Menopause

Once women reach the menopause years, typically around the age of 50, a variety of physiological changes and menopause symptoms occur that can have a profound impact on their lives. Menopause is a term that refers to the end of menstruation, the result of the natural decline in the hormones (estrogen, progesterone and others) produced in the ovaries. After years of preparing and releasing eggs, the ovaries eventually reach a point where they end their monthly routine. As hormone levels decrease, a number of symptoms may emerge, although their presentation and severity varies greatly from woman to woman. The most common menopause symptoms are hot flashes, depression, insomnia, vaginal dryness, irritability, mood swings and headaches.

Most women report that they experience hot flashes during pre and perimenopause. Hot flashes typically begin to occur when women start to have irregular periods, and usually end one or two years after menstruation has ceased. Sometimes women will experience flushing or warmth in their faces and upper bodies, others might actually have sweating and chills. Hot flashes can occur at any time of day or night. While it is not entirely clear what causes hot flashes, some researchers suggest it might have to do with mixed signals from the hypothalamus, a region in the brain that regulates body temperature and sex hormones. The hypothalamus may be reacting to decreasing levels of estrogen, and this may explain why hot flashes cease when estrogen replacement is given.

There are two tests that your doctor can perform that will determine if a woman is "officially" in menopause. One is to test the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level. This hormone increases significantly after the ovaries shut down. Another procedure is to take a Pap-like smear from the vaginal walls and check for any thinning and drying out of the vagina.

Suggested Lifestyle Changes for Menopause Treatment
Mental attitude has a lot to do with how well a woman adjusts to menopause. If it is seen as a tragic end to youth, fertility and sexuality, it can cause significant disruptions in one's day-to-day life, and create the temptation to "solve" the problem with unproven therapies that promise eternal youth. If menopause is seen as simply the natural transition to the next phase of life, it can be readily accepted and more easily handled. The risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy should be carefully considered, and many women do quite well without any medical intervention for menopause treatment. Following an anti-inflammatory diet, getting adequate aerobic exercise, and relaxation practices can help address the many practical problems that menopause can bring. Menopause is not a disease, and there is no reason for it to decrease interest in or enjoyment of sex. Vaginal dryness can make intercourse more difficult, however, and an over the counter product such as Replens Vaginal Lotion, as well as lubricants such as Astroglide can help. Your doctor can also prescribe a topical estrogen cream which will restore normal vaginal tissue.

Nutrition and Supplements - Herbs for Menopause
Try the following natural remedies and herbs for menopause:

• Soy foods. The isoflavones in soy foods help balance hormone levels and have some estrogenic activity. There is ongoing research about the safety and efficacy of isolated soy isoflavone supplements. While the initial results look promising, we currently recommend using natural soy foods rather than supplements. Choose from tofu, soy milk, roasted soy nuts or tempeh.
• Flaxseed. Substances called lignins in flaxseed are important modulators of hormone metabolism. Grind flaxseed daily in a coffee grinder at home and use 1 to 2 tablespoons a day.
• Dong quai (Tang Kuei). Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is known both in China and the West for its ability to support and maintain the natural balance of female hormones. It does not have estrogenic activity. This is one of the herbs for menopause that should not be taken if a woman is experiencing heavy bleeding.
• Black cohosh (Cumicifuga racemosa). One of the best-studied traditional herbs for menopause, black cohosh is used to help alleviate some symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. Black cohosh seems to work by supporting and maintaining hormonal levels, which may lessen the severity of hot flashes. Many women report that the herb works well but it isn't effective for everyone. While any therapy that influences hormonal actions should be a concern, black cohosh does not appear to have estrogenic activity and thus may be safe for women with a personal or family history of breast cancer.
• Vitamin E. A daily dose of 400 IUs of natural vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols) can help alleviate symptoms of hot flashes in some menopausal women.
• B vitamins. This group of water-soluble vitamins may help women deal with the stress of menopausal symptoms.
• Evening primrose oil or black currant oil. These are sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that can help influence prostaglandin synthesis and help moderate menopausal symptoms.

With special thanks to Dr Andrew Weil

Herbalife products will support your journey through menopause. Helping to reduce the severity of perimenopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, moodiness, irritability and sleepless nights.

