Menopause refers to the end of menstruation in a woman.  Studies show this commonly occur between ages forty-five to fifty-five, when the ovaries cease to produce the hormone estrogen.  Women often view menopause as a debilitating condition, a hopeless path to old age, and an end to their attractiveness. 

All women will undergo menopausal symptoms

When the ovaries cease to produce the hormone estrogen, it could also be called the period of estrogen deficiency.  The drop in estrogen levels during menopause affects a woman's body in varied ways.  These are some of the signs commonly known to herald the onset of menopause: night sweats, hot flushes, palpitation, excessive fatigue, depression, loss of memory and a decrease in sexual appetite.

What are the health risks associated with menopause?

Many of the body's tissues such as the bones, skin, heart, and blood vessels rely on hormones produced by the ovaries to function properly.  According to medical doctors, the arrival of menopause also brings with it certain biological changes which could prove for more potentially damaging than the commonly recognized symptoms.  Studies have shown that menopausal women are more prone to osteoporosis.  This is the thinning of the bones which may result in joint and muscle pain, backaches, hip fractures, and a curving of the spine.  Furthermore, menopause has likewise been linked as a contributing factor to the development of Alzheimer's disease or colon cancer in women.  Women in this age are more prone to develop heart disease, or they begin to lose estrogen and its cardio-protective benefits.

What is Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy addresses, the problems of menopause by restoring the estrogen levels in a woman's body.  Once hormonal balance is restored through HRT, the difficulties brought about by the symptoms are reduced or eliminated.  In the long term, continued treatment through HRT, has been shown to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.  Studies show that HRT has been found to dramatically reduce the incidence of stroke, and heart disease.

Are there side effects from undergoing HRT.

In the past, women who were given the option of undergoing Hormone Replacement sometimes declined, fearing it would put them at risk of developing breast cancer.  Findings indicate that the incidence of breast cancer does not increase with continued HRT.  Other minor side effects such as weight gain, headaches, feelings of nausea, and breast enlargement are easily addressed by adjusting the dosage of the treatment.

How long must women undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy?

An average of five to ten years HRT products may be taken if HRT is taken to prevent osteoporosis, it may be taken for ten to twenty years or even for life, if taken to prevent heart disease and stroke says a medical doctor.  The length of therapy would depend on the recommendation of her personal physician or the needs of the patient.

Menopause should not signal an end of your productive years.  In fact, many women have come to see it as a time of new possibilities, and Hormone Replacement Therapy has given them the means to enjoy this new beginning in their lives according to a medical doctor.

Resource: Women's Journal