The First Symptoms Of Menopause Should Not Be Alarming

Menopause is not a disease that can be avoided so the first symptoms of menopause should not be alarming.  Although these first symptoms of menopause should not be alarming, these first symptoms of menopause often are disturbing to many women.  Menopause happens to all women who live to be a certain age, and these first symptoms of menopause are the signs of a life transition.  These first symptoms of menopause are the sign of the beginning of a transition from a woman of childbearing age to one who has passed that age.  Most women realize that they will soon see the first symptoms of menopause once they reach a certain age.

Although women realize that eventually they will see these first symptoms of menopause, they sometimes panic when the symptoms appear.  The first symptoms of menopause start at different times for women, but most women notice these symptoms at about the same age.  Some women begin to notice symptoms in their bodies when they are thirty or forty years old.  Most women do not start menopause in their thirties, but the changes in the bodily functions change throughout their lives.  Although most women in their thirties are not close to menopause, the hormone balances in their systems are a sign of the changes in their systems at this age.

The First Symptoms Of Menopause Should Be Noted

The changes in a woman’s body are often the signs of changing hormone levels which do change throughout their lives.  One of the most important first symptoms of menopause is an irregular series of menstrual cycles.  These menstrual cycles eventually cease sometime after the cycles become irregular.  Another early sign that menopause is about to occur is the change in the amount of menstrual flow.  An unusually large or small amount of flow is a sign that menopause is not far away.  The presence of fibroid tumors can also be one of the first symptoms of menopause.

Mood swings and trouble sleeping are other symptoms of menopause.  These symptoms are often the ones that cause women some trouble.  Their mood swings can annoy their friends and family, and their trouble sleeping often makes them more moody.  Weight gain and vaginal dryness are other symptoms that will signal the onset of menopause.  Hot flashes and night sweats are often some of the most distressing symptoms of the onset of menopause.  The symptoms of menopause can be very distressing, but most women handle this important transition wisely.

Peppermint and Lavender: Two Helpful Herbs for Menopause

Menopause is one of the more difficult times in a woman’s life. First there are the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, and then there are the emotional changes, such as depression. However, women nowadays have more options than ever before when it comes to treating various symptoms of menopause. It is funny, then that natural, old remedies can be effective in the form of herbs for menopause.

About Herbs for Menopause

Women who are going through menopause might try a variety of different remedies, but many remedies might not work, or worse, could be dangerous. Thus, that is why peppermint or lavender as herbs for menopause can really help.

One of the symptoms that women might experience during menopause is nausea. This is something that many women going through menstruation might experience as well, so peppermint is not just a helpful herb for menopause, but rather in general is a helpful herb.

If you are the kind of person who likes to drink tea, you have probably noticed that there are many different kinds of teas that feature peppermint in some way. Not only does peppermint aid in indigestion, but it also has a refreshing taste, thus another reason why it is such a good herb for menopause.

If you do not like tea, you can also get regular mints, to help with the indigestion. Just place one in your mouth and let it sit there for a bit. In a short amount of time your nausea should subside. Another thing you can try is to go to your local grocery store and look for peppermint leaves. The leaves, once washed, can be chewed.

Another common symptom of menopause is insomnia. While, many people who are not going through menopause can also experience this, if you have noticed this as part of your menopause symptoms, you can benefit from using a lavender spray as a helpful herb for menopause. Simply spray a little bit of the lavender on your pillow before you go to sleep at night.

If you would like more information about herbs for menopause, be sure to ask your doctor. So it is important that you not rely on the internet, since some herbs can indeed be dangerous. Unfortunately, there are many women who try various remedies only to damage their health. When it comes to menopause, as well as your health in general, it is important that you be safe.

The Truth about Male Menopause

While menopause for women gets plenty of attention from the medical profession, male menopause is a lesser known but highly common issue as well. Some studies show that up to 40% of men from the ages of 40-60 will experience some symptoms of male menopause. Although men do not suffer from the defined hormonal drop that occurs in women, they do see a decline in the male hormone, testosterone, during the latter half of their lives. This decrease can result in symptoms just like female menopause can, but the symptoms of male menopause can be more subtle in nature. However, some of the symptoms of this type of menopause can occasionally become severe enough to interfere with daily life, which is why some men seek medical help to find relief for their symptoms.

Symptoms of Male Menopause

While there is still some disagreement as to whether the symptoms of male menopause can be attributed directly to the decrease in testosterone, some of the common complaints of men include depression, fatigue, moodiness and sexual problems. For some men, these symptoms of male menopause can be greatly alleviated with the help of testosterone replacement therapy. This type of treatment can be particularly helpful for sexual problems, such as a loss of libido. However, testosterone replacement therapy does come with risks, so you will need to discuss with your doctor whether this is the best treatment for you. There are also lifestyle changes that you can make that can greatly reduce the symptoms of male menopause, such as changing your exercise and diet programs, cutting back on alcohol consumption and quitting smoking. You can also talk to your doctor about other types of treatment, like antidepressants or impotence treatments that will help you to deal with some of your particular symptoms.

Diagnosing Male Menopause

If you are at this stage of life, and you are experiencing some of the symptoms listed above, you can see your doctor to get a definitive diagnosis. Your doctor will base his diagnosis on a physical exam and a list of your symptoms. There are also blood tests that can be done to test for male menopause. These blood tests will check the levels of testosterone in your body, as well as the levels of other hormones. If your hormone levels are indeed low, you and your doctor can decide together about what type of treatment for male menopause will be the best for you. The good news is that there are ways to get a handle on your symptoms and get your life back as well.

Strange Bedfellows:  Menopause And Depression

They are a bit like uninvited guests that you can’t seem to get rid of – menopause and depression.  Although you can have depression at any time of your life, it can be aggravated by menopause.  Some women find that menopause and depression come hand in hand, one right after the other.  All women go through menopause differently.  Some never become depressed while some who already have depression find that menopause increases it.  All of this is normal.

What Kind Of Depression Do You Have?

If you feel overwhelmed, hopeless, extremely tired and have lost interest in everything, you may have clinical depression.  See a doctor as soon as you can.  Although there is still a social stigma at having depression, as it is considered a mental illness, there is nothing to be ashamed about.  Depression often has physical causes that can be treated with medication and/or therapy.  Your doctor can help you discover if your depression and menopause are linked together.

Menopause and depression are cause by hormones, usually a lack of them.  Hormone and/or anti-depressants can help give your body what it needs.  You may also wish to pursue therapy to help you through periods of worthlessness and panic.  There are many support groups, books and websites that can offer hints and humor about what you’re going through.  You’re not alone.  You only have to ask for help to get it.

Other Things You Can Do

If you can’t take antidepressants, or if your doctor says you shouldn’t, you could try a claming herb called St. John’s Wort.  It doesn’t work overnight.  Just like with anti-depressants, St. John’s Wort takes weeks to saturate your system.  But it cannot be taken with anti-depressants.  They’ll knock each other out.

A regular exercise program can also help menopause and depression symptoms.  Gentle exercises like walking, or yoga can help your body relax and adjust to this new phase of life.   Some women find that house cleaning or doing the laundry helps not only burn calories, but give them a sense of accomplishment and worth.

Menopause and depression symptoms will try to turn you into a hermit.  But being by yourself can intensify these very same symptoms that want you to hide under the bed in the first place.  Make yourself and praise yourself for keeping in contact with people or animals at least once a day.  This not only gives you a break from dwelling on your problems, but you may be able to help or laugh with others, which will bolster your self-confidence and help ease your menopause and depression symptoms.