gikuqujemic: 2006

Monday, December 18, 2006

What-your-doctor-may-not Tell You About Menopause

Menopause and Its Symptoms Q&A

by Patsy Hamilton

Here we look at some basic questions about menopause and its symptoms, such as �What are the symptoms of menopause?� and �What is menopause?�

What is menopause?

Technically, menopause means �cessation of menstruation� or when a woman has no menstrual periods for more than a year, indicating that she is no longer fertile. It occurs in most women around the age of 50, unless loss of the ovaries due to illness or injury causes it to occur earlier. In some women it occurs as early as age 40. Menopause before age 40 is considered premature menopause and occurs in about 1% of all women. The term �menopause� is commonly used to describe the period of time leading up to �actual� menopause.

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause is a term used to describe the months or years leading up to menopause. This is when women often say that they are �going through menopause� and its symptoms become evident.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Menopause and its symptoms vary. Some women experience no symptoms, other than irregular periods for several months preceding actual menopause. Most women experience hot flashes and/or night sweats. Some women have mood swings, trouble sleeping and vaginal dryness. Many women have bladder control problems. Other symptoms may include fatigue, headache, depression, irritability, heart palpitations, joint and muscle pain. Some women have decreased sex drive, are less easily aroused or less sensitive. Some experience discomfort during sex, sometimes due to vaginal dryness or to a thinning of vaginal tissue. Others enjoy sex more, once pregnancy concerns have passed. Women are unique, thus menopause and its symptoms are unique among women.

What are the symptoms of menopause caused by?

The symptoms associated with menopause are caused by decreased levels of estrogen and other hormones. Each woman is born with a limited number of egg cells in the ovaries. As the number of egg cells nears depletion, the amount of estrogen and other hormones produced by the ovaries diminishes.

What are the symptoms of menopause treated with?

For many years, hormone replacement therapy was the treatment of choice for menopause and its symptoms. Concerns over long term health risks have many doctors and their patients considering alternatives, particularly when decreasing levels of estrogen are bothersome at an early age. Lifestyle and dietary changes have helped many women deal with menopause and its symptoms. The herb black cohosh is one of the most commonly suggested remedies for hot flashes and night sweats, but a number of other herbs, vitamins and plant components may be helpful as well.

For more information, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience in health care and currently writes informational articles for the Menopause and PMS Guide. Learn more about menopause and treatment options at www.menopause-and-pms-guide.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patsy_Hamilton

Humorous Quotes About Menopause

Hormone Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer

by Michael Russell

Many women are hesitant to take hormone replacement because they fear that it will increase their chances of developing breast cancer. Up to this time, after so much medical research, this remains a complicated and controversial issue, especially as we are talking about the most common cancer in the Western world. Statistical data shows that breast cancer affects one in every thirteen women by the age of seventy-five and one in eight women who have a family history of this disease. In some cancerous tumors, a substance known as estrogen receptor is present, which means the possibility that cancer may be promoted by estrogen therapy.

The incidence of breast cancer continues to rise progressively throughout life, so one certainly would not want to do anything during midlife that might further increase this risk. Women who are most at risk of developing breast cancer include those who have never given birth or who are over thirty when they had their first children, obese women, women who went through puberty early, or went through menopause late (after the age of forty-four) and those with a family history of breast cancer. A common feature among these factors is a prolonged and constant exposure to estrogen from the ovaries. Women who consume high fat and low fiber diets have high blood levels of estrogen than women on low-fat, high-fiber diets and they also have much higher incidence of breast cancer, so it seems that we have yet another possible link between estrogen and breast cancer.

Notwithstanding these theoretical indications, however, of almost thirty studies determining the correlation between estrogen replacement and breast cancer, the majority have failed to indicate a definitive for or against this form of treatment. Data is contradictory in that studies linking estrogen therapy to breast cancer also show that women on estrogen who developed breast cancer had survival rates that were significantly better than that of women not on estrogen.

Although studies that show an increased risk of breast cancer are only population studies that surveyed women on hormone replacement therapy, rather than rigorously designed clinical trials comparing the experience of a group of women taking this treatment than a group taking a placebo, they still should make a doctor cautious about prescribing a high dose or prolonged use of estrogen replacement therapy to a woman with a known high risk of breast cancer. In such a case, if estrogen therapy is deemed extremely necessary, it is wise to use smaller or intermittent doses of estrogen replacement therapy. This is reassuring for women who want to take estrogen replacement for only a short time.

