Menopause is a part of all women’s lives that has its own symptoms, problems, and complications. It is a physiological step that occurs naturally in the lives of all women. As women age, their ovaries make and secrete fewer hormones (especially estrogen), so their periods gradually become irregular and stop completely afterward.
When does menopause usually happen?
Most women get stopped having periods between the ages of 45 and 55. However, the exact age of menopause is closely linked to genetics and may be influenced by other factors such as lifestyle, lack of pregnancy, and smoking.
What happens during menopause?
It has three stages and occurs gradually. These stages include:
- Perimenopause: Estrogen gradually declines, and the menstrual cycle becomes irregular. Menstruation may not occur for several months. This stage continues until the last period, after which menstruation no longer occurs, and the person enters the full menopausal stage.
- Menopause: From the last period of menstruation, if no other menstruation occurs for a year, it means that the person has entered full it.
- Postmenopause: These are the years after menopause. Menopausal symptoms worsen with age.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
The symptoms of before, during, and after menopause are generally the same. Every woman’s experience is unique. The most common early signs of perimenopause are:
- Less frequent menstruation
- Heavier or lighter periods
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Vaginal dryness
- Weight gain
- Increased urination
- Sore or tender breasts
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Anxiety
How do I know if I have a hot flush?
The most annoying symptoms of menopause are usually hot flashes. During hot flashes, you feel that your body temperature has risen. Flushing affects the upper half of your body. Your skin may even turn red or have red spots. An intense feeling of heat may lead to sweating, palpitations, and dizziness. Sometimes you get cold after a hot flush. This problem can occur every day or even several times a day. Also, you may experience it for a year or even several years.
Avoiding hot flashes reduces the number of times they occur. The following are the triggers for hot flashes:
- Alcohol or caffeine consumption
- Eat spicy foods
- Stress
- Presence in very hot places
- The overweight time when your menstrual periods stop
- Smoking
What is premature menopause?
It is defined medically as when a woman’s period stops in women’s lives due to the absence of a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. The average age for healthy menopause is 51. Sometimes it occurs earlier due to illness, genetic factors, or surgery. There is also a wide variety of women regarding the timing of normal menstrual stops.
Causes
If it occurs before the age of 40 is considered premature menopause. Premature has different causes. Some of them include:
- Premature ovarian failure: In premature ovarian failure, ovarian function stops naturally before age 40. Women with premature ovarian failure will have menstrual periods but usually experience infertility. Premature ovarian failure is usually associated with primary ovarian failure, and premature ovarian failure is associated with early menopausal symptoms.
- Therapeutic activities: Cancer treatment or other conditions that include chemotherapy or pelvic radiation therapy. These treatments can damage the ovaries and lead to ovarian failure.
- Surgery: Surgery to remove the ovaries in benign or malignant conditions. If both ovaries are removed, they will cause premature failure.
Other rare factors that may lead to premature failure include medications, chronic diseases, pituitary and hypothalamic tumors, psychiatric disorders, and other rare and unknown conditions. Premature menopause can be linked to genetic (hereditary) factors, such as autoimmune diseases, thyroid disease, viral infections, hormonal disorders, and eating disorders.
Treatments
- Hormone therapy: One of the ways to treat is hormone therapy. This type of treatment, there are various forms, including transdermal spray, gel, cream, and pills. Topical hormone therapy is available for intra-vaginal use. Hormone therapy is the most effective way to control symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Because of the risks involved, gynecologists recommend using the least effective dose of hormones in the shortest possible time.
- Oral contraceptive pills: Birth control pills are one of the medications used to treat menopause, and these drugs are a form of hormone therapy that helps alleviate symptoms.
- Medications Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and related drugs have been shown to be effective in controlling hot flashes in 60% of women.
Nutritional ways to reduce menopausal symptoms
There are nutritional methods to reduce menopause symptoms.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Hormonal changes cause bones to weaken. When your bones begin to weaken, it may be one of the first signs of stops having periods, which increases the risk of osteoporosis. We believe that calcium and vitamin D strengthens the bones in your body. So get enough of these nutrients in your daily diet; eat calcium-rich foods such as yogurt, milk, and cheese. Almost all dairy products are high in calcium; for vitamin D, sunlight is the cheapest and most common way to get vitamin D.
Eat vegetables
A diet rich in vegetables can naturally prevent symptoms. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and can help you feel good, so eating plenty of vegetables is great for your metabolism. In addition, eating vegetables can prevent many diseases.
Drink water
Women often experience dryness in various body areas during or before menstrual periods stop, most likely due to low estrogen levels. You can naturally prevent premature menopause by consuming 8 to 12 glasses of water daily. Drinking water can reduce bloating that occurs during hormonal changes. Also, drinking enough water can help prevent weight gain.
Don’t miss meals
Having a healthy diet is important, but more importantly, don’t skip meals. Many women skip meals and completely avoid eating when they want to lose weight. This happens to women of all ages. Skipping a meal will only increase your appetite. When you are exposed to stopping having periods, eating an irregular meal can make certain menopausal symptoms worse.
Eat high-protein foods
As you age, your muscles slowly disappear. One way to prevent this is to eat high-protein foods during menopause. High-protein foods can prevent you from losing muscle mass. In addition to helping prevent muscle loss, high-protein foods can help you lose weight.
Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are natural plant compounds that can increase the effects of estrogen on the body. We all know estrogen is responsible for developing and regulating the reproductive system. With the help of phytoestrogens that are similar to estrogens, hormones can undoubtedly be balanced; Foods rich in phytoestrogens include soy products, tofu, flaxseed, sesame seeds, and beans; however, it is very difficult to determine the true amount of estrogen in these foods because they may vary according to the processing methods.
Avoid foods that cause allergies
Certain foods may exacerbate menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Some of these foods include caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods. However, this is different for everyone, so it is recommended that you pay attention to foods that cause your allergies and naturally reduce these foods to prevent menopause. You will inevitably stop menopause altogether because it is part of the human stage; Remember that it is not a disease but a part of life.
Pelvic exam and menopause
Because the risk of cancer increases with age, regular pelvic exams may help detect some cancers early. For this reason, regular examinations should be performed by a gynecologist.
When should you see a doctor?
Some women seek treatment for premenopausal symptoms. But others may tolerate such changes or may not experience severe symptoms before menopause. In some cases, changes in the premenopausal stage occur so gradually that the person does not notice it at first.
However, experiencing premenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, or changes in sexual function can be annoying and affect your quality of life. So, in this case, you can see a gynecologist and look for a way to get rid of them. See your doctor regularly for preventative health measures and any possible concerns. Continue these visits during and after menopause.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/menopause
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause
https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-basics
https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155651