How to Lose the Holiday Menopause Blue?

 Holidays are seasons to look up for; they bring a lot of excitement, family get together, cooking and a whole of a lot of great things to celebrate together. The truth is that women are often at the center of it all; cooking, making sure everyone is comfortable, help settling down issues between kids and be all and everything to everyone! This then becomes a bitter sweet moment. Your guess is as good as mine; this is such a huge task for one person. Particularly when it comes to a menopausal woman, such times are bound to increase stress levels and exacerbate menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, stress, depression and anxiety among others. 

So how do you deal with the menopause holiday blues to ensure that you maintain your balance; have fun and reduce on menopause blues? The following are ways that have worked for many other woman and we are excited to share with you.

Plan to only bit what you can chew

Planning is a critical step in ensuring your holiday is successful. It would be prudent of any woman to ensure they are clear of what they are responsible for during the holiday season. Take a critical look at all the responsibilities that you intend to achieve; could it be that you are expecting too much from yourself? Be more sincere with yourself; be more realistic. You could choose to get extra hands to help; you could delegate some of the roles, maybe outsource and just handle what you can. It is important that you reduce on any pressure or any frustrations that would build up into stress.

Consider menopause treatments

Start with lifestyle changes that are easy to implement. You could for instance, reduce the urge to take alcohol, drugs and cigars as they will only increase your menopausal blues. Use menopause supplements and alternative medicine in addition to the lifestyle changes. If the menopausal blues are extreme, you could also consider HRT.

Keep your type-A personality in check!

What if the cookies did measure up to the chef’s level? What if you added a little weight? Every single thing does not have to be perfect for it to be fun, delicious or enjoyable! You could derive great fun, and joy even from those that did not work your way; just laugh at the thought if them not working and you will find all your stress is gone. But here is the bottom line-most of the people wouldn’t even notice that they were not perfect! It is all in your mind! So keep that chick under reasonable control so that you do not ruin your great moments.

Grab the lemons and let’s make a lemonade

You know there are times when life throws those lemons your way; a grumpy salesperson/boss, unruly children, or a problematic husband. Do not let others have the pleasure of rattling your life; just let go of the experience immediately. Forgive and let go. This is not because they deserved the forgiveness-sometimes they even are not aware they’ve hurt you!-forgive because you deserve great peace within that is not interfered with hot flashes and night sweats.

Laugh

Laughter is medicine of the heart and even in menopause; laughter remains a critical component in minimizing menopause blues. It relieves whatever tension you could have; it is actually like an emotional massage. Do it as often as you can. You could even put measures in place to ensure you laugh; get some comedy or stick around with friends who are comical since it is holiday time and just laugh.

Have positive thoughts and attitudes

Research has shown that the presence of positive thoughts and having a positive attitude go a long way in reducing menopause symptoms. The lack of positive thoughts greatly harms a woman’s health more than the presence of negative thoughts. Be keen on sustaining positive thoughts through inspirational content and avoiding any negative energy. Join support groups and hear other women’s inspirational stories; you will soon be lifted emotionally through their experiences.

Exercise
 
The importance of exercise cannot be stressed enough for menopausal women. It not only goes into making a healthy body with loss of weight, but it also goes a long way to have your brain and mind covered. Exercises reduce weight, cure insomnia; helps manage osteoporosis, stress, depression and anxiety. Exercises raise the feel-good endorphins that are critical in eliminating anger, tension and menopausal depression.

Not all days are sunny 

Whereas we dream of great days and holidays ahead, there are times when we lose loved ones and holidays become such lonely moments. Such holidays become difficult times with sadness especially if you are alone. Do not be in a rush to be happy. It is important to take a day at a time. Take time to heal and when it is all done, you can fly up into the sunshine of laughter. Just be sure to have great encouraging materials that would help you heal.

Conclusion

It is possible to enjoy your holiday seasons without raising your menopausal blues. Therefore, take the chance to incorporate the ideas shared and you can be sure to enjoy your holidays. We would be glad to hear how your holiday’s menopausal blues went down this holiday.

