Menopause

What is the Menopause?

The menopause is when a woman’s menstrual period stops permanently. Periods can stop for a while and then start again, so a woman is considered to have been through menopause only after one year without periods. Read on to learn what to expect and ways to stay strong and healthy in the years around menopause.

Learning about menopause treatment options

Most women do not need treatment of menopausal symptoms. Some women find that their symptoms go away by themselves, and some women just don't find the symptoms very uncomfortable. But if you are bothered by symptoms, there are many ways to deal with them, including medications and lifestyle changes. Read here about how to deal with specific symptoms and what medication options are available.

You may find it hard to decide about treatment options like menopausal hormone therapy because of the possible side effects. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks and benefits so you can choose what's best for you. No one treatment is right for all women.

Some vitamins that might help

In his book, Medicinal Herbal Therapy: A Pharmacist's Viewpoint, registered pharmacist Steven G. Ottariano says that certain vitamins and minerals can provide particular benefits to menopausal women. These include Vitamin E (400 to 800 IU daily) to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats; Calcium (1500 mg daily)--the best type of calcium is not calcium carbonate which may not be fully absorbed, but microcrystalline calcium hydroxyapatite calcium (MCHC) or calcium citrate; Magnesium (500 mg to 750 mg daily) is essential to help with the absorption of calcium; Vitamin C (1,000 mg to 2,000 mg daily) helps absorption of Vitamin E and decreases capillary fragility.

Nutrition for menopause

There are many other vitamins and herbs that may help with menopause. A small selection can be found below.