Why is nobody talking about menopause? And how can we help ourselves through this life transition?
Erectile Dysfunction, why do we know so much about this? We see the ads on the TV, men are encouraged to talk to their doctors and women are willing to talk to their husbands about the issue. Life is pretty sweet for men, right?
Well, this blog is not about erectile dysfunction but menopause. Yes, menopause. Let’s face it, this is something that is not discussed and to my knowledge, you will never see an ad on TV for it. According to Cleveland Clinic, men are 40% likely to get erectile dysfunction at 40 and 70% at 70. Do you know how many women get menopause? 100% and yet there is very little information. It is estimated that 1.3 million women every year go into menopause, which is defined as not having a period for a year.
So do I feel mad about the lack of information? You bet I do because for the past couple of years I have felt lost at sea without a boat suffering alone with little information. Let me just explain some basics. Perimenopause happens in your 40s, but some women notice symptoms in their 30s. Our periods become irregular, we could experience mood swings, hot flashes, sleep issues, vaginal dryness, loss of bone, night sweats, weight gain, hair loss, and changes in cholesterol levels. Sounds fun right?
Menopause is defined as not having a period for a year where the average age of women is around 51. Many women can continue to experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and disruption in sleep, with lower energy which can affect our emotional and mental health.
What is happening to our body is that our estrogen and progesterone levels are changing and in perimenopause, our estrogen levels can vary up to a 30% range daily. That is quite a fluctuation which is no wonder we feel either irritable, anxious, or depressed!
Perimenopause symptoms
So do I feel mad about the lack of information? You bet I do because for the past couple of years I have felt lost at sea without a boat suffering alone with little information. Let me just explain some basics. Perimenopause happens in your 40s, but some women notice symptoms in their 30s. Our periods become irregular, we could experience mood swings, hot flashes, sleep issues, vaginal dryness, making sex painful, loss of bone, night sweats, weight gain, hair loss, and changes in cholesterol levels. Sounds fun right?
Menopause is defined as not having a period for a year where the average age of women is around 51. Many women can continue to experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and disruption in sleep, with lower energy which can affect our emotional and mental health.
What is happening to our body is that our estrogen and progesterone levels are changing and in perimenopause, our estrogen levels can vary up to a 30% range daily. That is quite a fluctuation which is no wonder we feel either irritable, anxious, or depressed!
Managing stress & Taking care of ourselves
Stress is a huge factor during perimenopause and menopause and can really affect our hormones, so managing stress as best we can is imperative. Exercise, sleep, eating healthy and I hate to say this ladies but caffeine and alcohol are huge contributors to hot flashes. Boo, I hear you say. We need our liver to help flush out our estrogen, and when we drink alcohol our body focuses on getting rid of the alcohol and not on flushing out the estrogen. This causes sleep issues and you got it - hot flashes. Another little fact is that while going through perimenopause and menopause, our body can keep caffeine in our system for 24 hours, which can then really affect our sleep. Boy menopause is tough!
As I said I am no expert, but educating yourself, reading books and research, talking to doctors, friends and family together with listening to podcasts can help you understand what is happening to your body. It is important that you research whether hormones are the best option for you or alternatively look into holistic medications. As you try different things hopefully over time your symptoms will slowly diminish and only then can you be thankful that you no longer have a period.