Menopause - symptoms, signs and alternative treatment

The onset of menopause in women is the second transitional age, which is characterized by irreversible hormonal changes. This process is gradual and quite long, so menopause cannot pass in 1 year, because the body is not some kind of device on which you can select the mode of interest. There is no need to fight with nature: the course of menopause can be softened, and you can continue to live and enjoy life, accepting all the changes as a natural transition into the non-reproductive period.

Let us consider in more detail at what age the menopause usually begins, into what periods it is divided, how it manifests itself and what needs to be done to mitigate the existing symptoms of menopause.

Age and stages of menopause

Menopause in women is the period when there is a gradual attenuation of ovarian activity, estrogen production and the transition to non-reproductive age. This happens because the supply of eggs in a woman’s body, deposited at birth, dries up, and age-related changes characteristic of menopause begin.

Several centuries ago, menopause usually occurred at 44 years of age, but depending on the individual characteristics of each woman, this period could occur several years earlier or later.

Now, according to medical statistics, the age of menopause has increased significantly and the average age for the onset of menopause is considered to be 52-53 years.

Remember: the onset of menopause occurs two to three years later, after the first disruption and delay of the menstrual cycle, not associated with pregnancy and other processes in the body.

The entire menopausal period consists of 3 stages:

Let's take a closer look at each stage of the menopause.

Premenopause

The first period or stage of menopause begins to appear already on the threshold of the 45th birthday, and it can last 3-4 years, or maybe 10-11 years, until the ability to bear children completely fades away in the woman’s body. Women in this period begin to take more care of their health, due to the emerging menopausal symptoms.

It is very important: during premenopause, take hormonal therapy in a timely manner to prevent the body from aging quickly.

Hormonal drugs must be taken at the stage of ovarian functionality, then it is still possible to delay the moment of old age, but if you start taking these drugs later, when the ovaries completely fade away, then it will be impossible to restore youth to the cells of the epidermis.

Symptoms characteristic of the onset of perimenopause

Due to a lack of progesterone content in the body, a woman may have a disrupted menstrual cycle, characterized by instability due to deterioration in the functionality of the ovaries.

As perimenopause approaches, menstrual flow may not “come” for a couple of months, but it can make itself felt twice a month. The duration and abundance of menstrual flow also changes. They can start and go away quickly, with heavy discharge. But they can be scarce and long-lasting.

The mammary glands also undergo some changes. Breasts become firmer and firmer to the touch. But it is worth noting that these symptoms may not appear at all - it depends on the individual indicators of the woman’s body.

With the onset of this period, a woman should take maximum care of her health, because changes in body systems such as:

A woman begins to be bothered by symptoms such as:

• disturbance of urination, accompanied by urinary incontinence due to sudden strain on the body: when coughing or sneezing;
• sensitivity to temperature changes increases, which characterizes the onset of pathological changes in the cardiovascular system;
• insomnia appears;
• body weight increases;
• there is a high risk for the development of neoplasms of various types.
• the sexual side of a woman’s life also undergoes some changes;
• hair loss begins, wrinkles appear, and the skin begins to need special care;
• changes in the nervous system result in frequent attacks of aggression, nervousness, and lack of concentration.

All emerging menopausal symptoms force a woman to change her usual lifestyle. But do not despair, because all these changes are natural, and if the lifestyle changes, then everything must be done so that summer in a woman’s soul never ends. For this purpose, modern medicine has developed special drugs that promote a milder course of the menopause and relieve acute symptoms.

Treatment of menopausal symptoms

If any changes occur in the body and the menstrual cycle is disrupted, it is necessary to promptly contact an experienced specialist. Treatment of menopause should be carried out from the very initial stages of its development. Most often, to relieve symptoms and improve both general condition and appearance, hormone replacement therapy is prescribed, to begin treatment with which you must first get rid of bad habits, such as smoking and drinking alcohol, as well as:

• you need to understand and accept that menopause is not an eternal process of changing the body, and as soon as the hormonal balance improves, all symptoms will go away;
• spend time in the fresh air as often as possible;
• adjust your diet;
• take medications containing minerals and a vitamin complex.

The sooner a woman begins to lead a healthy lifestyle, the easier the menopause will be.

The next stage of menopause

The second stage of menopause is called menopause, which begins for each woman at different ages, depending on individual indications. The average age of menopause is considered to be 52-53 years. With the onset of this stage, women cross the threshold on the path to old age.

At this stage, the menstrual cycle completely ends, and only after 12 months of complete absence of even menstrual-like discharge after the last menstrual cycle is the onset of menopause considered.

