tips to get through menopause

There’s no reason to suffer —If you are a woman, most likely you will spend a third of your life perimenopausal or post-menopausal. Considering how much you’ve been through in your life, there is no reason to “tough out” the discomforts of menopause. Americans think it is normal and responsible to take various medicines for arthritis pain, cardiac and vascular disease, and diabetes. So why not also evaluate and/or treat the symptoms and changes that come with menopause? There are plenty of options available now besides hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and physicians are now embracing integrated medicine to accomplish what works best for each individual woman, whether it includes HRT or not. One of the newer products they are recommending is Oöna, an herbal supplement that combines black cohosh and chaste tree berry.

There is no “right” way, just “your” way—You may believe that HRT is either the “fountain of youth” or the “fountain of evil.” Truthfully, it’s neither. Become informed about all the options available and consult your doctor. With an open mind and effective communication, you and your doctor will find what works best for you. There are several integrated approaches including conventional pharmaceutical preparations, herbs, acupuncture, and meditation, etc. that many women have had success with.

Update your Vitamin Regime -- If you have been taking the same multivitamin for years, now is the time to review the label. Women in midlife have different needs and should take at least 400 IUs of vitamin E (take these in 200 IU intervals), 400 mcg of folic acid, 100 mg of vitamin B6, 1250-1500 mg of calcium with 500 mg of magnesium, 200-1200 IUs of vitamin D, and 1,000-5000 mg of vitamin C with Rose Hips. Omega 3 essential fatty acids are also very important and can be found in cod liver oil pills and flaxseed.

Hormones are affected by stress and what we eat— As production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone by the ovaries declines, the adrenal glands, muscles and brain begin to produce an increasing percentage of the body’s androgen hormones and convert them to weaker estrogens. A healthy diet and positive attitude have been shown to help this conversion. Also, symptoms of menopause are known to have “triggers” such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar and spicy foods, which you should eliminate or cut back on. Starches should come from darker whole breads, grains and vegetables. It’s also a good idea to eliminate, or deal with, as much stress as possible since most women feel either a greater number of menopausal symptoms or feel them with greater intensity when they are under stress.