As early as in their 30′s and 40′s, many women begin experiencing symptoms that make them wonder – can these be early signs of menopause?

The most common symptoms include PMS, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, loss of sex drive, hair loss or unwanted hair growth and fibroids. Some women have one or two of these symptoms while others may experience several symptoms at the same time. The result can be mildly irritating or it can be exhausting and overwhelming.

Menopause itself is not an illness but a natural process for a woman’s body. There are normal changes in the reproductive system and cycle and ultimately, the reproductive system will cease to function. That is normal. However, certain menopause symptoms are indications of underlying hormonal imbalances or damage from poor eating habits, stress and other factors. And you may feel like you’re the only woman to experience symptoms, but millions of women are going through the same experience many years before the average age of menopause, which is 51 years of age.

What happens so frequently is that women put enormous demands on their bodies – much more stress than it was designed to handle – and then do not give it the support it needs. Women likely have demanding and stressful careers. Women have families to take care of on a daily basis. The relationship with one’s spouse or partner may not be the best. Aging parents may require help. These and other responsibilities add up in the toll taken on a woman’s body.

At the same time, the woman’s body may not be receiving the support it needs to function as it was designed to do. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise, excess caffeine and alcohol add to the problem instead of helping the body cope with the demands placed on it.

This lack of balance between the “demands made” and “support given” is what gives rise to many symptoms. And are the health problems you are having related in any way? Very likely!

When pondering if you are experiencing early signs of menopause, here’s what should be considered:

1. Which symptoms do you have? Certain symptoms are related to each other and are related to the same underlying causes. Knowing which symptoms you have is important information.
2. How mild or severe are your symptoms? Perhaps a symptom is “mild” and it’s not a big deal. It may be “moderate to severe”, meaning you can deal with it but it is a real problem. Or you may consider it “very severe”, in other words, you can barely function because of it.
3. What are you demanding of your body? Are you frequently under stress? Do you not always eat when you should? What prescription drugs are you taking? What about the consumption of caffeine and alcohol?
4. What kind of support are you giving your body? What do you eat, do you exercise and are you taking a high-quality nutritional supplement?
5. What is your age? Your age is important, because you need to compare your health with other women your age.

If you do feel you are experiencing early signs of menopause, don’t stress about it, rather see it as a natural transition in your life and embrace your womanhood. You’re certainly not alone!

Knowing the signs of menopause can help you on your way to understanding what your body is going through in this natural transition of your life. The physical and emotional signs of menopause can disrupt your life in many ways. It can affect your sleep, take your energy, trigger feelings of sadness and loss, and many other things.

Hormone changes are the cause of the physical symptoms of menopause. Mistaken beliefs and myths are mostly to blame for the emotion symptoms. Menopause does not mean that the end is near and your going to pass, it only means you still have half your life to go. Menopause will also not take away your femininity and sexuality. Actually, you may find it more relieving to not have a period monthly, not to mention worry about getting pregnant anymore.

Menopause is not an illness but that does not mean that you don’t have to get treatment for it. If you have severe symptoms that are interfering with your life you may want to consider getting help. There is a lot available for treatments; from simple changes in your every day living to hormone therapy, to alternative solutions.

Signs of menopause are irregular periods, decreased fertility, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood swings, increased abdominal fat, and thinning hair. Menopause is the end of menstruation and fertility in women. There is no way of knowing which period is going to be your last. You have to wait till your 12 months after your last period. Then you have officially hit menopause.

Menopause is divided into stages; perimenopause and postmenopause. Perimenopause is when you begin experiencing the signs and symptoms of menopause even though you are still getting periods. Hormone levels rise and fall unevenly. Hot flashes and other symptoms may occur. This stage may last for 4 to five years.

Postmenopause is when the 12 months have past after your last period. Ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone and do not release eggs.

There are a few things you can do to reduce the symptoms of menopause. To cool hot flashes you can get regular exercise, dress in layers, and try to pinpoint what is triggering your hot flashes. For some women spicy or hot foods, alcohol, and hot weather are triggers.

Using a lubricant to alleviate vaginal dryness can be a simple solution. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles will help with any urinary issues that may be menopause related.

Taking a dietary supplements will help to balance your hormones and boost your health. Herbal supplements such as Dong Quai, Licorice, Chaste Tree, Evening Primrose Oil and Wild Yam will help with calming menopausal symptoms.

Avoiding caffeine and exercising during the day will help with sleep problems, as well as using relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, meditation and relaxation tapes may help. Quit smoking, it may increase your hot flashes and bring an early menopause. Eating a balanced diet will help with keeping you healthy and your immune system healthy. And lastly, get regular check ups with your doctor, talk with them about how often you should have mammograms, pap smears, lipid levels checked, and other tests that may need to be done.

