World Menopause Day 2012

It was not long ago that menstruation was called “the curse”. Now it’s been referred to as “the chum.” From a taboo topic to being a friend, this pet feminine peeve has indeed come a long way! World Menopause Day (WMD) is observed on the 18th of October each year. With the world population ageing, there are more women likely to live beyond menopause. WMD is seen as an opportunity to educate women about menopause and talk to their doctors on how to manage its symptoms.

This year the International Menopause Society (IMS) is initiating a new campaign to create awareness regarding weight gain at menopause and the implications it holds on women’s health during the post-menopausal period.

Menopause is that time in a woman’s life when her periods have stopped. A menopausal woman has also stopped producing the beneficial hormones- the estrogen and the progesterone – which has been protecting her, particularly from conditions of the heart.

A woman’s ovarian hormone functions slow as early as early thirties and continue to steadily decline. Most women reach menopause by the age of 54 years.

Menopausal women between the ages of 55-65 have severe problems with weight gain, but what is bothersome is the fact that many of them are unaware of the associated health risks. Menopausal women experience hormonal changes and this contributes to their weight gain particularly in the abdominal region, which is linked to elevated risk for osteoporosis and also metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. It also severely affects the persons’ quality of life, including their sexual life. All these changes severely impact their physical and psychological health.

Despite the cultural shift that is part of modern times, periods and menopause are still not clearly understood by many, especially the latter-- with all its myriad symptoms. In some places it is still remains a stigmatized topic.

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It is important not to associate menopause with old age and to keep in mind the truth that several decades of life remains ahead. Despite the several symptoms like mood swings, hot flushes and insomnia menopause is no illness. It is a natural phase in a woman’s life and must be considered as a natural phase in a woman’s life. Most of the symptoms last for about 7 years after which they gradually settle down.

Replacing estrogen (estrogen therapy) may help to prevent body fat. It may be a good idea to talk to your doctor about the possibilities of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in order to relieve the symptoms. Talking to one’s close friends and family or peers may help to manage the uneasiness and discomfort and to quell the fears that stems from menopause.

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References –
www.huffingtonpost.com
www.prlog.org
www.imsociety.org

Source-Medindia