Menopausal symptoms

Symptoms with the onset of menopause during menopause immediately begin to change, and the following processes occur in the woman’s body:

1. The ovaries practically stop functioning and decrease in size. This leads to very low production of female sex hormones, and hence to the appearance of symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, headaches and dizziness, as well as constant insomnia.
2. Hot flashes occur, which also causes a lot of discomfort for women who have entered menopause. They are accompanied by such sensations as pressure in the head, rapid heartbeat, and the skin becomes warm and covered with perspiration during a rush of blood. This symptom lasts only a few minutes, after which it goes away, and the woman feels normal again. Hot flashes can be a constant concern or appear very rarely. To get rid of hot flashes, it is necessary to take HRT medications, which can only be prescribed by a specialist, taking into account all the characteristics of the body’s condition.
3. Among other things, dry skin appears on the mucous surfaces of the vagina. Without special care and taking the necessary medications, a woman can grow old very quickly. With the disappearance of cervical secretions and vaginal hydration, sexual life will become a very difficult process, when you still want to be satiated with the sweetness of life, but due to dryness nothing may work out.
4. There is also a rapid accumulation of cholesterol in the blood, which increases the risk of the formation of pathologies such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart and vascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease and strokes. If you do not take hormone-containing drugs during menopause, this can lead to leaching of calcium from the bone parts of the skeleton and an increased risk of fractures.

Last stage of menopause

Postmenopause begins at 55-56 years of age and can last up to 6-7 years, until the ovaries completely stop functioning. This stage in a woman’s life completely prepares her body for old age.

How can you slow down the onset of menopause?

Menopause is a natural physiological process, the onset of which cannot be canceled. However, with a reasonable approach, you can significantly delay the approach of menopause and alleviate the condition.

As soon as the first symptoms of menopause appear, you should follow several recommendations to improve your well-being:

• strict control over excess weight. Due to a lack of sex hormones, metabolic disorders occur, which leads to rapid weight gain. It has been statistically proven that obese women have a harder time bearing the stress on the body associated with changes during menopause;
• proper nutrition. Fatty, heavy and spicy foods should be avoided or their consumption reduced to a minimum. The daily diet should include fresh fruits and vegetables, natural juices, as well as foods rich in vitamins and minerals: nuts, fish, olive and other vegetable oils;
• get rid of bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs);
• lead a healthy, active lifestyle, spend time in the fresh air as often as possible;
• experience as many positive emotions as possible and try to avoid negative emotions (depression, stress);
• continuous 8-hour sleep is extremely important not only for physical, but also emotionally healthy state during menopause;
• carefully monitor your health and body changes.

According to reviews from many women, among the first symptoms of the onset of menopause, which manifest themselves most sensitively, are hot flashes, regardless of the time of day and state of health.

With the right actions and a reasonable approach to the menopause process, you can significantly delay the onset of menopause and alleviate the symptoms of such complex processes occurring in the female body.

How menopause begins in women, symptoms. Reviews in this useful video:

Signs of menopause in women aged 50:

Tip 1. Change your attitude... towards everything

The first thing you need to do is change your attitude towards menopause. Unfortunately, we tend to perceive this period as aging and loss of attractiveness. This puts psychological pressure on a woman. Considering that due to hormonal changes she reacts to everything much more sharply, such an attitude can aggravate unpleasant symptoms and provoke the appearance of real depression. And after you change your attitude towards menopause, think about a more global step: change your attitude towards life in general. Accept each new day with gratitude and practice positive thinking. And you will see how the world becomes kinder to you.

Tip 2. Remember - you are beautiful at any age!

Do not give in to provocations - menopause does not mean old age! Extinction concerns only the reproductive function of the body, while the woman can remain attractive and active. If you feel psychological discomfort, then it’s time to master practices that will help relieve the internal feeling of your unattractiveness. These are psychotherapy, auto-training, meditation, breathing exercises, yoga.

Yoga and simple breathing exercises will help relieve psychological discomfort during menopause.

All stages of menopause in women and their duration

With age, certain transformations occur in a woman’s body—hormonal levels change, and reproductive function declines. This period is usually called menopause or menopause. It can have different durations. It all depends on the genetics, health status and individual characteristics of the body of each representative of the fairer sex.

On average, the duration of menopause in women is about 2-6 years.

Tip 3. You need vitamins. And it is not discussed!

Hot flashes are one of the first signs of menopause that the vast majority of women experience. How it happens: You suddenly feel hot and may suddenly become sweaty and flushed. Often, hot flashes are accompanied by panic attacks, when there is a feeling of lack of air.

