For some women, menopause is a blessing, for others, it’s a continuation of the curse.

It depends upon one’s view of the glass; is it half full or half empty? It is the subject of this discourse.

While menopause is considered to be another change in the cycle of a woman’s life, each and every woman reacts differently to it. While some view it as a new lease on life, encompassing all of the physical, emotional, and sexual freedom associated with it, others see it as an end to that part of life which is fulfilling and nurturing.

Depending upon the symptoms and their severity, one can look upon menopause in a positive manner, while simply dismissing the associated drawbacks as just a part of the overall process.

The acceptance of menopause, when viewed as a positive benefit, is most likely associated with these immediate benefits: no longer do you have to deal with monthly menstrual cycles which include the cramping, the bloating, and the mood swings. You can have sex as often as you like without having to worry about becoming pregnant. Reportedly, sex is even better than before! Your relationships reach an entirely new level of communication. Menopause is the quintessential sign that you have reached an emotional and physical maturity to be able to handle anything that life throws at you.

You can accept menopause in a positive way by embracing life and living it to its fullest. While most women accept the changes their bodies will undergo over time, menopause allows you the opportunity to embrace your body and the changes it is going through.

Remember what it was like when you had your first period?  In fact, you probably looked forward to that time. While you may have felt a bit awkward, nonetheless, your body changed, and you blossomed into a woman. The same is true of menopause: during menopause there are some periods of awkwardness as you learn to adapt to your changing body, both physically and emotionally.

However once you have passed through this period, you will blossom once again into your mature self, an empowered women filled with wonder and excitement.

Just as you accepted and embraced your rise to womanhood, it is important to recreate the same feeling of happiness. This is another milestone in your life which should be embraced with positive mental and emotional thought.

Loving relationships, intimacy, and communication are parts of the circle of life after menopause. There are always other women you can talk to and discuss what you are going through. Their comfort and reassurance will guide you to a path of immeasurable freedom and joy.

It can certainly be said that most women who go through menopause have a positive outlook during the entire time. Perhaps it’s a byproduct of not having to go through menstrual cycles any longer, or suffering through PMS, or simply looking forward to enjoying life and intimacy on a whole new level.

Even though the symptoms accompanying menopause can be irritating, to say the least, it doesn’t in any way diminish a woman or her role in society. In fact, there is no neurological disorder associate with menopause. Whether or not a woman experiences depression during this time is not any different than any other time in her life. The notion that a woman in menopause is somehow labeled as having emotional problems is ludicrous. So too is the stereotypical derogatory terms used just before a woman’s monthly cycle.

To say that life changes occur about the same time as menopause is another false notion. Woman change every day; one thing has nothing to do with the other. Yes, children grow up, parents become old, and decisions are made which alter one’s course in life; but that is the point. Changes are made based upon our needs; our desire to change; to develop and grow; to become empowered by those changes. Menopause is just a fact of life. It neither changes nor diminishes a woman, but makes her stronger.

While it may no longer be true that menopause is a stigma, but to look upon it as a normal part of the circle which allows every woman to continue to enjoy life to its fullest. On the other hand, if one takes the viewpoint that menopause is the beginning of the end, it will eventually become a disruptive and difficult adjustment to accept.

Change is sometimes difficult, even under the best of circumstances. Whether you have to move from a residence you’ve lived in for half your life, or if your spouse dies; these times require periods of grief and regret. It’s a natural and necessary course one must take. However, menopause does not need to invoke feelings of doom. Instead of fighting it; embrace it. If help is needed, there are so many support groups available to help you through it. No one said life was going to easy; and this particular cycle of life is no exception.

But should they be something to be concerned about? Not at all especially if you prepare mentally for them. In other words, resist the temptation to ignore the subject and think it’s still a long way off. There is evidence of many women who have done this only to realize that life is short and menopause arrives sooner rather than later.

What we’re trying to say here is wouldn’t it be easier to deal with something when you know more about it. Having some type of plan in place to handle the symptoms of peri menopause is a lot more sensible than trying to tackle them without some preparation.

This can be easily achieved by visiting your doctor and discussing the issue with them. Ask for information such as what you could expect and what treatment options would be available to you. Menopause affects different women in different ways so it’s not a “one size fits all” situation.

