Menopause: its a landmark event in the life of any woman. It’s a period of uncertainty and unpreparedness. Even though we are aware of its impending arrival, when it does come knocking at our doorstep, we are totally at the sea. As we enter into our 40s, the telltale signs start creeping onto us. I’m on the cusp of menopause and if I’m honest totally unprepared. Women all over go through this period of incertitude. So, I will try and condole with my fellow sisters in this article.
Understanding Menopause: The Second Innings of Womanhood
It is that period of life: where we start questioning our womanhood? Since with the onset of this, we lose our ability to borne a child. It is as important as menarche. So let’s understand this red-letter word which makes us break into cold sweats and gives us sleepless nights. The period of menopause consists of 3 distinct phases: perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause.
When you have gone through a year without having your period, then congratulation you have reached your menopause! Instead of fretting, let’s celebrate this new phase of life. Women are essentially controlled by their hormones: estrogen and progesterone. The ebb and rise of these two cause the infamous mood swings throughout our fertile life span and especially at this delicate juncture of life.
MenopauseSymptoms of Menopause
Following are some of the symptoms of menopause:
• Stress, anxiety, and depression and problems in focusing.
• Heat flashes
• Night sweats
• Weight gain and loss in muscle elasticity
Also Read: Controlling Bone Loss After Menopause
• Onset of osteoporosis
• Vaginal dryness and loss of intimacy
If you are experiencing any or all of the above symptoms, then your perimenopausal period has commenced and it can last anywhere between 1-3 years or in some cases even more.
How To Deal With Menopause?
Menopause not only affects women physically but more so emotionally and psychologically. 70% of women have said that they have felt overwhelmed by this very natural phenomenon, and it has turned to plague women from the beginning of time. But the modern woman is not totally at loss, when it comes to facing challenges, whether it’s extrinsic or intrinsic.
• Hormone replacement therapy HRT is a solution that helps combat the changing levels of the hormone.
• Counseling helps cope with the plethora of physical changes that lead to massive psychological duress. It can also affect your intimacy with your spouse and this change in the relationship can be extremely overwhelming.
• Exercising assists in maintaining proper body weight and helps in proper blood circulation and also reduce stress.
• A healthy diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, which are rich sources of vitamins and irons, is mandatory. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and foods with high sugar content which can further aggravate the symptoms.
Menopause is not to be feared but embraced. It’s the second innings of life, and by keeping pace with the inevitable change, women can achieve wonders. We just need to change our perception. Our life doesn’t need to change necessarily but with minor adjustments, it can only get better. Like a good bottle of wine, women get better with age. So let’s raise a toast to be mature!
Also Read: Menopause: Don’t Pause With It
