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The Signs Of Menopause And Impact On Your Health |
By:
Aimee Clark |
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The Signs of Menopause and Impact on Your Health
by Aimee Clark
A lot of the signs of menopause can be attributed to a considerable reduction in the levels of estrogen in a woman's body. Oestrogen is produced in the ovaries, and over 300 different internal organs and tissues respond and are controlled by this hormone. Owing to this, the range of symptoms of menopause can be very diverse. Here's some of the more common ones:
An Increase in Your Bad Cholesterol Levels
You have two types of cholesterol in your body - good and bad. Pre menopause, women generally have more good cholesterol than bad. The good cholesterol will counteract the bad cholesterol, so the end result is positive. During menopause, and in particular the pre-menopause phase, women can start to lose the high levels of good (HDL) cholesterol. This allows the bad cholesterol (LDL) to rise in relation to the HDL levels, which in turn brings increased risk of heart disease. So keep tabs on your HDL and LDL levels and eat healthily to keep your good cholesterol levels up.
Estrogen and its Impact on Heart Disease.
Research has shown that oestrogen helps to keep the blood vessels of the body elastic and relaxed. Thus, when the levels of oestrogen fall during the years leading up to the menopause the blood vessels can harden slightly and they can constrict as a result. This can lead to problems such as high blood pressure and even heart disease in severe cases.
Hot Flashes
It's estimated that about 70 - 80 percent of women going through menopause experience hot flashes and one time or another. Hot flashes are primarily caused by the fluctuations in estrogen levels in our body, but various medications can also bring on hot flashes as well. The good news is that the intensity of hot flashes will decrease as you progress through menopause.
Breasts Can Become Larger and Firmer
During menopause, the glandular tissues in the breast which were needed for milk production during a woman's younger years, is replaced with connective tissue. This leads to an increase in breast size and firmness. Depending on a woman's size already, it can have negative health impacts by way of back pain and lower neck ache.
Incontinence
Oestrogen is known to provide tone to the bladder sphincters and the urinary tract and so a decline in the level of this hormone can cause urinary urgency and in the later stages of pre-menopause, a loss of bladder control. This problem can be resolved to some degree with HRT or alternatively daily exercises that tone and strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor can also help.
Decrease in Bone Strength and Density
As we age, we all lose bone density - both men and women alike. We can take natural supplements that help offset the loss and maintain our bone strength well into old age. But one of the signs of menopause is an increased loss of bone density which can mean you're more prone to bone fractures and at increased risk of osteoporosis. Again, there are many natural and effective alternative remedies which can combat these signs of menopause.
Aimee Clark is a mother of two who has recently embraced the signs of menopause. She shares her experiences to help other women through this powerful phase of life. NewMenopauseSupport.com Click here for other unique 'signs of menopause' articles.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article55336.html |
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