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Perimenopause
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause, or
pre-menopause is a transitional stage of two to ten years before
complete cessation of the menstrual period. Its average duration
is six years, and can appear in women from 35 to 50 years of age.
This has not been a stage of women's lives much talked about, and
a woman can find herself experiencing puzzling changes, and not
know why. What is actually going on is a gradual decrease of
estrogen. The manifestations of perimenopause can vary. Here are
some of the most commonly reported ones:
Signs of
Perimenaopause:
Following are
the symptoms women have reported. This information is not intended
as a substitute for talking with your health professional.
-
Menstrual
cycles become shorter, longer, or unpredictable
-
Flow becomes
heavier or lighter
-
Low blood
sugar
-
Fatigue
several days before menstruation
-
Weight gain
-
Decreased sex
drive
-
Headaches -
from mild to migraines with aura and visual distortions
-
Dry and/or
itchy vulva, clitoris
Natural
Supplements:
What to do? First of all, recognize that this is not a disease
process, but a natural phenomenon. Talk to women your age or
older, and compare notes. See what they experience, and find out
what helped to make it easier for them.
If you find
yourself frequently light-headed, experiencing headaches or
fatigue, stabilize your blood sugar by eating at regular
intervals. Do not skip meals - especially breakfast.
Consider natural
supplements. These are said to work wonders for many women, and do
not have the side effects or high cost of medications. Add one
supplement per month to your diet so you can observe its effects.
By this sort of experimentation you can find out what combination
really does or doesn't work for you
Dong Quai
This is a
natural herb that has been taken by Asian women for hundreds of
years. Asian women have very few complaints of menopausal
discomfort compared to Western women. Dong Quai is like a female
ginseng, considered an overall sexual tonic, and to said to
regulate the hormonal and menstrual cycle, relieving the
complaints of perimenopause. This herb can make your menstrual
flow heavier, so it's best to abstain from it during the week of
your period.
Phyotestrogens
These are
natural plant substances that mimic the effects of estrogen
without the side effects of synthetic estrogen. Of these, the
source said to be the most potent is soy. The fact that Asian
women eat a diet high in soy proteins is another reason they are
said to experience less menopausal complaints. You could get
phytoestrogens by eating soy foods or by taking a supplement
containing a concentrate of them called
SOY ISOFLAVONES.
Other
Supplements
Other
supplements that are reported to help menstrual complaints are
Vitamin E, Evening Primrose, Panax Ginseng, and Chaste
Berry. Taking a well-balanced multivitamin that doesn't exceed the
100% RDA requirements is a good idea for over-all health.
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