How to Control Menopause

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her body is changing and preparing to no longer menstruate. The average age a woman will have her last menstrual period is 51, but the symptoms of menopause can start years earlier and then last even after her last period. All of the adverse symptoms of menopause are due to changes in the hormones that your body is producing, such as the amount of estrogen produced in the ovaries. Symptoms of menopause that you will want to control are, hot flashes, dry genitalia, insomnia, mood swings, lethargy, osteoporosis, heart disease, and weight gain.

Things You'll Need

• Calcium/Vitamin D supplement
• Calcium rich foods
• Soy rich foods
• Vitamin E capsules
• Vitamin E oil
• Iron supplements
• Foods high in Iron
• Menopausal hormone therapy
• Birth control pill
• Exercise
• Calcium rich orange juice
• Estrogen cream
• Low dose anti-depressant

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Instructions

Diet and Exercise

• 1

  Eat foods rich in soy to reduce the incidence of hot flashes according to the National Institute on Aging. The phytoestrogens in soy foods are similar to estrogen and seem to help reduce menopause symptoms. Foods high in phytoestrogens are cereals, flaxseed, oats, tofu, tempeh, soy burgers, legumes, soymilk, soybeans, soy flour, and soy proteins.

• 2

  Eat more calcium rich foods. Calcium is a very important nutrient while going through menopause, because osteoporosis becomes much more prevalent during this time. Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones weaken. Calcium rich foods to include in your diet are, yogurt, milk, and other dairy products, broccoli, and legumes. Drinking orange juice with calcium added, is a good idea as well.

  Take a calcium supplement with Vitamin D to ensure that your body can absorb it well. You need approximately 1200 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D per day, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

  Lower your intake of caffeinated drinks as caffeine has been linked to bone loss, according to the National Library of Medicine.

• 3

  Reduce your lethargy by eating foods high in iron. During menopause you might feel that you are tired a lot of the time. Eat foods that are rich in iron such as, fish, lean red meat, eggs, green vegetables, and almonds to ward off anemia.

• 4

  Lose weight or keep your weight in a healthy range by eating a low fat, low calorie diet. The risk of heart disease increases as you go into menopause, according to the National Institute on Aging, and being overweight will increase the risk as well.

  Exercise everyday to boost energy, keep your heart healthy, and keep the weight off during menopause.

• 5

  Take 400 IU of vitamin E as a daily supplement to reduce hot flashes.

  Use Vitamin E oil on your vaginal area as a sexual lubricant to relieve dryness.

Medical Treatments

• 6

  Consider and research the possibility of hormone replacement therapy to control menopause. Due to the lessening amount of the female hormones, estrogen and progestin, your doctor may advise Menopausal Hormone Therapy or MHT. Taking hormones can reduce a lot of the menopausal symptoms and help prevent osteoporosis and heart disease.

  Take the birth control pill to control the peri-menopausal symptoms of heavy and irregular periods.

  Ask your doctor about estrogen creams that can be used to help with vaginal dryness and help with sexual intercourse.

• 7

  Talk to your doctor about taking a low does anti-depressant to control mood swings and depression common during menopause. Low dose anti-depressants are also prescribed to reduce hot flashes and mood swings.

• 8

  Stop smoking to prevent heart disease during menopause. After menopause, women are more likely to fall victim to heart disease and smoking is linked to heart disease.