in bedroom shenanigans. Thankfully, this view about sex during menopause is slowly but surely changing and sex and menopause is now a topic that is open for discussion.

Menopausal women are now understood to be as female as they ever were. Most women who are experiencing menopause take it upon themselves to continue their sexual life. Yet, many menopausal women face a lot of problems on the sexual front. Having to deal with mood swings, hot flashes, depression, and vaginal dryness that makes sex painful – it’s no wonder many menopausal women seem to loose their interest in sex. However, it is important to know that you are not alone. A lot can be done to help you increase your libido and feel more comfortable with your changing body.

Causes of Decreased Sex Drive
During menopause, sex drive can drop to very low levels. Some women find they don’t think about sex nearly as much as they used to before menopause. Others find they want to have sex, but just aren’t enjoying it enough to make it worth the effort. Decreased libido is thought to be due to lowered levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone present in your body during menopause.

Each of these hormones has a specific role to play in making you experience sexual desire. Estrogen helps you to feel heightened sensitivity during sexual intercourse. Progesterone keeps your libido up. Testosterone, a male sex hormone, boosts sexual desire and lubricates your vagina. When these hormones drop, so does your overall desire for sexual intercourse.

The symptoms that come along with menopause often don’t make you feel much like having sex either. Just a few of the symptoms that may be decreasing your libido or causing you to avoid sex include:

Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal dryness, a common complaint of menopausal and perimenopausal women, can make your vagina too delicate to handle penetration. Declining estrogen levels prevent increased blood flow from traveling to your pelvis. The result is the thinning of your vaginal walls, and less lubrication during sex. Intercourse can range from uncomfortable to extremely painful, and can even cause spotting or light bleeding. Many women simply cannot feel the desire for sex because of painful intercourse in menopause.

Fatigue
Constantly having to deal with hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia can leave you feeling very tired and irritable. When you are this fatigued, the last thing you probably want to do is have sex.

Mood Swings and Depression
Constant mood swings can make it difficult to plan sex in advance, or get into sex while it’s happening. You may feel up to sex one minute, but you may be completely against it the next. Many menopausal women also suffer from mild or major depression. Feelings of guilt, unhappiness, and frustration can really cause your libido to drop. Certain antidepressants can also result in a lowered sex drive.

Self-Image
Self-image is often a major factor in a woman’s sex drive. If you feel uncomfortable with the way your body has changed during menopause, you may not be willing or able to share physical intimacy with someone else. Incontinence, weight gain, and changes in your skin and breasts can all affect the way you feel about your sexuality. Women who have undergone surgical menopause often have a very difficult time accepting their new bodies.

Possible Treatments
While many women are happy with their new lowered sex drive and do not wish to seek treatment, a variety of treatment options are available if you are experiencing a lowered sex drive as a result of menopause. If low libido interferes with personal relationships, it may be a sign that it is becoming problematic. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms and choose a treatment option that’s right or you.

• Lubricants: Using lubricants during sex can make intercourse less painful and more enjoyable. Though lubricants will not provide long-term relief for your low libido, it can provide temporary relief.
• Hormone Creams: Hormone creams that contain estrogen can be applied to the vagina in order to increase blood flow. This blood flow should allow for increased sensitivity and easier orgasm.
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): HRT is still viewed as the most successful menopause treatment. While HRT may not boost your libido chemically, it can help reduce other symptoms that may be complicating your sex life.
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT): New research suggests that testosterone plays a major role in the female sex drive. A new testosterone patch has been shown to improve sex drive in women by up to 75%. This patch is not yet approved, but similar testosterone therapy is available. Side effects can include increased cancer risk, rapid hair growth, and a deepened voice.

Weight Gain

Menopause and Weight Gain

Going through menopause' Have you been noticing a few extra pounds around your belly lately' Well, you will be happy to know that you are definitely not alone. One of the foremost menopause symptoms seems to be weight gain and a change in the overall shape of your body. Though you may not be so happy about this, it is important to keep in mind that this weight gain is normal and to be expected. About 90% of menopausal women gain some weight between the ages of 35 and 55. But you may not necessarily have to blame yourself for this newly acquired weight - research now shows that weight gain during menopause is caused by shifts in your hormones, not greedy eating.

