Transitioning Into Perimenopause: What to Expect

transitioning to perimenopause

 

Around the world, forty-five to fifty-year-old women are counting down to menopause. Do you know when to expect perimenopause to make an appearance in your life?

Perimenopause is the stage female bodies go through shortly before menopause begins. It begins when the body begins to produce less estrogen and ends when a woman hasn’t had her period for twelve months, at which point she is officially said to be in menopause.

It might seem odd that so much attention is given to menstruation and menopause, but there’s so little education on perimenopause. Perimenopause might last as long as ten years, and we think you should be informed about the facts.

Would you like to know what effects perimenopause will have on your body, your attitudes and your relationships? You’re in the right place, and we’ll try to answer as many of your questions as we can.

What Exactly is the Difference Between Perimenopause and Menopause?

Since peri- means about, around or surrounding, perimenopause is that time in a woman’s life leading up to menopause. The ovaries are slowing their production of estrogen, and it’s towards the end of perimenopause when the ovaries stop releasing eggs that symptoms that affect daily life often begin to appear. Menopause is the stage directly following these changes when a woman is no longer able to bear children.

While menopause usually starts between ages 49 and 52, it has been known to start as early as the mid-30s. Perimenopause most often begins about four years before menopause begins, but can last as long as ten years. That means women as young as 30 or 40 to 50 should be aware of changes in their bodies so they can implement any needed changes in their lifestyle that might help offset unpleasant symptoms.

If you’re sure you haven’t hit menopause yet but some things just haven’t been adding up lately, or something has seemed “off” with your body, it could very well be that you’re in perimenopause.

Luckily for most women, the symptoms and effects of perimenopause aren’t usually as uncomfortable or disruptive to daily life as those of menopause, but that’s not always the case.

Many women make it through this stage of life no worse for wear. For others, knowing signs of perimenopause makes it easier to prepare with research on healthy habits that can help offset any negative effects you might otherwise suffer during these years.

Signs to Look Out For

While every woman’s combination of perimenopause symptoms will vary, there’s a number of them that are quite common, including:

  • Sleep problems
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Depression
  • Mood swings
  • Weight gain
  • Hot flashes
  • Diminished libido
  • Irregular periods
  • Sore breasts

Some women have suffered from these symptoms during their menstrual cycles for years. Be aware now of any changes in your symptoms or their severity. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your body, or questions about whether or not you’re in perimenopause.

How to Relieve Symptoms of Perimenopause

While natural menopause treatments exist for many symptoms, there are several symptoms on this list that can be alleviated without expensive products.

Vaginal dryness can lead to discomfort during intercourse. Using lubricant can make up for the changes in your body.

Changing hormone levels can cause even those who have been slender their whole lives to put on a few extra pounds. It might be time to research new ways of eating and see if perhaps a healthier diet might help you maintain the figure you’re used to.

There are also many exercises that can not only help to combat weight gain but have also been linked to relieving hot flashes and acting as an anti-depressant as well.

You should also know that LadyCare has been known to be extremely effective in providing relief from perimenopause symptoms as well as menopause symptoms, like breast tenderness, hot flashes, mood swings and more.

It was found to help as many as 71% of women with as many as 24 different symptoms. If you’re tired of feeling tired, depressed, hot, moody, bloated or any of the other unpleasantness that may accompany a transition into menopause, we invite you to take a look at the LadyCare therapeutic device and learn how it can help you feel like yourself again.

These statements and products have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products of this company are not intended to diagnose, prevent, heal, treat, or cure any disease or injury. If you have any pre-existing conditions, we advise you to check with your physician or healthcare provider prior to using. For external use only.

Can Exercise Help Ease Menopause Symptoms?

can exercise help with menopause?

 

Many women struggling with menopausal symptoms look for natural menopause treatment to alleviate some of their inconveniences and discomforts. There is plenty of speculation on the Internet as to the benefits of exercise to relieve symptoms, but is there any truth to it?

There’s not really a cut-and-dried way to answer that question, as there are a number of aspects to this broad issue.

First, there isn’t actually conclusive scientific research proving that exercise helps relieve menopause symptoms for most women, though there are a number of independent studies suggesting that it can certainly assist with specific symptoms.

Since our bodies go through so many changes during this stage of our lives, the risk for certain health problems increases, including:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Breast cancer
  • And more.

Leading a healthy lifestyle in general, including regular exercise and a healthy diet can help lessen the likelihood of developing these serious conditions.

Other benefits of exercise that can lead to relief of menopause symptoms include:

  • Preventing weight gain
  • Lowering stress levels
  • Preventing muscle loss
  • Acting as a natural anti-depressant
  • Increasing overall quality of life

Every woman’s body is different and we each experience a different combination of symptoms – however severe or mild – during menopause. Some of us will feel certain effects more than others, and there are some who could experience the entire range of menopausal symptoms with the volume turned up!

There are natural solutions that may help lessen the discomfort you’re in, and aren’t they worth a shot? After all, you could not only avoid the uncomfortable symptoms but you could also avoid drug-based solutions that could have undesirable side effects.

Study: Benefits of Exercise

CNN recently reported on a study done on menopausal women in Latin America that concluded that sedentary women were 28% more likely to suffer severe menopause symptoms than those who were more active.

Specifically, these sedentary women were 21% more likely to experience hot flashes and 17% more likely to feel depressed.

Would you like the upper hand in that scenario? Read on to find out what you need to do.

What Does it Mean to be Sedentary?

With so many Americans working at desk jobs these days, are you doomed to a sedentary lifestyle if you aren’t a competitive athlete in your spare time?

No, not at all. The CDC suggests the average woman should exercise two and a half hours per week, ideally a half an hour a day, five days a week.

Or if you prefer a more vigorous workout rather than a moderate one, then they recommend just 75 minutes a week. Fifteen minutes a day, five days a week would do.

What Does Adequate Exercise Consist of?

Basically, anything that gets your body moving, your heart rate up and preferably allows you to still be able to carry on a conversation without too much strain.

There are many ways you could get your light-to-moderate exercise on a regular basis. Look through the ideas in this article and see what appeals to you and fits your lifestyle. You might start getting relief from your menopause symptoms as soon as today!

Cardiovascular Benefits

There are many types of exercises with cardiovascular benefits, including:

  • Walking
  • Jogging
  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Dancing

Women of all ages choose cardiovascular because short sessions can be squeezed in almost anywhere, anytime. Whether you’re walking your dog around your neighborhood, swimming at the hotel pool while on a business trip, or dancing in your living room when no one is watching, cardio can fit into just about any lifestyle.

Looking for something a little more structured? Try a dance class like Zumba, or if you’re ready for something more ambitious, how about a spin class at your local gym?

Because the risk of cardiovascular disease increases when you reach menopause, you can keep your heart healthier through regular, moderate cardio exercise.

Yoga

Whether you enjoy the group dynamic of a yoga class or prefer to do yoga in the privacy of your own home, yoga can help relieve a number of menopause symptoms, including:

  • Hot flashes
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue

Strength Training

Osteoporosis becomes a real concern when we enter the menopause phase, as women then become much more likely to suffer a reduction in bone mass. Exercises that focus on strength training like using dumbbells or weight machines have been shown to:

  • Increase muscle strength
  • Build bone
  • Burn fat
  • Speed up metabolism

All of which can help combat menopause symptoms. If you’re searching for a natural menopause treatment to alleviate your hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, lack of libido, fatigue, or any other symptoms, why not ease into an exercise routine to increase your quality of life and reap both its physical and mental benefits?