Baby boomers are aging. As this phenomenon progresses, increased attention will of necessity be paid to physical ailments, mental disorders and awkward conditions that limit lifestyle options. Among those impacting women is menopause.

The first signs of menopause can leave you thinking you’re going blind, someone has turned up the heat and you’ve completely lost your memory. However, chances are that if you’re a woman between 40 and 58, you’re not going crazy, but simply experiencing the initial stages of menopause.

You don’t need a doctor or expensive estrogen treatments to deal with many of the early signs of menopause. In fact, you can handle most of them yourself. For help identifying several of the stages and symptoms of menopause along with advice on how to cope with them, keep reading.

Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are the most commonly reported symptom of menopause, and they affect approximately 80% of menopausal women. They’re often caused by stress, hot environments or even diet.

To help keep hot flashes at bay, carry a small portable fan and a few moist towelettes in your purse. Having a bottle of ice-cold water on hand can also help. Try freezing a bottle in the freezer the night before and then bringing it with you in your purse.

Decreased Memory

If you’re having trouble remembering where you set down your cell phone, the name of a friend or where you’re supposed to be Friday at 11:00, then carry a pad of Post-It Notes with you. You can jot down simple reminders to yourself and then stick them where they’re visible at all times.

If you’re a little bit more high-tech, then consider writing yourself reminders on your Blackberry or other portable device. You can keep track of more than just your meetings and contacts.

Increased or Abnormal Hair Growth

Many menopausal women experience hair growth in unlikely places. To avoid looking in the rear view mirror and spotting a massive chin hair that you can’t do anything about it, carry a pair of tweezers with you in case of emergency.

Unexpected Sweating at Night

Night sweats are a common sign of menopause. To avoid them, keep your bedroom cool and try relaxing in a warm bubble bath just before bed. Your body will switch from warm to cold, and this can also help induce sleep. Another great way to combat night sweats is to invest in a quality pair of sweat-wicking pajamas.

Joint and Bone Pains

Menopausal women can suffer from major bone and joint problems if they don’t supplement the amount of calcium they’re intaking. Try carrying calcium chews or calcium candy with you.

Dry and Irritated Eyes

Because of the hormone therapies and changes in hormone levels, dry eyes are one of the most common first signs of menopause. To nip this problem in the bud, carry around an over-the-counter artificial tears product in your purse.

Every women experiences menopause symptoms in a different way. On the whole, the symptoms of menopause for most women are relatively mild. For others the signs of menopause will be quite excessive and could be quite a difficult experience. If this is happening to you, don’t worry, because there are a lot of acclaimed treatment for menopause options including natural menopause herbs that can help easing your symptoms almost entirely.

Believe it or not, the menopause is a crucial juncture in your life. If you look upon it as a positive change, it can be a supporting and informative one. Life is a series of milestones. In our younger days we would hurtle passed each milestone being on constant lookout for the next. As we age it’s good to take stock and ponder on what we’ve done. If you’re into the menopause you may feel the time is right to think about a new way of life. Experiencing the menopause is an ideal opportunity to take the plunge.

Planning for your future is like organizing a trip. Look upon it as a reward for a successful career or for nurturing your family. Just think about your last vacation. Half the fun was organizing it a long way in advance. Perhaps you got out guide books and maps, made the decision of where you would be going, and booked the trip.

The further away you planned, the more the expectation grew, and the more you relished the journey. It’s likely there were plenty of unpredicted adventures along the way but because you had thought of pretty much everything you were able to cope with any eventuality.

Becoming menopausal may just be your cue to embark on your next adventure.

A Healthy Menopause Diet

Starting with the moment we are first conceived through to our dieing breath, how well we feed and look after our body controls our health and vitality for the rest of our life. In the short term, a well balanced diet can help us look good, feel good and stay in shape. It will build our immune system to help fight off colds, viruses and diseases, increase our energy levels and improve physical performance.

The more long term effects of a healthy and balanced diet are increased resistance to diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, cataracts, and high blood pressure. If you’re becoming aware of menopause symptoms, creating a highly nutritious menopause diet and including particular foods, such as soy, is very important. The right nutrition will also make a big difference to relieving symptoms of menopause and help ensure you don’t gain weight during this period.

