Menopause, Related Health Conditions, and How to Stay Healthy

Since you’re here, you’re obviously looking for resources and/or relief from hot flashes, courtesy of menopause. Numerous women have unpleasant symptoms triggered by hormonal changes linked to menopause.

If you’re a woman of a certain age, you know one thing for sure; that menopause is unavoidable. Whether you call it: 

  • Menopause
  • The Change
  • Change of Life
  • The Climacteric
  • The Time of Life 
  • Whew, these Hot Flashes

Label it what you will, but all women will endure this chapter in their life. Though for some ladies, this natural process causes distress and anxiety due to a variety of companion symptoms. Additionally, cancer and some other treatments can cause some menopausal changes, including:

  • Chemotherapy
  • Ovarian Ablation
  • Hormone Therapy

Whatever the reason, CleopatraRX has compiled information to help you understand what these changes are, and how you can make it more tolerable to live with.

What Is Menopause?

Menopause is the stage in life where your reproductive years conclude and your menstrual cycle naturally ends. Did you know that there are three stages of menopause? This is what makes it easier for menopause to hang around for many years. The three stages are:

  • Perimenopause: This is the transitional onset of menopause, including the 12 months following a woman’s last menstrual cycle.
  • Menopause: Begins 12 months after the last period, unless menstruation has ceased for other medical reasons. For instance, ovary removal.
  • Post-menopause: Refers to the years following menopause, although it’s hard to decipher when menopause ends and post-menopause begins.

Women can enter menopause at any time, between the ages of 45 and 55, with a typical age of about 51. Experiencing menopause prior to age 40 is considered “premature menopause. While menopause prior to age 45 is referred to as “early menopause”. But don’t worry, once you’ve missed your menses for 1 full year, it’s safe to say that you have entered menopause.

Fluctuating Hormone Levels Trigger Menopause

As menopause nears, your ovaries will produce less progesterone and estrogen. You may even notice menstrual disturbances due to fluctuating hormone levels. Examples of menstrual issues can include:

  • Lighter blood flow
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Capricious and excessive periods (seek medical advice)

Finally, your hormone levels decline, causing your ovaries to quit unleashing eggs, thus, terminating your monthly periods. Welcome to menopause.

Symptoms of Menopause

Menopause is not a “one size fits all” type of deal, each woman’s experience will be different. For instance, if your menopause happened abruptly, or progressed quickly over a brief time span, symptoms will likely be more severe. This is also an example of perimenopause. The most prevalent signs of perimenopause:

Would you believe that, roughly 75 percent of menopausal women go through hot flashes? But what makes each experience different are the other common symptoms that some women will experience, while others may not. These include:

Common health challenges in the years following menopause include:

Are Screenings Required – Post Menopause?

Yes. All your regular screenings and physicals should continue, along with a few new screenings based on age. These screenings and tests include:  

  • Routine mammograms from age 50-75.
  • Cholesterol, blood pressure, and other tests deemed necessary. 
  • Heart disease and diabetes screenings, to include urine and blood tests. 
  • Consistent measurements of your height to distinguish shrinkage and bone loss.
  • Periodic Pap smear tests to detect cancerous cells and HPV. These tests should continue until you’ve had three clear tests, or you’ve reached age 65.

Staying Healthy During and After Menopause

Making some lifestyle changes and taking certain steps can help you build and maintain your health throughout your menopause journey.

  • Stop Smoking. Speak with your doctor and/or visit Women.Smokefree.gov for specific female-based tips, tools, and news.
  • Become or Remain Active. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity daily. It could be something as simple as cleaning your house or walking briskly. 

You want to aim for:

  • Moderate aerobic movements for a minimum of two and a half hours weekly, or one hour and fifteen minutes of robust aerobic exercise. You can also incorporate the two together.
  • Two days weekly of muscle building exercises. 
  • Eat well and speak with your doctor about taking supplemental:
    • Fiber
    • Vitamins
    • Minerals

It’s also a great idea to learn how many calories you need daily, relating to your age, weight, height, and your energy level. 

Conclusion

At CleopatraRX, we provide women with the support they need as they enter the next phase of their lives.  Go ahead and schedule a consultation today to learn more about what we offer and how our patented PearlPak technology can help.

Fill out the form below to get started: 

 

PUBLISHED ON:

March 22, 2022

CATEGORIES:

Menopause

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