Menopause can occur suddenly or gradually over a period of time.
The median age for menopausal onset is 50, although it could occur as early as one year earlier for Latina and African-American women. However, more research is required to know the actual onset of menopausal symptoms for minority women. The causes of menopause vary and a woman’s life expectancy can be influenced by the occurrence of this period in her life.
Health effects of menopause are the same for women of any age. Women tend to experience vaginal dryness and vaginal odor at different stages of their menopausal life. These symptoms may persist for months after menopausal menopause has ended, although they eventually subside. However, some women continue to have symptoms of menopausal onset, although these may last even longer.
Ovarian cancer is one of the most common health risks associated with the end of menopause. Ovarian cancer is more common in African American women, while it is not as common among other racial and ethnic groups.
Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, vaginal odor and vaginal spotting. Some women will experience irregular periods, weight gain, loss of bone density, insomnia, increased risk of certain cancers, fatigue, and mood changes.
Certain hormonal therapies are used to treat symptoms of menopausal age. Hormone replacement therapy has been a proven effective way of treating hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
This type of treatment may be administered either through a pill, patch or injection.
In addition to medications, there are also certain natural remedies that women use to manage symptoms of menopause. For example, herbs and minerals such as ginseng, milk thistle, fennel and saw palmetto are considered to be good sources of uterine hormones. There are also foods that can help a woman cope with menopausal symptoms. Eating foods that are rich in Vitamin E, zinc and calcium may help prevent hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and increase libido.
Symptoms of menopause also vary depending on the stage of the condition. Some women experience symptoms such as weight gain, acne and mood swings, while others may experience none of these problems. However, some symptoms may become so severe that they need medical attention. For example, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome may include mood swings, vaginal dryness and bloating. These symptoms can interfere with a woman’s everyday activities such as sleeping and driving.
Symptoms of menopause can affect a woman’s quality of life. Some may lead to depression and other emotional disorders.
In extreme cases, menopausal symptoms can cause emotional isolation and stress and make a woman miserable.
In order to help treat symptoms of menopause, women may receive different treatments that may include hormonal therapy and hormone replacement therapy. However, many women choose to treat themselves by changing their diet, increasing their exercise and watching what they eat.
Eating habits during menopause may not be as important. However, certain foods may help relieve symptoms of menopause. Some of these foods are eggs, salmon, fish, cheese, nuts and flax seeds.
The main concern when it comes to eating is avoiding food high in fat and salt. These foods can trigger unpleasant symptoms of menopause. In addition to avoiding foods high in fat and salt, eating less alcohol, caffeine, chocolate and fatty foods may help.
A healthy diet is also very important for treating symptoms of menopause. It is important to eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet containing plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables may help reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, such as colon and breast cancer. Other foods such as whole grain breads and cereals also contain antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. It is important to drink eight to nine glasses of water each day.