It's a natural part of every woman's life and marks the end of her reproductive years...
menopause.
Isn't it grand? This is one of those things your mother conveniently forgot to tell you about.
But it doesn't have to be debilitating.
Let's break it down a bit.
What do scientist have to say about menopause? Well, menopause appears to be limited to vertebrates (animals with backbones) and women in western society.
Although, it's also been observed in rhesus monkeys and other primates, some cetaceans (whales, dolphins, etc), and guppies.
Yes, you read that right, guppies! To be included in a such a group should make us all feel better.
Anthropologists tell us that more Asian women now report symptoms of menopause.
This could be due to a more western-style diet, a reduced consumption of unprocessed Soy products, or it could be attributed to societal factors.
What does menopause look like to real people? Whether you're a guppy or some other spine-having female, the transition into menopause is a major life change in which the social, physical and psychological effects of this process are frequently ignored or underestimated(especially by men or our children).
Menopause occurs at an average age of 51 and is defined as the "cessation of menstruation" (your periods stop) for a period of 12 months.
It can appear as early as 40 or as late as 60; we're all different and each woman is unique in her experience.
Although not commonly needed to verify it (women of a certain age know when it arrives), a simple blood test can confirm the onset of menopause; but from the research I have done, there is no test to determine when your periods will finish.
(It'll be a surprise!) It's not just menopause.
Let's take a look at the different types of menopause: Peri-menopause is the start of the menopause process (the beginning of the end?).
It's a gradual decline of oestrogen levels.
A woman can experience peri-menopause as early as her 30's, and it happens because the ovaries run low on eggs(follicles).
Peri-menopause can be a stop-start process that may take months (or even years) and it's the fluctuating hormone levels that cause the apparent re-appearance of adolescence.
This pendulum swing of hormone levels causes significant physiological changes in the ovaries, brain and uterus.
(See, there is a reason you're emotions and your body feel as if you're on a roller-coaster) Induced menopause is caused by the removal of, or damage to the ovaries (as with oophorectomy, hysterectomy and chemotherapy); it starts immediately and there is no peri-menopause.
Early or Premature menopause occurs before the age of 40.
It may occur biologically when the ovaries stop working (this is where a blood test might prove beneficial), or surgically when the ovaries are removed, or it may be chemically induced by radiation and/or chemotherapy for cancer.
Women who experience early menopause are at increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease because of the lack of hormones.
Surgical menopause is the removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) before natural menopause, which causes a sudden and permanent drop in the ovarian hormones.
Hormone treatment is usually started immediately after surgery because symptoms may be intense.
Another term for menopause is climacteric.
If you experience seriously hostile flushes you'll definitely prefer this name because it is so much more appropriate! Women who identify menopause as a medical condition or disease, rather than a transformation or transition period (no pun intended) are more likely to feel the physical and mental changes more intensely.
When we finally drag ourselves to the finishing line of the menopause trek, we are officially described as being in the post-menopause part of our lives, which is where the most exciting part of your Life Journey can begin...
if you choose.
menopause.
Isn't it grand? This is one of those things your mother conveniently forgot to tell you about.
But it doesn't have to be debilitating.
Let's break it down a bit.
What do scientist have to say about menopause? Well, menopause appears to be limited to vertebrates (animals with backbones) and women in western society.
Although, it's also been observed in rhesus monkeys and other primates, some cetaceans (whales, dolphins, etc), and guppies.
Yes, you read that right, guppies! To be included in a such a group should make us all feel better.
Anthropologists tell us that more Asian women now report symptoms of menopause.
This could be due to a more western-style diet, a reduced consumption of unprocessed Soy products, or it could be attributed to societal factors.
What does menopause look like to real people? Whether you're a guppy or some other spine-having female, the transition into menopause is a major life change in which the social, physical and psychological effects of this process are frequently ignored or underestimated(especially by men or our children).
Menopause occurs at an average age of 51 and is defined as the "cessation of menstruation" (your periods stop) for a period of 12 months.
It can appear as early as 40 or as late as 60; we're all different and each woman is unique in her experience.
Although not commonly needed to verify it (women of a certain age know when it arrives), a simple blood test can confirm the onset of menopause; but from the research I have done, there is no test to determine when your periods will finish.
(It'll be a surprise!) It's not just menopause.
Let's take a look at the different types of menopause: Peri-menopause is the start of the menopause process (the beginning of the end?).
It's a gradual decline of oestrogen levels.
A woman can experience peri-menopause as early as her 30's, and it happens because the ovaries run low on eggs(follicles).
Peri-menopause can be a stop-start process that may take months (or even years) and it's the fluctuating hormone levels that cause the apparent re-appearance of adolescence.
This pendulum swing of hormone levels causes significant physiological changes in the ovaries, brain and uterus.
(See, there is a reason you're emotions and your body feel as if you're on a roller-coaster) Induced menopause is caused by the removal of, or damage to the ovaries (as with oophorectomy, hysterectomy and chemotherapy); it starts immediately and there is no peri-menopause.
Early or Premature menopause occurs before the age of 40.
It may occur biologically when the ovaries stop working (this is where a blood test might prove beneficial), or surgically when the ovaries are removed, or it may be chemically induced by radiation and/or chemotherapy for cancer.
Women who experience early menopause are at increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease because of the lack of hormones.
Surgical menopause is the removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) before natural menopause, which causes a sudden and permanent drop in the ovarian hormones.
Hormone treatment is usually started immediately after surgery because symptoms may be intense.
Another term for menopause is climacteric.
If you experience seriously hostile flushes you'll definitely prefer this name because it is so much more appropriate! Women who identify menopause as a medical condition or disease, rather than a transformation or transition period (no pun intended) are more likely to feel the physical and mental changes more intensely.
When we finally drag ourselves to the finishing line of the menopause trek, we are officially described as being in the post-menopause part of our lives, which is where the most exciting part of your Life Journey can begin...
if you choose.
Source...