Menopause 101

Apparently you hit menopause one year after your last period. That would mean I am not there yet. At 53, my monthly friend still comes like clockwork. That would most likely put me in the category of perimenopausal. I will never know since both phases have extensive yet common symptoms.

Perimenopause most often begins from 40 to 44. Mine started when I turned 50, when I believe I got my first hot flash. I actually thought it was kinda cool, it’s intense but lasted less than a minute. I do believe my Black Cohosh is helping me out with the flashes. They are very rare. Your Skin on Menopause I don’t have any of the other symptoms; irregular cycles, sleep problems or vaginal dryness. Most symptoms resemble PMS; mood changes, headaches and muscle aches.

How does this differ from menopause? No more periods , first and foremost. The others include the above mentioned, although the hot flashes will be more profound. There are 42 symptoms of menopause. Feel free to blame anything on it. Tiredness, bloating, weight gain, even acne and concentration problems. This may last 2 to 10 years. Women are definitely the most resilient sex. After PMS, 30 years of periods and child birth for some, we now get another 10 years of loveliness.

What you can do to make the best of it? Eat right; since this all has to do with decreasing estrogen levels; eat lots of fruits, grains, nuts and seeds. I have added Purslane to this list as well. WTH is purslane? Liquids derived from plants may also help. Specifically beer, coffee, red wine and tea. I am not making this up, straight up Googled it.

I do feel like my vitamins are helping me out. Especially Provitalize. Stay tuned for more.