Menopause Matters

The menopause is not a disease . It is a stage of life that every woman goes through Â? some more smoothly than others. Strictly speaking the menopause is the last period that a woman has but Â?the menopauseÂ? is usually divided into three phases: Pre-menopause Â?this is when periods are still regular but initial symptoms start to appear such as hot flashes and mood changes  Peri-menopause Â?ovary function and hormone production begins to declines causing irregularity of periods and menopause symptoms can become more noticeable or intense.Post Menopause: The last period and beyond. Pre and peri-menopause can be thought of as a time when hormones begin to Â?wobbleÂ? rather like a spinning top that wobbles for a while before it stops. As your health risk status changes, during and especially after the menopause ,taking check of your health and any risk areas is essential to maintain wellness through and beyond the menopause .Because of the fluctuating nature of the hormones during this time any other weaknesses, illnesses, or imbalances in the body, even if  previously unnoticed,  can come to the fore or become more pronounced. Couple these imbalances with the normal aging process and emotional issues at this age such as children leaving home, elderly relatives to care for etc.and you can have a recipe for a severe decline in health. Therefore at the first signs of menopause usually around the mid 40s is a time to focus on improving or maintaining good health and taking stock of ones lifestyle and diet.Menopause symptoms are wide and varied .The more common symptoms include:

Hot Flushes

Can occur day or night and begin as a heat in the neck , face or body that spreads either up or down. It can be accompanied by redness and profuse sweating or without any outwardly noticeable signs. Sometimes palpitations accompany hot flashes  and they can occur for just a few seconds or last as long as 30 minutes.

Mood swings

Similar to PMS and occurs with fluctuation in hormones. For those who already suffer PMS the symptoms can intensify and last longer. 

Psychological Changes

Many negative feelings can be caused by hormone imbalance and are similar to those symptoms of PMS. Lack of confidence, self esteem and motivation can be accompanied by a feeling of being close to tears, irritability, forgetfullness and mild depression. Other symptoms may include lack of libido, fatigue, joint pains, headaches, and hair loss . However these symptoms can also be the result of other imbalances such as stress and nutrient deficiencies so take stock of your health and look to generally improve all wellness concerns for a smoother menopause ride.

The start of menopausal symptoms at the time of pre- menopause should be a wake up call for a women to pay attention to her health if she is not already doing so. This is because Menopausal symptoms usually intensify and  because certain risks increase with the menopause Â? including the risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular conditions, high blood pressure and stroke, certain cancers,  higher cholesterol levels and weight gain . The first signs of menopause usually begin in the 40s with more than 75% of woman suffer varying degrees of symptoms at the time of menopause from very mild to the more severe  life interfering symptoms  . The sooner you begin to take preventative action the less your risks of poor health and intense symptoms can be and the longer you will enjoy good health. At the time of menopause factors that can intensify menopause symptoms and make the transition through it more uncomfortable are factors such as stress, adrenal insufficiency (through chronic or long term stress), nutritional deficiency, poor diet, smoking,  digestive problems and  lack of exercise, 

Until recently many woman would use HRT (Hormone replacement therapy)  to try to offset menopause symptoms and some risks. However, recent media attention to the findings that HRT may increase the risk of breast cancer has understandably made many women reluctant to take these synthetic hormones and seek out more natural alternatives. Other long term effects for HRT have been suggested such as increased risk of blood clots, weight gain and gynecological problems and host of other short term side effects that make many women give up the treatment within the first year. Therefore before embarking on HRT it may be worth considering and trying some natural alternatives. There are many dietary , exercise and  lifestyle improvements that can be made and supplements that can be used to good effect. One positive step is to become educated about the risks , signs and symptoms and health care available during the menopause. Books, the internet, magazines , your GP, Complementary therapists and friends can be a good source of information. There  are a number of tests and checks worth considering such as regular cholesterol , blood pressure and glucose (diabetes) checks  and every few years a mammogram, cervical smear and bone density  scan. 

Many holistic therapists such as naturopaths, homeopaths, herbalists and Bioresonance nutritionists  can be helpful for natural assistance, Once you are aware of your risks  and the way to put your life into balance its easier to formulate an action plan and  acquire a positive attitude to this period of your life.

About the author:

Donna Milligan is a Nutritional and Scio Bioresonance therapist who helps her clients with a range of conditions from IBS, skin and hormonal issues to allergy , mild depression and fatigue among others . Her consultations include Wellness MOTS, Allergy/Intolerance Analysis and Menopause Naturally Consultations . The Menopause Naturally consultation combines a nutritional assessment with Bioresonance Analysis to provide an individualised way forward into approaching the menopause naturally. Covering nutrition, Stress, Bone/Osteoporosis risk, Hormone Balance Analysis, Lifestyle, Exercise, hereditary Factors, Toxicity , Other General Wellness/menopause risks and includes Bioresonance testing against natural menopause supplements for best suitability. Suitable for those, in pre or peri-menopause..

Website: http://www.scio-wellness.com

Author: Donna Milligan
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