Monday, June 28, 2010

All About Woman Health - Menopause

Weight Gain With Menopause - Women Need to Stop Blaming Themselves, Its All About Hormones
By Richard Lipman M.D.

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.

When a woman's menstrual periods have stopped for a year or when her blood shows high levels of LH and FSH hormones (LH and FSH are hormones called gonadotrophins that are made by the pituitary gland in the middle of the brain) she is said to be in the menopause. Usually this occurs between 45- 55, but there is a lot of variation. Often women follow patterns of older female family members. Menopause is associated with many symptoms and problems, for most women the most significant t is unintentional weight gain. I will discuss menopause in brief, and then the hormonal reasons for the weight gain and what you can do about it.

Ovulation and Irregular Menses:
Prior to menopause, a woman's FSH and LH levels rise and fall each month as eggs are matured and released by her ovaries. The normal aging process effects the ovaries just like every other organ in the body. It's the normal aging process of the ovaries that is the root of the whole problem. As the ovaries decline in function eggs are not released every month and periods begin to be irregular. This period right before menopause is called the Peri-imenopause which may last for years. Women begin to experience hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, mood changes and weight gain. Gradually the ovaries no longer respond to gonadotropohins and ovulations stops.

Declining Hormones: Estrogens, Androgens, Progesterone and Weight Gain:
Estrogen, the female hormone made primarily in the ovaries, begins to decline as ovarian function decreases. This causes skipped periods and failure to ovulate and eventually full menopause. Estrogens are responsible for fat distribution in females: the "pear shape" where most of the fat on the buttocks and thighs rather than the "apple shape" where most of the fat is around the abdomen. Increasing fat distribution around the belly, itself causing serious medical problems, begins in perimenapause well ahead of the last menstruation. Estradiol (an estrogen) is responsible for the normal cycle of breaking down fat molecules. With low estradiol levels, fat cells become engorged with more and more fat-the result is weight gain. Along with the fall in estrogen are falls in progesterone, another cause of menopausal symptoms and-weight gain.

Women's Body to the Rescue (or I Won't Give Up the Fight!)
Most women's body refuses to give into the aging process (or at least for awhile) and all of the hormones made in different glands in the body rush to preserve that status quo.

The pituitary gland attempts to reverse these processes by making more and more FH and LSH in attempts to get the ovaries functioning again. This causes more and more symptoms and weight gain. The symptoms of hot flashes, anxiety, depression, fatigue and night sweats can be explained by the erratic fluctuations in hormones that occur in these years. Anxiety, sleep problems and the hormones themselves cause-weight gain.

Fat Cells throughout the body have the ability to make estrogens and are stimulated to get large so they can make more estrogens (they are poor producers of estrogens) -the result is weight gain.

Male Androgen hormones: Women and men both have estrogens and androgens- each are held in check by normal body processes. During menopause this whole balance breaks down as estrogens fall, and the effects of androgens increase. What effects? Growth of dark hairs on arms, and face, thinning of hair and most important fat deposition around the abdomen and resulting weight gain.

Testosterone: Again a male hormone, present in females in small quantities. In this case, testosterone made in the ovaries decreases as does estrogens. Since testosterone helps create muscle mass (think of the weight lifters taking these medications illegally) there is fall in muscle mass and a fall in metabolism. (Muscles are more metabolically active than fat cells.) The result a slowing of metabolism and weight gain.

Insulin Resistance: The failure of insulin (hormone produced in the pancreas which regulates blood sugar, principal causes of diabetes) is also associated with menopause. This causes the body to turn as many calories as it can into fat. Eating high carb, high glycemic indeed foods just makes the process easier for the body. The result is weight gain.

All of these hormones, acting together are responsible for the expected and "normal" weight gain and change in body shape so common in menopause. About 93% of menopausal women gain weight between the ages of 35 and 55. This can be as little as 10 lb to as much as 75 lbs or even more.

1. Giving Up Control: It's very hard for anyone, female or male to accept that the fact that there are changes going on in their bodies over which they have little control.
2. Weight gain in menopause is natural: The first step to reversing the weight gain associated with menopause is to understand how it happens from a hormonal point of view.
3. Stop driving yourself crazy, beating yourself up and feeling like a failure. This is the second step.
Making some sensible changes: Changing your diet, physical activity, the times of eating,Estrogen replacement is among the many changes you can make. More in another article.

Richard Lipman M.D, a board certified internist and endocrinologist has been treating weight and metabolic problems for 25 years in his Miami office. His recent book, The 100 Calorie Secret, describes how thousands of his patients lost weight and kept it off. Whether you read his website, buy his book, or download your free copy of Dr Lipman's Quick Weight Loss Guide for the Family, don't let yourself, child or teen continue to gain weight.

