For some women who are experiencing a “change of life,” it can be a time marked by transformations in the body as well as the mind. But what is menopause? Menopause is a term that describes the cessation of the menstruation period. Some women approach this period of their life with dread, while others accept its changes and feel relieved. This is a time of the woman’s life which has gained a bad reputation over the years. The symptoms of menopause may be very mild for some and quite extreme for others.
Going through menopause is a stage of life which is thought of as a negative change in modern culture. However, there are many myths about menopause which are not true for a majority of women who go through this transformation. For example, one menopause myth is that menopause begins at the age of fifty and requires medication for the rest of their life. The stages of menopause start at different times in a woman’s life, and generally appear between the ages of forty-eight and fifty-five, and in rare cases, at the age of sixty. Menopause only requires medication if there are chronic complications and hormone imbalances which lead to diseases throughout the body, which is only present in a small percentage of woman.
Another common myth is that during the few years preceding this biological change in the woman’s body, there are signs that can be detected to determine when menopause will occur. Although menopausal symptoms will vary in each woman, there are no signs to tell when exactly it will hit. Generally, symptoms of this biological change are very mild in some women while they may be more intense in others. The best way to moderate symptoms associated with menopause is to regulate hormone levels and keep the body toned and in shape on all levels to enhance the health and adaptability of the body. The use of nutritional or therapeutic means can lessen the severity of symptoms experienced by women.
Some of the most common signs of menopause are hot flashes and severe mood swings that are experienced to some degree by every woman. Although scientists do not know what causes hot flashes, they propose that it is due to changes in circulation or alterations in the endocrine system which regulate hormone levels. High amounts of stress may even trigger this event to occur. Drastic mood swings may be associated with fluctuations in hormone levels, but may not be experienced by every woman. This is one aspect of menopause that is exaggerated for various reasons.
Subsequently, one of the most exaggerated symptoms of menopause is that after menopause, women experience a general decline in sexual function. Menopause is not related to a woman’s libido. Although she is going through complex biological and chemical changes, she is still capable of a satisfying sex life. This is a stage of life that can be approached with a feeling of satisfaction due to transformation, and shouldn’t be viewed as a dreaded change which ends satisfaction in life. Going through menopause is a stage of life that can be approached with satisfaction and relief rather than fear and dread of what is to come next.