Menopause facts you ought to know

Menopause facts you ought to know

Ever since the ’70s sitcom “Maude” became a hit, talking about menopause is no longer taboo. In fact, you may have heard so much about it that you’re likely to tune out whenever the topic comes up. Nevertheless, it’s important to sort fact from fiction when it comes to coping with the unsettling changes that may accompany menopause. Here, then, is all you need to know to keep your body symptom-free when your ovaries slowly stop producing estrogen and releasing an egg each month, the events–in addition to the cessation of menstruation–that signal menopause.

What happens:

Bones begin to thin and weaken, which puts women at risk for osteoporosis.

What you can do:

  • Exercise regularly. Choose weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and weight lifting.
  • Eat a balanced diet with adequate calcium and vitamin D. If you’re postmenopausal and not taking estrogen, you need 1,500 milligrams of calcium each day, and 1,000 milligrams a day if you’re premenopausal or are taking estrogen. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 400 IU.
  • Quit smoking. It speeds bone loss by hampering the absorption of calcium.
  • Reduce your alcohol intake. More than two drinks a day can decrease calcium absorption.
  • Consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It protects bones by replacing lost estrogen.

What happens:

Arteries are more likely to develop atherosclerosis, a narrowing of the arteries that can cause a heart attack.

What you can do:

  • Have your blood pressure checked regularly, and if necessary, get treatment.
  • Have your cholesterol tested and reduce your intake of fats and cholesterol.
  • Quit smoking. Smoking causes the platelets (clotting agents) in the blood to cluster, making blood thicker.
  • Get active. Exercise helps cleanse the blood of fats that can block arteries.
  • Consider HRT. The estrogen component of HRT prevents atherosclerosis by lowering levels of LDL, the “bad” cholesterol, and maintaining levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol.

What happens:

Muscle tone in the bladder and urethra are reduced, which can lead to mild urinary incontinence.

What you can do:

  • Do Kegel exercises. Strengthen the pelvic-floor muscles by alternately contracting and relaxing them (as if you were trying to stop the flow of urine).
  • Consider HRT. It can improve pelvic tone.

What happens:

Vaginal tissues thin and lubrication decreases, which can make intercourse painful and vaginal infections more common.

What you can do:

  • Stay sexually active. Sexual activity helps prevent or slow down vaginal changes by increasing blood flow to the area.
  • Use lubricating jellies or suppositories to reduce discomfort during intercourse.
  • Consider HRT or estrogen creams. Estrogen is the most effective cure for vaginal discomfort caused by menopause.

What happens:

Hot flashes occur as the body adjusts to hormonal changes.

What you can do:

  • Stay active. Studies have shown that women who exercise are less likely to experience hot flashes.
  • Quit smoking. It can aggravate hot flashes, as can alcohol (especially red wine), caffeine and stress.
  • Consider HRT. It usually eliminates hot flashes.

Does menopause have to threaten your health or your lifestyle? Absolutely not! Furthermore, you can reduce the side effects of “the change” by eating right, exercising, stopping smoking and taking HRT if it’s right for you.

How hormone therapy can help In the short term, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can relieve the hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness and other symptoms that occur when your body stops producing estrogen. But long-term hormone replacement therapy imparts plenty of benefits, too:

  • It prevents osteoporosis. HRT’s effectiveness in preventing bone loss is firmly established. Numerous studies have shown that postmenopausal women who have undergone HRT for at least a decade have significantly less bone loss than women who have not.
  • It prevents heart disease. The estrogen component of HRT lowers LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) and raises HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind).
  • It protects against other illnesses. Mounting scientific evidence suggests that HRT can reduce colon cancer risk and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.