Tag: PMS

Dealing with the Emotional Impact of Menopause

All women go through menopause and the emotional impact of menopause is different for each of them. Just like many of the other symptoms, they don’t always take the same toll on you as they might on another woman. The emotions associated with menopause certainly include fear and many women are afraid of how this change will affect their life.

This very normal and you don’t have to be afraid. You should approach menopause as a very natural thing and take a positive outlook towards this change. You are moving on to a better you and a new part of your life. Having a positive attitude is the first step to getting through menopause with less of the negative effects.

Typically menopause will start somewhere between 45 and 55, for most women. This is basically your body telling you the reproductive years are over and it is shutting down that system. Many women find this hard to cope with and can even go through some type of empty nest syndrome, but if you can approach it with a positive attitude, you may just get through menopause in a happier way.

How to Deal With the Emotional Impact of Menopause

The emotional impact of menopause can be like a roller coaster. One minute everything is great, then all of the sudden it is no longer fun and you are sick of whatever you are doing. These mood swings are normal and they happen during menopause for most women. The changes your body goes through sometimes happen so fast you really don’t have a chance to react.

Looking at the positive side of thing will help and remembering that very soon you will never have to deal with PMS or your menstruation cycle may put you in a better mood. Many women don’t enjoy PMS and they can become very emotional every month during this time. Guess what? With menopause, you never have to deal with PMS again.

Even though you will no longer have to deal with PMS there are other symptoms and an entirely new emotional impact of menopause you need to adjust to. Being prepared for it will help you in many ways. There are many things you can do to keep the symptoms of menopause to a minimum. You will want to have a plan ready ahead of time.

You may experience insomnia, lack of focus, anger, depression, mood swings, hot flashes, and a few other symptoms. These are all very normal even though the doctors have not really gotten a handle on how to treat any of the symptoms of menopause. In fact, it is not recommended to take prescription drugs for menopause due to some of the very harmful side effects.

Most women struggle with the emotional impact of menopause more than anything else. However, it is most likely that the mood swings and the emotions you are feeling are caused by some of the other symptoms, like the hot flashes and insomnia. It is normal to be in an ugly mood if you don’t get a regular night of rest for any of us.

Dealing with the symptoms of menopause does not have to be as hard as you might think. You don’t have to be afraid and you can be prepared with a plan to use natural remedies to help lessen the effects menopause has on your body and on you emotionally.

What you can do to Prepare for the Emotional Impact of Menopause

The best thing you can do if you have yet to start menopause is to get prepared. Start reading everything you can find about the different natural remedies out there including herbal remedies, diet changes, exercise routines, and relaxation techniques. These will all be very important when it comes to coping with menopause.

There are many great eBooks and books out there to help you cope with the different changes your body will endure. Since not all women are the same, you will need to be prepared to try one type of treatment for about two weeks to see if it works. If it does not, a backup plan it recommended to cope with the emotion impact of menopause.

Puberty and menopause mark the two ends of the spectrum of a womans reproductive life. Puberty is characterized by the onset of menstruation, development of breasts and appearance of secondary sex characteristics.
The age for onset of puberty may vary across individuals, yet the start of regular menstruation before 8 years of age or delay beyond 16 years of age requires medical advice.
Similarly, in the case of menopause, cessation of menstruation before 40 yrs of age or continuation after 53 years of age is unusual and a cause of medical attention. Both ends of the spectrum of a womans reproductive life are period of great hormonal, emotional as well as physical change.

Menstrual Irregularities

During the reproductive phase of a womans life, menstruation occurs every 21 days with bleeding lasting 5-7 days. In many cases the cycles tend to be erratic at puberty and menopause. Any cycle length in the range of 25-30 days is normal.

Menstrual irregularities can be:
Amenorrhoea is the absence of a menstrual period in a woman of reproductive age. It may be a situation wherein a girl does not start to menstruate at all or menstruation stops after a certain period of time.
Oligomenorrhea or Hypomenorrhea The menstrual cycle is infrequent with intervals of more than 40 days or is extremely light and scanty.
Menorrhagia Menstrual bleeding is abnormally heavy, clotted and prolonged although occuringat regular intervals. Women tend to get anemic in this condition.
Metrorrhagia cycle length is shorter than 20 days it its often associated with Menorrhagia.
Irregular vaginal bleeding bleeding occurs at irregular intervals in varying quantities and may last almost throughout the month.
PMS (Premenstrual syndrome) It may vary from mild to extreme. It is associated with feeling of bloating, pain in the legs, headaches and mood swings. Symptoms of PMS can interfere with normal social life.
Dysmonhorrea Although not to be confused with menstrual irregularities, it is a medical condition characterized by severe uterine pain during menstruation. In many cases the pain is so severe as to hamper even day to day activities requires and use of pain killers. Causes :
Menstrual patterns can be influenced by changes in general health,, sudden weight loss or weight gain, stressful life situations, metabolic disorders, certain infections, and anatomical and hormonal changes.