Our fascination of nutrition, health and anti aging is the most it’s ever been. Newspapers, magazines, close friends and family all believe they are experts on what a balanced diet is all about. Being bombarded with this mountain of information, it can be near on impossible to know who is right or what to eat. To make things worse, it often seems like all the health gurus are regularly changing their direction and coming up with something new.

Believe it or not the age old advice on what makes up a healthy, balanced diet has remained the same for several decades.

How To Create Your Healthy Well Balanced Diet

A healthy diet has several-key ingredients but the crucial element is balance. All the different foods we eat can be grouped into 5 areas. To guarantee your body receives all the essential nutrients for your health, you should try to eat some food from each group each day.

Especially during the menopause, making sure you get this balance right will determine at what level you go through menopause symptoms.

The male menopause or andropause is a condition that all men will go through once they reach a certain age. It is something that everybody should know how to deal with, especially men and their spouse.

This condition is very similar to female’s menopause condition where there are also related symptoms. The cause of andorpause or male menopause is the decline of hormones as they age.

If you think men are spared from menopause, you should think again. The andropause condition or the male menopause condition will eventually affect all men once they reach a certain age. This particular condition is associated with the decline of male hormone levels that occurs at certain age, usually when men reach late 40′s or early 50′s.

The main symptoms of andropause are erectile dysfunction or failure to achieve erection, mood changes, night sweats, constant fatigue or tiredness, and also irritability and depression. Some even said that when men are suffering from andropause, they become more motherly than fatherly. They tend to be focused more on family and friends rather than the natural focus of men on money, career, and power in the early life before the andropausal stage.

Surprisingly, the change isn’t always noticed by men who are going through the andropausal stage. The men’s spouses do notice it and have constantly said that their husbands are going through the menopause.

There will also be physical changes associated with andropause, such as loss of hair in the armpits and axilla, shirking of the testicles, lessening of muscle mass, and also decreased muscle strength.

This change is due to the loss of androgens in a man’s body. Androgen’s is known to be the basic ingredient that makes up masculinity and because of the loss of this ingredient, physical change occurs.

Andropause may cause depression in men and because of their irritability; it may also cause depression in their spouses. This is why it is important for women to know how to deal with andropause and teach their husbands to know how to deal with it too. Here are some ways women can teach their husbands to cope up with the inevitable changes that andropause can cause:

•The first thing a woman should teach her husband is to teach them how to love and reward themselves as well as love and reward others.

•Men are usually abusive when it comes to alcohol and smoking. Teach men not to abuse alcohol and also quit smoking at the same time. Tell them that it will lessen the signs and symptoms of andropause or male menopause and also, will be healthier for them.

•Lack of exercise is a known cause of early aging. This is why it is important to encourage men to exercise. This will prolong their youth and also slow down the physical changes that naturally occurs when people age.

•Eating right is also one of the best ways to combat andropause. Teach men to eat qualitatively and not quantitatively. Tell them that it is more important to eat the right kind of food instead of eating more of the wrong kinds of food.

•Andropause is inevitable and will eventually happen as men reach a certain age. Teach your husband to deal with it. Teach them to accept it in order to live life to the fullest. Tell them to seek out some hobby in order for them to take their mind off the condition.

These are some of the ways you can effectively help your husband when they are suffering from andropause. Always remember that this condition is unavoidable and it is relatively the same as menopause. The best thing you can do is accept it and enjoy it.

Dealing with Menopause Signs is as easy or as hard as you choose to make it. For many the solution lies within as much as any therapy and treatment or the use of supplements could ever provide. It is in our lifestyle too! If you choose to live a healthy and active life, not smoking, choosing foods (more frequent, smaller meals), low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat, you will be sure to see the results, not only for dealing and coping with the intricacies of menopause, but also in your life and well-being in general!

Protecting yourself from illness and disease or vulnerabilities like heart disease and osteoporosis (bone loss) is and should be a priority throughout your life. But even more so during the phase of your life when you age or mature. That’s when menopause should be in the front of your mind.

