Hormone therapy should not be taken to prevent heart disease

Aug 17th, 2010
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Many women wonder whether they should take hormone therapy to prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, and the symptoms of menopause. The FDA advises that women should not take estrogen therapy to heart disease.

Estrogen therapy was approved for the relief of hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. Although hormone therapy is effective for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, it should only be considered for women at significant risk of osteoporosis. Even when women do take hormone therapy, the FDA still recommends using it at the lowest doze possible.

If you’re planning on taking it for whatever reason, you need to discuss with your doctor about its risks and benefits. Be sure the risk that you’re taking is less than the benefits. If for the pure reason of preventing heart disease, there are alternatives. You can eat healthier, increase exercise, lower your blood pressure, and quit smoking. All these will help you just as much.

Source: NHLBI Health Information Center

Posted in: Hormone Therapy.
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Some noticeable menopause symptoms are part of natural aging

Aug 10th, 2010
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Every women will feel the menopause symptoms differently. If you’re lucky, period stopping could be the only symptoms you will ever experience. Or like most women, you may develop other symptoms too. Some symptoms could be caused by aging. Getting older definitely comes with noticeable health issues. It is quite difficult to tell if symptoms are related to aging, menopause, or both.

There are symptoms that are associated with menopause, such as period changes, hot flashes, night sweats, trouble falling asleep at night, mood swings, hair loss, and facial hair growth.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Posted in: Menopause Symptoms.
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Menopause Night sweats are one of the signs of menopause

Aug 5th, 2010
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Many women notice night sweats in their late 40s. Some women experience it earlier, some later. But most of the night sweats started when a women suddenly wakes up in the middle of the nights and notice even though the air conditioner is on, she’d still be covered in sweat. This and along other symptoms, mark the beginning of the menopause. Many women write that this sudden change make them feel old. They were still young women, and the noticeble menopause symptoms mark the beginning of a changing life.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Think about the freedom of not having periods for the rest of your life! No more birth controls. Menopause is actually the half way mark in the women’s life. Other than the fact that you no longer can bear children, you still have years ahead of you. Most of today’s women will live 25 to 30 years, a third of their lives, post menopause.

Posted in: After Menopause, Menopause Signs.
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Don’t underestimate the benefit of exercise during menopause

Jul 21st, 2010
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Most women notice menopause symptoms in late 40s. During this time, many women have busy lifestyle with children still in the house and aging parents to take care of. Just remember that maintaining an active lifestyle can lower your risk of early death from a variety of causes and help you maintain a healthy weight. The benefit of exercising is sometimes ignored by people who are busy. It can help with your menopause symptoms.

Regular exercise can also improve your mood and help you sleep better at night. Make an exercise plan and stick to it. It is recommended that older adults do 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic physical activity each week. You can also substitute it for 1.5 hour vigorous aerobic physical exercise. Keeping an active exercise schedule might be easier than you think. Even with busy schedule, most women can find 2 hours each week for themselves.

Posted in: Menopause Signs, Menopause Symptoms.
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How Can I Stay Healthy After Menopause?

Jan 17th, 2010
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Staying healthy after menopause may mean making some changes in the way you live.

  • Don’t smoke. If you do use any type of tobacco, stop—it’s never too late to benefit from quitting smoking.
  • Eat a healthy diet, low in fat, high in fiber, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods, as well as all the important vitamins and minerals.
  • Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D—in your diet or with vitamin/mineral supplements.
  • Learn what your healthy weight is, and try to stay there.
  • Do weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, or dancing, at least 3 days each week for healthy bones. But try to be physically active in other ways for your general health.

Other things to remember:

  • Take medicine if your doctor prescribes it for you, especially if it is for health problems you cannot see or feel—for example, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or osteoporosis.
  • Use a water-based vaginal lubricant (not petroleum jelly) or a vaginal estrogen cream or tablet to help with vaginal discomfort.
  • Get regular pelvic and breast exams, Pap tests, and mammograms. You should also be checked for colon and rectal cancer and for skin cancer. Contact your doctor right away if you notice a lump in your breast or a mole that has changed.

