What is Menopause?

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when the ovarian production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone decline to the point that symptoms may appear. Menopause usually occurs between ages of 45-55 with the average age of menopause onset around fifty-one. Menopause is medically defined as the time in which a woman ceases to menstruate for 12 consecutive months. Although the definition properly describes the event, the process can begin up to 10 years earlier and is called peri-menopause.

Hot flashes are caused by a disruption of the body’s heat regulating thermostat. One cause of hot flashes is attributed to a decreased production of estrogen. A thermoregulatory center in the brain attempts to maintain a normal 98.6-degree body temperature where estrogen receptors in the brain have played a major role in maintaining a normal temperature since puberty. When the estrogen levels begin to drop at the time of peri-menopause and more so during full blown menopause, this delicately balanced, estrogen-sensitive thermoregulatory system triggers a response to increase the body’s temperature.

Many years before a woman's menstruation stops, she will have already noticed a change. Over time, her periods will become shorter or longer in length and she may notice lighter or even heavier periods, a loss of energy, breast tenderness, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, foggy memory, a decrease in stamina, and a loss of libido. Her mood is altered and she may be more agitated, depressed, apathetic, and forgetful. While these are all symptoms of menopause, it is important to know that there is a bigger picture during this time your hormones are changing. You are experiencing the loss of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone which are critical to maintain optimal health.

Menopause is an inevitable part of the natural cycle of life, which all women will go through. However, the way you manage this normal process can greatly affect your quality of life. Natural bio-identical hormone therapy for menopause can help you deal with these symptoms allowing you to enjoy this new stage of life.

Hormone Therapy for Menopause Can Help Relieve These Symptoms:

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Weight gain
Mood swings
Depression
Breast tenderness
Forgetfulness
Trouble sleeping
Insomnia
Fatigue
Migraine headaches
Weight gain
Emotional fragility
Vaginal dryness
Loss of sex drive
Urinary Incontinence
Irritability

Beyond Menopause

Menopause is often dreaded by women due to the symptoms and a preconceived notion that it is a marker of old age. In reality, women may often live into their high eighties and nineties, making menopause more of a half-way point than anything else. Once bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for menopause relieves the trouble symptoms, you will have the opportunity to more fully enjoy the benefits from this time in your life.

The onset of menopause means no more periods, worry about pregnancy, no more PMS, and no more of their related symptoms and inconveniences. This usually means more flexibility for traveling and for enjoying yourself without worrying about your cycle. Additionally, you won't have to plan your sex life around those annoying cycles. Furthermore, many women believe that their sex life after menopause is better than it was before menopause! Many women say that they grow closer to their spouse after menopause and that this stage of their life allows them to focus on themselves.

Without menopausal symptoms, women experience a huge relief of stress, allowing them to relax and enjoy their life more. With treatment, most women report that they have more fun and independence in their lives after their menopausal symptoms are relieved.