The Joys of Menopause - What a Trip!

More and more, baby boomers are reaching the transition period in life when, despite one's best efforts, the laws of nature begin to apply their forces to the body. The generation that swore it would never get old is aging. For women this can be a particularly difficult transition. If you are beginning, in, or moving past menopause please read on. We all hear the stories about what happens to women when menopause hits and it puts us on the defensive, to say nothing about scaring the heck out of us. "Women go crazy when they get menopause. Get them on hormones right away." "They become very emotional and cry all the time." "They get fat and get hair on their face." "They turn into old hags." Is any of that true?

Well, it has been my experience that most of these types of comments have come from men. Nothing against men mind you, but they haven't experienced the monthly visit from the "good fairy" or birthed a child, so obviously, they know more about their own bodies than a woman's. And, since the stereotypic beliefs about menopause were probably handed down to them from the last generation, the "horror" stories have most likely been embellished or exaggerated, as most scary stories are.

So, what are some facts?

Fact 1: Menopause affects different women differently, but there are some common features, the most obvious being hormonal imbalance.

Fact 2: Prescription hormones can help women through the transition of menopause, but are not the only answer and do carry potential dangers.

Fact 3: It can be difficult to keep weight in check due to Fact 1.

Fact 4: Hormonal imbalances can cause emotional outbursts.

The biggest factor in menopause is your hormones. They are changing and your body goes out of balance. Until some sort of balance is restored, one should expect unusual reactions both mental and physical. For some these reactions are minimal. For others they can be debilitating. The best thing you can do is look for ways to minimize the impact during the transition and look forward to being on the other side. Do not surrender to it.

What to do? Talk with your doctor, if you think you are approaching or experiencing the big M. There are tests they can perform to check hormone levels. Some women benefit from a temporary use of prescription hormones that taper off gradually. If you go this route, stay in close touch with your doctor and advise him or her of any symptoms or change in behaviors. It can sometimes take a prescription or two before the right combination is achieved.

Antidepressants may also help women with extreme emotional highs and lows as the body adjusts. While I am not a big advocate of prescription medicine, sometimes-for the sake of your sanity, your family and your job, they may be a necessary evil.

Rest is very important to the body and disrupted sleep is fairly common during menopause. A decrease in Melatonin production can be the cause. You can purchase sublingual melatonin at just about any store that carries sleep aids. One pill under the tongue before bedtime may be all you need. If your sleep issues are intense and lack of sleep is beginning to affect your life, talk with your doctor about a sleep aid, but be sure to pay attention to the level of dependence and the potential risks-read the prescription insert.

Hot flashes and night sweats. I love that commercial where all the women are running around trying to find a way to cool off. It's funny to watch, unfortunately, it isn't funny when it is happening to you. Hot flashes are another signal that your body's chemicals are out of balance. That commercial is selling a product that claims to minimize this problem. There are products on the market, prescription, non-prescription and herbal that may help with hot flashes. Black Cohosh often in combination with other herbs and chemicals is common. However, Black Cohosh can increase blood pressure. So do be careful even with herbal supplements. Consult with your physician or a trained herbalist before you just pluck something off the shelf. The side effects could be worse than the need for an air-conditioned suit. The good news is that these symptoms do subside or at least weaken over time

For those who have milder symptoms or just refuse to go the path of prescriptions (they are expensive and chemicals are generally not good for the body), there are some herbal alternatives. Soy proteins have been long recommended as a natural estrogen alternative. Walking, especially with a friend (Rover works) can help increase energy and boost the production of those great little mood-enhancing hormones that keep depression at bay. Parrot's Beak is a sedating herb that one can use in the daytime (juniperridge.com). It tastes bad and smells icky, but it can help keep one from "flying off the handle" (one of my mother's favorite expressions). It is also important to note that stress may play a significant role in bringing on hot flashes (and contributing to weight gain), so slow down a bit and make yourself take breaks. A moment of quiet and some deep breathing can go a long way toward improving your all over well-being.

A good night's sleep is critical to your health. Getting more and falling off to sleep at night may be achieved by a combination of things: Manage your body rhythm with light. Light tells your body it is go time, dark tells it to slow down and prepare for sleep. Lower the lights gradually at night to prepare for sleep. Turn the television off at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Let go of the day-clear your mind of the worries and stresses (sometimes easier said than done). Sitting still and reading can help redirect your thoughts and slow your metabolism. Sip some valerian tea (sorry, I have to put mine in juice).

Weight gain may be one of the most challenging affects of menopause. Daily walking, exercise that includes strength training and staying away from all the things you know you shouldn't eat anyway can help. If the struggle gets to be too much, talk with your doctor, but please remember that you don't have to be a twig to be healthy. Some practitioners offer blood or saliva tests to determine the specific type of weight gain you are experiencing-which hormones are out of balance-and may offer specific courses of action for your specific situation.

Be sure to check out the website womantowoman.com. Great information and most of it is free. You can take a survey that will give you an idea of where you are with your menopause symptoms and you can get recommendations for ways to cope with all the change.

There is no way that a small article like this could possibly cover all the ins, outs and possibilities associated with menopause, so get out there and read and explore possibilities. Ignorance is your enemy. What is right for one person is not necessarily the answer for another. You are unique. Take a tip from Jamie Lee Curtis: grow old like it was the natural thing to do-because it is. Don't fight it, embrace it. There is life after menopause. Make sure you are around to enjoy it!