Steven Johnson is interested in maintaining a vital, active, and healthy lifestyle. For more information on products, as well as other life-enhancing nutrients, please visit his website Alternative Health Supplements.

Menopause is something that all women will have to experience later in life. However, the signs of this phase vary from one woman to another. Some women experience very mild symptoms, while others really find it very hard to cope with menopausal changes.

For majority of women, physiological changes brought about by menopause start to manifest right after the age of 40. This is a time when ovaries do not produce as much progesterone and estrogen as before and menstruation become irregular. This phase is more commonly known as perimenopause or premenopause. On the average, the completion of menopause occurs in women aged around 51. However, some have earlier menopause because of cancer therapy, removal of ovaries, or ovarian failure.

Again, the degree and severity of the signs of menopause differ from one woman to another. Thus, some may not know that they already completed the phase until their monthly period has finally stopped. However, if you feel any of the symptoms below, it would be wise if you consult your doctor because there are several health conditions that may have similar symptoms as menopause. This is especially true for women who are younger than 40 and who experience severe physical discomforts.

Hot Flashes

Many women describe a hot flash as an episode in which a sudden blast of heat coming from the upper body is felt. This can last for as short as a minute and as long as 30 minutes. The problem with hot flashes, particularly those that last for more than five minutes, is that you end up sweating a lot. So after just one episode, you feel suddenly cold on your soaked clothes. Night sweating is very similar to hot flashes. The main difference is that it occurs during the night so many women end up with sweat-soaked clothes when they wake up.

Irregularity of Menstruation

The most obvious sign of menopause is a change in the pattern and regularity of your period. Due to changing hormonal levels, you may experience irregular periods for a few months or even years. Aside from these irregularities, you will also find a change in the blood flow of your menstruation. Sometimes periods may be heavy or very light. If you experience pain and discomfort during your period, it would be best to tell your doctor about it. Although this symptom may be normal among menopausal women, it is still worth mentioning.

Vaginal And Bladder Problems

Itching or burning sensation while urinating and having sex coupled with vaginal dryness are just some of the problems that are experienced by women who are having menopause or perimenopause. It is also quite common for women to catch vaginal infections or even bladder problems, such as urinary tract infection or the inability to hold urine properly. Although such infections are common, they are not normal and will not go away without being treated.

Erratic Mood Changes

Another annoying symptom of menopause is mood changes. Many menopausal women find themselves in the middle of misunderstandings and disagreements with their partner, children, family, colleagues and friends because of this. Experts believe that declining estrogen levels may be responsible for the shifting moods in women. This symptom may also be exacerbated by stress and fatigue. But it is important to note that depression is not a sign of menopause. If you have chronic depression during this stage, you need to address this condition immediately or seek some professional help.

If you think that you are already in a stage of menopause, based on the symptoms above, do not fret. There are a lot of things you can do to alleviate the symptoms and live your life normally. If you are afraid to undergo hormone replacement therapy, you can also find help from natural-based supplements, such as Menersa. Learn more about this product by visiting http://www.menersa.com/.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine. http://www.thearticleinsiders.com.

All women in their mid 40s and above the age of 50 experience signs of menopause. The complete cessation of a woman’s periods is called menopause. This can be natural or medically induced due to surgery. It can last for a few years but often much longer. During this time, there are several hormonal changes in a woman’s body. These changes emerge as the signs of menopause. There are several signs of menopause like severe mood changes, bad temper and dejection. Physically too, a woman’s body undergoes several changes.

Women experience a decrease in bone density with the onset of menopause. The calcium absorption of the body reduces. This results in repeated fractures and brittle nails that can be a sign of menopause. Women must therefore supplement their diet with dairy products. They must also try to reduce the intake of tea and coffee.

Dry skin is another sign of menopause. It is partly due to aging and exposure to the sun. A generous use of moisturizer can solve this problem. A woman can experience sudden hot flushes and break out in a sweat. At night, the same hot flushes can disrupt sleep resulting in restlessness. These flushes are because of restriction of blood vessels. This can make the menopausal woman feel tired and sapped of energy all the time.

Urinary incontinence is also a sign of menopause. Because of changes in hormones, the tissues of the body lose their elasticity causing loss of control over the bladder. A menopausal woman can experience vaginal dryness and loss of interest in sexual matters.

After the age of 50, a woman must get a regular check up of her cholesterol levels. Increased cholesterol level can be a sign of menopause. A woman must exercise control over her diet and include green vegetables in her diet.