Do everything you can to protect your bone-density and strength. Supplements and exercise, good daily intake of calcium and other nutrients are very important. Consider products like designer estrogen Raloxifene (Evista), which preserves bone density and gives you a fighting chance. There are also bisphosphonates Actonel or Fosamax, which reverse bone loss and prevent future loss or even fractures, or innovative new products like Calcitonin (a nasal spray), which may prevent fractures are all available.

General guidelines on what to do to live with and deal effectively with menopause are:
? Following a healthy eating plan
? Cutting down in general on any alcoholic beverages
? Not smoking or quitting altogether is always a good decision and investment in your overall health
? Maintaining a healthy weight should be a priority
? Being physically active should be second nature and part of your daily routine
? Preventing and controlling high blood pressure, cholesterol and other related ailments and conditions like diabetes and heart disease

For dealing with menopausal symptoms specifically, we recommend some good common sense and a treatment plan and products that are right for you, your preferences, lifestyle and budget.

Set yourself up for success in dealing with these symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and night sweats for example. They might require some adjustments in your living quarters and even lifestyle changes.

Avoid eating spicy or warm foods, sleeping under too many blankets and warm pajamas for example, will have to change. A cool room, light sleepwear and reducing your overall amounts of stress can all help dealing with these sudden flare-ups of feeling hot and bothered. Caffeine is another culprit as are some foods – avoid them if you can (like those that cause you heartburn and indigestion). Some opt for Yoga and some deep breathing, or other stress reduction techniques, meditation or relaxation methods.

Others swear by plant materials like Soy. This is a natural phytoestrogens. Through food or supplements. Sources might include: tofu, tempeh, soy milk, and soy nuts. They are quite effective on milder cases and iterations of the hot flushes. There are also other ‘herbs’ and natural product alternatives like black cohosh, wild yams, dong quai, and valerian root to consider, although documented evidence proving these work in menopause isn’t very strong right now to support the use of these exclusively.

A lot of it is in our attitude and even mood swings can be dealt with effectively if we keep an open mind and stay positive. Sleeping enough, working on our activity levels and fitness and following a healthy lifestyle can all help. Sleep-aids can help with insomnia, but most feel that relaxation techniques work better. Low-fat dairy products also help, so include them in your daily menus where you can. Exercise earlier in the day as heightened activity prior to bedtime might also keep you awake. Following the same evening routine might also help you slow down. Games that improve your memory and writing things down can help you flex your brain muscle and staying fit holds the master-key to bringing this all together. Keep your body and mind connected and functioning optimally and you will be fine, no matter what menopause and aging might throw at you.

Learn more about Menopause Signs

Menopause Treatments

Menopause is a disorder which starts in women between 35-45 years of age where the estrogen producing capability of the body goes on declining. Estrogen is a very important hormone required by the body to make the body immune against a variety of diseases up to a certain extent. There are a lot of menopause treatments available and you should consider a menopause treatment that suits you the best. Let us discuss the different types of menopause treatments.

1 Hormone Replacement Therapy – This is a therapy advised by doctors to replenish hormone levels in the body that have decreased due to menopause. The most common hormones replenished in HRT are estrogen and progesterone. Short term therapy of HRT consists of treatment for 5 years while long term treatment extends to more than 5 years. Long term therapy is provided for alleviating symptoms of menopause and also decreases the risks of developing diseases like osteoporosis and cancer. HRT does not increase the breast cancer or any other related diseases.
2 Diet – Symptoms of menopause maybe decreased with the help of a diet low in fat and high in soy. Soy products contain natural estrogen in the form of phytoestrogens. A diet high in soy proves to 40% to 50% more effective than hormone replacement therapy. Meat substitutes, cereals and seeds are also very good substitutes for reducing menopause symptoms.
3 Exercises – Studies show that aerobic exercises like walking, running and jogging for at least 20 minutes everyday may help reduce some of the menopause symptoms. Regular exercise benefits the body in other ways also by reducing high blood pressure, burning excess fat and making the body fitter and healthier.
4 Stress Reduction – Meditation, yoga and other types of stress reduction exercise go a long way in alleviating the symptoms of menopause. Also general health and well being can also be improved with the help of stress reduction techniques.
5 Herbal Supplements – Herbal Supplements like Black Cohosh are used to treat certain symptoms of like hot flashes while St. John’s Wart is used to treat disorders related to depression. Valerian is sued for sleep disturbances and sleep disorders.