Symptoms Of Pre Menopause

Let’s take a look at some of the more common symptoms of pre menopause and this will give you a strong guide to whether Mother Nature may be turning the change of life key in your life.

Pre Menopause Symptoms

1. Irregular periods are a major giveaway but as explained above, they can also be a mask for something more serious. Many women report suffering some of the same emotions as pregnancy during this stage.

2. Hot flashes are another very common symptom. Hot flashes can often be responsible for other symptoms including sleep deprivation.

3. Mood swings are not uncommon. In fact, mood swings could also be as a result of hot flashes. Lack of sleep can lead to tiredness and irritability and this is something you need to be really aware of especially if you don’t want to alienate yourself from other family members.

4. Vaginal dryness can be a major concern. Lack of sex drive may result simply because you’ll experience a fair degree of discomfort. Make sure you let your partner know it’s not him.

5. Depression is another major symptom. It’s not hard to figure out why especially if you are not getting your normal sleep. In many cases, two or three of the major symptoms of menopause can be the catalyst for other symptoms to emerge.

Menopause Support Groups

One particularly effective method to overcome the negative effects to menopause is to pair up with women who are going through the same phase. A woman can join a support group and discuss freely her ongoing impressions or experiences. In this manner many women find some comfort.

In case such a group does not exist in your locality, you can just decide to form one! Or she may take the help of the internet and join forums which are dedicated to the discussion of symptoms of peri menopause.

Believe it or not, the menopause is a crucial stage in your life. If you treat it as a positive and life enhancing event, it can be a supporting and exposing one. Life is a series of milestones. When we were younger we rushed past the markers concentrating on the next rather than celebrating this one. As the years accrue it’s important to look back and contemplate what we’ve achieved. As you move into the menopausal phase of your life, you may decide the time is right to look at a new lifestyle. Reaching menopause is an ideal chance to make it happen.

Planning for your future is much like preparing for a vacation. See it as your repayment for a lifetime of work or for bringing up a family. Just think about your last vacation. Didn’t you have so much fun organizing it a long way in advance. You probably got a load of maps and tourist guide books, made the decision of where you would be going, and made reservations.

The further away you planned, the more the expectation grew, and the more you enjoyed the journey. There may have been some unpredicted adventures along the way but because you had thought of pretty much everything you were able to handle every eventuality.

The signs of menopause may just be your reminder to make your new plans.

A Healthy Menopause Diet

Starting with the moment we are first conceived through to our dieing breath, the quality of food and nutrition that we eat controls our health and vitality for the rest of our life. The immediate benefits of a nutritious diet is good looks, and feeling and looking great. It can increase our resistance to colds and other infections, increase our energy levels and improve physical performance.

The more long term effects of a healthy and balanced diet are increased resistance to diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, cataracts, and high blood pressure. When you notice signs of symptoms of menopause, choosing the right menopause diet and integrating certain foods, such as soya, is a very good idea. Being aware of what you eat will also make a big difference to relieving symptoms of menopause and reduce your chances of gaining weight.

The public interest in health, nutrition and well being just keeps on growing. Doctors, our friends and family all believe they are experts about what to eat and not to eat to protect our health. Being bombarded with this mountain of information, it can be very confusing to know who is right or what we should be eating. Not only that, but it may seem as if health experts are regularly changing their minds and moving the goal posts.

The truth of the matter is that the age old advice on what constitutes a healthy diet is just the same today as it was 30 years ago.

How To Get The Balance Right

A healthy diet has several-key ingredients but the crucial element is balance. All the different foods we eat can be grouped into 5 areas. To ensure that you get all the nutrients your body needs, you should try to eat some food from each group each day.

While going through the menopause, getting the balance right will determine how intensely you suffer with menopause symptoms.

So how do you prepare for peri menopause symptoms? In short, simply learn as much about them, what they are, how they could affect you and the best treatmet options available to you. Education about menopause and it’s effect on women is extremely important in dealing with them.

Too many women skip the subject when it’s brought up and that’s understandable especially if it indicates they are at an age that may be considered old. No woman wants to be considered old right. Really, you need to get over it because the problems really occur when someone is totally unprepared for menopause and try to deal with it without knowing anything about it.

