Perimenopause - A New Beginning

Perimenopause, the transitional period before menopause, can bring with it many symptoms, challenges and changes for women. You may notice that you've gained some weight, particularly around your mid section, or perhaps your periods aren't as regular as they once were. You may also be experiencing hot flashes or night sweats and you're wondering if this time in your life marks the end of your youth.

According to several studies, the answer is "absolutely not." As a matter of fact, perimenopause can very well signal the beginning of a more mature, happy, beautiful and energetic you - if you have the determination and self-control that are necessary ingredients in the fountain of youth.

You may believe that the days of feeling youthful and full of energy are history, but this couldn't be farther from the truth. Maybe you witnessed your mother - or perhaps aunts - get older and the results weren't pretty. Believe it or not, that has very little to do with you. As a matter of fact, a study conducted by Swedish scientists found that our genes only contribute 20% - 30% in determining how healthy we'll be and how long we'll live. That's very good news, because this means that it is we who determine our fate.

Three key factors to staying youthful and reducing symptoms of perimenopause are: Diet, exercise and a healthy, positive attitude. Unfortunately, most women don't believe in healthy eating and exercise. As a matter of fact, far too many people become complacent and are more than happy to sit around watching television or writing e-mails, yet the excuse is always the same - "I don't have time to exercise and eat healthy." If you were to face unfavorable health conditions and severe symptoms of periomenopause (likely as result of an inactive lifestyle) there's no doubt you would find the time to seek and receive treatment. Why not use that time for preventative maintenance on your body so that you may reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke and many other conditions that so many women face as they enter middle age?

Let's take a moment to examine the lifestyle of many Americans who are now living past the age of 100. Those individuals currently living past the age of 100 never inactively sat behind a desk, ate fatty processed foods, experienced road rage, or believed that exercising no more than their fingers at the computer was a sufficient amount of activity for the day. Let's face it, in the early 1900s people walked miles to work not by choice but out of necessity, because cars were still a luxury back then. Boys and girls were expected to till the fields because their farmer parents needed cheap help. People ate what they grew because it was available. Most labor was manual then, and most nutrients were natural. Preserved food was what they sealed in a jar. Tobacco and alcohol were available in the early 1900s, but the majority of today's centenarians didn't indulge to excess.

The lifestyle changes necessary to look and feel youthful and energetic, and reduce symptoms or perimenopause, are so very easy and you'll be thrilled that you took the time to make these changes, because the results will astound you. Your diet doesn't need to be so strict that you can't enjoy those foods that you love. As a matter of fact, recent studies have shown that the consumption of cocoa or dark chocolate may offer protective effects for healthy people and those who are at risk for cardiovascular disease. So, go ahead and enjoy your chocolate - if consumed in moderation, and as part of a well balanced diet, it may be very good for your overall health.

Additionally, red wine has been proven to increase longevity, serve as an antioxidant and may reduce the risk or spread of breast cancer. Also, as you may know, a strong association between moderate consumption of red wine and reduced cardiovascular disease and lower cancer risk has been documented.

So, as you can see, many foods and beverages that you thought you'd have to give up can easily remain a part of your everyday diet. Foods you will want to avoid, however, include those that will contribute to fat accumulation, such as white rice, potatoes and white bread. Instead, add wholegrain bread, oats, rye and wheat germ to your diet.

I know you're probably not fond of the word "exercise," as many women don't understand the benefits of a regular exercise routine - both physical and emotional - but you will be shocked and amazed by the positive results you'll see by devoting a small amount of time to regular physical activity. You'll lose the weight you've gained around your mid section, and you'll become toned, fit and thin. You'll also have much more energy, which is likely a result of being in better shape, as well as knowing that you've accomplished a great deal, which leads to so much more self confidence than most of us are accustomed to having.

In summary, perimenopause really can be the start of a beautiful new beginning if you should choose to make it so. Remember, it's up to you; do you want to become frumpy, overweight and lacking energy, or will you devote a small amount time and effort to looking and feeling youthful, energized and beautiful? I know I'm experiencing some of the best years of my life and if I can do it, so can you - enjoy!

Susan Megge is the founder of http://www.40isbeautiful.com, a website designed to assist mature women as they approach and experience menopause. Susan started experiencing symptoms of menopause several years ago and researched various avenues to deal with these symptoms naturally

Birth Control and Perimenopause: When do I stop taking the Pill?