All in all, with hormone replacement therapy of less than five years' duration, there is no increase in the incidence of breast cancer. The incidence may increase after ten to fifteen years of hormone replacement and this increase appears to be approximately 30 percent. Furthermore, while it appears that the incidence of breast cancer may increase with long term hormone substitution, women who get breast cancer while on hormone therapy are less likely to die from the disease.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

About Early Menopause

An Effective Natural Menopause Treatment

by Morgan Hamilton

Natural menopause treatment is truly appreciated by many women having the symptoms of menopause. They seem to prefer alternative medicines because the use of hormone replacement therapies might be harmful. Natural menopause treatment is known to be effective with its teas, elixirs and topical applications. Natural menopause treatments decrease the symptoms and this is why so many women try them before starting traditional hormone replacement.

The old saying that the cure can be worse than the disease can be applied here. The side effects of traditional menopause treatment are not really pleasant and you should pay attention to the correct dosage. Apart from that, symptoms are not fully controlled even when having traditional treatment. After all natural menopause treatment is much safer than the traditional hormone replacement therapy. Herbal remedies are commonly used in natural menopause treatment. They might be black cohosh, dong quai, maca root and red clover.

All of them contain phytoestrogens which are like the natural estrogen and their main function is to increase the level of the hormone in the body. Black cohosh is the thing that decreases menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It also helps to reduce the irritability and it stabilizes mood swings. If you are taking black cohosh, it is also good to know that it reveals depression and anxiety. It also fights against night sweats and heart palpitations. Dong quai is herb that also treats menopause symptoms naturally. What this herb does best is to dilate blood vessels. When dong quai is combined with black cohosh is it most effective.

Another herbal medicine is maca root. It works as a hormone regulator and helps the stimulation of hormone production. It's most vital function is that it restores libido and increases sex drive. Red clover is the last herb mentioned-above which is used in a natural menopause treatment. It contains high levels of phytoestrogens which work against mood swings and hot flashes. Red clover also protects the organism against osteoporosis. Another thing this very effective herb does is to increase good cholesterol in the blood stream which automatically means lower risk of heart disease for those women taking it.

Even when using natural menopause treatments you should not exceed the recommended dosage and should also be directed. Whatever type of alternative medicine you want to try, it's best if you consult your primary care provider. He might give you sound advice which remedies and therapies are the most suitable for you. Another thing you should do is keep a proper diet and exercise. These two things definitely have positive impact on our health in general, so they also help the reduction of menopausal symptoms.

There are some women who shouldn't use natural menopause treatments because they are not right for them and might have negative effects on them. Before starting any kind of natural menopause treatment you should very carefully read the labels. To conclude with, natural treatments have helped many women live easily in their menopause. If they can work for the others, they might be effective for you, as well.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning women's health. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Natural Menopause Treatment

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morgan_Hamilton

What Your Dr May Not Tell You About Menopause

Soy Pasta Can Relieve Menopause Symptoms

by Fabien Ponson

Menopause is a natural part of a woman's life when her body quits producing certain hormones. Symptoms of menopause can include:

night sweats/hot flashes
weight gain
mood swings
forgetfulness
insomnia

Studies have been conducted and concluded that women in Asian cultures show a lower incidents of these menopausal symptoms. This has been attributed to the dietary differences in cultures, including consumption of soy products like soy pasta. The following paragraphs will take a closer look at how soy pasta noodles can help relieve the symptoms of menopause, as well as include a simple soy pasta recipe.
Menopause Studies

Many human studies have been conducted on menopause and soy in order to determine the effectiveness of an increased soy diet and menopause. Many of these studies have concluded by adding soy to your diet, including soy pasta, soy pasta noodles, soy milk, soy cheese and other soy products, women can decrease their chances of suffering with menopausal symptoms, or make the symptoms less frequent. These studies not only revealed a significant link between soy consumption and menopausal symptoms, but they also concluded that while soy is not a replacement for Hormone Replacement Therapy, it is a viable option for women who do not want to take hormone therapy.
Homemade Pasta (Soy) Recipe

Adding soy pasta to your diet twice a week, you can help reduce or even eliminate your menopausal symptoms. This healthy pasta absorbs flavor, and is good for you! The following soy pasta recipe will help you learn how to make simple soy flour pasta from scratch!
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of soy flour
.25 ounces of dry yeast (2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons of sugar
3/4 cup of warm tap water
3 tablespoons of oil

First you must mix the flour, soy flour, and salt together in a bowl. After that, mix half the flour mixture with the yeast and sugar. Set the rest of the flour mixture aside.

Now add the water and oil to the yeast mixture and beat on low speed for about 1 minute. Slowly add as much as the flour mixture left over as you can.

Put the dough on a floured board and knead. Cover the soy pasta dough with a damp towel for about 7-10 minutes. Roll and cut.

About The Author:

Fabien Ponson invites you to read some more articles about soy products on the website All Soy Products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fabien_Ponson

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Know About Menopause

Memory and Menopause

by Susanna Duffy

You just opened a drawer to take out something, whatever it was. You can't quite think what it was. A little later you're looking for something in the cupboard, not entirely sure what you're looking for, no matter, you will remember when you go back to the kitchen. This is an ordinary normal consequence of aging, it's not dementia, it's not Alzheimers and not caused by menopause.

