A Celebration for Women

October 18 marks World Menopause Day, a time for all women to pause and reflect on the opportunities offered them for improving their quality of health and life as they enter this significant stage in their lives. Menopause arrives at a time when women still have a full third of their lives ahead of them. Women should know that there are now many options available to them so they can make these years every bit as fulfilling as they deserve to be lived.

World Menopause Day strives for women everywhere to take some time to educate themselves on how menopause may change their lives, and what course menopausal or perimenopausal women should take to protect their overall health. If you are 45 years or older a good place for you to start is an appointment with your gynecologist, who can detail for you any personal health risks and point you toward information about proactive steps you can take to forestall them, such as proper diet, an exercise routine that is tailored to you, as well as how you might benefit from hormone therapy.

Anxious Feelings

Many women look toward menopause as a frightening time, since society seems to prefer youth and since baby-boomers may fear the aging process. Knowledge is power in this case, and knowing what to expect can reduce the anxious feelings you may have about the menopause process.

Points to Ponder

As middle age approaches, a woman's ovaries start to produce less ovarian hormones, and in some women, this manifests through specific symptoms, among them hot flashes or flushes, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. Later on, the long term effects of this hormone loss may cause osteoporosis and vaginal discomfort. Here are some points to ponder:

*Hot flushes are due to the decline in your estrogen levels. They can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

*Shrinkage of vaginal tissues and dryness are due to falling estrogen levels. This may cause painful sex.

*Half of all women over the age of 50 will sustain a fracture due to osteoporosis.

*The most recent data suggests that HRT, when begun before the age of 60 brings with it a lower risk of heart disease.

*Women are very afraid that HRT will lead them to develop breast cancer, when in fact, the risk is quite minimal and only after long term use, at that.

*HRT is by far, the best way to get relief from the symptoms of menopause.

*Complementary and alternative therapies have not been shown to be more effective than placebo therapy in alleviating the symptoms of menopause.