MURRAY, Utah (Good Things Utah) - You may hear your friends, sisters, or mom talk about menopause as the time in life when your body naturally stops having menstrual periods. It’s a time of transition and there are some positives and some there could be some negatives, but mostly it’s a time with a lot of questions about what is normal.
Experts from Intermountain Health are working to educate women about these changes and what it means for a woman’s health.
Menopause happens when the ovaries stop making estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that helps control the menstrual cycle. Menopause marks the end of the childbearing years. The average age that women go through menopause is 51 years.
The years leading up to menopause are called perimenopause.
Beginning in your 30s and 40s, the amount of estrogen produced by the ovaries begins to fluctuate. A common sign of perimenopause is a change in your menstrual cycle. Cycles may become longer than usual for you or become shorter. You may begin to skip periods.
The amount of flow may become lighter or heavier. Although changes in menstrual bleeding are normal during perimenopause, it’s best to discuss any changes with a trusted women’s health provider, since abnormal bleeding may be a sign of a problem. Generally, you are in menopause if you have not had a period for one year.
See a Provider with Medical Credentials
As you approach menopause it’s important to find or continue to see a trusted provider who has medical credentials in women’s health. This could be an OB-GYN physician, a midwife, a nurse practitioner, or an advanced practice provider who specializes in women’s health. Some of these providers also have a menopause certification.
Nightingale recommends speaking to a certified menopause practitioner who can review your medical history and go over the risks and benefits of treatment options to create an individualized treatment plan to match your specific concerns. Some over the counter treatments are not researched and some are not evidence based.
Providers who pass their certification examination hold the credentials of MSCP (Menopause Society Certified Practitioner). The Menopause Society webpage has a database where you can find a menopause-certified provider near you. Their website also provides patient information known as “MenoNotes” on a variety of key topics as well as a more comprehensive Menopause Guidebook.
Common Symptoms of Menopause:
• Hot flashes and night sweats: The frequency and duration can vary greatly and can impact sleep.
• Brain fog: Not being able to focus or difficulty with cognitive tasks.
• Weight gain: Especially around the abdomen.
• Osteoporosis: Loss of bone density which can make you more susceptible to bone fractures.
Menopause Health and Fitness
“The need for strength training, calcium-rich diets, and active lifestyles to combat bone density loss and injury is a growing conversation,” said Martie Nightingale, a certified nurse midwife at Intermountain Health, who also holds certifications in lifestyle medicine, menopause, and perinatal mental health. “There are lifestyle tips that can help ward off injury, strengthen bones, and combat effects of menopause.”
Lifestyle Modifications That Can Help with Menopause Symptoms
- Diet: Plant-based diets are associated with fewer vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. A plant-based or Mediterranean diet can help with weight gain.
- Physical activity: Weight-bearing exercise helps with bone density and yoga helps with balance and preventing fractures. Also has mental health/mood benefits.
- Sleep. Adequate sleep and prioritizing sleep help prevent brain fog to maximize cognitive functioning.
- Stress Reduction: Learning to manage stress helps with overall health.
- Social connection: Helps you feel like you’re not alone in your menopause experience.
- Limit risky substances: Smoking, vaping, alcohol, drugs. Smoking increases risk for osteoporosis, while alcohol intake increases breast cancer risk.
“As menopause impacts mood and mental well-being, the focus on mental health support during this time is becoming a strong conversation point. There are things you can do to manage anxiety and mood swings,” said Nightingale.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
“Many women assume they’re not candidates for hormone replacement therapy, but the latest research shows there are very few absolutes, that rule out hormone replacement therapy,” said Nightingale. “The majority of women are candidates for hormone therapy, particularly if they begin taking it within 10 years of menopause and before age 60.”
According to The Menopause Society, the term “bioidentical” hormones is a marketing term, not a scientific term.
Hormones that are custom-made at a compounding pharmacy and those produced by larger pharmaceutical companies contain the same hormones. However, those produced by larger pharmaceutical companies are considered safer because they have been scientifically tested and are government approved.
Despite marketing claims, custom-compounded hormone replacement therapy has the same risks as manufactured hormone therapy, even though those compounded medications are not required by law to include a package insert of possible risks and side effects.
The right dose of hormones for women who have a uterus is the lowest dose of estrogen that treats your menopause symptoms, combined with enough progestogen to protect your uterus from cancer.
“A variety of medications and treatments have been found to be helpful for menopausal symptoms. For vasomotor symptoms: in addition to medications, other therapies includes hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy, weight loss, and a plant-based diet have been found to reduce symptoms,” said Nightingale. “Anti-depressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can also help with menopause symptoms.”
To find a women’s health provider visit the women’s health page at Intermountainhealth.org
Sponsored by Intermountain Health.