Introduction
Menopause is a condition that women experience when their regular monthly menstrual cycles end. It is a perfectly ordinary condition, occurring in some women earlier than others, and varying in severity. Menopause is characterized by changes in monthly period, hot flashes, and/or loss of vaginal health or bladder control (National Institute on Aging, n.d.). Menopause occurs normally in most women, but there are situations in which menopause does not occur naturally, such as surgical menopause, when either one or both ovaries are removed (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.), as in a hysterectomy, or it can, it is believed, be brought on by chronic stress (Iliades, 2012). The terms 'perimenopause' and 'post-menopause' are used to describe normally occurring menopause. Perimenopause refers to the time that begins with menstrual changes and other symptoms related to menopause and lasts until a year following menopause. Post-menopause is the time after menopause, as the name suggests (North American Menopause Society, 2015).
The Effects of Menopause
Menopause, whatever the cause, can have several effects. Among them are the previously mentioned hot flashes, which come suddenly and can be quite severe. They are the result of sudden and temporary increases in body temperature. Vaginal atrophy and incontinence, due to drying of the vagina and the loss of muscle tension in the pelvis are the causes of these conditions. There may be cardiac effects, hair growth due to the loss of estrogen, and perhaps some issues with mental health (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.).
Other Life Changes and Risks for Osteoporosis
As women age, several things act to produce changes to their bodies (National Institute on Aging, n.d.). At midlife, for some people, there are disturbances in sleeping patterns (falling asleep is difficult, or there is a habit of waking too early. There might be night sweats, or trouble going back to sleep once awakened). Ideas about sex may also change. There is either less interest or more interest, depending on the individual. There may be mood changes, or a changing body (it gets bigger, or there may be a loss of muscle tone, or the joints might start to hurt). All of these are normal aging patterns, and are not at all unusual. Two potential problems, though, are serious and stand out – osteoporosis and heart disease. Osteosis is a loss of bone in the body. It doesn't happen to everyone, but it does occur significantly more often with menopausal women who suffer a significant loss of estrogen. The hormone estrogen, among other things, controls bone loss.
Significant, too, are the incidences of heart disease. Both aging and estrogen loss contribute to heart disease in women, along with weight gain from aging and the development of high blood pressure. Getting plenty of exercise, getting the proper nutrition, and managing health can limit the effects of aging and menopause (National Institute on Aging, n.d.).
Nutrition, Health and Exercise Plan for Aging Adults
Nutrition, health and exercise is important for people who are aging. But making a plan is just a matter of common sense: Smoking should be stopped, and a diet heavy in vegetables, fruits and whole-grain foods, while being low fat and high in fiber is the optimum. Care should be taken as well to make sure that there is an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. One should learn what one's healthy weight is, and try to stay as close to that as possible. Exercise should include as much weight-bearing as possible (running, jogging, dancing, walking etc.) while care is taken to also just being physically active (National Institute on Aging, n.d.).
Traditional and Alternative Therapies for Menopause
There are several therapies that can be used to treat menopause, but specific treatment should be decided by the woman in consultation with her medical professional. The resulting treatment plan will depend on her age, her overall health, whatever there may be in her medical history that would impact her treatment, what she is currently experiencing, ability to tolerate specific medicines, and the woman's preferences (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.).
Hormone therapy may be prescribed as a way of replacing lost estrogen. Estrogen may also be prescribed that is not in combination with anything else. There are also estrogen alternatives (synthetic estrogens) that treat the symptoms of vaginal atrophy but do not pose a risk for cancer.
There are some alternative treatments as well. So-called bioidentical hormones, purely herbal and homeopathic, sometimes relieve menopause symptoms. The drawback to these treatments, however, is that they may not be strong enough, may not be safe and pure, and they may be less effective than traditional medical therapies (Johns Hopkins Medicine, n.d.). Whatever the decision made about therapies and treatments, they should only be arrived at after consultation with a genuine medical professional.
References
Iliades,C. (2012). The link between stress and early menopause. Everyday Health. Retrieve from http://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/stress-and-early-menopause.aspx
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.) Introduction to menopause. Retrieved from http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/gynecological_health/introduction_to_menopause_85,P01535/
National Institute on Aging. (n.d.). Agepage. Retrieved from
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/menopause North American Menopause Society. (2015).
The Menopause Guidebook, 8th ed. MayfieldHeights, OH: The North American Menopause Society