The truth is, there really is nothing to be worried about. It’s a time of your life which should be considered a new start in many ways. So let’s take a look at some peri menopause symptoms which could affect you and why.

Pre Menopause Symptoms

One common pre menopause symptom is fatigue. To prevent fatigue from hindering activity, a woman experiencing this symptom should make sure to eat a balanced nutritious diet and do some exercises. Exercising has a lot of benefits; it releases endorphin hormones in the body which assist in getting a deeper and more relaxing sleep.

When the menstrual periods become irregular or cease entirely, these symptoms are important to the diagnosis. Anemia occurs sometimes due to heavy menstrual bleeding. A woman should contact her physician if she observes any of these pre menopause symptoms.

Depressive states are often observed during this phase. A depression or sadness can occur due to imbalanced hormone production or just the grief of not being able to give birth. A woman experiencing depression should contact her physician to get proper care.

The experience of menopause can be very positive too if only the woman chooses it to be. Instead of being set back by the onset of pre menopause symptoms a woman can decide instead to evaluate her life and look positively towards the future.

She must keep in mind that menopause will bring her a lot more free time, her tasks as a mother will decrease because her children have reached a stage of independence. They can now use this time in pursuit of career or hobbies. Just by a choice she makes, a woman can not let pre menopause symptoms prevent her from having a gala time in her life.

One has to keep in mind that peri menopause symptoms and menopause will not last forever. It is merely a phase and the woman has to adapt to it. After that she will experience that those symptoms are fading away. The human body has a remarkable capacity to adapt to changing conditions, and menopause is not an exception. A healthy life free of liquor and tobacco will go a long way in the management of menopause.

Believe it or not, the menopause is a crucial stage in your life. If viewed positively, it can be a supporting and revealing one. Life is a series of milestones. When we were younger we would check the passing of each milestone with our eye constantly on the lookout for the next. As we accumulate years we tend to slow down and ponder on what we’ve achieved. As you move into the menopausal phase of your life, you may decide the time is right to consider opting for a new approach to life. The menopause is a great chance to make it happen.

Planning for your future is just like planning a journey. Consider it your just rewards for a successful career or for raining your family. Pause for a second and think back to your last vacation. It was such an adventure just planning it a long way in advance. Perhaps you got out guide books and maps, made the decision of where you would be going, and booked the trip.

The further away you planned, the more you anticipated going, and the more you relished the trip. It’s likely there were plenty of unforeseen adventures during the trip but because you had planned for every eventuality you were able to cope with any eventuality.

The signs of menopause could be your prompt to start your new journey.

A Healthy Menopause Diet

From the very first spark of life till the day we die, the quality of food and nutrition that we eat controls our health and vitality for the rest of our life. In the short term, a well balanced diet can help us look good, feel good and stay in shape. It can help protect us against viruses and disease, increase our energy levels and enhance our physical strength and performance abilities.

In the long term, it will help protect against diseases such as cardiovascular disease, most cancers, diabetes, cataracts, and high blood pressure. As you start to see more symptoms of menopause, creating a highly nutritious menopause diet and incorporating certain foods, such as soy, is essential. Sticking to a balanced and nutritious diet will also make a big difference to relieving symptoms of menopause and reduce your chances of gaining weight.

Interest in nutrition, health and anti aging just keeps on growing. The media, friends and family all offer advice about what to eat and not to eat to protect our health. Having all this often conflicting information thrown at us, it can be near on impossible to know who to believe or what to eat. What is really confusing is that it may seem as if all the health gurus are forever changing their minds and telling us something different.

The truth of the matter is that the original advice on what a healthy and balanced diet consists of is the same as it has always been.

How To Create Your Healthy Well Balanced Diet

A nutritious diet consists of several important elements or ingredients but one of the most important is balance. Nutritionists divide foods into five main food groups. To ensure that you get all the nutrients your body needs, you’ll want to ensure you eat some food from each group each day.

Especially during the menopause, finding the balance will control at what level you go through menopause symptoms.

Most of the first signs of menopause don’t require a doctor or expensive hormonal treatments. In fact, you can deal with many of them on their own. To learn more about these “symptoms” and how they affect you, along with how you can effectively deal with or live with them, keep reading.

Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are a common side effect of menopause, and they can happen anywhere and at any time, though they’re often brought on by stress or even a reaction to spicy foods.

To help keep hot flashes at bay, carry a small portable fan and a few moist towelettes in your purse. Having a bottle of ice-cold water on hand can also help. Try freezing a bottle in the freezer the night before and then bringing it with you in your purse.

Decreased Memory

If you’re having trouble remembering where you set down your cell phone, the name of a friend or where you’re supposed to be Friday at 11:00, then carry a pad of Post-It Notes with you. You can jot down simple reminders to yourself and then stick them where they’re visible at all times.

Alternatively, try punching in reminders and details into your portable device. That is, of course, if you can remember where you left it.

Increased or Abnormal Hair Growth

Due to the sudden increase in male hormones, many menopausal women are forced to deal with hair growth in new places. To keep chin hairs at bay, place a pair of tweezers in your purse. Look for errant hairs while in the car since the sunlight is a great, natural beauty light.

Unexpected Sweating at Night

Night sweats are a nighttime manifestation of hot flashes, causing you to wake up soaking wet and often disturbed or anxious. To fight night sweats, keep your bedroom cool (below 70 degrees) and try relaxing before bed. You may also want to spend the money on a high-quality pair of sweat-wicking pajamas.

Joint and Bone Pains

Menopausal women can suffer from major bone and joint problems if they don’t supplement the amount of calcium they’re intaking. Try carrying calcium chews or calcium candy with you.

Dry and Irritated Eyes

One of the most common first signs of menopause is dry or irritated eyes – a problem brought on by hormone fluctuations. To combat this problem, invest in over-the-counter and preservative free artificial tears.

‘Unfortunately pregnancy and childbirth can leave these muscles stretched and damaged, resulting in incontinence, prolapse and decreased sensation during intimacy. The general aging of muscles can also bring on these complaints.” However despite this, the women say that during their own pregnancies this topic was seldom, if ever, mentioned.

They do however, remember being told to do pelvic floor (squeeze, hold, release) exercises after the birth of their children.

These they tried but found ineffective. Experiencing continued disappointing intimacy with their husbands and embarrassing bladder leakage when sneezing, coughing or running, they commenced some research. “We didn’t want to believe we had to wear liners for the rest of our lives or consider surgery when things got too bad” says Maree. The women researched vaginal weights and various other gadgets before they found the one that was truly unique. An American invention called the KEGELMASTER.

The Kegelmaster is a small vaginal exerciser which uses progressive resistance to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle. Endorsed by medical experts, it offers an alternative to pads and surgery. Based on the research of the late Dr Arnold Kegel, renowned Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, the Kegelmaster works by perfecting the pelvic floor exercise, aka “the kegel”. This exercise, the women discovered, should never be performed without resistance.

And they can both testify to its success. “This is an amazing product. What’s astounding is how quickly it works! My incontinence disappeared in a week, and it was pretty bad.“ says Michelle. “I cannot describe the confidence I have gained since using the Kegelmaster.’ says Maree. ‘I believe all women would benefit from using this product, particularly after childbirth” They laughingly add, “Its success wasn’t lost on our husbands either.”

Michelle and Maree offer this revolutionary product to Australian women via their website. They also offer telephone support following purchase as their goal is for all women to use the Kegelmaster successfully and reap its wonderful benefits.

Contact us at:

Kegelmaster Australia Pty Limited
PO Box 809
Willetton
WA 6955
Australia
Phone: +61 8 9354 2993 (Monday – Friday 9.00am -5.00pm)

The main constituent contained in herbal green tea is polyphenol, an antioxidant. Polyphenols work to keep our cells healthy and strong. If you have ever felt completely exhausted or your energy levels are low, it might be because your immune system is overworked. You can combat exhaustion by drinking herbal green tea, which contains high amounts of polyphenol to provide you with energy and keep your immune system from being overworked.

One of the leading green tea benefits making herbal green tea is the hottest-selling tea product today is its ability to burn fat faster. Herbal green tea provides people suffering from obesity the natural way of getting rid of excess body fats. Women and men wishing to keep their bodies trim and strong drink green tea in many forms. You can buy refrigerated green tea in bottles at almost any supermarket or health food store.