Menopause is not a disease that has to be treated. But you might need help if symptoms like hot flashes bother you. Here are some ideas that have helped some women:

  • Try to keep track of when hot flashes happen—a diary can help. You might be able to use this information to find out what triggers your flashes and then avoid those triggers.
  • When a hot flash starts, try to go somewhere cool.
  • If night sweats wake you, sleep in a cool room or with a fan on.
  • Dress in layers that you can take off if you get too warm.
  • Use sheets and clothing that let your skin “breathe.”
  • Have a cold drink (water or juice) when a flash is starting.

You could also talk to your doctor about whether there are any medicines to manage hot flashes. A few drugs that are approved for other uses, for example, certain anti-depressants, seem to be helpful to some women.

Source: National Institute on Aging

Posted in: After Menopause.
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Some women have symptoms before the start of menopause

Aug 17th, 2009
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Female menopause occurs in women, when they no longer get their period. There is no fixed age for the menopause. It may occur in forties or fifties in women, depending from person to person.

During menopause women undergo a lot of hormonal changes in their body. Some women have symptoms before the start of menopause while others will not have any noticeable changes. Normally during menopause, women have hot flushes especially at night. The body becomes warm and they sweat profusely. Other symptom is vaginal dryness. Doctor will prescribe some lubricants to deal with it. Another symptom is headaches, and depression. They get irritated for no reason at all. Skin become dry and looses its elasticity.

Extra care should be taken by using moisturizers. Women should prepare themselves for menopause. They should remind themselves that they are under going hormonal changes in their body, which causes uneasiness in them.

Women have a tendency to have osteoporosis, in which, their bones become brittle there is a chance of fracturing their bones easily on falling. Calcium supplement is what they need. One should start taking lots of milk once they have the symptoms of menopause.

Posted in: Menopause Signs, Menopause Symptoms.
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Menopause and Mental Health

Jun 18th, 2009
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Midlife is often considered a period of increased risk for depression in women. Some women report mood swings, irritability, tearfulness, anxiety, and feelings of despair in the years leading up to menopause. But the reason for these emotional problems isn’t always clear. Research shows that menopausal symptoms such as sleep problems, hot flashes, night sweats, and fatigue can affect mood and well-being. The drop in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause might also affect mood. Or it could be a combination of hormone changes and menopausal symptoms.

But changes in mood also can have causes that are unrelated to menopause. If you are having emotional problems that are interfering with your quality of life, it is important to discuss them with your doctor. Talk openly with your doctor about the other things going on in your life that might be adding to your feelings. Other things that could cause feelings of depression and/or anxiety during menopause include:

  • Having depression before menopause
  • Feeling negative about menopause and getting older
  • Increased stress
  • Having severe menopausal symptoms
  • Smoking
  • Not being physically active
  • Not being happy in your relationship or not being in a relationship
  • Not having a job
  • Not having enough money
  • Having low self-esteem (how you feel about yourself)
  • Not having the social support you need
  • Feeling disappointed that you can’t have children anymore

If you need treatment for these symptoms, you and your doctor can work together to find a treatment that is best for you. Depression during perimenopause and menopause is treated in much the same way as depression that strikes at any other time life. If your mood is affecting your quality of life, here are a few things you can do:

  • Try to get enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day. Keep you room cool and dark. Use your bed only for sleeping and sex. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, large meals, or physical activity before bed.
  • Engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
  • Set limits for yourself, and look for positive ways to unwind and ease daily stress. Try relaxation techniques, reading a book, or spending some quiet time outdoors.
  • Talk to your friends who are in perimenopause or menopause or go to a support group for women who are going through the same thing as you. You also can get counseling to talk through your problems and fears.
  • Ask your doctor about therapy or medicines. Menopausal hormone therapy can reduce symptoms that might be causing your moodiness. Antidepressants might also help.