Learn more weight loss and tips from a doctor who actually takes care of metabolic and obesity problems. Download Your Free Guide to Quick Weight Loss Quick Weight Loss Guide.

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

All About Woman Health - Menopause

Weight Gain With Menopause - Women Need to Stop Blaming Themselves, Its All About Hormones
By Richard Lipman M.D.

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.

When a woman's menstrual periods have stopped for a year or when her blood shows high levels of LH and FSH hormones (LH and FSH are hormones called gonadotrophins that are made by the pituitary gland in the middle of the brain) she is said to be in the menopause. Usually this occurs between 45- 55, but there is a lot of variation. Often women follow patterns of older female family members. Menopause is associated with many symptoms and problems, for most women the most significant t is unintentional weight gain. I will discuss menopause in brief, and then the hormonal reasons for the weight gain and what you can do about it.
Ovulation and Irregular Menses: Prior to menopause, a woman's FSH and LH levels rise and fall each month as eggs are matured and released by her ovaries. The normal aging process effects the ovaries just like every other organ in the body. It's the normal aging process of the ovaries that is the root of the whole problem. As the ovaries decline in function eggs are not released every month and periods begin to be irregular. This period right before menopause is called the Peri-imenopause which may last for years. Women begin to experience hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, mood changes and weight gain. Gradually the ovaries no longer respond to gonadotropohins and ovulations stops.
Declining Hormones: Estrogens, Androgens, Progesterone and Weight Gain: Estrogen, the female hormone made primarily in the ovaries, begins to decline as ovarian function decreases. This causes skipped periods and failure to ovulate and eventually full menopause. Estrogens are responsible for fat distribution in females: the "pear shape" where most of the fat on the buttocks and thighs rather than the "apple shape" where most of the fat is around the abdomen. Increasing fat distribution around the belly, itself causing serious medical problems, begins in perimenapause well ahead of the last menstruation. Estradiol (an estrogen) is responsible for the normal cycle of breaking down fat molecules. With low estradiol levels, fat cells become engorged with more and more fat-the result is weight gain. Along with the fall in estrogen are falls in progesterone, another cause of menopausal symptoms and-weight gain.
Women's Body to the Rescue (or I Won't Give Up the Fight!) Most women's body refuses to give into the aging process (or at least for awhile) and all of the hormones made in different glands in the body rush to preserve that status quo.
The pituitary gland attempts to reverse these processes by making more and more FH and LSH in attempts to get the ovaries functioning again. This causes more and more symptoms and weight gain. The symptoms of hot flashes, anxiety, depression, fatigue and night sweats can be explained by the erratic fluctuations in hormones that occur in these years. Anxiety, sleep problems and the hormones themselves cause-weight gain.
Fat Cells throughout the body have the ability to make estrogens and are stimulated to get large so they can make more estrogens (they are poor producers of estrogens) -the result is weight gain.
Male Androgen hormones: Women and men both have estrogens and androgens- each are held in check by normal body processes. During menopause this whole balance breaks down as estrogens fall, and the effects of androgens increase. What effects? Growth of dark hairs on arms, and face, thinning of hair and most important fat deposition around the abdomen and resulting weight gain.
Testosterone: Again a male hormone, present in females in small quantities. In this case, testosterone made in the ovaries decreases as does estrogens. Since testosterone helps create muscle mass (think of the weight lifters taking these medications illegally) there is fall in muscle mass and a fall in metabolism. (Muscles are more metabolically active than fat cells.) The result a slowing of metabolism and weight gain.
Insulin Resistance: The failure of insulin (hormone produced in the pancreas which regulates blood sugar, principal causes of diabetes) is also associated with menopause. This causes the body to turn as many calories as it can into fat. Eating high carb, high glycemic indeed foods just makes the process easier for the body. The result is weight gain.
All of these hormones, acting together are responsible for the expected and "normal" weight gain and change in body shape so common in menopause. About 93% of menopausal women gain weight between the ages of 35 and 55. This can be as little as 10 lb to as much as 75 lbs or even more.
1. Giving Up Control: It's very hard for anyone, female or male to accept that the fact that there are changes going on in their bodies over which they have little control. 2. Weight gain in menopause is natural: The first step to reversing the weight gain associated with menopause is to understand how it happens from a hormonal point of view. 3. Stop driving yourself crazy, beating yourself up and feeling like a failure. This is the second step. Making some sensible changes: Changing your diet, physical activity, the times of eating,Estrogen replacement is among the many changes you can make. More in another article.
Richard Lipman M.D, a board certified internist and endocrinologist has been treating weight and metabolic problems for 25 years in his Miami office. His recent book, The 100 Calorie Secret, describes how thousands of his patients lost weight and kept it off. Whether you read his website, buy his book, or download your free copy of Dr Lipman's Quick Weight Loss Guide for the Family, don't let yourself, child or teen continue to gain weight.
Learn more weight loss and tips from a doctor who actually takes care of metabolic and obesity problems. Download Your Free Guide to Quick Weight Loss Quick Weight Loss Guide

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

All About Woman Health - Menopause

Nutrition and Menopause
By Jim Duffy

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.