It is necessary to discuss the preferred mode of treatment with your doctor. Your doctor will check your condition and stage of the menopause and then suggest the best solution of menopause treatment for you. In the end always be positive and take menopause as a natural aging process instead of a disorder.

More Menopause Treatments articles

Sooner or later, all women reach the age when they cease menstruation, and there comes menopause! This can happen as early as 35, but rarely, and may occur as late as 50. Symptoms of menopause include the onset of hot flashes, when your body inexplicably becomes suddenly hot, usually lasting just a few minutes. Hot flashes become bothersome when they’re recurring, over and over again, at any time, no matter where you are. Many women gain weight even though their diet remains constant. Fatigue, insomnia, depression and a low sex drive are other features of this difficult period of life.

You should pay a visit to your doctor to be sure it is menopause causing your symptoms. Before you opt for hormone replacement therapy, check out some of these menopause natural remedies and see if you can’t get back on an even keel.

Good nutrition is one of your best weapons against symptoms of menopause. If your diet has been less than adequate, set out immediately to change, making sure your foods are healthy and provide all the nutrients you need. Of all menopause natural remedies, diet is paramount. Caffeine and alcohol can increase hot flashes, so if possible, cut back or eliminate these two. It’s likely you’ll experience a reduction in hot flashes.

Foods that you should include, specific to menopause natural remedies, are fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and cold water fish such as halibut, salmon, sardines and tuna. Try to avoid refined and processed foods, fried food and sugar. Drink plenty of water!

Soybeans are a rich source of isoflavones, which is shown to have estrogen like effects, so eat your soy! Tofu and soy milk should be on your grocery list. Soy powder is available in capsules as well.

Among the herbs used as menopause natural remedies, there are several which should be of significant help. Black Cohosh root is a powerhouse, relieving insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings and vaginal dryness.

Chasteberry, (also known as Agnus castus) is effective for hot flashes and hormonal imbalances which cause mood swings and irritability.

Another rich source of isoflavones is found in red clover. Red clover makes a tasty tea.

Wild yam helps to adjust the balance of progesterone and estrogen.

Gingko biloba helps with problems of memory and concentration.

Motherwort has been used for centuries, quenching many troublesome symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety, hot flashes, depression and retention of water.

Physical exercise is also important in your arsenal of menopause natural remedies. Aerobics, a Pilates program or yoga are good choices because they build strength, help maintain flexibility and are not stressful on joints.

Before rushing out for all of these menopause natural remedies, check with your doctor. You may want to consult a naturopathic doctor or herbalist to see what might work best for you. Herbs work more slowly than pharmaceuticals, so it may be a few weeks before you see a significant difference. Relief is on the way!

More Remedies For Menopause

Women often get to a certain stage in their lives when they honestly believe that their bodies are against them.Throughout their lives, many women are lucky enough not to suffer from period pains but menstrual cramps can be something they start to experience when they reach the menopause.It may be that you have endometriosis, possibly even PCOS and that you suffer more than most other women.A few women are lucky and their menstrual cramp pains hardly bother them whilst other can barely get out of bed.If you are one of those unfortunate enough to suffer this then perhaps it is time you looked at some form of menstrual cramp relief you know will work every month.

One of the most common forms of menstrual cramp comes in the form of a pill and many women swear by it.You can try any pain relief remedy and they should work but many women swear by Pamprin which was designed just for this reason.Many women won’t take any form of pain relief but if you are one of those women maybe it is time you started to think about it.After all, if your stomach cramps are getting you down every month then what do you have to lose?Even worse still, menstrual cramps are often combined with bloating and sometimes, queasiness as well.

