Also called: Change of life
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her period stops. It usually occurs naturally, most often after age 45. Menopause happens because the woman's ovary stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
A woman has reached menopause when she has not had a period for one year. Changes and symptoms can start several years earlier.
They include :
- A change in periods - shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, with more or less time in between
- Hot flashes and/or night sweats
- Trouble sleeping
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood swings
- Trouble focusing
- Less hair on head, more on face
Menopause is not a disorder. Most women do not need treatment for it.
However, if symptoms are severe, medicines may help.
After menopause, women are more vulnerable to bone loss and heart disease.
Exercise and eating right can help keep women healthy as they age.
After menopause there are chronic conditions that tend to appear in women.
Declining estrogen levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Staying healthy after menopause may mean making some changes in the way you live.
- Don’t smoke. If you do use any type of tobacco, stop—it’s never too late to benefit from quitting smoking.
- Eat a healthy diet—one low in fat, high in fiber, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods, as well as all the important vitamins and minerals.
- Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D—in your diet or in vitamin/mineral supplements.
- Learn what your healthy weight is, and try to stay there.
- Do weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, or dancing, at least 3 days each week for healthy bones. But try to be physically active in other ways for your general health.
Other things to remember:
- Take medicine to lower your blood pressure if your doctor prescribes it for you.
- Use a water-based vaginal lubricant (not petroleum jelly) or a vaginal estrogen cream or tablet to help with vaginal discomfort.
- Get regular pelvic and breast exams, Pap tests, and mammograms. You should also be checked for colon and rectal cancer and for skin cancer. Contact your doctor right away if you notice a lump in your breast or a mole that has changed.
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