Perimenopause And Your Health
Perimenopause refers to the transitional period of time before menstruation actually stops. This phase is marked by changes in the menstrual cycle, along with other physical and emotional symptoms. This pre-menopause phase can actually last up to 10 years and during this time a woman can experience a number of symptoms that are usually associated with menopause. In this article, we’ll examine perimenopause and the impact on your health.
Menopause actually occurs when a woman permanently stops having menstrual periods. Perimenopause is the transitional period of time before menstruation completely stops, and generally starts between one and six years before menopause. Some experts believe that it can actually start up to 10 years before menopause. Women typically experience mood changes, changes in sexual desire, difficulty in concentrating, headaches, night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, joint and muscle aches, extreme sweating, frequent urination and symptoms that are similar to premenstrual syndrome.
Lifestyle counseling is important for all perimenopausal women, because good health habits can reduce the incidence of chronic health problems later in life. A healthy lifestyle should include good nutrition, exercise, and abstaining from smoking and drinking to excess. A healthy diet, low in fat and high in grains, fruits, and vegetables can benefit women going through pre-menopause and menopause because it reduces their risk of hypertension, osteoporosis and weight gain. Adequate calcium intake is especially important to maintain bone density as estrogen levels decline. Women should get calcium from dietary sources, such as low-fat or non-fat dairy products, greens, broccoli, canned sardines and salmon, fortified orange juice and cereal.
In addition to eating a healthy, calcium rich diet, women going through perimenopause and menopause should step up their level of physical activity. Regular aerobic exercise helps to decrease hot flashes, depression, insomnia and weight gain. Aerobic exercises offer additional benefits, such as reducing the risk of coronary artery disease, while weight-bearing exercises like weight lifting and jogging builds bone density. Peri menopausal women should be encouraged to perform moderate aerobic and weight-bearing exercise at least three times per week.
If you are having abnormal periods, frequent mood swings and are extremely fatigued, then it may be time to have a heart to heart chat with your doctor. People love to joke about wild hormones and freaky mood swings, but there is simply nothing funny about the physical and emotional discomforts of pre-menopause and menopause. Work with your doctor to determine a course of treatment best suited to you and make the effort to live a healthier life. You’ll find that it will make the transition between perimenopause and menopause far easier to bear.
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