Friday, February 22, 2008
Menopause Symptoms And Solutions
Youve recently noticed some changes in your physical appearance, your level of energy and/or your overall mood. Could it be that these changes are associated with menopause? If youre a woman approaching middle age, yes, the symptoms youre experiencing could very well be associated with menopause, even if youre still having regular periods. You see, as you approach menopause, your hormone levels begin to decline, which can result in many of the symptoms youre currently experiencing.
Obviously, the onset of menopause affects every woman differently, and symptoms can range from being very mild and hardly noticeable, to extremely severe and uncomfortable. Common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes or night sweats, difficulty sleeping through the night, weight gain (especially around the mid-section), vaginal dryness, mood swings or depression, feelings of confusion and hair thinning on your head. Youll not necessarily experience all symptoms associated with menopause, but its quite likely that youll notice at least some changes occurring as you approach this time in your life.
Fortunately, there are remedies available to lessen these symptoms and make life much more comfortable and even enjoyable as the menopausal years approach. If youre like many women, theres a strong possibility that youll want to do all you can to reduce the severity of your symptoms by making a few simple lifestyle changes. For instance, if youre experiencing hot flashes, try to avoid triggers that can contribute to the frequency and/or severity of this annoying and uncomfortable symptom. Many women have reported that consuming hot or spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine can bring on hot flashes. Additionally, feeling stressed or simply putting yourself in a situation where youll be in a hot place can contribute to the onset of hot flashes. If youve noticed that this is the case for you, do what you can to avoid these triggers. If you can, try to get into a regular exercise routine, as physical activity and exercise have been shown to reduce the incidence of hot flashes.
If you find that your sleep patterns are no longer patterns at all, but instead broken and interrupted periods of restless sleep, theres a good chance this can be blamed on your declining hormone levels as well. If you want a good nights sleep (and who doesnt?) its a good idea to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Dont, however, do so near your bedtime. Similarly, youll want to avoid smoking, consuming large meals and working right before you turn in for the night. Its recommended that you keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool so that youre more likely to stay asleep once youve gone to bed. If you should happen to wake during the night, its a good idea to get up and read until youre sleepy enough to fall back to sleep.
If youve experienced mood swings associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), theres a greater likelihood that youre sensitive to hormone changes and will, therefore, probably notice some moodiness and memory problems as you approach and experience menopause. Staying active and getting a sufficient amount of sleep will certainly help to alleviate these symptoms. Not only has exercise been proven to reduce or eliminate several symptoms associated with menopause, but it has been my own personal savior as I began gaining weight, experiencing night sweats and becoming moody and lethargic. When I began a regular exercise routine, one which included weight bearing exercises, the overall improvement in my physical and emotional states was absolutely astonishing.
Of course, some women will simply need to turn to other solutions to eliminate or lessen the severity of menopause symptoms. Vitamin E and some herbs have been known to reduce the incidence and severity of hot flashes. If you should choose to consider vitamins and herbs to assist with your menopausal symptoms, its a good idea to work closely with someone who is quite familiar with herbs and vitamins to ensure that you adjust your dosages as needed.
Hormone replacement therapy can help women who are experiencing more severe and difficult symptoms of menopause. As with many treatments, hormone therapy poses some risks, in addition to the possible benefits. Its best to discuss the pros and cons of hormone therapy with your doctor so that youre better able to make a well-informed decision regarding this treatment. If you should decide to use hormone therapy, try to use the lowest dose that helps you, and for the shortest period of time needed.
Remember, this can be the start of a wonderful period in your life. Treat your body well and the results will be extremely beneficial now and in the future.
Susan Megge is the founder of http://www.40isbeautiful.com, a website designed to assist mature women as they approach and experience menopause. She is a grandmother, who started experiencing symptoms of menopause several years ago and researched various avenues to deal with these symptoms naturally. This led to her discovery of the significant role that exercise plays in making menopause a very manageable, and even wonderful time in a woman's life. Susan Megge is the author of "Being Beautiful Beyond 40," a book dedicated to helping women to be inspired, confident and beautiful as they approach menopause.
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Obviously, the onset of menopause affects every woman differently, and symptoms can range from being very mild and hardly noticeable, to extremely severe and uncomfortable. Common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes or night sweats, difficulty sleeping through the night, weight gain (especially around the mid-section), vaginal dryness, mood swings or depression, feelings of confusion and hair thinning on your head. Youll not necessarily experience all symptoms associated with menopause, but its quite likely that youll notice at least some changes occurring as you approach this time in your life.
Fortunately, there are remedies available to lessen these symptoms and make life much more comfortable and even enjoyable as the menopausal years approach. If youre like many women, theres a strong possibility that youll want to do all you can to reduce the severity of your symptoms by making a few simple lifestyle changes. For instance, if youre experiencing hot flashes, try to avoid triggers that can contribute to the frequency and/or severity of this annoying and uncomfortable symptom. Many women have reported that consuming hot or spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine can bring on hot flashes. Additionally, feeling stressed or simply putting yourself in a situation where youll be in a hot place can contribute to the onset of hot flashes. If youve noticed that this is the case for you, do what you can to avoid these triggers. If you can, try to get into a regular exercise routine, as physical activity and exercise have been shown to reduce the incidence of hot flashes.
If you find that your sleep patterns are no longer patterns at all, but instead broken and interrupted periods of restless sleep, theres a good chance this can be blamed on your declining hormone levels as well. If you want a good nights sleep (and who doesnt?) its a good idea to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Dont, however, do so near your bedtime. Similarly, youll want to avoid smoking, consuming large meals and working right before you turn in for the night. Its recommended that you keep your bedroom dark, quiet and cool so that youre more likely to stay asleep once youve gone to bed. If you should happen to wake during the night, its a good idea to get up and read until youre sleepy enough to fall back to sleep.
If youve experienced mood swings associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), theres a greater likelihood that youre sensitive to hormone changes and will, therefore, probably notice some moodiness and memory problems as you approach and experience menopause. Staying active and getting a sufficient amount of sleep will certainly help to alleviate these symptoms. Not only has exercise been proven to reduce or eliminate several symptoms associated with menopause, but it has been my own personal savior as I began gaining weight, experiencing night sweats and becoming moody and lethargic. When I began a regular exercise routine, one which included weight bearing exercises, the overall improvement in my physical and emotional states was absolutely astonishing.
Of course, some women will simply need to turn to other solutions to eliminate or lessen the severity of menopause symptoms. Vitamin E and some herbs have been known to reduce the incidence and severity of hot flashes. If you should choose to consider vitamins and herbs to assist with your menopausal symptoms, its a good idea to work closely with someone who is quite familiar with herbs and vitamins to ensure that you adjust your dosages as needed.
Hormone replacement therapy can help women who are experiencing more severe and difficult symptoms of menopause. As with many treatments, hormone therapy poses some risks, in addition to the possible benefits. Its best to discuss the pros and cons of hormone therapy with your doctor so that youre better able to make a well-informed decision regarding this treatment. If you should decide to use hormone therapy, try to use the lowest dose that helps you, and for the shortest period of time needed.
Remember, this can be the start of a wonderful period in your life. Treat your body well and the results will be extremely beneficial now and in the future.
Susan Megge is the founder of http://www.40isbeautiful.com, a website designed to assist mature women as they approach and experience menopause. She is a grandmother, who started experiencing symptoms of menopause several years ago and researched various avenues to deal with these symptoms naturally. This led to her discovery of the significant role that exercise plays in making menopause a very manageable, and even wonderful time in a woman's life. Susan Megge is the author of "Being Beautiful Beyond 40," a book dedicated to helping women to be inspired, confident and beautiful as they approach menopause.
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Do Fats Fit Into A Healthy Dinner Recipe?
If youre like me you are often looking for a quick and healthy dinner recipe, but you are concerned about the amount of fat in some choices. However, fats are essential to
the proper functioning of our bodies. Among other things, fats help maintain cell membrane integrity and they help nerve transmission and nutrient absorption. However, if
consumed in excess quantities, fats can lead to weight gain, heart disease and various types of cancer. Be aware that not all fats are alike. Some fats contribute to our
well-being and some can be quite harmful, increasing the risk of developing heart disease.
So your (quick) healthy dinner recipe should contain a certain amount of fat. But how much fat do we need exactly? The Zone, a popular diet, suggests that the calories we
consume should come from carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the following proportion: 40%, 30% and 30%, respectively. We dont necessarily have to drastically follow
this advice; it should only serve as a general reference. The key is to replace the bad fats in our meals with good ones.
Here is a quick review of the different types of fat.
* Saturated Fats
Saturated fats cause an increase of blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, which are the bad cholesterol. Products that have high saturated fat content include meat, eggs,
dairy products and seafood. A few plant foods, like coconut oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil also contain high amounts of saturated fats.
* Trans Fats
Trans fatty acids are the result of the industrial process of "hydrogenating" liquid oils. This process was devised in an attempt to make food products last longer. Trans fats
are commonly found in packaged foods, in commercially fried food (e.g., French fries), in packaged snacks (e.g., microwaveable popcorn), and in hard stick margarine and
vegetable shortening.
* Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats are the good fats because they cause blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol to decrease, and at the same time, increase HDL cholesterol or the good
cholesterol. Products that contain high levels of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil and nuts. Look for these ingredients in any healthy dinner recipe, like salad
dressing made with olive oil.
* Polyunsaturated Fats
Similar to monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats help lower total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. High levels of polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower oil,
sunflower oil, corn oil, fish oil, and seafood like salmon. The Omega-3 fatty acids fall under this type of fats.
Some Things You Can Do to Avoid the Bad Fats
* Use only cooking oils that have low amounts of saturated fats and high amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil, flax seed oil and canola oil).
* Stay away from commercially packaged foods since they have high trans fat content.
* Read food labels and go with those that are trans fat free.
* Avoid saturated fats by opting for low-fat versions of dairy products (e.g., skim milk).
* Go for lean meats. Make sure the visible fats and the skins are removed.
Following this advice will help make sure you benefit the most from a nutritious, healthy dinner recipe.
Copyright 2007, Deborah Prosser
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the proper functioning of our bodies. Among other things, fats help maintain cell membrane integrity and they help nerve transmission and nutrient absorption. However, if
consumed in excess quantities, fats can lead to weight gain, heart disease and various types of cancer. Be aware that not all fats are alike. Some fats contribute to our
well-being and some can be quite harmful, increasing the risk of developing heart disease.
So your (quick) healthy dinner recipe should contain a certain amount of fat. But how much fat do we need exactly? The Zone, a popular diet, suggests that the calories we
consume should come from carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the following proportion: 40%, 30% and 30%, respectively. We dont necessarily have to drastically follow
this advice; it should only serve as a general reference. The key is to replace the bad fats in our meals with good ones.
Here is a quick review of the different types of fat.
* Saturated Fats
Saturated fats cause an increase of blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, which are the bad cholesterol. Products that have high saturated fat content include meat, eggs,
dairy products and seafood. A few plant foods, like coconut oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil also contain high amounts of saturated fats.
* Trans Fats
Trans fatty acids are the result of the industrial process of "hydrogenating" liquid oils. This process was devised in an attempt to make food products last longer. Trans fats
are commonly found in packaged foods, in commercially fried food (e.g., French fries), in packaged snacks (e.g., microwaveable popcorn), and in hard stick margarine and
vegetable shortening.
* Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats are the good fats because they cause blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol to decrease, and at the same time, increase HDL cholesterol or the good
cholesterol. Products that contain high levels of monounsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil and nuts. Look for these ingredients in any healthy dinner recipe, like salad
dressing made with olive oil.
* Polyunsaturated Fats
Similar to monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats help lower total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. High levels of polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower oil,
sunflower oil, corn oil, fish oil, and seafood like salmon. The Omega-3 fatty acids fall under this type of fats.
Some Things You Can Do to Avoid the Bad Fats
* Use only cooking oils that have low amounts of saturated fats and high amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil, flax seed oil and canola oil).
* Stay away from commercially packaged foods since they have high trans fat content.
* Read food labels and go with those that are trans fat free.
* Avoid saturated fats by opting for low-fat versions of dairy products (e.g., skim milk).
* Go for lean meats. Make sure the visible fats and the skins are removed.
Following this advice will help make sure you benefit the most from a nutritious, healthy dinner recipe.
Copyright 2007, Deborah Prosser
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