Uncontrollable hot flashes are familiar to most women after 45

The occurrence of hot flashes is associated with hormonal imbalance. Because of it, the level of substances in the body that are responsible for thermoregulation changes. The most important of them are beta-alanine and vitamin E, so during menopause it is necessary to compensate for their deficiency. Also make sure to take calcium, magnesium and potassium, which together have a positive effect on bone structure. After all, bone fragility is one of the primary problems during this period. It does not appear immediately, since calcium is washed out of the bones gradually, but when the problem becomes acute, it will be too late. That’s why it’s so important to start taking mineral complexes in advance.

How to prolong youth in the female body?

Despite the fact that with the advent of menopause, a woman’s reproductive function has ended, her life does not end there, which means that it is necessary to maintain the normal state of the body and help it cope with hormonal changes in every possible way. For this purpose, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first symptoms of menopause, who will select the right therapy and, in addition to prescribing medications, will also tell you about alternative treatment methods.

To ensure that menopause goes unnoticed for you, be sure to follow the following rules; they will also help you delay the onset of menopause if you start following them at the initial stage:

• make a balanced diet the norm, remove smoked foods from the menu, consume less salt, marinades and fast carbohydrates. You need to eat more fiber;
• you can resort to massages and therapeutic baths;
• you need to play sports, walk more, take the stairs rather than the elevator;
• use hormonal and herbal preparations;
• drink vitamin complexes, and also eat more foods containing vitamin E.

Menopause is a physiological process that every woman experiences from 40 to 60 years old. This range in age is associated with the individual characteristics of the body, living conditions, genetic predisposition and other factors.

A woman’s purpose is procreation, motherhood; it is inherent in nature that at a certain period the reproductive function begins to gradually fade away.

Hormones play a leading role here; it is with a decrease in the production of female sex hormones in the ovaries (estrogens, estradiol) that a radical restructuring of the female body occurs. It is called menopause or menopause and brings a lot of inconvenience and anxiety to the weaker sex. This period is accompanied by certain symptoms.

Tip 4. Eat tasty, but healthy

Please note that some foods increase hot flashes - for example, alcohol, coffee, cocoa, spicy or too hot foods. Try to remember what you ate before your next hot flash. If you can identify patterns, then you can avoid those foods to which the body reacts negatively.

Hot flashes can be caused by poor diet. By adjusting your diet, you will improve your well-being

Also, with the onset of menopause, weight increases. This is also due to hormonal changes. The fact is that adipose tissue can synthesize estrogens. Therefore, when the ovaries reduce their production, the body tries to compensate for the deficiency of estrogen by increasing fat reserves. This explains the increased appetite and craving for high-calorie foods high in carbohydrates and fats. It is useless to argue with nature, but you can try to come to an agreement with it.

Tip 5. Don’t leave things to chance

Enrich your diet with phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant substances, distant “relatives” of the female hormones estrogen. Once in the body, they partially replace real estrogens, the deficiency of which becomes less acute - which means that the unpleasant symptoms of menopause are reduced. If you start taking phytoestrogens already during perimenopause, you can mitigate the symptoms of menopause.

Of course, you can take real hormones. But, unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has many side effects and contraindications.

Every woman sooner or later faces a serious choice: start hormone replacement therapy or use natural remedies

Hormonal drugs for menopause are toxic to the liver; they increase vascular tone, blood clotting and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Hormones are contraindicated in a number of chronic diseases. In addition, while taking such drugs, you need to carefully monitor some blood parameters, regularly see specialists, and get tested. It's no wonder that many women are afraid of hormone therapy or simply cannot use it.

Phytoestrogens are a safe alternative to hormones. They gently correct hormonal balance without causing side effects typical of hormonal therapy. There are several types of phytoestrogens. Soy isoflavones are the most studied. These substances, normalizing hormonal balance, slow down skin aging, improve calcium absorption and strengthen bone tissue.

The Mense complex prevent and alleviate unpleasant symptoms of menopause caused by a decrease in estrogen levels . In addition to phytoestrogens (soy isoflavones), beta-alanine and vitamin E, Mense contains a number of useful micronutrients: vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid, vitamin C. The drug also contains the natural amino acid 5-hydroxytryptophan, which improves sleep and reduces appetite , thus preventing excess weight gain. More details on the website.

Tip 6. Exercise is your best friend

Of course, each of us has to solve a million problems every day, but try to set aside at least half an hour a day for physical activity. Time for exercise, exercise, or even a regular walk is time for your health. Numerous studies show that women who lead an active lifestyle have an easier time going through menopause and are less likely to suffer from hot flashes.

Don't neglect physical activity, it will give you a feeling of confidence and help you get through menopause more easily.

