Menopause is part of life. As women get older, their hormones start to change, and this leads to perimenopause. After the period of perimenopause, a woman reaches a state referred to as menopause. Taking care of your health before, during and after this period is extremely important and should not be overlooked. WebMD explains the perimenopause period as a process where a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs. They also report that the process speeds up during the final one to two years of this period. Women can start to experience menopausal symptoms during this stage.
Menopause Statistics
Life Climax reports that menopause happens most commonly in women between the ages of 45 and 55. They also report that the average age at which menopause strikes within the United States is 51. With this figure in mind, a menopause cycle usually starts at the age of 47 and lasts for approximately four to five years. After the cycle has completed, a woman would be considered as menopausal. The report also published various statistics about premature, early and late menopause:
Approximately 1% of women within the United States reaches a menopausal state before the age of 40, also known as premature menopause.
Approximately 5% of women within the United States reaches a menopausal state during the age of 41 to 45, also known as early menopause.
Approximately 89% of women within the United States experiences a normal menopause cycle at the age of 46 to 55.
Approximately 5% of women within the United States reaches a menopausal state after the age of 55, also known as late menopause.
Early and Late Menopause
There are various factors that can affect a women’s overall health, including factors that could lead to experiencing menopause earlier or later than expected. While the majority of premature menopause conditions are as a result of medical treatments, Women’s Health reports various non-medical treatment related elements that could also contribute to going into a menopausal state at a younger age than expected.
Medical treatments such as pelvic radiation and chemotherapy in cancer patients can lead to premature menopause. Having your ovaries removed surgically causes immediate menopause. Women who opt to have their uterus removed can keep their ovaries, but the natural menopausal cycle will occur a year or two earlier than originally expected.
Various health-related problems can also cause a premature menopause cycle. Genetics are a common cause and usually comes from a family history. When there is a history of early menopause within the family, a woman is more likely to experience premature menopause. Conditions such as Turner’s syndrome where all or part of the chromosome aren’t correctly developed causes the ovaries to form in a manner that is not normal, which could result in early menopause. There have also been several recorded cases where autoimmune diseases resulted in premature menopause. Cases of thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis are known to attack the ovaries and prevent their hormone production.
A Healthy Menopausal Life
Consumer Health Digest suggests eight different treatments that could assist with menopause. These treatments can assist any woman going through a menopausal cycle to lessen the effects of various symptoms that attacks during this period of time. The recommended treatments include hormone replacement therapy, tibolone, clonidine, vaginal estrogen, low-dose antidepressants, gabapentin, herbal remedies and other effective medications that could be of assistance.
They also recommend making some essential changes in your lifestyle in order to accommodate a healthier menopausal cycle and lifestyle after the cycle completes. Some of the most vital health-related changes recommended by Consumer Health Digest includes avoiding salt, smoking, caffeine and excess sugars. It is also recommended to eat a more balanced diet that includes nuts, leafy vegetables, whole grains and cold-pressed oils. This will also ease hot flashes. Calcium and Vitamin D is recommended to help keep bones throughout the body in a strong state. Thirty minutes of daily exercises are also highly recommended to keep your body active.
With hot flashes being one of the most common symptoms of menopause, it is highly recommended to avoid spicy food, drinking alcohol and reducing the amount of stress you have in order to minimize hot flashes during this period. Soy are also a recommendation that can assist with easing hot flashes, but it can take a longer period of time in order to experience the positive effects.
Conclusion
While menopause is a part of the life of every woman who reaches a certain age, there are several ways to decrease the symptoms and side-effects that come with this period in your life. By taking simple tips into account, such as the expert advice offered by Consumer Health Digest, you can enjoy a healthy menopausal life without having to go through all the effects such as hot flashes and an increased risk for heart disease.
Author Bio
Meighan Sembrano has done her Mass Communication degree. In her free time, she likes to write about Health, Lifestyle Fitness, Glozine world news and Beauty. She is an author at Consumer Health Digest since 2012. To know more about her, follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest.