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Do You Need To Prepare For Menopause?
Alicia Simpson
You’re probably asking, Is there really a way to prepare for
menopause? The answer is yes and no. It’s not like you can go
to your calendar and write "menopause" on September 22, 2025.
It’s not that easy, although most women sure wished it was;
however, although we may not know the exact date that menopause
will begin, we can prepare for it by being informed and learning
as much as possible about the subject.
From the time of your first period until your 40’s, your
ovaries produce estrogen in response to monthly follicle
maturation. Both estrogen and progesterone are responsible for
the monthly menstrual cycle and both are produced using male
hormones. During her reproductive years, a woman’s ovaries
produce more estrogen than testosterone. As menopause nears,
the estrogen level declines while the male hormone levels stay
about the same. Lacking former levels of estrogen to counteract
them, hair growth on the face and oily skin may begin to crop up
during the years right before menopause in some women.
As Age Reach 40, Changes Happen
A woman is born with approximately one half million eggs. Over
time, that number decreases as some are reabsorbed back into
the ovarian lining. As a woman ages get older, the number of
eggs available for release also diminishes. As a result, from
about age 40, a woman’s period will begin to change.
In her mid-40s a woman becomes perimenopausal. The period of
time from perimenopause to postmenopause can take 5 to 10
years. A full decade before you become menopausal, changes are
happening in your body that begins to set the stage for the
transition from reproductive to nonreproductive states. Up to
50% of women are beginning to experience hot flashes in the
two-year period before cessation of menstruation. Menstruation
at this time is also likely to be erratic. During this period
a woman is considered to be perimenopausal.
As soon as you begin noticing changes in your menstrual cycle,
especially if you’re in your 40’s, you should consult with your
gynecologist, who will probably want to run a battery of tests.
One of the tests your doctor should perform is a blood test
that will check your hormone levels.
But change is certain. There is no predicting your own passage
through menopause; it may be long or short, bumpy or smooth.
Nor can you foresee the time when you will begin it.
Whenever and however menopausal changes appear, it can be
valuable to have information beforehand and while you’re
experiencing menopause. Studies have shown that women who are
prepared to take charge of their own health care tend to do
best through the menopausal passage. Information can function
as your survival kit as you negotiate your way through this
very important change in your life.
Alicia Simpson is a mother and housewife who
experience menopause. Her new guide book: "Menopause without
Stress" is to tell women that menopause is part of life you
cannot avoid. Visit her Website MenopauseWithoutStress.com at
http://www.menopausewithoutstress.com
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