Product Suggestions:

• Formula 1 (Soy based Nutritional Shake Mix)
• Formula 2 (includes Vitamin B group)
• Formula 3 (Soy Protein Powder)
• Formula 4 (Vitamin E and Primrose Oil)
• Tang Kuei
• Womans Choice (soy, red clover, kudzu root and black cohosh)

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Have you ever wondered why we Age and suffer Disease?

I find it rather interesting to hear doctors say that it is NOT normal for people in their sixties or seventies to be running active lifestyles to the point of running a marathon or something similar. Well, regardless what particular doctors may think, we are what we eat (and drink and think and do) and that diseases, regardless at what point in our lives they happen, are most probably caused by what goes into our bodies and that will determine whether we will be visiting doctor's surgery on a weekly basis once we hit 50 or even earlier, or we will more frequently visit local sport centre and still play tennis at the age of 70...

As our brain uses only 10% of it's potential, the same could apply to our physical abilities - if we were to give our bodies 100% throughout our lives, the outcome would have been a lot more different than what wellness trends report each and every day... Well, not so long ago, diseases were indeed accepted as unfortunate but inevitable facts of life. We know now that diseases are caused by what we eat or don't eat. What you put in, you get out as our focus needs to shift towards prevention of disease, not it’s treatment!

Our body's health depends on the health of each and every cell and to slow down the aging, limit sickness and prevent disease, those cells need proper protection and nourishment. We have all heard of Free Radicals. What are those exactly? Well, each and every cell is made up of many atoms and when those are healthy, the cells are too and when healthy cells replicate - our body remains young and free from the disease.

On the other hand, we have another type of an atom that is damaged due to smoking, stress, sunlight, pesticides in our food, pollution, travel, medications, foods and it's additives, x-rays, exercise, chlorine in water, Mercury in tooth fillings and seafood and many more factors. Those unhealthy and damaged atoms have only one instead of two electrons and are called Free Radicals. Free Radicals alter and eventually destroy cells. And it is exactly those cells that die and cells that replicate themselves in a damaged state that are the cause or contribute to premature aging, sickness and diseases such as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and many others.

THE SOLUTION IS ANTIOXIDANT
Antioxidants are super atoms that have extra electrons that they can give to those Free Radicals to neutralise them and eliminates their harmful effects. Antioxidants are indeed a body's defence against destructive free radicals and they help prevent aging, sickness and disease.

Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables, nuts, oils, beans. Organically grown local produce will have more antioxidants than non-organic alternatives that have travelled for miles, even across different countries or continents. Antioxidants are also found in high quality supplements as most adults do not eat the right foods to properly feed their cells.

"Don't underestimate the threat free radicals pose to our health. Scientists now believe that free radicals are causal factors in nearly every known disease, from heart disease to arthritis to cancers to cataracts. In fact, free radicals are a major culprit in the aging process itself. By controlling free radicals, antioxidants can make the difference between life and death, as well as influence how fast and how well we age.", Lester Packer, Head of Packer Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley

Heart Disease and Cancers are the most common killer diseases that are caused by the damaging effects of Free Radicals.

Heart Disease mostly comes from the build up of fatty deposits on the inner surfaces of arteries, which stops the normal blood flow and could lead to heart attack or stroke. Recent research has highlighted that those fatty deposits are influenced by free radicals, which cause it to become sticky and stick more easily to the walls of arteries. Antioxidants can therefore help in reducing the risk of free radicals oxidizing the fat and making it more sticky.

The common explanation for Cancer is that damaged and altered DNA that controls cell growth, development and replication, is the cause for the disease. The DNA has been proven to be damaged by Free Radicals, which is believed to be the main cause for most cancers. Antioxidants, once again, not only can protect DNA from free radical damage, but can also repair it.

So, the importance of antioxidants can not be overemphasized and next time when you get a simple cold remember that it is a symptom of your body lacking antioxidants in order to fight free radicals. It does not need medication, it needs nutrition, antioxidants.

And for the question Why should you take Vitamin and Mineral Supplements, please read on related article on the Importance of taking Supplements.

Be careful, not all supplements are created equal!