UNDERSTANDING YOUR MENOPAUSE

What is your Menopause Type?
Unique Treatment Program
Hysterectomy
Combination Therapy
The Right Diet
Exercise
The benefits of exercise with your NHRT treatment

What is your menopause type?

Unlike many General Practitioners treating menopause, Menopause Clinics of America doctors understand that not all women are the same. In fact, the way you experience Menopause can be very different from your next-door-neighbor, your cousin or even your sister. It is this realization that has led the Menopause Clinics of America to tailor specific treatment programs to your needs as an individual.

Generally, the word menopause means the cessation of menses (when you period becomes irregular and eventually stops all-together). During this time, you may experience any or all of the following symptoms:

• Hot Flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Breast tenderness
• Migraines
• Anxiety
• Sleeplessness
• Mild to severe depression
• Skin dryness and thinning of hair
• Low sex drive (libido)
• Vaginal Dryness
• Pain during intercourse

These symptoms that accompany your transition from normal menstrual cycles on average last between 4 and 8 years, most commonly occurring between the ages of 42 and 58. Immediately after menopause (early post menopause) is an important time for women, as you can experience accelerated bone loss, resulting in osteoporosis.

In order to determine your menopause type, and tailor a specific treatment program for you, Menopause Clinics of America doctors will undergo a complete hormone assessment and evaluation. From this, we can find exactly which hormones you are deficient, and recommend a program for you.

Unique Treatment Program

During menopause, there are three distinct groups of hormones that are affected: Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone. These will be rebalanced individually, with dosages depending on factors such as age, specific deficiencies, menopause type and physical status. For example, in the peri-menopause and early post-menopause stages, you may be deficient in estrogen and progesterone at different times, requiring cyclical therapy. If you are in the post menopause period, but still experiencing symptoms, then a combined estrogen/progesterone therapy could be right for you.

Hysterectomy

Many physicians and general practitioners often advise that after a hysterectomy, progesterone may not be necessary, and that estrogen only will suffice. In light of recent studies, this has actually been found to be incorrect, as progesterone plays an important role in restoring bone mass, as well as providing protection against effects of estrogen.

Combination Therapy

Unlike many practitioners, The Menopause Clinics of America asks every patient to take an active role in managing their menopause, because no one knows your body better than you!

This involves a combination of:

• The right diet
• Exercise
• Hormone Supplementation

The Right Diet

Many women, during this stage of their lives, will find a decrease in their metabolic rate. This can lead to weight gain, change in shape, accumulation of pocket fat, and thickening of the waistline. As metabolic rate decreases the body effectively becomes more efficient at storing energy in the form of fat. In addition, as estrogen levels fall appetite increases (Northrup 2001: 191).

Your adrenal glands are important in the long-term maintenance of your hormone levels. Adrenal glands increase production of androstenedione (the precursor to estrogen and testosterone) and progesterone. Therefore the systematic functioning of the adrenal glands is important. One of the main ways you can support your adrenal glands is by ensuring your diet is completely meeting your body's needs. Every vitamin and mineral is required at some point in your body's production of hormones and for the functioning the adrenal glands (Collins 2000: 315-316).

The simplest action is to take a multivitamin everyday, but for good long-term health, nutritious meals are crucial.

Eat at least three meals a day

Yo-yo dieting, and periodic starvation are detrimental to health and weight loss, as it slows down your metabolism. The result may be a temporary of lean body mass, but not a decrease in body fat. Potentially, these practices could lead to a higher percentage of body fat than when you started. Frequent, smaller meals maintain both a healthy metabolic rate, and stable blood sugar levels.

Protein at each meal

Fish, eggs, lean meat dairy food or vegetarian alternatives such as soy are excellent sources of protein. It is important as every tissue, organ and vessel in the body requires protein for optimum performance, as well as regulating hormone production. Protein can also decrease your risk of cancer caused by excess estrogen.

Cut down on Carbohydrates and sugar

Cutting down on white rice, and foods made with white flour (muffins, rolls, biscuits, bread and pasta) is an effective way of cutting carbohydrate intake. Minimizing soda intake is the best way to cut sugar consumption.

You also need to reduce your intake of fast food, as well as desserts and sweets, which are full of sugar and hold little dietary benefit.

Maintaining low carbohydrate and sugar intake will allow your body to burn stored fat, as well as keep your insulin and blood sugar levels normal.

