Symptoms of Menopause

Menopause is not any disease or illness but a total cessation of menstrual cycles for twelve months or more. Some women experience first symptoms of menopause earlier than other women do.

Early development of first symptoms of menopause could be due to higher stress levels, unhealthy lifestyle, lack of regular exercise, irregular eating patterns, insufficient consumption of healthy foods, etc. The most prominent first symptoms of menopause are irregular menstrual cycles. Menstrual flow during such period could be very high or extremely low.

While you experience the first symptoms of menopause, your menstrual cycles could occur frequently within a fortnight or sometimes, you miss your periods for over a full month too. There could be widening gap between menstrual periods overtime.

There is also no set limit over the menstrual flow, sometimes it could be for three to five days while sometimes it could continue for more than a week. The first symptoms of menopause could lead to total disruption in your regular and systematic menstrual cycles.

Other common first symptoms of menopause include tenderness in breasts, inability to handle stress, lapse of memory and other nervous problems like depression, anxiety, confusing thoughts, mood swings, etc. It is common to note the setting in of the first symptoms of menopause with a gain in your body weight. Your body tends to retain more water and you seem to bloat.

Changes in hormone levels in your body indicate the first symptoms of menopause. Such hormonal changes are often the cause for your low energy levels and a lower drive to face the challenges in life. In other words, you seem to lack sufficient interest in life. These hormonal changes are also the cause behind your sudden hot flashes, which are the most common first symptoms of menopause.
You experience such sudden hot flashes at any time, more often at night. There is no method to predict occurrence of these first symptoms of menopause. More than forty percent of women having regular menstrual cycles also experience such hot flashes in their forties. These are therefore a prelude to the first symptoms of menopause.

There is no particular time limit for occurrence of such hot flashes. Around eighty percent of women experience hot flashes for around five years while around ten percent of women experience it for ten years too. Although there is nothing to predict their occurrence or lapse, these first symptoms of menopause definitely decrease overtime.

During menopause, the quantity of female hormones produced reduces significantly. This results in many physical and mental changes in a woman's body like loss of calcium, hot flushes, dry skin, itchiness, and osteoporosis. However, women today are more aware of this phase of their life and willing to face it. They are ready to take menopause supplements that will help fight menopause. Menopause supplements help reduce many of the menopause symptoms and reduce the physical discomfort faced by several women.

Menopause supplements come in both natural forms and as medical supplements. It is always better to take a natural menopause supplement in the form of green vegetables. Natural ingredients also do not have any side effects compared to medicines. The advantage of natural estrogen is that it is not carcinogenic unlike medical supplements that can cause cancer.

Several plants like soy contain estrogen in the natural form. Soy contains isoflavones that can mimic estrogen and give good relief from hot flushes. One must take soy either raw or cooked to benefit from the isoflavones. The best source of isoflavones is pomegranates. Red clover, dong quai and licorice are other sources of plant estrogens that form natural menopause supplements.

One can consume these natural menopause supplements as whole fruits or vegetables or as pills available at pharmacists. One can eat soy flour or eat bread made from soy flour. Such products are now readily available in the market. Women can consume these products before the onset of menopause to get relief from hot flushes.

A woman can take menopause supplements in the form of hormone therapy. This therapy varies for every woman depending on her medical and family history. In this menopause supplement, the woman gets estrogen and progesterone in different doses according to her need. A woman with a uterus receives both hormones while a woman who has undergone a hysterectomy gets estrogen.

Women can take hormone replacement therapy in the form of oral medication or as topical application in the form of ointments. The dosage and frequency of the medicine depends on the individual. This menopause supplement should stop when the symptoms subside. This is because it can cause blood clots and breast cancer if taken over a long time.

There are several menopause supplements available in the market. These contain a mixture of soy and flax seeds. The fiber is good for digestion and one is consuming natural estrogen. Other experts recommend consumption of gingko, seaweeds and ginseng for relief from menopausal problems.

Nowadays there is a variety of menopause supplements available in the market. However, since they regulate the hormonal balance of the body one must take them carefully under a doctor's guidance. A woman must choose the menopause supplement best suited for her condition and after a careful consideration of its side effects.

During Perimenopause, in the transitional period before menopause, women experience a number of emotional problems and mood swings, including anger, in addition to physical changes. According to experts, perimenopause does not cause anger and other mood swings, but fluctuations in hormone production during perimenopause trigger anger, depression and other mood swings that are already pre-existing.

Many women, at a slightest provocation, would have waves of intense emotions, such as anger go through them. Many would be intolerant of behaviors that transgressed their own limits, and limits of others. Some women would be focused on their sense of outrage and anger, and would intervene, frequently on behalf of others.

Simple changes in your life style can lessen stresses, such as, anger and other mood swings, during the period leading to menopause. Following an exercise regimen is one good way of reducing anger during menopause. Exercise, a great stress-reliever has antidepressant and anxiolytic (anxiety relieving) effects. Regular exercisers typically have fewer mental and physical health problems, and brisk walks three times a week will help you during Perimenopause to reduce the severity of anger and other mood swings.