Treatment depends on :-
type of menstrual irregularity
age and built of patient
associated physical illness or other symptoms
hormonal changes which can detected by blood testing
desire for fertility or contraception
anatomical abnormalities Types of treatment :-
lifestyle modifications
exercises like yoga
meditation practices to manage stress
herbal supplements
hormonal supplements
surgical or interventional procedures Since these problems may be long lasting and in many cases no obvious abnormalities are detected; it is better to start with treatment modalities that have few or no side effects and are simple to use.

Herbal Remedies and Herbs Supplements for Irregular Menstruation –
M2TONE – to regularise menstrual cycle
Evecare – Effective in alleviating symptoms of PMS and dysmenorrhoea
Shatavari – to regulate hormonal secretion

Due to false assumptions and lack of factual information, there are several myths about PMS that people think maybe true. To provide rational explanation for each, here are some of the most common misconceptions and beliefs about PMS.

1.Some people think that PMS is a regular part of a womans menstrual cycle.
The PMS symptoms are not occurring at the same time of the month as the womens menstrual cycle. Generally once the womens menstrual cycle begins the PMS symptoms fade. PMS is very common but not all women suffer from this condition. There are some women who dont suffer from any discomfort during their menstrual cycle, while other women experience a great deal of pain and anxiety for a few days every month. It is also true to say that some women suffer discomfort due to PMS, and also suffer during their monthly menstrual cycle period too.

2.Symptoms of PMS cannot be improved upon.
Health professionals frequently offer suggestions to alleviate or reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. With a change of diet and regular intake of vitamin & mineral supplements, women suffering from PMS can feel a lot better. Also regular exercise will help release your feel good hormones and we can always benefit from more of these.

3.PMS is infectious.
PMS symptoms occur because of imbalances in a womans body. It is nothing to do with anyone else. Premenstrual syndrome is definitely not contagious.

4.Women who suffer from PMS are always moody.
Not all women who experience PMS have mood swings. Sudden changes in your moods during PMS may also be attributed to other factors such as stress, headaches, pain and discomfort.

5.Women with PMS are difficult to deal with and are irrational most of the time.
This is a total myth. With or without premenstrual syndrome, women are logical and are responsible. PMS may highlight these symptoms but not all women display these PMS signs.

The symptoms of PMS are treatable. During a bout of PMS, make a list of all the symptoms that you are experiencing. Remember that these symptoms may vary from one period to another. To properly address your discomfort, seek professional advice from a health care professional. Here are some tips that you may wish to follow to alleviate your PMS symptoms.

1.Eat the right kinds of food. You may have heard this countless number of times from different health advisers, but this is true. What you eat affects your body functions and it contributes to your PMS symptoms. Include plenty of fruit and vegetables in your daily diet. Control your sugar and salt intake because high levels of it can aggravate PMS symptoms.

2.Remove some of your bad habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol intake. Cut down or cut out the amount of caffeine that you daily drink in tea, coffee for fizzy drinks. Exercise regularly, every other day for 30 to 60 minutes per session. Make breathing exercises a part of your daily routine. This can be by just doing deep breathing exercises, or either meditation. You can also change some of your exercise sessions to include Yoga, Tia Chi or Chi gong as these all incorporate a rhythmic breathing flow alongside the exercises, and the exercises are not energetic but merely slower rhythmic movements. Lifestyle changes will also take effort, time, and discipline, but once achieved, you will definitely find them rewarding.

3.Take vitamin & mineral supplements. Essential vitamins & minerals for women with PMS symptoms include vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium & zinc. These vitamins help control the normal functioning of your body system and aids discomfort brought about by PMS such as cramps and abdominal pain. When taking vitamin & mineral supplements, be sure to follow the right dosage recommendations.

