Friday, 6 January 2012
0
Menopause is a natural phenomenon for women who are aging. It is described as a life changing phenomenon that permanently ends the menstrual cycle of every woman. There are factors that affect the onset of menopause. Factors such as the woman’s lifestyle, genetics, and others greatly affect the onset of menopause. Therefore, menopause affects every woman differently. There are also symptoms and complications that come with menopause.
Generally, this phenomenon is thought to affect women who are in their middle ages. Women who live in the western part of the world undergo this phenomenon between the ages of 40 to 61. The average age for the last period for women who live in the western part of the world ends at 51 years old. However, in other countries like the Philippines and Indonesia, the average age for the last period ends at 44 years old. For some women who have mothers who had undergone menopause earlier can affect their daughter’s onset for menopause. Therefore, the genetic make up of a person is significant in affect the onset of menopause.
For some women, their onset for menopause is at an earlier age because of their lifestyle. Women who smoke cigarettes, for example, are bound to undergo the menopausal process at an earlier age. In a research done by Dr. Thea F. Mikkelsen of the University of Oslo and her colleagues, women who smoke were 59 percent more likely to undergo the menopausal stage before they reach age 45 compared to the women who do not smoke. Women who heavily smoke double the chance on undergoing early menopausal stage. However, women smokers who stop smoking before middle age may not be affected.
As aforementioned above, the genetic make up and the lifestyle of women greatly affect the onset of menopause. Nevertheless, there are other factors that affect the early onset of menopause such as the women who have autoimmune diseases or surgery. Autoimmune Diseases are diseases wherein the immune response of our body attacks the substances and the tissues that normally exist in our body. The body’s immune system treats the other parts of our body or a part of our body as a pathogen. As we all know, our body’s immune system acts as our body’s defence against unwanted microorganisms, germs, or bacteria and kills it. Therefore, our body’s immune system targets our living cells and kills it which leads to the abnormal functioning or the cease of function for some parts of our body.
There are symptoms that can warn a woman who is probably undergoing menopause and complications that accompanies the onset of menopause. Women who are probably undergoing the menopausal process would probably experience symptoms such as sleep issues, hot flashes, changes in sexual interest or response. The most common and bothersome symptom during menopause is hot flashes or hot flushes since this symptom is associated with the changing hormone levels of the woman’s body. Women sweat a lot and their mood changes swiftly. Another symptom and complication that a woman is undergoing menopause is insomnia. As we all know, insomnia is a sleep disorder. People who are suffering from this disorder have difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep.
In conclusion, the menopausal stage is a natural complex stage that affects the women around the world. There are factors that affect the early onset of the phenomenon and symptoms and complications that warns and comes with the phenomenon. It changes the life of women and sometimes their outlook in life. However, they can lessen the symptoms and complications by following a healthy diet. They should be more careful with what they eat and their body weight.
Women who are undergoing menopause should eat healthy and get enough calcium, iron, fiber by eating at least two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables in their daily diet, food with high calcium such as cheese and sardines, and eat food that are iron-rich at least three servings such as chicken or any other poultry, eggs, fish, and many more, and drink water for hydration. They should also reduce their fat, salt, sugar and alcohol intake, and maintain a healthy weight. This would mean that women who are overweight while undergoing menopause should opt to lose their weight.
Aging and Menopause
Generally, this phenomenon is thought to affect women who are in their middle ages. Women who live in the western part of the world undergo this phenomenon between the ages of 40 to 61. The average age for the last period for women who live in the western part of the world ends at 51 years old. However, in other countries like the Philippines and Indonesia, the average age for the last period ends at 44 years old. For some women who have mothers who had undergone menopause earlier can affect their daughter’s onset for menopause. Therefore, the genetic make up of a person is significant in affect the onset of menopause.
For some women, their onset for menopause is at an earlier age because of their lifestyle. Women who smoke cigarettes, for example, are bound to undergo the menopausal process at an earlier age. In a research done by Dr. Thea F. Mikkelsen of the University of Oslo and her colleagues, women who smoke were 59 percent more likely to undergo the menopausal stage before they reach age 45 compared to the women who do not smoke. Women who heavily smoke double the chance on undergoing early menopausal stage. However, women smokers who stop smoking before middle age may not be affected.
As aforementioned above, the genetic make up and the lifestyle of women greatly affect the onset of menopause. Nevertheless, there are other factors that affect the early onset of menopause such as the women who have autoimmune diseases or surgery. Autoimmune Diseases are diseases wherein the immune response of our body attacks the substances and the tissues that normally exist in our body. The body’s immune system treats the other parts of our body or a part of our body as a pathogen. As we all know, our body’s immune system acts as our body’s defence against unwanted microorganisms, germs, or bacteria and kills it. Therefore, our body’s immune system targets our living cells and kills it which leads to the abnormal functioning or the cease of function for some parts of our body.
There are symptoms that can warn a woman who is probably undergoing menopause and complications that accompanies the onset of menopause. Women who are probably undergoing the menopausal process would probably experience symptoms such as sleep issues, hot flashes, changes in sexual interest or response. The most common and bothersome symptom during menopause is hot flashes or hot flushes since this symptom is associated with the changing hormone levels of the woman’s body. Women sweat a lot and their mood changes swiftly. Another symptom and complication that a woman is undergoing menopause is insomnia. As we all know, insomnia is a sleep disorder. People who are suffering from this disorder have difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep.
In conclusion, the menopausal stage is a natural complex stage that affects the women around the world. There are factors that affect the early onset of the phenomenon and symptoms and complications that warns and comes with the phenomenon. It changes the life of women and sometimes their outlook in life. However, they can lessen the symptoms and complications by following a healthy diet. They should be more careful with what they eat and their body weight.
Women who are undergoing menopause should eat healthy and get enough calcium, iron, fiber by eating at least two to four servings of fruits and three to five servings of vegetables in their daily diet, food with high calcium such as cheese and sardines, and eat food that are iron-rich at least three servings such as chicken or any other poultry, eggs, fish, and many more, and drink water for hydration. They should also reduce their fat, salt, sugar and alcohol intake, and maintain a healthy weight. This would mean that women who are overweight while undergoing menopause should opt to lose their weight.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 Responses to “Aging and Menopause”
Post a Comment