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Be Menopositive!
Seminars now for sale on
audio cassettes!
Be Menopositive! is not only a seminar that has been attended by more than 28,000 men and women, but it is also an attitude which stresses the joy and fulfillment that menopause can bring. Be
Menopositive! caters to the total health of the midlife woman including her emotional, psychological, physiologic and medical
well-being.
This section will discuss self-esteem and practical ways to improve everyday life for women of all ages but especially in
menopause.
It will include:
what menopause is and what it is not
symptoms of menopause
health risks and how to avoid them
hormone replacement therapy
natural therapies including herbs, vitamins and plant products
lifestyle changes
The take-home message in Be Menopositive! is educate yourself with accurate up to date facts from this site and develop your own
image Personal Health Plan to make menopause the happiest and healthiest time of your life.
Menopause
Backgrounder
What is menopause?
Menopause is a natural stage in a woman's life that takes place when physical and psychological changes occur as a result of reduced production of estrogen hormones by the ovaries. It is generally indicated when menstruation has not occurred in 12 months or more.
For most women, menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.
The transition to menopause, called peri-menopause, begins when a women's periods start changing. Menopause can be
natural (as a result of age) or surgical (as a result of surgery such as having ovaries removed). Regardless, it marks a new phase in a woman's life, in which she could spend one-third of her lifetime.
Signs and Symptoms
The hormonal changes affect many aspects of physical and emotional well-being.
Night sweats and hot flashes are
the most common signs and symptoms -- the sudden onset of the sensation of heat with accompanying reddening of the face, neck and upper torso. Hot flashes are often followed by a period of profuse sweating that can last anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour. These changes may be short-term and generally resolve over time with treatment.
Vaginal dryness is a major symptom in many women. Lack of estrogen
causes the vagina to shrink and lose elasticity. As a result, the vaginal lining thins and becomes dry, leading to irritation, itching and burning. Sexual activity is often limited as intercourse becomes difficult and painful.
Urinary problems become more common. The lining of the bladder and urethra--the tube leading from the bladder which allows for urination
-- thins making the urinary tract prone to infection. In addition, women may develop urinary frequency, an increased sensation of the need to urinate. Some loss of bladder control can also occur during coughing, sneezing or laughing.
Skin changes may occur. Estrogen helps to keep the skin more elastic. As estrogen levels fall, the skin becomes dry and thin and a woman develops more wrinkles.
Mood swings or a variety of emotions,
are often experienced by postmenopausal women , due to changing hormone levels. Hormones directly affect the level of certain brain chemicals and blood flow which, in turn, affect moods. Common symptoms are
difficulties with concentration and memory, depression,
tearfulness and anxiety.
In addition, loss of self-esteem and
self-confidence have been identified as very important issues
at this stage of life.
Health Considerations
Menopause is a time for important new
health considerations. Changes in body chemistry occur during menopause which
may not cause difficulties until later in life. The most serious problem which
can result due to the drop in estrogen levels is heart
disease, the leading cause of death in this age group. Heart
disease kills nine times more women at this age than breast
cancer.
Osteoporosis, a thinning and weakening of
bones, is another concern. After the age of 35, bone density starts to decrease,
making bones thinner and weaker with age. The speed at which this happens
increases after menopause because of the major decline of estrogen
production which normally acts to preserve bone density. One in four women will
develop osteoporosis and be at increased
risk for fractures, especially of the spine,
hip and wrist.
Alzheimer's disease also
markedly increases in the menopause. Recent studies suggest that
hormone replacement therapy reduces the incidence and severity of
Alzheimer's disease.
Treatment Options
Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)
Hormone
replacement therapy (HRT)
Many women opt to compensate for the decrease in their estrogen levels by
taking estrogen (estrogen
replacement therapy - ERT) which provides relief of the symptoms of
menopause in addition to providing long-term health benefits with respect to
bones and the heart. ERT is available in
several different forms including pills, patches, vaginal creams and gel. ERT
has been widely studied and used for more than 50 years. It is the most common
form of therapy to help with the symptoms of menopause.
Because there is a slightly increased risk for endometrial
cancer with estrogen replacement alone, women who have not had their
uterus removed usually take a progesterone,
in addition to estrogen, to protect the
uterus and prevent the increased risk of endometrial cancer. The
estrogen-progesterone combination is referred to as hormone
replacement therapy (HRT).
Natural Products and Vitamins
There are a number of natural products and vitamins (Vitamin E, Vitamin B6)
which may be helpful in alleviating symptoms of menopause. Extracts of the
soy bean have been shown to not only lessen symptoms but actually reduce the
risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and may also reduce the risk of breast
cancer. Exercise and diet are crucial in maintaining heart and bone health.
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