4.Reduce stress. Although it is a normal part of a persons life, if stress is managed properly it should not be disruptive or aggravating and annoying enough to cause disruption or health issues. It is the way you perceive and handle a situation that can be the deciding factor as to whether or not it will cause stress. Concentrate on what is happening at that moment, and dont concern yourself with what happened yesterday or may happen tomorrow. Coping poorly with stress will only aggravate PMS symptoms. Practicing relaxation exercises such as meditation, music therapy or yoga will be of great help.

Pre-menstrual syndrome is a common problem, but it shouldnt be. It is not an infection, and it is not a genetic disorder. It is quite easily overcome by taking control of your health, by following the aforementioned advice. You may also find that other health problems you may have will also go away.

Have you been feeling a little off balance lately ? For a woman, hormone balance is essential to her every day health and well being. It affects her sleep, weight mood, and almost every aspect of her every day life.

Around age 35 a woman’s ovaries start to become less efficient while estrogen and progesterone production start to decrease at different rates. Since the reduction rates of the two are not the same, an imbalance occurs. Since the progesterone rate drops faster than the estrogen rate, a woman becomes estrogen dominant while actually being low on estrogen.

Progesterone induces a calming effect, so a reduced progesterone level will naturally cause problems like weight gain, sleep problems, bloating, changes in menstrual patterns and the decreased ability to handle stressful situations. Regrettably, chronic stress restricts the effects of progesterone creating an endless cycle. Depleted progesterone is a major problem, but it’s not the only problem. The imbalance among other hormones coupled with low estrogen levels all contribute to the symptoms of menopause.

Standard, though ineffective, treatments for menstrual problems, hot flashes, and mood swings are birth control pills and anti-depressants. Actually, according to a recent study, anti-depressants consumed by women between the ages of 40 and 55 has a high potential for triggering night sweats. For women who suffer from mood swings and hot flashes, St. Johns Wart is a more effective natural remedy with no side effects.

Birth control pills can cause problems. Whether you art taking them to prevent a pregnancy or if you are taking them as an ill advised remedy for menstrual problems. They contain an artificial form of progesterone called progestin. Progestin prevents ovulation but also suppresses the natural ability of a woman’s body to produce progesterone. When natural progesterone is depleted it contributes to the side effects of the pill and soon after aggravates menopause related symptoms like weight gain, bloating, irritability, and the increased risk for breast cancer.

The Best Natural Ways To Balance Your Hormones

Exercise: We have all heard about the lack of exercise being detrimental to our health. But there are numerous degrees of exercise. Exercise like training for a marathon or “Iron Man” categories can trigger stress hormones and aggravate others. These types of exercises should be avoided. Try exercises that produce a relaxing effect on the body like yoga, gentle aerobics, or a 3 mph walk.

Manage Stress: Start by getting 7-8 hours of of restful uninterrupted sleep. Manage schedules so there is adequate down-time between the end of one and the beginning of the next one. And make sure you schedule some relaxing activities.

Avoid Toxins: Everywhere you look, there are toxins in our environment. So, this is what you should do. Keep an eye out for the following additives and if you spot them when you read those lists of ingredients put the item back on the shelf. And don’t limit your ingredient reading food items. Check out anything you put into or onto your body. And avoid the following:
Propylene Glycol
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Benzoate
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial Flavoring

Try to choose food with organic labels.

Chaste Berry: Also known as Vitex, is an herb used to relieve PMS, menopausal distress, and irregular periods. One study revealed Chase Berry reduced numerous PMS symptoms including irritability, breast tenderness, and dyspeptic moods.

Dong Quai: This herb is used in traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of menstrual problems. It is also effective at relieving menopausal symptoms and balancing estrogen levels.

L-Theanine: this amino acid is found in Green Tea and lowers elevated stress hormones. It improves sleep but does not cause grogginess. For best results take 50-200 mg during the day for stress reduction or the same dosage in the evening for quality sleep. When starting with the lower dosage (recommended), the effects usually take about 30 minutes to take effect, and usually last for about 8 hours.

Black Cohosh is a plant source of estrogen. It increases estrogen levels to various areas of the body like the brain. This results in the reduction of the occurrences of hot flashes. Also other areas of the body are also affected like the bones, lowering the risk of osteoporosis, and the vagina, preventing vaginal dryness. Taking Black Cohosh in conjunction with St. John’s Wart has proven to be effective in treating depression and the symptoms of menopause. Once again Mother Nature to the rescue.