Source: http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/mental/

Posted in: Menopause Signs.
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Eating Right and Physical Activity

Jun 18th, 2009
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You will feel your best by having a healthy lifestyle. Healthy food choices and regular physical activity will help you to maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of some diseases and conditions. Regular physical activity also might improve your mood and help you to sleep better. For older adults, activity can improve mental function.

A healthy eating plan includes a variety of foods:

* Fruits and vegetables — Be sure to include dark green and orange vegetables and a variety of fruits in various forms.

* Grains — Make sure at least half of your grain choices are whole grains, such as whole wheat, oatmeal, and brown rice.

* Milk, cheese, and yogurt — Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

* Lean meats, beans, eggs, and nuts — Vary your protein choices and use low-fat cooking methods.

* Fats — Choose foods with heart-healthy fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats) and limit heart-harmful fats (saturated and trans fats, and cholesterol).

Your fitness routine should include aerobic and strength-training activities, and may also include stretching and balance activities. This physical activity should be in addition to your routine activities of daily living, such as cleaning or walking short distances, such as from the parking lot to your office. Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:

* Aerobic activity that includes:
o 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or
o 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or
o A combination of moderate and vigorous activity

and

* Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days of the week

If you have not been physically active, start slowly and then work your way up as you become more fit. Regular physical activity and healthy eating habits — together — can help you feel your best today and everyday.

Source: http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/eating/

Posted in: Menopause Treatment.
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Natural Treatments/Alternative Therapies for Menopause

Jun 3rd, 2009
by megdilts.
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You may want to consider alternatives to menopausal hormone therapy to ease menopausal symptoms. Some women decide to take herbal, natural, or plant-based products to help their symptoms. But there is not enough evidence to know if treatments like these are helpful. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of these treatments. They may have side effects or make another drug not work as well. Some of the most common ones are:

Soy. This contains phytoestrogens (estrogen-like substances from a plant). Some research has shown that soy food products can help with mild hot flashes. Other research suggests that women who have been diagnosed with estrogen-dependent breast cancer should be cautious with their soy intake. Eating large amounts of soy products could be harmful for women with this type of breast cancer.
Other sources of phytoestrogens. The active ingredients in most dietary supplements for menopause are phytoestrogens — chemicals found in plants that may act like the estrogen produced naturally in the body. These include herbs, such as black cohosh, wild yam, dong quai, and valerian root.
Bioidentical hormone therapy. Bioidentical hormones are custom-mixed formulas containing various hormones that are chemically identical to those naturally made by your body. These over-the-counter products are marketed as being tailored to a woman’s individual hormone needs. There are two main types of Bioidentical hormones:

  1. Those that are FDA-approved and commercially available with a prescription
  2. Those that are mixed on an individual basis for women in compounding pharmacies, which are NOT FDA-approved

It is important to know that alternative therapies can affect medical care by introducing personal belief systems that are not typically a part of the doctor-patient relationship.

Source: http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/treatment/

Posted in: Menopause Treatment.
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MHT can help with menopause

Jun 3rd, 2009
by megdilts.
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MHT can help with menopause by:

  • Reducing hot flashes
  • Treating vaginal dryness
  • Slowing bone loss
  • Easing mood swings and mild depressive symptoms—MHT alone is not effective in treating depression
  • Improving sleep

For some women, MHT may increase their chance of getting:

  • Blood clots
  • Heart attacks
  • Strokes
  • Breast cancer
  • Gall bladder disease

Who should NOT use MHT for menopause:
Women who . . .

  • Think they are pregnant
  • Have problems with vaginal bleeding
  • Have had certain kinds of cancers (such as breast and uterine cancer)
  • Have had a stroke or heart attack
  • Have had blood clots
  • Have liver disease

MHT can also cause these side effects:

  • Bleeding
  • Bloating
  • Breast tenderness or enlargement
  • Headaches
  • Mood changes
  • Nausea

Source: http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/

Posted in: Menopause Treatment.
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