Changing Shape
If you are going through menopause, then you have probably already started to notice a change in your body shape. Most women will gain about 10 to 15 pounds during their menopausal years. Most of this weight will come on gradually 'about a pound a year ' during perimenopause. Women who have experienced early menopause or surgical menopause may experience more rapid and extreme weight gain. You will start to notice that the weight isn�t distributing itself as it used to.

During menopause, you will begin to put weight on around your abdomen, instead of around your hips, thighs, and rear. People commonly refer to this as an "apple" shape, because the stomach area becomes rounder. You may miss your old "pear" shape that you had during your childbearing years, but it will be harder and harder to redistribute your weight evenly around your body.

It's Not Your Fault!
Many women are quite shocked and frustrated when they begin to notice those extra pounds graciously provided by menopause. You may be eating and exercising exactly the same as you always were but still can�t seem to maintain your weight. As you enter the early stages of menopause, maintaining weight becomes more and more difficult, and losing weight becomes almost impossible. This is because of the fluctuation in your hormones.

Your body's hormones have a direct impact on your appetite, metabolism, and fat storage. This is why it is so difficult to control your weight during menopause no matter what you do, fluctuating estrogen, testosterone, and androgen levels will fight you all the way.

Hormones Involved in Weight Maintenance
Estrogen: Estrogen is the female sex hormone that is responsible for causing monthly ovulation. During female menopause, your estrogen levels decline rapidly, causing your body to stop ovulating. However, estrogen also seems to play a big role in menopausal weight gain. As your ovaries produce less estrogen, your body looks for other places to get needed estrogen from. Fat cells in your body can produce estrogen, so your body works harder to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen levels. Unfortunately for you, fat cells don�t burn calories the way muscle cells do, which causes you to pack on the unwanted pounds.

Progesterone: During menopause, progesterone levels will also decrease. Like estrogen, lower levels of this hormone can be responsible for many of the symptoms of menopause and that includes weight gain, or at least the appearance of it. Water retention and menopause often go hand in hand since water weight and bloating are caused by decreased progesterone levels. Though this doesn't actually result in weight gain, your clothes will probably feel a bit tighter and you may feel a bit heavier. Water retention and bloating usually disappear within a few months.

Androgen: This hormone is responsible for sending your new weight directly to your middle section. In fact, weight gain during menopausal years is often known as "middle age spread" because of the rapid growth of the mid-section. Often, one of the first signs of menopause is an increase of androgen in your body, which causes you to gain weight around your abdominals instead of around your lower half.

Testosterone: Testosterone helps your body to create lean muscle mass out of the calories that you take in. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells do, increasing your metabolism. In natural menopause, levels of testosterone drop resulting in the loss of this muscle. Unfortunately, this means a lower metabolism. The lower your metabolism is, the slower your body burns calories.

Other Factors Involved in Weight Gain During Menopause
Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance can occur during your menopausal years. This is when your body mistakenly turns every calorie you take in into fat. Most women follow a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet. After time, processed and refined foods may make your body resistant to insulin produced in the blood stream. This is often a cause of weight gain after the age of 40.

Stress: Stress is also a contributing factor in weight gain in menopause. Stress hormones can prevent weight loss as they signal to your body to go into a storage mode. This is referred to as the "famine effect" - your body, thinking it won�t get food again for a long time, stores every calorie it takes in causing weight gain.

Treatment
It may be difficult, but it is important to learn to accept weight gain and menopause as something natural and even good. A little extra weight can help to lesson other symptoms associated with menopause, like anxiety and hot flashes. During menopause, weight gain is regulated by your body, and helps prepare you against osteoporosis and other illnesses. Instead of hating your new body, try to be more accepting of yourself. Focus on being healthy and active, not trying to fit into your old clothes. Here are a few tips to help you out on the way:

• Eat a balanced diet. Avoid refined sugars and indulge in fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid crash diets. Starvation will only cause your metabolism to slow down, causing you to gain more weight later on.
• Don�t lose large amounts of weight. Being very thin can lead to an increased chance of developing osteoporosis.
• Limit your intake of caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. These can exacerbate water retention.
• Remain active. Do aerobics to increase your metabolism and burn fat. Do weight bearing activities such as walking and cycling to increase muscle mass and ward off osteoporosis.

Some women do put on excessive weight during menopause. This could be a sign that something is wrong with your hormone levels, blood sugars, or eating habits. Get checked out by your doctor if your weight gain is out of control. Excessive fat stored around the abdomen can lead to an increased risk for heart disease and high blood pressure.