Our brain is middle-aged too. It's lost a few cells along the way, a life-long gradual falling-off in the way we store and retrieve information. Our short-term memory is like a small memo pad on which we quickly scribble notes to ourself for temporary recall. The memo pad can't hold very much and the ink of the scribbled note quickly fades. Just as well, we don't want to remember all those notes, can you imagine if you kept in your memory everything you saw, heard, said, experienced in one day ? Some of these scribbled notes have to be transferred to our long term memory - and some of them don't. It's the ones we don't have to transfer that cause us trouble. Short-term forgetfulness is a completely normal although irritating part of life

Stress effects our short-term memory too. Menopause can happen along at the most stressful times, it can coincide with divorce, even the death of a partner, retirement, the anxieties associated with elderly parents, and children leaving home. These are huge milestones in our life and, while they can be golden opportunities for inner growth, they bring sadness and stress. Forgetfulness goes hand in hand with stress, we become distracted and our short term memory suffers. This is because we are stressed, not because we are menopausal.

Please Note : Depression is another matter, and creates problems with retrieval of long-term memory. If you feel you may be suffering depression, contact your health-care provider. Several studies suggest that depression is a complaint in women who seek treatment for menopausal problems.

Memory loss that accompanies aging is annoying, not a serious concern. You can slow down the process with mental exercise, get to work on crosswords and puzzles, read challenging books, play memory games with yourself, attend a class, whatever it takes. Keep your brain active by enjoying interesting activities and your memory will maintain. And next time you walk upstairs to get something and forget what you went up for, think of it as exercise.

Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies for women, especially in the menopausal years menopause.allinfoabout.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanna_Duffy

What To Do About Loss Of Height After Menopause

Fighting Menopause Blues

by Monalisa Hyden

Sudden change in personality

When was the first time you found yourself getting irritated by every small incident? Are you worried about the sudden change in your own personality? You used to be a loving, always smiling, and thriving. Are you in your 40�s? And you are now more prone to anxiety, depression, withdrawal from social activity, mood swing etc. Hang on! Do not come to any conclusion right away. The reason behind this could be the fluctuating hormone level due to menopause.

A natural phenomenon

Menopause is a natural phenomenon to every woman. As a woman ages, the supply of ova declines and menopause comes naturally after the supply of follicles has been depleted and menstruation ends completely. This results in the cessation of estrogen and progesterone hormones in a woman�s body. Woman goes through a change during menopause and perimenopausal years of her life experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, mood swing, vaginal dryness, sudden memory failure, insomnia, withdrawal, fatigue, excessive feeling of guilt and unworthiness, thoughts of suicide etc. Women consider these symptoms as a part of natural ageing process and do not try to overcome the adversaries of life. A myth, menopause causes loss of sexual desire in a woman, also plays an important role in her depression.

Thank God! Depression is treatable!

But why should you suffer silently when you have a solution for menopause and midlife depression? Depression can be a serious disease which can lead to more severe physical as well as mental complications. Depression increases the possibility of heart attack, blood pressure and can be responsible for loss of bone mineral density. Depression can be treated by many ways like certain effective antidepressant pills like Xanax which are essential for mild to moderate depression patients, therapies, changes in diet, alternative medicines, and herbal medicines. At the same time, family support, emotional support from the partner, daily physical exercise, taking care of sleep, and doing something related your hobbies would give wonderful results to a woman suffering from menopause syndrome.

Easy way to a better life

Menopause symptom during the midlife can be handled incorporating some easy practices in the daily routine. A woman should take it as a challenge which can be as exciting as her youthful times. Here we go...

Forget the ideas that with menopause, a woman lose sexual desire. Actually, a woman�s desire for sex depends upon her partner�s interest. You can have sex without the fear of getting pregnant. So enjoy the freedom from contraceptives.

If you sense that the vaginal dryness during the intercourse, use lubricant or cream.

If you are gaining weight, a healthy diet plan and regular exercise would do the magic for you.

Take more calcium and B vitamin and avoid caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar and chocolate.

Communicate with your partner regarding your emotional and physical problems.

Keep in touch with your near and dear ones. Contact your female friends; they can give you good emotional elevation.

Ask for help if you are finding it difficult to take care of your grown up children and the elder members of your family at the same time.

Take out some time and engage yourself in some activities you always liked but could not; may be your long forgotten hobbies.

To help sleeping disorder, take a warm bubble bath before going to bed, take a glass of warm milk or a glass of wine (only one glass please). Consult your doctor before taking any sleeping pill or anti-depressant medicines like Xanax.

Count your blessings. Think of the people around who care for you and think of good times.

Identify the factor which is keeping you under stress. Do not over expect from yourself, be practical. Set priorities and work accordingly.