Every year, 4,000 or more women enter menopause, spending about a 1/3 of their life time in that state. For some women, menopause is not that great of a concern, causing no major changes in their lifestyle and having no real effect on their mood or physical well being. For others, the symptoms and emotional upheaval can be all that they can handle. Some of the most common symptoms of menopause include:
Hot flashes
Vaginal dryness
Bone loss
Increased risk of urinary tract infections
Painful intercourse
For most women, menopause may cause no symptoms at all while for as many as 20% it can be disabling. Some of the symptoms can be made worse by the emotional upheaval that the woman is also dealing with at the same time.
Soy proteins have phytoestrogens in them that can create a 45% reduction in hot flashes as well as reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Soy-based protein may also have a number of other benefits related to menopause. These include a decreased risk of certain cancers, reduced risk of diabetes, increased control over existing cases of diabetes and a reduction in kidney stones and/or gallstones. It also has benefits related to blood pressure and the overall lipid profile.
Miso, a fermented soybean paste, is eaten frequently by women in Japan, who may have several bowls of miso soup each day, in fact. It has been shown to be beneficial for treatment not only of menopause but to reduce the risk of breast cancer as well as helping to increase bone density in postmenopausal women.
In addition to eating better, doctors also encourage women to continue or begin exercise programs because this is sadly a time when many women start picking up a little bit of additional weight as their metabolism slows down. Activity can also make the symptoms of menopause seem less severe. Daily exercise also plays a role in better heart health, helps control of diabetes and can also prevent other health conditions. It may also help to make the woman feel more energetic and young,which has also been shown to improve sensation of menopausal symptoms.
Starting a walking program is a good start, but women should also be doing some weight bearing exercises as well.
Supplements
Many women, especially those who are concerned with gaining weight, may stop eating the right foods or eating enough, slowing their metabolism and causing the weight gain they were trying to avoid in the first place. The body needs to have the right fuel to work correctly and will do whatever it takes to make sure that it gets it. Having enough protein in the diet is important not only from the standpoint that it is vital to every cell and function in the body but also because it plays an important role in metabolism and hunger control. Starting the day with a protein and carbohydrate rich breakfast can give you the energy needed to get moving and to keep going throughout the whole day. If you are not allowing yourself to go too long without eating, you will not have problems with cravings and the need to rely on will power to avoid the candy machine or the fast food places.
Supplements are a great way to make sure that you are getting enough protein in the diet, and can come from one of four sources: whey, soy, rice and egg. All protein supplements have their pros and cons that should be carefully considered before they are added to the diet. In addition, it is important to know how much protein is required for your individual need dietary needs.
Soy and rice protein are acceptable for those who are following a vegan or vegetarian diet, while whey and egg are only acceptable to certain types of vegetarians. Because food allergies can be a problem, it is advisable to start these supplements with great caution and only after talking to a doctor first.
Protein and Menopause: A Case Study
After a year of hit or miss menstrual cycles, Shirley is sure that she has finally managed to make it through "The Change" as menopause is often called. While her sister had no symptoms at all, Shirley finds herself wringing wet with sweat when everyone else around her is perfectly cool and comfortable. She has been back and forth to her doctor for a urinary tract infection that just comes and goes all of the time and has been irritable and weepy with her friends and family. She is most upset by the fact that she has gained 20 pounds in this year-long period.
After talking to her doctor who confirms that it is indeed menopause, Shirley will start a new diet plan and will be exercising as well. In place of her fatty fried foods, she will eat fresh vegetables and greens and she will opt for whole grain breads and pastas, in smaller serving sizes than she had previously used.
In addition, her between meal snacks will now be servings of a liquid protein beverage, which will give her the protein she needs as well as keeping her fuller for longer. This way she keeps her metabolism working the way it should without overeating or starving herself. It also will help her have the energy that she needs to exercise during the day.
About Protica Research
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.
You can learn more about Protica at http://www.protica.com
Copyright - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -
The Definitive Guide. Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.

Friday, June 11, 2010

All About Woman Health - Menopause

Be Advised of the Symptoms of Menopause Before They Happen
By Angela Good

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.


