Menopause: Your Symptoms and Choices

32 Common Symptoms of Menopause

Menopause is the permanent shutting down of the female reproductive system, a considerable length of time before the end of the lifespan. Menopause occurs in a variety of animals, as well as humans. It is usually a natural process.

The word was first applied to humans, and because of this it literally means the cessation of monthly cycles or menstrual cycles, from the Greek roots meno (month) and pausis (a halt). However, the word is not only applied to humans, and menopause is the permanent stopping of female reproductive cycles of various lengths and kinds; menopause is indeed present in a number of mammal species other than humans.

In adult human females who still have a uterus, and who are not pregnant or lactating, postmenopause is identified by a permanent (at least one year's) absence of monthly periods or menstruation. In women without a uterus, menopause or postmenopause is identified by a very high FSH level.

In human females, menopause usually happens more or less in midlife, signaling the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life. Menopause is perhaps most easily understood as the opposite process to menarche, the start of the monthly periods. However, menopause in women cannot satisfactorily be defined simply as the permanent "stopping of the monthly periods", because in reality what is happening to the uterus is quite secondary to the process; it is what is happening to the ovaries that is the crucial factor.

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Why is it that many of us can maintain at work and around friends, yet when we get home our irritability and emotions flare and all hell breaks loose? Crazy as it seems and sounds, this scenario occurs often enough that there are studies, chapters in books, and forums dedicated to this discussion.

Yoga Therapy for Menopause

YOGA:

• improves strength, flexibility, coordination and range of motion
• when practiced regularly, lessens the severity of menopausal symptoms
• improves circulation, enhances cardiovascular health, and benefits, digestive, nervous and respiratory system
• poses are designed to tone and exercise the muscles of the body to eliminate fat

Source: womans-health.net article

For various reasons, menopausal women can often develop calcium deficiencies. Because calcium acts as a sedative on the human body, this deficiency can lead to restlessness, an inability to fall to sleep, as well as poor sleeping patterns throughout the night. Naturally, this can be extremely frustrating and tiring for women. Not surprising, a lack of quality sleep can also compound other problems such as feeling emotional or experiencing moodiness. The answer for many women is a calcium supplement, as well as engaging in gentle relaxation exercises to help them better sleep.

Source: Menopausetime.com article

ARTICLES:
Menopause and Sleep

Insomnia: reset your inner clock and get back to sleep

Sleep Disturbances: Menopause and Melatonin

There are many things that you can do to reduce the likelihood of headaches and migraine. Here are a few suggestions:

• Keep a 'headache diary' to help you to identify the food and beverage triggers which may underlie your headaches
• Regular exercise improves systemic functioning and boosts circulation, leading to increased oxygen supply to the brain
• Avoid fatty foods and food containing MSG (Monosodium glutimate);Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables
• Don't skip meals! Headaches are often caused by low blood sugar levels.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to prevent headaches caused by dehydration.
• Speak about your feelings and learn not to take on too much
• Have regular breaks and walk around for a few minutes every hour if your job involves sitting at a computer all day.

Natural herbal remedies and treatment for Anxiety, Menopause, and more. Visit Native Remedies For the highest quality herbal remedies professionally formulated in therapeutic dosages by a leading clinical psychologist.

Herb List on HerbMed.org

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- FSH (follicle stimulating hormone)...the results will confirm if you are in menopause.

- TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)...an additional hormone test, especially important if your family has a history.

- CMP (complete metobolic panel)...gives you insight to glucose, liver function, + more

- Lipid panel...this is your cholesterol, HDL (good), LDL (bad), ratio, etc.

Know Menopause: Even though this site is sponsored by Wyeth (pharmaceutical companies and advise usually don't mix), I found the information to be very comprehensive and helpful. Really appreciated The Action Plan segment because I forgot to ask my doctor a bunch of things at my last visit, now I won't.

Menopause Goddess Blog: A great resource and respite. Well worth bookmarking to make sure you go back to read from time to time!

ProjectAWARE, a website by women, for women... offering objective and comprehensive health information, especially related to menopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause.

Menopause Metamorphosis: Although I do not agree with everything on this website, Susun Weed offers information that feeds your body, mind, and spirit. She even has a hotline so you can call her with a personal health issue.

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