I just didn’t want to continue enduring the pains almost every month so I started looking around for menstrual cramp relief remedies.There doesn’t seem to be any consistency about it either, most months I have awful menstrual cramps and the odd cycle that is completely pain free.There are times when nothing seems to give me any menstrual cramp relief but someone suggested I try a heat pad on my stomach which worked quite well although sometimes it works better against my back. Recently I started using a heat pad which a friend suggested I try and has worked with some success at easing my menstrual cramp although I do have to vary where I place it for effectiveness; sometimes on my stomach and other times on my back.If you have tried pain relief pills and don’t always find they work then it may be worth you trying a heat pad to relieve your menstrual cramps.

All this is ok if you do not have those menstrual cramps that disable you, in that event a more long term solution would probably be required.This is especially true if you find that you sometimes have to miss work because they are so bad which doesn’t help your attendance record if it’s a regular occurrence. You can’t just let it go on every month so it may be wise to speak to your doctor and see what ideas he may have on helping menstrual cramp relief.Your doctor may suggest using the contraceptive pill because he knows just how good it is at helping women who suffer each month with stomach cramps.The only time this probably won’t be the ideal solution is if you have planned to have a child in the near future in which case your doctor should be able to advise you further of any dangers and options to help ease your menstrual cramp situation.

One of the biggest complaints women have when going through menopause is the dreaded hot flash. Asian diets typically contain 40 to 80 milligrams of soy isoflavones per day, compared to 3 milligrams per day in American diets.

Isoflavones are compounds found in soy products similar to natural estrogen. Soy-based foods high in isoflavones were studied along with isoflavone supplements. The natural soy foods were found to have better results in relieving hot flashes.

Soy foods like tofu, tempeh and miso are rich sources of isoflavones. There have been several studies done on the correct amount of isoflavone needed per day to eliminate hot flashes for the menopausal woman. One study suggests four servings of soy products per day. 40 to 60 milligrams per day should have notable results.

Signs of Menopause
Menopause refers to the cessation of menses, a normal process in a woman’s life. It marks the ending of a woman’s reproductive years, and the beginning of a new stage of life known as the climacteric stage. Menopause usually occurs near the age of fifty, but can begin in the early forties.,

* During menopause, the production of ovarian hormones, including androgens, decreases. This can result in signs of menopause, including hot flashes, mood swings, depression, vaginal dryness, excessive perspiration, headaches, memory impairment, digestive disturbances, and sleeplessness. At the time of menopause there is an increase in the production of androgens from other androgen-producing sites in the body. Androgens act as weak estrogens, helping the body to adjust to the hormonal changes that are occurring.

* The stronger the woman’s adrenals, and the better her nutritional status, the easier is her transition into menopause. Chronic stress over long periods of time can lead to adrenal depletion. If a woman is nutritionally depleted and emotionally stressed she may require hormonal, nutritional, or other support.2

Prevention and Management of Signs of Menopause Symptoms

* Regular physical exercise is necessary to protect against bone loss. Exercise has many other benefits as well.

* A diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol and high in complex carbohydrates, such as grains, fruits and vegetables is important.2

* Vitamin E supplementation may reduce symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, dizziness, palpitations, fatigue, and breathing difficulties.,,

* Calcium is important in maintaining bone mass.
* Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption.
* Magnesium intake is often low in women with osteoporosis. Low magnesium intake is associated with low bone mineral content (BMC).

* Boron reduces urinary calcium loss and increases serum levels of 17 estradiol (estrogen).

* Essential fatty acids can help prevent dryness of the hair, skin and vaginal tissues.

* Soy supplementation has been suggested as a possible alternative to hormone replacement therapy. Soy isoflavones act as estrogen-like compounds. Forty-five grams of dietary soy, per day for 12 weeks was shown to decrease post-menopausal hot flashes.

* Certain herbs such as black cohosh, chasteberry, licorice and dong quai have shown to have a beneficial effect in managing many of the menopause symptoms.

References

1 Golan R. Optimal Wellness. New York:Ballantine Books; 1995 p 359-40.
2 Mayo JL. A Natural Approach to Menopause. Clin Nutr Insights 1997;5(7):1-8.

Rhae is a researcher of different health information, currently researching menopause and the different treatments available