Menopause is a traumatic time that has to be faced by every
female. It causes a host of changes in your body, and the more
you know about it, the better fit you will be to get through it
smoothly. In this article, we'll discuss some facts about
menopause so that you can be better informed about this
turbulent period in a woman's life.
- Approximately four thousand women begin menopause per day.
- Roughly one third of a woman's life occurs after menopause.
- Exercise is a key factor in getting through menopause with
a minimum of complications. A regular exercise pattern helps to
limit the effects of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with
menopause: hot flashes, depression, sleep disorders and
irritability can all be lowered through a proper exercise plan.
In addition, exercise has merit in preventing the physical
aspects of menopause. Osteoporosis and heart disease are more
prevalent in those post-menopause, and regular exercise can help
to curb these risks.
- While hormone replacement therapy is commonly used to help
women get through menopause, it is by no means a complete
solution and it has problems associated with it. Estrogen that
is used in hormone replacement therapy has been shown to
increase the risk of uterine cancer. For this reason, it is
important for women who have had past cases of cancer to have a
thorough conversation with their doctor discussing the merits
and risks of getting hormone replacement therapy.
- Low dosage anti-depressants have long been used to help
women get through some of the more mental issues associated with
menopause. In addition to helping with post-menopausal
depression, anti-depressants can help to reduce the amount of
hot flashes that are experienced. Another drug that is commonly
prescribed to help menopausal patients with hot flashes is
clonidine. This agent is used to help patients with high blood
pressure and it has been shown to be effective in reducing hot
flashes.
- Eating healthy is a key factor in just how many of the
menopausal symptoms are experienced by you. Ensure that you are
getting enough calcium and Vitamin D, as these two compounds
help your body to deal with bone mineralization, thereby
decreasing your risk for osteoporosis.
- Smoking can really affect a woman in menopause. Your risk
of heart disease is increased when smoking, and certain studies
have shown that smoking may increase hot flashes and actually
cause menopause to occur earlier than it should.
