What Is Menopause?
Like all major turning points in women?s lives, reaching
menopause can be challenging and even a little frightening.
Like puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause
carries with it a whole host of natural, but nonetheless
challenging and sometimes uncomfortable, physical changes.
Moreover, it also carries with it a plethora of normal
emotional and spiritual reactions, ranging from denial,
confusion and even grief. After all, menopause marks a
completely new phase in a woman?s life. It heralds the end of
our childbearing bearing years and ushers in a different phase
of deep female maturity. And, since unfortunately we still live
in a culture that equates femininity with sexual fertility, it?s
no wonder that many women regard menopause as a negative thing.
Sadly some regard it as a nullification of their worth as
women, something that couldn?t be further from the truth.
Menopause also reminds us we are getting older and our are
bodies are naturally aging. That fact in itself can be a
difficult to accept.
But what is menopause exactly? Menopause is an intermediary
stage that takes place when a woman?s reproductive organs fail
to produce eggs, causing her menstrual cycle to stop. Typically
menopause begins after or around the age of 50, however there
are exceptions with some women commencing menopause earlier or
later in life. And, more often than not the symptoms of
menopause begin some time before onset.
There are a whole host of symptoms that can accompany
menopause. Some of the more common signs are hot or cold
flushes; weight gain; mood swings and irritability;
emotionality; decrease in libido; muscle and joint soreness;
depression; rapid or irregular heart rate; disordered sleeping
patterns and irregular periods as well as lighter or heavier
menstrual bleeding. In fact, the symptoms of menopause are so
many and so individual that it is almost a case of ?expect the
unexpected?. Some women even say they feel as if their skin is
crawling!
The truth is that menopause should not be feared. Instead we
should embrace and celebrate it as a normal stage in our cycle
of health and wellness. That said, the symptoms and signs of
menopause can be difficult to live with, and women should not
face it alone. Think about it this way. If men had to go
through menopause, just imagine the level of support, public
awareness and caring workplace practices that would be
established to help them through it! As it is, women have to
muddle through menopause as best they can, dealing with it
day-by-day, with their friends and sense of humor as their best
allies.
Like all health matters, being well-informed about the sorts of
symptoms you might experience allows you to physically and
mentally prepare. Indeed, some women do not even realize they
are going through menopause because they simply lack the
information to explain what they are feeling! It?s not until
they research and explore the signs that they make the
connection. And it?s no wonder, given that the list of
potential symptoms is so long and diverse.
About The Author: Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in
Menopause. For further information on Menopause please visit
http://www.natural-menopause-relief-secrets.com/menopause.html
or
http://natural-menopause-relief-secrets.com/blog/2006/08/26/what-is-menopause/
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