All women dread the change they are bound to experience in their adult years. Menopause is the feared word by mostly all women. However, most women are happier after they complete the menopausal stage in their lives. They no longer have to worry about menstruation and pregnancy. This affords them a new level of freedom.
In this day and age, scientists are much more knowledgeable of menopause and its side effects, so women can better prepare themselves. Read on to learn about the challenges of menopause and what you can do to survive them.
What To Expect From Menopause
Let’s first discuss why women dread the thought of menopause. Clearly there must be some negative side effects, so let’s get down to it.
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It’s Not Called The Great Change For Nothing
Menopause is often referred to as the change. Women might say, “I’m going through the change.”One of the many changes that a menopausal woman will experience is a change in her menstruation periods.
This starts during perimenopause, which happens for one to three years prior to menopause. A menopausal woman might not have as regular of a periods as she once had. Instead, there might be more or less bleeding and the occasional spotting. In addition, a menopausal woman’s period might be longer or shorter in duration. There really is no set change to expect other than the fact that the menstruation cycle will undoubtedly change.
As a woman works her way through menopause, which might takes a few years, her menstruation cycle will begin to fade. It is a fine line, though, because if a woman who has no period for close to a year begins spotting again, then she must seek medical attention immediately. This can be symptomatic of cancer.
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The Lack Of Desire
Another dreaded side effect of menopause is the lack of desire. This lack in sexual prowess is all a direct result of the drop in estrogen a menopausal woman’s body experiences.
This drop in estrogen causes quite a few side effects that lead to a decline in desire. These effects include vaginal dryness, slower orgasm response, and delayed clitoral response.
There are many over-the-counter solutions to this problem. In fact, some doctors prescribe women Viagra to fight their lack of desire. Sounds crazy, but it sometimes works. This is because Viagra works to pump start the blood flow to the genitals, whether they are male or female does not matter. Even though Viagra is effective for some, we cannot deny its negative side effects.
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Sleep Troubles
As if not wanting sex is enough, you also will not find yourself sleeping as well as you once did. The average adult should sleep for seven to eight hours per night. However, for a menopausal woman, it might become difficult to fall, or stay, asleep.
One of the reasons for a lack of sleep in menopausal women is calcium deficiencies. Calcium can acts as a mood enhancer or a sedative on the human body.
Therefore, the shortage of calcium can cause edginess, poor sleeping patterns, and an inability to sleep soundly. Obviously, this can be awfully annoying and exhausting for women.
Moreover, a lack of good night snooze can also add to other complications, such as getting weepy or suffering sulkiness. A calcium supplement is a right solution for many menopausal women. Also, doctors recommend a few things to combat this problem.
Firstly, exercising during the day can ensure that you will be tired enough to fall asleep and stay asleep. Secondly, relaxing and breathing techniques also works to help you fall asleep. Activities such as talking on the phone, sitting on your computer, or watching T.V. might disrupt your sleep. Instead, try to take a bath, read a book, or listen to soothing music before bed.
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Likening Your Vagina To The Sahara Desert
One of the most dreaded side effects of menopause has to be the vaginal dryness. It occurs because of the decline in estrogen. Estrogen, the “female” hormone, works to maintain supple, healthy vaginal tissues and lubrication.
Thus, when amounts of estrogen lessen, it causes vaginal dryness. One of the awful concerns can be aching during sexual intercourse.
Many women hate the fact that they no longer want to have sex. Either the lack of desire is present, or they want to have sex, but it is too painful.Some might think that lubricants should be enough, but only until you experience it yourself do you realize that they simply are not. Due to the drastic decrease in estrogen, women’s vaginal walls begin to shed and thus dry out. This side effect is completely normal and should not go unsolved. Doctors can suggest better lubricants, and prescriptions often work to combat the issue.
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Never-Ending Hot Flashes
One of the most stereotypical side effects of menopause has to be the hot flashes. We’ve all seen it in television commercials or popular T.V. shows. The woman sticks her head in the freezer for a moment, or a woman feels hot and has to sit down for a moment. This may seem humorous, but what do women really experience during those dreaded hot flashes?
A hot flash is a hot or burning sensation either in the upper portion of the body or all over. Most women complain of having a hot face and neck, and in some cases these areas turn red, feel quite sweaty, and sometimes appear flushed.
The change in woman’s internal thermostat causes both hot and cold flashes. The hypothalamus is the region of the brain that controls this change.
The amount of estrogen secreted by the ovaries during menopause is less. The hypothalamus identifies this descent in the levels of estrogen, and retorts by varying your body’s temperature, causing these weird hot and cold flushes.
Hot flashes range in intensity. You can ignore the lesser-intense ones, but others are so drastic, they can wake you up from a sound slumber. The time span of the duration of hot flashes ranges from 30 seconds to 10 minutes.The good news is, hot flashes tend to lessen in intensity over time. However, they usually last for a year or two after the final menstrual period has occurred.
If hot flashes become too cumbersome to deal with, there are remedies and treatments. Prescription drugs are possible, and there are also some over-the-counter remedies, as well.
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Oh, Your Bladder Becomes Insufficient, As Well
In addition to losing your libido, self-lubrication and sleep, you will also lose your bladder control. Many women claim they experience the constant need to urinate and sometimes even experience painful urination.
Refraining from alcohol, remaining hydrated and performing Kegels exercises can all help fight this issue. Kegel exercises actually work out the muscles responsible for stopping you from urinating. In order to perform them, simply squeeze your vagina in order to flex the muscles.