Many signs of menopause like falling hair or stiff joints can be confused with those of aging. However, it is a result of reduced production of estrogen and progesterone hormones. One can even have sudden excess hair growth due to over production of testosterone.

Some women have trouble in remembering things. This loss of memory can be a sign of menopause. Women become oversensitive and seem to cry at the slightest provocation. They feel left out and lonely. These changes in mental attitude are due to menopause.

Menopause is thus a difficult time for most women on the other side of fifty. With a good knowledge of the signs of menopause, one must handle women with greater understanding and sensitivity towards their feelings. Knowledge about the signs of menopause can also be helpful in tackling the problems better.

Jodie Phillips is the owner of several Womens Health related websites at and she shares her knowledge and research on Women’s Health in a series of articles.

Menopause is a natural process in woman’s life cycle. Most of the women experience many different signs of menopause which can be both painful and very uncomfortable. Many of these symptoms will require treatment if a woman is to get through this time in her life somewhat easier.

The normal and initial sign of menopause is irregular periods. You may get your periods too frequently or too long. One month you may have heavy bleeding and in the next month you may feel light bleeding. These changes are due to hormone imbalances. The length of your cycle can also change quite noticeably from anywhere between 12 and 50 days or more.

Another common sign is vaginal dryness. You may feel less elasticity and lubricant in your vagina. This will be more uncomfortable and require some treatment. Some women face urine and vaginal infection due to the dryness. Some change in the lifestyle and food habits will provide you relief. Drinking plenty of water and taking melon and citrus fruits could help reduce this problem.

Some women experience some physical changes like weight gain especially in the waist and abdomen, tenderness in breast, hair loss, unwanted hair growth in chin, upper lip, etc. These changes will generally upset women and some of them develop stress and depression due to such changes. Care and affection from the family members can minimize the problem.

Night sweats and hot flashes is another common sign of menopause. You will feel excessive sweating during the night and your sleep can be very disturbed. This can often be interspersed with excessive coldness during the nights.

As you get older you may also have joint pains, muscular pains etc. You also face severe head ache before and during menopause. Bladder control problem is another sign of menopause. You may feel passing urine frequently and most urgently.

There are some emotional signs of menopause too. Many women face the problem of memory loss, lack of concentration, mood fluctuations, sudden anger, anxiety, etc. Some women may feel deserted during menopause. Family responsibilities, child caring, stress at work, caring for elderly parents may all worsen the signs of menopause.

Knowing the signs of menopause can help bring some relief to the women that suffer from it by allowing for preparation and prevention of some of the symptoms.

While menopause is a normal part of life, many of its symptoms can be managed through treatment options. By having knowledge of the signs of this discomfort, you can help prepare yourself and your body for the changes that will occur as a result.

Perimenopause

The signs of Menopause are preceded by something called “perimenopause”. Perimenopause is another phase of life, usually lasting several years, that serves as the essential “lead-up” to full-blown menopause.

Like menopause, perimenopause is a natural occurrence and not something that requires a cure or a treatment. Perimenopause is usually introduced by signs and symptoms such as:

• Menstrual irregularity: you may experience shorter or longer cycles of your period, depending on the hormonal balance in your body. Heavier or lighter cycles than normal are also common.
• Aches and pains
• Migraines
• Decreased short-term memory
• Fluid retention
• Digestive problems
• Breast tenderness

Menopause

Menopause is considered by most experts to occur when you have not had your period for an entire year. It can be very difficult to differentiate the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, as there will likely be some overlap.

One of the key facts about this discomfort is that the symptoms are not experienced by all women in the same way. As the body’s internal chemistry changes, various symptoms are possible. Many of the common signs of this discomfort include:

• Hot flashes or night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Heart palpitations
• Decreased sex drive
• Weight gain
• Dizziness
• Psychological issues, such as depression or irritability

Post-Menopause

The final stage of this discomfort is post-menopause. A lot of women experience a feeling of general peace (and understandably so) when post-menopause arrives. The hormones have stopped flushing around and the body has calmed down somewhat. Gone is the fear of pregnancy or the symptoms of PMS or other annoyances. However, there are still signs of this discomfort to watch out for in the post-menopause stage.

These signs include:

• Vaginal dryness and itching
• Bladder infection
• Urinary difficulties
• Stress incontinence (leaking urine due to laughing, sneezing or other sudden movements)

There are many signs of menopause to watch out for as the body changes and menstruation cycles come to a close. You may not experience all or any of these symptoms, but you will certainly go through the final process of menstruation.

This discomfort is a normal part of life, so keep that in mind before seeking out treatment options. By knowing the signs of menopause, you should be able to greet this part of your life with ease.