Exercising also stimulates endorphins, hormones that reduce the sensation of pain and affect emotions, such as anger, and boosts Serotonin levels. Serotonin regulates cyclic body processes. In addition, exercise helps you sleep better, and controls weight gain, which is normally associated with perimenopause and menopause. It is far better to take out your pent up emotions and anger on the jogging/walking track and the gym equipments, than on your family, friends and colleagues!

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before deciding on an exercise regimen. It would normally take several weeks, as much as four months, before you will see improvements in your mood swings and anger.

Effect of Diet on Anger During Menopause
For women in perimenopause and menopause, diet has a great effect on the emotional aspects, such as anger. Diets rich in protein and especially Omega-3 fatty acids, reduced intake of sugar, caffeine and carbohydrates, etc, should be highly preferred. Salmon, tuna, and other cold-water fish and flaxseed oil are the sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.

To overcome anger and other anxiety and mood swings; women in perimenopause and menopause should supplement their diet with:

· Amino acid tryptophan - a natural relaxant that reduces anxiety and depression by increasing serotonin levels.
· Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) - It works as a natural tranquilizer.
· DLPA (D, L-phenylalanine) - It bolsters mood-elevating chemicals in the brain and blocks a nervous system enzyme that amplifies pain signals. It is a more effective pain reliever in combination with GABA.
· Tyrosene - It is a natural stimulant and very appropriate to get rid of mood swings.

In comparison to pre-menopausal women, women during perimenopause and menopause have a double risk of experiencing anger, depression and other mood swings. It has been found that, it makes no difference to the above experiences whether you are taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or not.

The mid-life phenomenon known as menopause and the stresses of anxiety go hand in hand. Panic attacks, rushes of energy, burning in the chest, unusual vibrations throughout the body, and warm sensations are some of the physical effects you may feel under this condition.

When menopause hits, there is a greater chance women will go through anxiety and depression. Christian Northrop talks about this phenomenon in her book, Wisdom of Menopause, where if a woman has repressed something in her life, she won't be able to get past menopause employing the same tactics. For example, unexpressed anger will find its way out and sometimes in unusual or uncomfortable ways.

In what is often referred to as a ¨midlife crisis,¨ this time of life forces women to re-evaluate themselves and the role(s) they play as they are getting older. And, often times we are not comfortable with what we find. A little voice in the back of our head is saying, "If you don't make changes now you never will!" Our hormonal imbalances (due to decreased estrogen levels) can contribute to feelings of depression or make us feel plain 'indifference.' Even if menopause isn't actually causing these conditions, it can heighten underlying anxiety and bring it to the surface.

Anxiety is an individual's prolonged feeling of dread and worry with no particular reason behind it. It's uncomfortable and causes stress particularly on the body. It can be triggered by problems in everyday life like paying the bills and work. Although worrying about these things for a normal person has its ceiling of severity, menopausal women suffering from anxiety tend to think about their problems excessively.

When anxiety finally hits its highest peak, it is often called a panic attack. Panic attacks are debilitating episodes of fright and fear that include chest pains, fear of death, and shaking. In what is called being ¨psychosocially¨ depressed, women have negative beliefs and attitudes in regards to getting older, assuming unwanted roles such as caretaker, and responding negatively to impatient husbands who might demand sex.

Being depressed during the duration of this condition has a lot to do with their overall psychological well-being prior to menopause. Women who have continuous anxiety and depression beforehand are more likely to suffer worse cases of anxiety during this latter phase of life. If life-long imbalances have not been healed, menopause may exacerbate the situation. We might feel unable to perform ¨female duties¨, contributing to feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. Research has found that consistent regular physical activity (i.e. exercise) before menopause has been scientifically proven to lessen the possibility of anxiety symptoms during this transition. It's also helpful to avoid drinking caffeine-loaded liquids, sleep deprivation, and stimulant use. Also, numerous women report that black cohosh has helped them lessen or eliminate their anxiety.

Psychiatric consultations are highly recommended for anxiety sufferers under menopause. An experienced counselor and/or therapist can help us recover and evaluate our lives including healing emotional imbalances. It is a great time to refocus our attention toward new activities and roles. As is common with anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, fright, and even suicidal tendencies can occur. In this case, antidepressants may be prescribed. Coping with all of the physical changes, assuming new roles, possibly facing many of our fears for the first time, and generally waking up to the fact that ¨life just isn't what it used to be¨ are all realizations that contribute to anxiety in older women. In these times, it is important to maintain focus and concentrate on the positive things in life. Although it can be hard, it can be done.

Having a plethora of life responsibilities and obligations during menopause can create stress, and having an ´excess´ of this stress can cause adrenal fatigue. Anxiety in menopause sufferers results from hormonal imbalances. In the menstrual cycle, ovulation causes progesterone (which has soothing effects on the mind and body) to be released. Irregular cycles are grounds for anxiety build-up, as a result of the lack of this ¨happy hormone.¨ All of these conditions can be treated with alternative therapies such as natural progesterone cream.

Menopause Symptoms