Thursday, April 19, 2007

Menopause and Diet

By Steven Quid

Menopause is called by some people “ the change” because it is the time in a woman’s life when her period or “cycle” stops. During this time a woman’s body slowly produces less of the hormone Estrogen and Progesterone. When a woman has not had a period for 12 months in a row, she has reached menopause. This often happens around the ages of 45 to 55 years old. Every woman’s symptoms are different when reaching this stage in their lives. As we get older our digestive tract becomes less efficient and digestion takes longer. Calorie counting women sometimes find that long hours in a gym has minimal effect on their weight loss. The reason for this is the imbalance of estrogen in their body.

Growing up, Estrogen protects women from some effects of a high fat diet. Postmenopausal women have lower levels of Estrogen, and this leads to lower levels of HDL or (good cholesterol) and a rise in LDL (bad cholesterol) which is why rates of heart disease among menopausal and postmenopausal women are as high as those among men in similar age group. Estrogen is important and vital function for orchestrating menstruation. This imbalance of Estrogen is characterized by an abundance of symptoms. Some of these symptoms include: mood swings, feeling anxious, painful periods, hot flashes, and low libido. Should we try to use hormone therapy to balance out the imbalance in our bodies? As with all drug therapy’s you should consult a physician .

For some women hormone therapy may increase their chances of getting blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and breast cancer. Before embarking on hormone replacement therapy, investigate a natural alternative. Diet is a primary factor in keeping blood sugar levels consistent, which is critical for keeping tissues healthy and preventing degenerative diseases. Stay away from junk foods. When cooking don’t use processed cooking oils switch to unprocessed oils, like virgin olive oil, canola, and flaxseed oil. Try to reduce intake of animal proteins, choose lean meats and low fat dairy. To get you through this stage in life women emotional help from people around her and understanding on the processes that are going on with her body.

A good diet and some natural supplements to balance out our hormonal imbalances at this stage in our life is highly recommended.Zalestra is an ALL-NATURAL product we recommend. No synthetic chemicals no artificial hormones, and you can try it Risk Free Simply go to: ZalestraSite.com



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Source: http://www.womensarticles.com/article_148976_28.html