There are many symptoms of menopause. Just about all of these symptoms can be a typical aspect of this change within a woman's life. Women will generally encounter these signs and symptoms to one degree or another. Some of these symptoms of menopause typically can start as early as forty-five or perhaps, in some cases, not till the mid fifties.

It really is advisable to get as well informed as possible and to be as equipped for this period of life as conceivable. When a woman is adequately prepared concerning a lot of these symptoms of menopause she will likely be far better able to cope with these and accept them. Frequently the very first sign of these symptoms are usually unpredictable cycles. A woman could possibly miss a cycle, experience an exceptionally heavy cycle, or perhaps one that lasts significantly longer than usual. Unusual cycles might be the sign of other health problems. If the woman notices this kind of alteration it's always essential to see her physician to determine that it is or isn't the onset of menopause.

Yet another symptom of menopause might be unusual mood swings. Women could find themselves crying easily, becoming needlessly upset over seemingly minor matters, or lashing out in anger with no reason. However, this is quite common and may quite often be handled with simple lifestyle adjustments as opposed to starting prescription drug treatments.

A variety of sleeping disorders can be attributed to the signs and symptoms of menopause. Women sometimes discover they have a tough time falling asleep, encounter night sweats, or awaking numerous times during the night, or wanting to nap during the day. Simple lifestyle modifications can help with this problem also. Experiment with eliminating or consuming less caffeine, avoid alcohol consumption, avoiding a large supper prior to bedtime and doing exercises a minimum of 20 min on a daily basis. You can find medicines which will help although they usually are not often the most perfect solution due to the side effects.

Sometimes menopause may lead to weakening of bones. This is mainly because as we age, and especially during menopause, the estrogen and other hormones start to greatly reduce. This may result in bone loss which can lead to osteoporosis and a change in the cholesterol levels also. A bone density test should be done regularly.

Heart disease might be a result and not a symptom of menopause. Again, it's truly essential to make frequent trips to your physician in order that he may administer a complete body exam that would include not only the common female tests, but a stress evaluation, as well as cholesterol and blood pressure tests.

Surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy treatments may cause early onset of menopause. Hysterectomies results in menopause to start quickly and many types of the aforementioned signs or symptoms may well start to reveal themselves.

A woman's doctor ought to be ready to offer a number of tips and alternatives for surviving this transitional phase. A couple of ideas for helping put a stop to or minimize the intensity of the signs and symptoms of menopause are to stay away from coffee and alcohol, quit smoking, having a low fat diet, developing a consistent exercise schedule and consuming regular amounts of calcium and vitamin D. These lifestyle modifications are not always painless for some of us, but are going to be very valuable and a lot more advisable in comparison with taking heavy doses of prescription drugs if at all possible.

Have you been experiencing symptoms of menopause and would like to learn more about what to expect. First Symptoms of Menopause.com will offer suggestions and provide answers to the most common concerns and questions related to the symptoms and signs of menopause. Click to learn more about menopause and her first symptoms of menopause.


Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Understanding Your Menopause

By Julie Swanson Platinum Quality Author

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.


There are many women who look forward to this time when menopause happens. The periods stop and that is that. However, there is a lot more things going on in the body than one woman might think. While men have their own midlife crisis, women go through a lot more when it comes to their own midlife crisis. Theirs is a little more extensive. How so?

There are a few things that you should know about this. There are quite a few things actually. You might not know all the changes going on, but you might see the things that they cause. There are many symptoms besides a diminished menstrual period to let a woman know that she is going through her change. What are those things?

First of all, the most common things are the difference in the hormone levels. This causes hot flashes that are associated with this. Then, there is the fact that they have a lot of mood swings. This can make it very difficult to be the person that they like being. If a woman is normally under control, this might affect them as they are the type who handles things rationally. While they go through menopause though, they might find that they don't handle things as smoothly as they would normally have reacted.

There are other things going on as well. For instance, you have the vaginal areas going through a transformation. The lining of the vagina you will find gets thin and the cervix which will no longer have to be dilated due to the fact that a woman can't have children goes through changes as well. With all of this in mind, you will find that women experience pain during sexual intercourse. They might have a hard time having an orgasm as well.

The other thing that is going on here is the psychological issues that occur with this as well. Depression might set in. Women might wonder why they have to go through this. They might feel alone and isolated. These are all common during menopause. Yet, there are other things as well that women go through.

If you have questions about this, you should speak with your doctor. If you want to know if you are going through this, then you should speak with your doctor and have him or her run some tests and ask about trying Amberen. Menopause is a big thing, but it's not something that you should fear. It's a fact of life that isn't very pleasant but women go through it all the time.

Recommended Reading
Menopause A To Z -The Definitive Guide.
Explore The Latest Cutting Edge Information
About Modern Menopause Symptoms & Treatments.


Back To Home