The Science of Menopause
Without getting too technical, starting in your late 30s your body will begin to produce less estrogen and progesterone. Thankfully, rather than dropping all at once, these hormone levels begin to gradually decrease over time, so that by your late 40s or early 50s, you are approaching the point when your hormone levels will no longer stimulate menstruation. However, this can mean many years of seemingly inexplicable changes occurring within your body, as it begins to adjust to its new routine.
Menopause does not always occur naturally. A full hysterectomy – that removes both the uterus and your ovaries – will induce menopause. Because this change occurs rapidly as opposed to the natural biological reduction of hormone …show more content…
Depending on your needs and values, simple lifestyle changes or hormonal therapy can be viable options to help women cope with menopause.
Natural Remedies
Some of this has already been covered in detail, but there are a number of different lifestyle changes that you can implement to help with the pain of menopause. Ingesting tons of fluids is key, as your body’s wellness is dependent on a constant supply of water. A healthy diet of fruits and vegetables will also help to keep you hydrated, and will help support a number of your body’s systems to optimize your health.
A good night’s sleep is necessary to ensure your body can recover from the changes it is experiencing. While some of the symptoms of menopause may affect sleep quality, make sure that you are able to get at least six to eight hours each night. For trouble sleeping, try reducing agitation before bed (skip the late-night action flick) and be mindful of what you eat. Spicy foods can dehydrate you and contribute to your body not getting enough …show more content…
It is essential that during the age range of menopause you have a trusted medical provider to help provide you with options as well as screen for related complications.
Hormone therapy is probably the most popular medical treatment for the symptoms of menopause. As your body’s levels of estrogen production drop, your doctor can supplement with estrogen and progestin to relieve some symptoms. Understandably, this can help alleviate some of your body’s adjustments to declining levels, as it tricks it into thinking they are higher. However, as most of these treatments derive hormones from animals like sheep or horses, if you have any religious or moral opposition you may need to seek alternative treatment.
Vaginal estrogen is applied topically to the vaginal area (sometimes as a cream or in a ring form), and has proven helpful in relieving symptoms like vaginal dryness. Vaginal estrogen is given in a much smaller dose than hormone therapy, and is therefore not a replacement for more comprehensive hormonal treatments, but can be helpful for women who may not need full hormone therapy
Without getting too technical, starting in your late 30s your body will begin to produce less estrogen and progesterone. Thankfully, rather than dropping all at once, these hormone levels begin to gradually decrease over time, so that by your late 40s or early 50s, you are approaching the point when your hormone levels will no longer stimulate menstruation. However, this can mean many years of seemingly inexplicable changes occurring within your body, as it begins to adjust to its new routine.
Menopause does not always occur naturally. A full hysterectomy – that removes both the uterus and your ovaries – will induce menopause. Because this change occurs rapidly as opposed to the natural biological reduction of hormone …show more content…
Depending on your needs and values, simple lifestyle changes or hormonal therapy can be viable options to help women cope with menopause.
Natural Remedies
Some of this has already been covered in detail, but there are a number of different lifestyle changes that you can implement to help with the pain of menopause. Ingesting tons of fluids is key, as your body’s wellness is dependent on a constant supply of water. A healthy diet of fruits and vegetables will also help to keep you hydrated, and will help support a number of your body’s systems to optimize your health.
A good night’s sleep is necessary to ensure your body can recover from the changes it is experiencing. While some of the symptoms of menopause may affect sleep quality, make sure that you are able to get at least six to eight hours each night. For trouble sleeping, try reducing agitation before bed (skip the late-night action flick) and be mindful of what you eat. Spicy foods can dehydrate you and contribute to your body not getting enough …show more content…
It is essential that during the age range of menopause you have a trusted medical provider to help provide you with options as well as screen for related complications.
Hormone therapy is probably the most popular medical treatment for the symptoms of menopause. As your body’s levels of estrogen production drop, your doctor can supplement with estrogen and progestin to relieve some symptoms. Understandably, this can help alleviate some of your body’s adjustments to declining levels, as it tricks it into thinking they are higher. However, as most of these treatments derive hormones from animals like sheep or horses, if you have any religious or moral opposition you may need to seek alternative treatment.
Vaginal estrogen is applied topically to the vaginal area (sometimes as a cream or in a ring form), and has proven helpful in relieving symptoms like vaginal dryness. Vaginal estrogen is given in a much smaller dose than hormone therapy, and is therefore not a replacement for more comprehensive hormonal treatments, but can be helpful for women who may not need full hormone therapy