Monday, September 17, 2012

Managing menopause

Whether women like it or not, menopause is one of many things they'll get to experience in life.
"Most people actually start experiencing symptoms before menopause occurs. Common symptoms would be hot flashes, night sweats, sometimes PMS symptoms get worse around menopause and periods might become irregular as well," said Humility of Mary Health Partners Nurse Practitioner Nicole Parish.

While the natural change doesn't require treatment, Parish says a lifestyle change can make dealing with symptoms a little more pleasant.

"A lot of women find that regular exercise and a healthy diet does help them control a lot of the menopausal symptoms. Many women do notice that there are certain triggers than make symptoms worse. For instance, a really hot day would make those hot flashes worse. Sometimes spicy foods or fatty foods, alcohol or cigarettes can trigger some of the menopausal symptoms," Parish said.

However, diet and regular exercise won't help all women alleviate their symptoms. That's why Parish suggests consulting with a doctor when symptoms start diminishing your quality of life.

"A lot of women have difficulty emotionally dealing with the symptoms and also just dealing with mood swings that can be involved with menopause. It is great to get a support network where you can talk about these different symptoms with other women or family members who have experienced the same thing so you can feel that you are normal and not experiencing something different," Parish said....read more

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