Menopause - a natural progression of life
To me, my menstruation was a symbol of a cycle I shared with the universe. Like the waves in the sea, they come and go in a certain repeated rhythm. You could, also, compare it to the moon that grows and then shrinks every month. It made me feel as if I were a part of a bigger and greater wonder and not just a woman in her period.
Let's face it, none of us wants to grow older and all of us know that Menopause is one of the first steps in that direction. Well, life is life (that is also a beautiful and grand cycle on its own), and we cannot stay young forever, Can we?! So we have to be forgiving with it and try to help our body cope the best it can with this new phase of our life.
This unnecessarily frightening name includes two words: Meno (menstruation) Pause (stop) in order to express its most obvious symptom. Most of the women think that when they reach their Menopause they become less attractive and, maybe, less of a woman. They fear that moment and especially, they fear the changes that they know, from their mothers and grandmothers, will come whether they like it or not.
Instead, we can try to think of it as a moment of liberation; something you’re no longer obliged to take into consideration every time you’re supposed to go on a holiday or a hiking trip, for instance.
The fact that you may get your period, and as a result won’t be able to go to the beach or get into the water, doesn’t exist anymore. When you have Menopause, you can do it all! Without calculating the date on the calendar. Therefore, you are always ready for an adventure or even an unexpected sexual encounter. There is no need to take pills or the chance you might forget one or need to have any other birth control products, because there is no fear for you to get pregnant accidentally. So, please don’t consider the disadvantages without considering also the advantages and keep in mind that if you listen to your body and if you give it the assistance it needs, you can actually experience Menopause without its uncomfortable symptoms. Keep in mind that it is not a disease and it is as natural as puberty.
A fact that not too many women know, is that men have their own kind of “Menopause” with their own kind of symptoms. So it’s a process that spares neither one!
What is Menopause?
It is the point at which a woman stops ovulating and her menstruation ceases, indicating the end of fertility. Some years before this stage happens, the ovaries slow their production of the hormones Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone. In Menopause the balance between the ovaries and the “main computer” which are the Hypophysis (Pituitary) gland and the Hypothalamus (a small area in the center of the brain) is broken. The Hypophysis gets reports of this reduction in estrogen and, in order to provoke the ovaries to get back to their normal production, starts to produce the hormone of FSH 20 times more than before, which creates a huge imbalance. Usually occurring in a woman’s early 50’s.
What do these hormones do?
Estrogen and progesterone are commonly thought of as sex or reproductive hormones. While estrogen is essential for reproduction, it also acts in many non-reproductive organs and systems in the body. Cells in the vagina, bladder, breasts, skin, bones, arteries, heart, liver and brain all contain estrogen receptors, and require this hormone to stimulate these receptors for normal cell function. Although estrogen levels drop sharply after Menopause, the hormone does not disappear completely. Other organs take over for the ovaries and continue to produce a less potent level of estrogen.
Progesterone works as estrogen’s counterpart. During the second half of the menstrual cycle, It stimulates changes in the lining of the uterus to complete its preparation, acting as a cozy place for the fertilized egg. It also, like estrogen, has different effects on the body besides its role in reproduction. It has a calming effect on the brain and appears to affect other aspects of the nervous system functions as well.
Testosterone is the most important hormone for sex drive. Though women produces it much less than men (Something around 80% less) it is still the driving force for a healthy libido.
Period of Premenopause
The period before the Menopause occurs, when the body prepares itself for Menopause. For most women hormone production begins to slow down when they reach their late thirties and continue to diminish as they age. Some women won’t experience any symptoms at all, some will have few or even all of them. Symptoms like: anxiety, dry skin, fatigue, feelings of bloating, headaches, heart palpitation, hot fleshes, irritability, insomnia, less interest in sex, mood swings, depression, night sweats, urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, weight gain and more. Most of the time, when a woman stops menstruating, she reaches the stage when most of the acute problems she experienced before are actually over and a new balance between all hormones should be established. However, some, may continue to suffer from a few symptoms for a longer period of time after their Menopause takes place.
Other causes for early Menopause
Chemotherapy, Radio therapy (treatment for cancer), Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix), Tubal ligation (female sterilization to prevent fertilization of eggs by sperm), Oophorectomy (removal of ovary or ovaries).
Physical risks after Menopause
Menopause is the time women become increasingly vulnerable to other, potentially serious health problems. The diminished supply of estrogen increases the likelihood of Cardiovascular diseases, Osteoporosis (hip fractures are a major problem) and Vaginal atrophy.
With the correct and balanced conduct you may prevent or limit these risks.
Conventional medical treatment
A recommendation and instruction to consume hormone replacement therapy pills (HRT), which along the years have been suspected to be a factor in increasing the possibility of having Breast Cancer. Moreover, like all pharmaceutical products, it also has a list of side effects including additional and significant weight gain.
- Regular physical activity is important to help the body keep its balance.
- Use a certain combination of herbs to make infusions or mixtures according to the symptoms you experience and with the consultation of a Naturopath or a Herbalist.
- Ask a Naturopath or a Herbalist to prepare a tincture for you with the right herbs to help balance your hormones.
- For mood swings and emotional imbalance, you can ask a BFRP (Bach Flower Practitioner) to prepare a treatment remedy for you.
- You can also use some Essential Oils for such situations, to put on your skin, whether directly or with a base oil.
- Supplements, may help as well, to both balance the hormones and take care of all the symptoms that accompany the Menopause stage.
- A diet can help too. Eating balanced, wholefood meals with less fats and proteins, preferably in small portions several times a day.
It is also very useful to speak with your partner, whether it is your husband or companion and ask for their support. Their understanding, as partners, can help minimize any discomforts you may experience.
It is highly recommended to use therapies like: Massage, Yoga, Tai-Chi, Rocking (massage technique) etc. to balance both the body and the mind.
Whatever you choose to do, always take into consideration living a good and happy life. Always keep in mind that there are solutions for most of your discomforts, the only way to find them is by knowing they exist and looking for the right ones for you.
Note: A woman gains about 5 kg before starting Menopause because the fat can be translated later on in the body into estrogen. This is how our body prepares itself for the time when it won’t have enough estrogen for its well-being. This is the reason why fuller women suffer less from Premenopausal symptoms.
Moreover, the fact that we, as women, fight to lose this “extra” weight that we gain unexpectedly, makes it harder for the body to function in its best. So, let's maybe consider keeping some of this weight on in order to help our body do what’s actually best for us, shall we?!