Green Tea Health Benefits are obvious. Ask yourself: when are you going to add green tea to your diet?

A natural herbal relief for menopause can provide relief from one of the most embarrassing and difficult challenges of menopause- hot flashes. There is such unpredictability in hot flashes. Some women have them only a couple times a week; others have hot flashes many times a day.

Herbal remedies that include a higher consumption of phytoestrogens such as soy, red clover, ginseng, black cohosh and yam may relieve hot flashes. However, there are reports that using Black Cohosh can cause severe side effects of liver function.

There are very few good quality studies on the effect of using ginseng for herbal relief of menopausal symptoms. However, hundreds of years of anecdotal evidence exists using ginseng as part of tonics made by Chinese herbalists. In a large double-blinded randomized controlled trial, reduction in hot flashes was not statistically significant but showed a strong trend towards improvement.

St. John’s wort has long been used to treat symptoms of depression. There is ample evidence that the mechanism of action of this herb is similar to that of SSRIs. In a research pending publication, physicians presented a report at this year’s American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Annual Clinical Meeting shows that Tao Formulations’s Harmony product relieves hot flashes in 83.5% of women with a 89.4% reduction in hot flash severity. So keep your ears open. The first viable case of menopause herbal remedies may soon be available.

This directly affects the female libido and causes painful intercourse. If this symptom is left untreated, many problems can follow. A lack of sexual satisfaction can add a lot of stress to any relationship.Fortunately, for most women, there are a number of simple and inexpensive natural remedies available.

What is the reason for Menopause vaginal dryness?

During menopause the level of estrogen declines, which causes thinning and dryness of the vaginal wall. This is the most common cause of vaginal dryness. A reduction in muscle tone and slower arousal time are also important factors.

Emotional issues from feeling depressed or under stress, which may be best helped by counseling. Unresolved problems in your relationships can also cause a lack of arousal and vaginal dryness. No herbal remedy can take the place of resolving matters with your loved ones, but the remedies mentioned here can certainly help with your physical symptoms.

Medical conditions, such as Sjögren’s disease can be the underlying cause for vaginal dryness. If your dryness is severe or you do not respond to the simple natural remedies at all, check with your physician for medical advice.

How to Relieve Menopause Vaginal Dryness

As with most natural remedies, you need to be patient. Most of these remedies take a week or two to take effect. You will be glad you took the time!

Drink lots of water! It is surprising how little clear water most people actually drink during the day. There may be a lot of coffee, tea, juice, soda, sports drinks, vitamin water, etc., consumed; but very little simple water. We should be drinking 8-10 cups a day. At first that seems like a lot, but you quickly get used to it.The water does many marvelous things. It cleanses the system of toxins, speeds your metabolism, helps lubricate the body, including the vagina.

Watch what you eat. Be sure to include soy and flax seed. These are both good sources of phytoestrogens. Eat foods that help your body produce the necessary hormones. Dieting can be a major cause of hormonal imbalance, and many women suffer from this.

Take a high quality vitamin/mineral supplement. Even with proper nutrition from a healthy diet, it is advisable to supplement your nutrition with vitamins and minerals. This helps to ensure that nothing is missing.

Use a personal lubricant.

This might seem so obvious that it is not worth mentioning, but many women just do not give it a try. This is too bad, because there are many benefits from such a simple remedy. The lubricant can be used to moisten the vagina before intercourse, as well as before bed. For many women, this has made a huge difference in their female libido and enjoyment of intercourse.

Phytotherapy is highly recommended to treat vaginal dryness. By treating the dryness at a cellular level, the underlying cause is often addressed and helped. There are numerous herbal formulas available just for this purpose.

Conclusion.

Even if menopause vaginal dryness is one of the most common symptoms,  it is one of the easiest to manage. Find the underlying causes and resolve them. You should also follow up by using the recommended remedies described here to get the best results.

Randy Hough and Laura Simon, MSW,MEd,have worked together to create a family stress blog and a safe menopause relief web site. They live and work in the beautiful Upper Valley of Vermont.