Benefits of menopause

About one in three women suffers from symptoms during their menopause, but there are also positive aspects that the changes brought about by menopause. The best remedy: a positive attitude towards life.
Colleague Cordula lets tea leaves trickle into the filter. Otherwise she always shines when the others have long since hit the midday slump. Today she looks broken. “I had my first hot flashes last night,” she whispers. “Like a pillar of fire that passed through me.” She opened the window and stood in the cold air. “This is what getting older feels like… Menopause – horrible word.” Many women between 40 and 50 know these feelings.

The Great Change

The hormone balance in the body changes completely, as was the case last time during puberty . The fertile phase ends and a new phase of life begins. Every woman reacts differently to these changes. Some already notice at the age of 40 that something is happening. For others, the first signs do not appear until ten years later. Hot flashes make us sweat, the mucous membranes become drier, the menstrual cycle is no longer as regular, moods change abruptly. Like the body, the soul needs to find a new balance.A lot is rearranged: the children are leaving the house, the partner is becoming more important again. At work, younger people are striving to catch up. At the same time, their own parents need more attention. We realize clearly that our lifetime is limited and that not all wishes will come true – for example, having a child of our own. “It can be a painful and lengthy process, but it doesn’t have to be,” says menopause counselor Dorli Lechner from Hamburg .

Peace of mind during menopause

Mostly calm

Most women are fine with this process. A lot of exercise and sports stabilize the mood and reduce the increased risk of developing osteoporosis or cardiovascular weakness after the menopause. Eating a balanced diet helps prevent weight gain during menopause . A few more curves are normal. In general, studies show that, contrary to widespread concern, some women also lose weight. And: The more open and positive women deal with the menopause, the less they suffer. One in three women fails. Her complaints are so severe that changes in behavior in everyday life and homeopathic or herbal preparations are all ineffective . “ThenHormone therapy can help,” says Prof. Olaf Ortmann, Director of the Gynecology Clinic at the University of Regensburg at the St. Josef Caritas Hospital . He coordinated the work on the medical guidelines for hormone therapy in menopause. Tablets and hormone patches are possible. “The symptoms are then often blown away,” promises Ortmann. He recommends vaginal estrogen use against vaginal dryness.

The individual therapy

According to Ortmann, it is important to tailor the therapy to the needs of the woman. “The times when hormones were only prescribed as a preventive measure are long gone.” Hormone therapy with an estrogen-gestagen combination can increase the risk of developing breast cancer . Several studies prove this. In absolute numbers, this means that out of 10,000 women who take hormone combination therapy for five years, thirteen develop breast cancer every year – of the women without only eight.

A fresh start in life

So it’s worth finding out what else is good for you: whether herbal remedies for menopausal symptoms , Kneipp cures or yoga. Talking to other women about everything that moves you is guaranteed to have no side effects. Menopause counselor Dorli Lechner remembers how a woman thanked her after a lecture: “Now I finally know that I’m not crazy.” Menopause offers the chance to see more clearly what really counts. Letting go of the old, tackling the new. “It’s like a molt. You get to the core,” says Dorli Lechner. And eventually everyone made the transition. “Most women feel energetic again afterwards. Of course you’re tired from time to time. But these are normal signs of aging.”
Colleague Cordula offers tea in turn. And laughs again.

Questions about menopause

What helps with complaints?

Hot flashes
Those who dress in layers can undress and dress as needed. Sage tea has an antiperspirant effect, drink 2-3 cups a day. Immediate help in acute heat : Immerse arms halfway up the upper arm in a sink filled with cold water, hold for about 2-5 minutes. Then let the skin air dry. This stabilizes the circulation.

Palpitations
The heart is now sometimes more noticeable than it used to be. If you’re excited or stressed, that’s okay. If you have other symptoms, such as dizziness, visual and speech disorders, you should definitely see a doctor. at
Move more stress and do endurance sports , that lifts the mood.
Emotional rollercoaster
tea with St. John’s wort (or tablets) works against restlessness and mood swings. The active ingredients in black cohosh (e.g. in “Klimaktoplant N”, pharmacy) balance hormone fluctuations in a natural way. Good for sensitive mucous membranes: Schuessler Salt No. 4 (potassium chloratum). Oat straw tea has a diuretic effect, calms and strengthens the bladder, which is often irritated.

Finally no more rules. How much longer do I have to take contraception?

Rule of thumb: Women over 50 who have not had a menstrual period for a year can do without the pill or spiral. Younger people shouldn’t have had a period for two years. “It doesn’t have to be for a woman to stop bleeding

mean that she has already had her menopause,” says gynecologist Elke Franzki, 63, from Hamburg. “Especially for women under 50, this can only be an episode – and at some point the rule starts again. That’s why it’s better to be on the safe side.” Even if women only have light bleeding, they should use contraception, for example with a hormone spiral, mini-pill or the new Caya diaphragm.

Unsuitable: the temperature measurement method.
Always an alternative: condoms – also as protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

Crystal Waston MD

Crystal Waston has a degree in Cross Media Production and Publishing. At vital.de she gives everyday tips and deals with topics related to women's health, sport, and nutrition.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top