References:

https://www.glozine.com/lifestyle/health/supplements-to-ease-menopause.html

https://medium.com/@vaileriadennis/how-is-a-woman-s-body-going-through-withdrawal-during-menopause-3a3467e54a96#.50dpkyn11

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Peri-Menopause: Knowing The Signs And Symptoms

Normal hormonal fluctuations indicative of transition to menopause bring about a wide range of symptoms that differ from one woman to another, and this is the period defined as perimenopause, while others call it premenopause, largely affecting young women in their late early to mid-30s. And because menopause is naturally a product of aging, many young women are caught unawares, and often go testing for almost everything else. Of course, some of the symptoms of the symptoms of focus here will be similar to the menopause signs a woman will experience in later years.

Irregular Monthly Cycle: One of the things a young lady should be on the look-out for is changing pattern in her periods. This is usually one of the early signs that menopause is around the corner. Depending on how your pattern has been, the flow may become more regular or more distance. The other thing to watch for is the density and intensity of the periods. Consistent menstrual irregularity of up to a week is indicative of early stages of perimenopause, while any irregularities of up to 2 months or more would signal late perimenopause.

Disrupted sleep patterns: Sleep problems can be quite disturbing at perimenopause, because young women at this stage are still actively engaged at work or pursuing further studies, and the little time available for sleep should not be unnecessarily interrupted. But with hot flashes and night sweats being early symptoms of perimenopause, unpredictable sleep patterns is a normal occurrence.

Hot Flashes:  This is another symptom that may show in the very initial stages. In the human brain, there is a gland entrusted with the regulation of temperature in the body. This gland is called hypothalamus, and also regulates the monthly cycles. Because of the dwindling estrogens levels that come with menopause, it becomes easier for the heat to move upwards as the blood vessels tend to expand, allowing for increased heartbeat. The heat may be mild and very intense from time to time, accompanied with uncomfortable sweating, and may end in a matter of minutes or a few hours.

Reduced sexual interests: While this may not come with pronounced physical pains and discomfort at this stage, it could be very worrisome for young ladies at the height of sexual fun, whether married or not, because of lowered libido. Perimenopause comes with diminishing levels of estrogen, which results in reduced lubrication and bladder problems. Sexual intercourse may become painful as vaginal tissues lose their natural fabrication, and the risk of vaginal infections may increase. Even so, you can easily overcome this challenge by looking for best menopause products including lubricants, to improve on your comfort levels especially with regard to vaginal dryness. Other appropriate measures here would include engaging your partner in meaningful sexual discussions to bring him to par with what your feelings are, and together forge the way forward. Meanwhile, you would do a lot of good to keep your mind positive, for with a good attitude you will heighten your sexual attitude.

Declining levels of cholesterol: There is a direct relationship between reduced levels of estrogen during Perimenopause, and lipoprotein cholesterol. When the estrogen levels decline, the low-density cholesterol may increase, while the good density cholesterol may decrease. An increase or decrease of either of the lipoprotein cholesterols puts one at the risk of heart disease. It’s therefore important for young women to keep a close check on their cholesterol chart, to avert long-term effects.

Mood Swings: If you ever thought that mood swings are only limited to adolescence, then this is a very common occurrence during Perimenopause and later stages. Largely this could be as a result of disrupted sleep patterns by hot flashes, coupled with other multiple factors that may not necessarily have anything to do with hormonal changes. It is not unusual for some young women to experience irritability during Perimenopause, as well as exposure to risks of depression.

Loss of bones: Naturally, the human bones replace themselves over time; with reduced levels of estrogen the rate of losing bones increases, at a rate faster than the body can replace them. This way, you also fall in the risk of contracting osteoporosis, exposing your bones to feebleness.

Other signs and symptoms: It might not always be possible to exhaust all the signs and symptom of perimenopause because they differ from one person to another, but here are a few more: aching and sore joints, depression, and tenderness of breast, anxiety and fatigue. There may be cases of memory lapses that do not last for long, occasional headache and dizziness, gaining of weight and changes in body odour.

One of the sure ways of knowing that the Perimenopause is finally over, is going through a period of 12 consecutive months without experiencing your menstrual period.

References:

https://www.glozine.com/lifestyle/health/supplements-to-ease-menopause.html

http://www.medicalmingle.com/dorismburu/blog/2016/01/30/8_steps_to_manage_peri-menopause_period

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Is Hormone Therapy Treatment Safe for Menopause?