Eliminate or cut back on Alcohol

Alcohol is simply sugar in a form that is readily absorbable, meaning its effects are felt in minutes. Eliminating the calories from alcohol can mean that you lose weight very quickly, and your hot flashes may improve. This is because alcohol can interfere with estrogen metabolism, causing an almost immediate imbalance, as there is too much estrogen in proportion to progesterone.

Eat a wide Variety of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Daily

The best fruits and vegetables are the more colorful ones. The pigment in broccoli, capsicum, tomatoes and leafy vegetables are powerful antioxidants.

Eat Healthy fats each day

Good sources of healthy fats (High Density Lipids, or HDLs) include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cold-water fish, avocado and nuts.

Daily Antioxidants

Antioxidants combat cellular damage from free radicals, which is one of the most significant underlying factors leading to chronic conditions such as heart disease, cataracts, macular degeneration and many cancers. Antioxidants are found abundantly in fresh fruits and vegetables, organically grown fruits and vegetables have the highest amounts of antioxidants, due to their dependence on soil. (Northrup 2001:205-224).

The following guide will assist you in working out in which proportion these foods should be taken. Follow this guide is recommended for healthier living longevity and assist management of menopause:

*40-35% Complex Carbohydrates = Two closed fists held together.
(Fresh vegetables and fresh fruits)

*30-25% Protein = open palm of one hand.
(Fresh fish, red and white meat, Tofu and Soy beans)

*15-20% Fats = little finger
(Essential fats)

Exercise

The way of life in the 21st century means a lifetime of sitting - in schools, offices, cars and at home - meaning we often end up getting very little activity. The human body is designed to move, yet circumstances prevent us from doing so. Allowing time for a regimen of activity and exercise is crucial to good health. Doctors are starting to realize that some of the symptoms of ageing are due to this abundance of inactivity.

Heart disease, osteoporosis, weight gain, increased aches and pain, loss of confidence in your appearance can all be caused by an imbalance of hormones, brought about by the onset of menopause. Natural HRT together with good diet and exercise plans are the perfect steps for self care.

The benefits of exercise with your NHRT treatment

Heart disease

Currently there is conflicting evidence regarding the role of Estrogen and Progesterone replacement in the prevention of heart disease. Many researchers and practitioners alike believe that estrogen has a place in heart disease prevention.

Indirectly, menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, stress and weight gain and so on all contribute to a higher risk of heart disease. Therefore, treatment with NHRT will suppress these symptoms, reducing the risk.

The cardiovascular benefits of exercise are well known and documented. Exercise causes the heart to pump more blood, and therefore more oxygen around the body. More oxygen means that your muscles and organs are better nourished, and prepared for optimum performance. As a result, you can do more without getting tired. The heart then strengthens and becomes more efficient.

Osteoporosis

Recent studies have proven exercise effective in preventing loss of, and rebuilding bone marrow. The simple link is, whatever builds muscle, builds bone! All of the major muscles in our body are anchored to bone. When these muscles contract, they exert pressure on the bone they are anchored to, thus strengthening it. An example of this is Tennis players, who have been found to have higher bone density in their racket arm than in their other arm.

Research indicates that muscle strengthening in the back, abdomen, shoulders and arms are important measures to prevent spinal osteoporosis.

All movement helps, avoid sitting or lying down for long periods, and try to incorporate some vigorous into your day.

Weight Control

Central obesity is an effect of imbalanced hormones. Fat cells in the abdomen are more metabolically active than those in other areas. An abundance of these cells may contribute to insulin resistance, resulting in diabetes.

However, muscles are loaded with insulin receptors, meaning the more muscle mass you have, the more efficiently your body can process carbohydrates, sugars and body fat.

Self Confidence and appearance

Exercise, movement and stretching for flexibility maintain a youthful vitality and appearance. The effects of a good exercise regime become very clear at middle age, with noticeable results in a short time. Stiffness and pain do not go hand in hand with ageing, and can be prevented through a healthy, active lifestyle. Yoga, dance and Tai Chi all improve movement and flexibility.

Depression, moods and sleep

Exercise has subtle yet beneficial effects on our moods. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain, which in turn induce euphoria and good feelings. Stretching exercises can result in the release of tension. As muscles contract for prolonged periods, they become tight and sore. Teaching your muscles to stretch and relax can have the same effect on the mind.

Women who follow a vigorous exercise regime often sleep more soundly than those who do not, even during menopause, when sleep is often troubled by night sweats and sudden flashes.