Perimenopause is the time just before menopause. Officially, menopause starts the year after you have finished menstruating, and perimenopause starts three to five years earlier. As your body changes, should you be reconsidering your birth control options?

So you're in your late forties, or your fifties. Your body is acting differently. You aren't sure if the changes are your birth control or your body, how do you react? If you are still getting your period, you can still get pregnant. You should still use birth control until a year after your last period, because often periods become irregular and have a longer time between them during perimenopause. If you have been relying on fertility awareness based methods of birth control, they will no longer work, because you will no longer be able to track your cycle accurately. If you are using barrier based methods of birth control, then you can continue using your regular method (diaphragm, sponge, condoms, etc). The difficulty at perimenopause comes if you are using hormonal birth control, such as the pill, the patch, or the vaginal ring among others.

Some doctors recommend switching birth control pills to a low-dose birth control pill at perimenopause. This would mean switching to a pill that has 20 micrograms of estrogen (such as Alesse or Loestrin), instead of the normal 30 to 50 micrograms of estrogen in a combination pill. The benefits of changing to a lower dose hormonal birth control are that you will still be protected against pregnancy, and your final periods will probably be more regular. Many women find that their side effects are fewer with lower doses of estrogen. NuvaRing is a vaginal ring that is inserted once a month and removed 21 days later; it also has a lower dose of estrogen than most birth control pills.

You are going to have to stop taking birth control at some point in your life. In the past, doctors would randomly choose when to stop you on birth control and when to begin you on hormone replacement therapy for menopause. This often happens around the age of 50. Now, doctors can measure your FSH, or follicle-stimulating-hormone to tell if you are in menopause. This way you can switch hormone therapies directly when it suits your body.

However, being medicated on hormones your entire life is not appealing to many women. You might choose to change to alternative forms of birth control. These include getting an IUD, or switching to a barrier method of birth control (like a cervical cap, condoms, etc.).

Going off birth control can cause difficulties for some women. A woman's body can become accustomed to being on contraceptive pills for years. It will take months for the pill to leave your body. Your body will learn to create different hormone levels for you.

There are many natural ways to deal with the side effects of perimenopause. The most important thing to remember is to maintain a balanced diet and exercise. It sounds overly simple, but for most of us, it can be one of the biggest challenges we face in our busy lives. Proper diet and exercise can help minimize side effects of perimenopause, and it will help you to feel better about yourself.

If you want to try going off birth control pills, you can stop at any time (though many women choose to finish one monthly cycle before ending. Try lowering your caffeine and alcohol intake. Other women use progesterone-cream to help lessen their side effects.

Perimenopause and menopause is a time of great change in a woman's life. This is a time to step back and begin listening to your body. Many women rush around their lives putting everyone else first: take this time to improve your own life by talking to your doctor and making informed decisions about your hormone use during perimenopause.

For more information on birth control, including hormonal, barrier-based, and biological methods, and more information on your fertitility, visit The Guide to Birth Control

Menopause

Menopause is the point in a woman?s life when no more eggs are released from her ovaries and her period or menstrual cycle stops. The medical definition of menopause is no period for at least 12 months that is not due to any underlying medical condition. It is a normal part of the changes a woman?s body goes through as she gets older, and is caused in part by decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones. Menopause is usually a gradual process that takes place sometime after the age of 40. If it happens before 40, it is called premature menopause. The process typically starts with periods becoming shorter and more irregular, gradually leading to a complete cessation of monthly bleeding.

Women?s experiences during menopause vary greatly. Some women experience minimal symptoms, while others may experience many changes. These may include hot flashes, depression or irritability, reduced sexual desire, difficulty controlling the bladder, a racing heart, and difficulty sleeping. Changing hormone levels may cause or speed up the development of osteoporosis, weight gain and vaginal changes. Some women may go through menopause with minimal symptoms, while others make a difficult transition.

While a doctor can usually tell that a woman is going through menopause by the nature of her complaints, menopause can also be diagnosed by a vaginal smear that shows the vagina is thinning and drying. Blood levels of follicle stimulating hormone are highly elevated during menopause and also help to make a diagnosis. Since this is also the age during which breast and uterine cancers are more likely, a doctor may screen women for these cancers.

There are a number of treatments that are available to ease the effects of menopause, including lifestyle modification and hormone replacement therapy. The treatments a doctor recommends will depend on a woman?s symptoms and other conditions that may develop after menopause.
Menopause provides detailed information on menopause, early menopause, male menopause, menopause and osteoporosis and more. Menopause is affliated with Endometriorsis And Infertility.