The question of whether hormone therapy treatment is safe or not for menopause didn’t seem to be a bother for many women, until researchers in the Women’s Health Initiative in 2002 associated this treatment with increased risks of diseases like heart attack, stroke and breast cancer, among others. Out of fear, the announcement saw millions of women do away with their hormones, drastically affecting its prescription and consumption. 2 years later, Women’s Health Institute would further establish that women making use of estrogen alone were not at high risk of developing heart attacks and breast cancer, save for blood clots and strokes.

To help in answering whether it’s still safe or not to use, we will briefly review what HRT is, and then the benefits and the risk factors.

Understanding HRT

When a woman gets to menopause (widely ranging from 30s to 50s), her body reduces the production of female hormones, known as estrogen and progesterone. With this development, her ovaries can no longer produce eggs, her monthly periods stop, and she can no longer become expectant. This change in the female life comes with a lot of short term and long term symptoms, including moodiness, irritability, sleep disturbance, hot flushes, sweating, vaginal pains and dryness, among others.

Administration of HRT

To relieve menopause symptoms, doctors prescribe HRT, which works by replacing either or both the depleted estrogen and progesterone. HRT is taken in various forms: in form of tablets, as implants (appropriate places as guided by the doctor), or by rubbing it into the skin as a gel or spray. Creams or vaginal rings can be administered for women dealing with vaginal dryness.

Types of Hormone Therapies

There are two major types of hormones therapies. Estrogen Therapy is where estrogen is taken alone, and is usually taken in low doses on a daily basis, for the purposes of relieving symptoms of menopause and for the prevention of osteoporosis, and is largely recommended for women who have undergone hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). The second one is generally referred to as a combination therapy, because ideally it is a combination of doses from estrogen and progesterone. Others may call it Estrogen Progesterone or Progestin Hormone Therapy.

The Do's and Don’ts of Hormone Therapy Treatment

Hormone therapy remains the most efficient and successful menopause treatments for hot flashes and vaginal dryness.  Vaginal estrogen should be the preferred treatment for women whose only issue is uncomfortable sexual intercourse because of vaginal dryness. Estrogen pills, cream, gel or spray remain the most reliable treatment for both night sweats and hot flashes, in addition to symptoms like itching and painful intercourse. You should therefore not suffer in silence with “internal global warming”, given the effectiveness of
HRT in fighting hot flashes.

It should be noted that unless advised otherwise by your doctor, HRT is a lot safer for women in their late 40s and early 50s. Younger women experiencing the early stages of menopause and undergoing hormone therapy have very low risks of contracting cancers, strokes and blood clots, compared to their counterparts in their 60s and 70s. Other benefits of taking HRT include reduced loss of teeth, decreased chances of suffering bone breakage and developing osteoporosis, and average improvement for pains in the joints. For peri-menopausal or menopausal women, use of hormones may be very safe for the control of irregular bleeding. Further, WHI agrees that hormones can significantly reduce the chances of women suffering from colon cancer and osteoporosis.

It’s imperative to point out that you cannot be safe using hormone replacement therapy in the prevention of chronic diseases, especially because there are increased risks of cancer and cardiovascular risks for women in postmenopausal stage. More particularly, for some older women the risks include gall bladder disease, blood clots, strokes and heart attack, breast cancer, and cancer of the uterine lining for women with a uterus. Even so, these risks are subject to many other factors like family history, the state of health for individual women, and the amount of estrogen or progesterone dosage, and whether the hormones are combined or not.

Hormones should only be introduced to older women (those who have not had periods for more than 10 years) in this category for very particular functioning, and under close supervision to avert more crises. It should however be noted that there are many women (young and old) who get breast cancer even when they are not on hormone therapy.

Every woman considering use of hormones should remember hormones are not a permanent medication, just like all other medications. Close consultations with a gynecologist or family doctor would help assess individual health situation and related risk factors for the development of a personalized formula.

A major disadvantage of the Women’s Health Initiative findings of 2002 is that majority of the women in the study were older women in their mid-60s. Those below the age of 60 were no more than 10%, who indeed had fewer risks and more benefits from hormone therapies.

References:

https://www.glozine.com/lifestyle/health/supplements-to-ease-menopause.html

http://www.enkivillage.com/is-hormone-therapy-safe-for-menopause-treatments.html

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