What They Don't Tell You About Menopause

Most people, regardless of gender, have heard of menopause. But, it's known in more general terms— something that happens to women when they get older. This "something" signals a serious transition in a woman's life and can make you feel moody, bloated, tired, and undesirable. In one moment, you're having a friendly conversation and then the next drenched in sweat.  Women may even be unprepared for menopause, and when it happens, there's a lot they don't tell you about it.

 

It Can Last for Years

Being the messenger of terrible news is never fun, but the honest truth is that menopause can last years. The reason is that there are three different stages of menopause, and women experience each one over some time. Doctors estimate about 7.5 years to complete the change.

 

Three Distinct Stages

Perimenopause is the first stage of menopause and can begin to happen in your late 40s. Although women can experience early menopause in their 30s or early 40s. Or even be thrust into menopause after a hysterectomy or for other medical reasons. Your periods may become erratic, heavy, or light, or you may have trouble sleeping or gain weight. This can go on for a few years.

 

No Period for 12 Months

 Menopause is when your body and mind is making the transition from fertile to non-fertile. Your estrogen levels plummet, and menopausal symptoms are a regular bedfellow. This part can last for a few years as well. Menopause is official when you haven't had your period for 12 consecutive months.

 

Transitioning Takes Time

Postmenopause is when your periods have stopped, and your ovaries stop producing eggs for fertilization. You can still experience painful and annoying symptoms for years afterward. Your body needs time for this transition, and despite what most people think, it's a gradual process.

 

It’s All About Balancing the Hormones

Until you're menopausal, you probably didn't give your hormones a second thought, not since adolescence, of course. The reason for menopause is that your estrogen levels take a severe dive off a cliff. The counterbalance to estrogen is progesterone, and both are critical for reproduction and mental health.

 

Hello Hormonal Seesaw

When one female hormone is out of sync, it makes the other hormones dominant. Think of it like getting off a seesaw with someone still on one side. Your body then reacts, and this may result in a whole slew of side effects. Menopausal signs do vary from woman to woman and come and go, much like a monthly cycle.

 

Yet the key to finding relief is through hormonal balance. Transdermal hormone creams that include progesterone and estrogen do help women feel better and stronger. While menopause may last years, you certainly don’t have to suffer when you have solutions to balancing your hormones.

You Can Still Have Sex

Okay, menopause may reduce your sex drive some as you transition. Or it can cause vaginal atrophy or extreme vaginal dryness, making the thought of getting physical not as appealing. Yet you still can have sex, and despite not feeling as arduous as usual, sex is always a normal part of life and needed even if the outcome isn't to have a baby.

 

Something doctors may not tell you about menopause is that your vagina may change shape, and not having sex may alter the size. Engaging in regular foreplay helps strengthen the elasticity of the vagina and encourages moisturization. You can always use a hormone cream to balance hormones and ease vaginal dryness and a water-based lubricant before penetration.

 

You Can Still Become Pregnant

If there's a silver lining to menopause, then it's not having a monthly period. Yet, remember that menopause is gradual, and perimenopause may go on for years before your last period. So even if your periods are irregular or short, you're still capable of becoming pregnant.

 

When you have a period at all, it means that your ovaries produced and dropped an egg for fertilization. Our bodies do this without permission, so still take precautions when having sex— this way, there are no surprises.

 

Improving Diet May Alleviate Symptoms

Hormone replacement therapy whips bothersome menopausal symptoms into shape, but so can a healthy diet. Your body is learning to manage without the standard dose of estrogen and progesterone, but some foods increase these hormones naturally. Estrogen friendly foods include the following:

 

• Soybeans
• Flax seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Hummus
• Garlic
• Nuts
• Avocadoes
• Broccoli
• Pomegranates

 

Another positive kick from a healthy diet is that you may lose weight and feel better overall. What you put into your body matters, regardless of any kind of hormonal imbalance or not.

 

Getting In Some Steps Helps

Like your diet, working out is equally important. But you don't have to exercise for hours or even intensely to gain the benefits of being active. Going on a daily walk helps balance hormones and boosts serotonin levels.

 

You can challenge yourself by setting goals for daily steps or convince a friend to become your walking partner. Menopause can take a toll on mental health, but a nice walk helps clear the cobwebs and alleviates the symptoms.

 

You’ve Become Really Sad & Anxious

Depression and anxiety are two symptoms not discussed all the time when it comes to menopause. Sure, mood swings, but this implies a quick up and down. Menopause can cause severe depression and anxiety for some women. 

On top of experiencing menopausal symptoms, you may be struggling in other areas, as well. All of which can bring on deep feelings of sadness and unrest.

 

You Don’t Have to Suffer

There's this idea that women need to get through menopause, and it'll pass. While menopause does go away, it can take years before the new normal flattens out. Who wants to suffer from migraines, weight gain, and mood swings for years on end?

 

Plus, why suffer if you don’t have to? Hormone replacement therapy, diet, and exercise can help balance those pesky hormones. Topical estrogen and progesterone creams rejuvenate missing hormones while your body adapts. What they really don’t tell you about menopause is that you can overcome it naturally.