If you can’t visit a sports club, it doesn’t matter! Spend more time outdoors, walk, exercise at home. By the way, yoga or bodyflex (breathing exercises) gives a very good effect. Whatever type of physical activity you choose, you should enjoy it. Otherwise, you will hardly be able to exercise regularly and for a long time.

When does menopause start?

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. They mainly appear in the upper part of a woman's body

Although menopause is considered to occur one year after the last menstruation, its symptoms begin much earlier.

According to the Mayo Clinic Research Center, the average age of women entering menopause is 51 years. But in each specific case, the time of menopause may differ significantly from this figure.

Menopause can occur early, that is, in a woman's forties, or late, that is, when a woman is between 50 and 60 years of age.

Symptoms of menopause usually bother women for several years. They can begin before menopause and continue for several years after it.

Tip 7. Find time for yourself and for him

Many women at this age are tormented by the thought that their main purpose in life has been fulfilled - their children have grown up and no longer need parental care. Because of this, they lose the meaning of life. It is often after 40 years that relationships with a husband deteriorate. What to do? Look at all this from a different perspective. The children have grown up - wonderful! You now have more time for yourself and your spouse, a second youth is ahead. Spend it usefully: walk more together, communicate with your spouse, revive old family traditions.

After 45 comes second youth

If your priority is your career, now you have time to carefully consider what steps you can take to grow professionally. There may be areas of expertise in your profession that have been overlooked. Consider upgrading your skills.

You can engage in self-education, meet more often with those who share your hobby, visit interesting exhibitions, buy a theater or cinema subscription. You can take driving or manicure courses, join a dance club or those who love indoor violets. Allow yourself to enjoy life and enjoy it. Use all your life experiences to your advantage. Remember, menopause happens in every woman’s life, but not every woman turns it into a pause in life.

Dear women of seven, how did you meet menopause: cheerfully and fully armed, or did it suddenly overtake you and throw you off track? What methods did you resort to to make it easier to get through this period? Share your experience, it may be useful for other women.

To date, many products have been developed that can help women during menopause.

Complivit ® Calcium D3 GOLD is a source of vitamins, minerals, and natural estrogen genistein, which are important for women during age-related hormonal changes.

Find out more about the complex.

During menopause, you should not refuse to take vitamins and dietary supplements, but before choosing, you should consult with a specialist.

Specialized biologically active complexes for women after 40 years of age may contain genistein. It has antioxidant properties and protects the cells of the female body from aging, including skin cells.

Symptoms of menopause include the occurrence of hot flashes and night sweats, dry skin, weakness, and a feeling of fatigue. This negatively affects the mood of women of the “golden” age.

One tablet Complivit ® Calcium D3 GOLD is a whole range of actions aimed at maintaining the health and well-being of a woman during menopause.

Find out the composition and price.

A modern woman after 45 years feels like she is experiencing a rebirth. As a rule, she has already built a career, her children have grown up - the time has come to reap the fruits of her labor with pleasure. A whole world of possibilities opens up before her. The main thing is to feel healthy and full of strength. To do this, you need to be on the safe side, because physiology comes into its own...

The menopause is surrounded by so many myths that women are often afraid of its onset. Meanwhile, this is a natural phase of development, for which you can and should properly prepare. Let's answer together 10 basic questions about menopause.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a long period in a woman’s life associated with the gradual cessation of estrogen production by the ovaries and the completion of reproductive function. It is divided into three stages:

• Premenopause. The main symptom is disruption of the menstrual cycle, heavy menstruation.
• Menopause. The symptom is absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months. Against the background of delays and missed periods over the previous few years, menopause can be accurately diagnosed after the fact.
• Postmenopause is a woman’s life after menopause. The first five years are called early postmenopause. Postmenopause is characterized by the most striking symptoms of estrogen deficiency: changes in bone and muscle tissue, cardiovascular and urogenital disorders [1].

Menopause - normal or disease? The main causes of menopause

In medicine, the term menopause is usually used to refer to the period preceding menopause and characterized by certain changes in the hormonal system. The possibility of pregnancy depends on the follicles in the ovaries, which are a natural part of the menstrual cycle. That is, the function of the ovaries is reproductive. Namely, providing the body with progesterone and estrogen in sufficient quantities. With age-related depletion of resources, the ovaries lose their functions, which immediately affects both the health and menstrual cycle, as well as the psychological state of the woman. The key reason for menopause is the decline of ovarian function . But its appearance is influenced by:

• Excess weight.
• Disturbances in the psycho-emotional sphere.
• Problems in sexual life.
• Constant stress.
• Chronic diseases and their exacerbations.
• Genetics.
• The quality of life.

Medicines against menopause, alas, have not yet been invented, but preparing for its onset is within the power of every woman. The main thing is to “know the enemy by sight.”