Unsure of what this feels like? The next time you are urinating, stop your flow. The sensation you feel when you hold your pee is the same sensation you should feel when you perform Kegel exercises. Don’t do both at the same time, though. Empty your bladder completely before beginning.
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Bring On The Tissues, Ladies
Intense mood swings will be on the rise as you begin to experience menopause.Women may find they become teary for trivial reasons, and sometimes for no reason at all.
You can go from as happy as a clam to a raging bull seeing red in a matter of seconds. Many women report feeling irritable, depressed and down-right cranky while going through menopause. These emotional alterations are because of the dramatic changes in hormones during menopause.
Yet again, managing erratic mood swings is a daunting task. But, there are many prescriptions that can help better this drastic change in moods. Nevertheless, there are also some holistic treatments and home remedies, as well. You may also benefit by learning relaxation techniques and breathing exercises to diminish the emotional impact.
The Various Ways To Survive Menopause
We’ve discussed quite a few side effects. Unfortunately, they are all quite undesirable. However there are some treatment options to help women deal with these unwanted signs of menopause. All of these treatment options require the referral of a doctor.
1. Take On Some Testosterone
Many women smirk at the thought of testosterone therapy. Isn’t testosterone for men? No. Women naturally have levels of testosterone in their bodies from birth. In fact, testosterone is what helps you to feel sexy and horny. It also helps you to clear up your skin and become more active.
Your lack of desire and other undesirable side effects can prove detrimental to your life and relationships.It is currently being proven that testosterone therapy helps to better libido levels. The treatment can come in the form of a cream, patch, gel or pill.
Some claim to want sex more after getting testosterone therapy, while others claim that the quality of sex improved, not the quantity. Either way, there are some developments occurring after taking testosterone therapy. However, there are some negative side effects associated with taking testosterone. So, your doctor will want to monitor your symptoms carefully.
2. Amp Up Your Estrogen
Another option that your doctor might recommend is to amp up your estrogen levels. Since most of the menopause symptoms occur because of a drop in estrogen, they should automatically be gone once you level out the amount of estrogen in your body.
Estrogen can come in the form of a pill, cream or patch. The side effects associated with taking estrogen medications are considerably less drastic than the testosterone alternatives, and doctors have more experience with estrogen.
Chances are, if you go to your doctor with complaints of menopause, they will offer you some type of prescription estrogen treatment.
3. Take Some Herbs
You may find numerous natural and herbal products on the market, all of which claim to offer effective menopause remedies. However, since the government doesn’t regulate most of such herbal products, it is best to ask for your health physician advice initially.
The right herbal product can help menopausal women to fight the challenging symptoms of menopause. Most of the herbal products are composed of high concentrations of phytoestrogens, which have an estrogenic activity and has the similar effects as the hormone itself.
4. Plunge Into A Healthy Lifestyle
Regular physical activities are necessary during the menopausal period. Estrogen works to protect the bones and heart. Its level falls down drastically during menopause. You can restore the levels of estrogen by living healthy and practicing effective workouts.
However, many women refrain from exercising during this period, thinking that it may further worsen their symptoms.On the contrary, the fact is, slowing down during the menopausal period may put women at risk of abnormal weight gain, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and other common menopause problems.
5. Munch Your Way To A Wholesome Diet
In additional to lots of exercise, women with menopause symptoms should consume whole grains and healthy foods. Such foods can minimize the risk of coronary heart disease and reduce constipation, as well.
Researchers have conducted numerous studies in order to find the right types of foods to deal with menopause symptoms. It was deduced that eating foods with plant estrogens will help to regulate cholesterol, along with managing the symptoms of menopause.
Foods that are rich in plant estrogens include seeds, soy products, celery, flaxseed oil, parsley and Lima beans. Eating a healthy diet that includes a few of these estrogen-rich food products will help women overcome the menopause period with ease.
6. Meditation To Relieve Menopausal Anxiety
The nasty symptoms of menopause may cause various psychological issues in most of women. Thus, it is imperative to maintain sound mental health along with physical health. You can find several ways to ease physical discomfort during menopause. However, the only effective and natural remedy for dealing with stress and anxiety is meditation.
Meditation is a natural way to help yourself live through the present moment. It is a mental discipline by which one can go past the impulsive thinking mind into a deeper state of relaxation and mindfulness.
There are awesome effects of meditation on all aspects of our health. Meditation has a positive effect on moods and behavior,because it increases the production of serotonin.
Low serotonin levels are the main causes of headaches, insomnia, obesity and depression.
Meditation lessens the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome, as well as the symptoms of menopause.It is an excellent way to comfort your mind when you are dealing with hot flashes, anxiety and depression.
Well there you have it, an introduction to menopause’s nasty side effects and ways that you can combat them. There is one more, though, that we have not yet mentioned. If any woman is looking for a natural yet effective way to fight menopause’s undesirable effects, then companies such as www.HerSolution.com offer, well, a solution.
This natural supplement helps to restore libido, sexual performance, and mood. Don’t fear the change. Instead, find some ways you go about fixing and adapting to these new changes. Menopause is not synonymous with no more sex life and a ruined relationship.
Think of its silver lining. At least there are no more menstrual cycles to deal with, or pregnancy concerns. You’ve worked hard, so make this time of your life is all about you.