Usually between the ages of 45 and 55, women enter menopause and experience accelerated weight gain, fatigue, elevated stress levels, mood swings, and other symptoms from the continuing loss of estrogen from the body. Pamela Peeke, M.D., MPH, author of “Fit After Fifty,” says, “This is a golden opportunity to create new roles for ourselves, to make our lives richer and more fulfilling.” Peeke likens this time to a second puberty, a physical metamorphosis critical to a woman’s development that allows her to focus more on her unique gifts and callings, balancing her own needs with those of everyone else who relies on her.
Heading into the Era of New Treatments
In the next 20 years, over 40 million women in the US will enter menopause. Some will experience premature menopause, which is menopause that starts before the age of 40. Others may experience synthetic or induced menopause, caused by surgical removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) or ovaries, or due to radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Women who undergo medically induced menopause will immediately experience severe symptoms of hormone withdrawal, making them candidates for therapies that offer relief.
Relief, traditionally, has meant Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescribed by a physician. Since the mid-sixties, millions of women have taken prescribed synthetic hormones that were suspected of being carcinogenic. The therapies were heavily promoted by manufacturers and their medical spokespeople as important not only for hormone relief but also to protect women’s heart health and reduce their risks of osteoporosis (brittle bones). Unfortunately, these health claims have not proved entirely true and, worse, the treatments themselves posed grave threats to healthy women.
Making the Best Decision for your Health
Now women have new choices, some hormone-based, others traditional alternatives such as herbs, diet, and supplements. Discuss these options with your health care provider to find the best choice for you. Ask about toxicity and health risks, and make a decision based on what is important to you: conventional medicine or natural remedies. And don’t forget, you are not married to your choice. You can switch at any time.