Go for regular health checkups. Keep an eye on your blood pressure, heart and blood sugar condition.

Meditation for 30 to 60 minutes on daily basis will help you immensely.

Life has given you another chance to live�

Menopause is not the end of your life, o woman. You have accomplished the duty of giving birth to human progeny and raised them. Life after menopause is for the contentment of the long-forgotten woman within you; a fair chance to live for your own self, up to your expectations. One chapter is closed and a new chapter awaiting�it�s only you, who will decide what to write.

The author, Monalisa Hyden, addresses psychological issues. If you wish to help yourself and your loved ones to fight emotional problems, you can log on to http://www.buy-xanax-online-now.com for more information and advice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monalisa_Hyden

Funny Trivia About Women And Menopause

Early Menopause Symptoms that Women Experience

by John Mancini

Some of early menopause symptoms can be easily mistaken, especially if the woman is younger than 40 years old. Most women under 40 do not tend to think that they are experiencing premenopausal issues, however, it is not unheard of for young women in their 20's to begin menopause early. Following are some of the signs of early menopause that many women do experience.

Mood swings are often sited as an early menopause symptom; however, there is not any conclusive research to that effect. It is now being thought that the changes in mood may be more directly related to the lack of sleep that some women experience because of night sweats. This is an especially valid idea if the woman has a history of depression, this history added to the loss in sleep can cause the mood swings.

Premenopausal like symptoms can also be caused by excessive weight. For example, many obese women do not have normal menstrual cycles and experience irregular bleeding patterns. It is important to speak with your health care provider if you feel that you are experiencing any of these early menopause symptoms, they will be able to rule out any other health related issues.

Many women tend to associate early menopause with hot flashes. A hot flash is the warming of the entire body and is normally followed by perspiration. Hot flashes are often associated with night sweats, which can drench the with sweat while sleeping. This is no scientific explanation for the occurrence of hot flashes or night sweats, but almost 40% of women suffer from this early menopause symptom. For most women hot flashes last about five years, however, about 10% of women will experiencing hot flashes and night sweats for 10 years.

The most commonly noticed early menopause symptom is irregular bleeding. However, this is the most unpredictable symptom as well; it is different for every woman. Some women experience occasional bleeding, excessive bleeding or irregular menstrual cycles with more or less time between them. It is very common among premenopausal women to miss one or more menstrual cycles and then have one or two in a row, only to start missing them again.

John Mancini has been writing about Menopause online and offline for a long time. Visit http://my-menopause.com or http://menopause-central.com to read more about matters like hot flashes and menopause.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mancini

Poems About Menopause

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Womens Hair Loss - What Should You Do?

by Peter Crump

Womens hair loss is almost as common as mens, and more common than many realise. And as her hair is a more important part of her look, womens hair loss can cause more severe psychological distress for women than for men.

For men, hair loss can be a normal, if unwanted, part of life. Many men just choose to live with it. But womens hair loss can be very distressing. Hair loss can be socially acceptable for men, even fashionable, but for women it is not.

There can be many reasons for womens hair loss. Some of them can be the same as for men. Certain diseases can cause hair loss, as well as certain medications, for example. These can be similar for men and women.

And then some womens hair loss can be caused by conditions specific to women. Menopause for example.

And women can suffer from inherited hair loss, just as men do. Female pattern baldness exists just as male pattern baldness does. Womens hair loss caused by inherited factors will usually take a slightly different form. Inherited womens hair loss tends to manifest itself in different ways and different places than for men.

Women usually maintain their hairline, and suffer from thinning hair, whereas men tend to lose their hairline and often all hair in certain places.

It is not generally understood in the community that womens hair loss is almost as common as mens. It is often less visible, and women can cover it up often so it is not noticed as often.

And womens hair loss can be the cause of more severe psychological reactions in women than men and so women can often benefit from some forms of counselling.

So if you are suffering from womens hair loss what do you do? It is vital to understand that you can only take the appropriate steps to attempt to control or reverse your hair loss once you know what is causing it. Visit your doctor and if necessary your doctor will refer you to a specialist.

Then you know why you are losing your hair. You should receive some clear instructions from your medical professional on the options open to you, the likelihood of success, the possible side affects if any and the cost. Only then can you make an informed decision on how to deal with womens hair loss as it affects you.

Different causes of womens hair loss are treated very differently. Many of the treatments available to women are the same as those available to men, some are different.

So, if you are suffering from womens hair loss do something about it now. Don�t ignore it and worry. Visit your doctor and find out why, whether you need to do anything about it and if so what.

For a website totally devoted to hair loss and hair replacement visit Peter's Website The Hair Replacement Guide, and find out about Female Hair Loss as well as Hair Restoration and more, including Male Hair Loss and Hair Loss Treatments

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Crump