Hypnotic Relaxation Therapy Improves The Sex Lives Of Postmenopausal Women, Study Says

Hypnotic relaxation therapy can help the sex lives of postmenopausal women who are experiencing moderate to severe hot flashes, according to a new study.

The findings demonstrate yet another benefit to hypnotic relaxation therapy, shown in other studies to reduce anxiety, relieve stress and help with insomnia. With hypnosis, a person is drawn into a deeply relaxed state, with the suspension of their critical faculties.

For the study, conducted by Baylor University researchers, 187 women were randomly assigned to receive either 5 weekly sessions of hypnotic relaxation therapy or supportive counseling, said lead researcher Aimee Johnson, a doctoral student in psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University, in a press release.

Those in the hypnotic relaxation therapy group were hypnotized, and heard suggestions for relaxation, coolness and mental imagery. Those who received counseling talked about their symptoms with a therapist but did not receive hypnosis.

The women were asked to complete questionnaires at the start of the study, at the end of treatment and at a 12-week follow-up. They were asked about everything from their hot flashes to their ability to experience sexual intimacy.

“The most common complaints are being too tired, anxiety, depression, hot flashes and the fear of close contact,” said Dr. Gary Elkins, director of Baylor's Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory, in a press release. Because warmth that comes from closeness can trigger a hot flash, some women begin to fear intimacy, he said.

Elkins noted that, as a result of the study, women might have an alternative to hormone replacement therapy, which has a risk of cancer and heart disease.

At the end of treatment, women who had received hypnotic relaxation therapy reported significantly greater sexual satisfaction and pleasure, as well as less discomfort. This improvement also was evident at the 12-week follow-up assessment.

“Women's sexual health improved, whether because of sleeping better, less stress or fewer hot flashes, or perhaps other unknown mechanisms,” Elkins said.

Researchers noted that many factors besides hot flashes can impact postmenopausal sexual health including fatigue, self-esteem and a lack of interest.

For many women -- such as those who have had breast cancer -- hormone replacement therapy is not an option for menopause-related symptoms. Estrogen, for example, has been associated with more rapid growth of breast cancer.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

A previous study, also by Baylor University, found that hypnotic relaxation therapy can reduce hot flashes by 80 percent.

Article was originally published at - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/16/hypnotic-relaxation-therapy_n_3767361.html

Women With HIV May Suffer More From Hot Flashes

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- As women infected with HIV live longer, new evidence is suggesting that menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes may affect them worse than women who don't carry the virus.

"Perimenopausal HIV-infected women experience greater hot flash severity and greater hot flash-related interference with daily activities and quality of life," compared to non-infected women going through menopause, report researchers led by Sara Looby of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Excessive menopausal symptoms might even compromise the health of HIV-positive women, including their ability to adhere to drug therapy and abstain from drugs and alcohol, the team said.

Looby and her coleagues urged doctors who care for middle-aged HIV-infected women to evaluate their hot flashes and offer effective treatment.

For the study, the researchers surveyed 33 HIV-infected women, aged 45-48, with irregular menstrual cycles (perimenopause) and compared their responses with those of perimenopausal women without HIV.

The women with HIV typically experienced moderate hot flashes while the women without HIV mild hot flashes. The HIV-infected women also had more sleep problems, more depressed moods, irritability and anxiety.

Hot flashes also interfered more with HIV-infected women's work, social and leisure activities, concentration, relationships with others, sexuality, enjoyment of life and overall quality of life.

In fact, the harmful effect of hot flashes among women with HIV was greater than what has been reported for breast cancer survivors, according to the study published online July 3 in the journal Menopause.

It's not clear why hot flashes are worse in HIV-infected women and further research is needed to learn the answers, the study authors said.

More information

The U.S. Office on Women's Health has more about menopause.

SOURCE: Menopause, July 3, 2013

First Non-Hormonal Treatment Brisdelle For Hot Flashes Approved By FDA; Contains SSRI Paxil

Taken once daily, a medication containing a low dose of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) was shown effective in reducing hot flashes in menopausal women.

Rising from the chest, a warmth flashes throughout the upper body reaching full intensity within a minute, fading gradually before several more set in — a metronome signalling a new beginning in a woman's life.

The age of menopause, and the onset of potentially miserable hot flashes, varies greatly from developing to developed world, with the average American woman beginning the years-long transition at age 49.

Although researchers don't fully understand the mechanisms of the heat flashes, a body of evidence implicates reduced levels of estrogen as the primary cause. This in turn gives rise to changes in the brain's hypothalamus, which functions as the body's thermostat, causing a change in body temperature. Most drug therapies on the market treat the symptoms of menopause by attempting to restore a former hormonal balance with estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progestin, the synthetic form of the hormone progesterone.

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday announced approval for the first non-hormonal treatment for vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause, a therapy containing the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine mesylate, marketed by the name Brisdelle.

The new medication is intended to offer a non-hormonal treatment for the 75 percent of menopausal women who experience the discomforting symptoms, which may persist for five years, or even longer for some women.

"There are a significant number of women who suffer from hot flashes associated with menopause and who cannot or do not want to use hormonal treatments," Dr. Hylton V. Joffe, director of the Division of Bone, Reproductive, and Urologic Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Today's approval provides women with the first FDA-approved, non-hormonal therapeutic option to help ease the hot flashes that are so common in menopause."

The medication contains 7.5 milligrams of paroxetine, less than the amount used in medications such as Paxil and Pexeva for the treatment of major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Even with a lower dose of paroxetine, the menopause therapy carries a warning of increased suicidality that has been shown in children and young adults. The most common side effects associated with Brisdelle, however, are headache, fatigue, and nausea.

The therapy was tested for safety and efficacy in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in a total of 1,175 women with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms, which varied from 7-8 instances of hot flashes per week to 50-60 in the most aggravated cases.

In the two studies, the therapy was shown effective in reducing the symptoms of hot flashes, though researchers have little idea why.

Source: medicaldaily.com

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55% women have hot flashes or night sweats before menopause

Washington: A new study has revealed that more than half of middle-aged women who still have regular cycles have hot flashes.

According to a survey of some 1,500 women, Asian and Hispanic women are less likely to have them than white women, but compared with previous studies, the figures are surprisingly high.

The survey, conducted by researchers at Group Health (a large healthcare system in the Pacific Northwest) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, consisted of a diverse group of women, including whites, blacks, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, women of mixed ethnicity, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Japanese, East Indians, Chinese, and other Asians.

The women were 45 to 56 years old, had regular cycles, had not skipped periods, and were not taking hormones.

A surprising 55 percent of them reported having hot flashes or night sweats. (Previous studies pegged the highest rates at below 50 percent.)

The groups with the highest proportions reporting hot flashes or night sweats were Native Americans (67 percent) and black (61 percent) women, but the differences between these groups and white women weren`t statistically significant.

58 percent of white women, the largest ethnic group, reported having hot flashes or night sweats.

Menopause can cause memory loss during hot flashes

Don't doubt it when a woman harried by hot flashes says she's having a hard time remembering things. A new study published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), helps confirm with objective tests that what these women say about their memory is true.

In the past, some studies showed that hot flashes were related to memory problems, and some didn't. Other studies showed that, even though there was a relationship between hot flashes and what women said about memory problems, objective tests didn't confirm it.

That's why researchers from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University in Chicago gave a battery of eight tests of attention and recall to 68 women age 44 to 62 who had at least 35 hot flashes a week. The women also completed questionnaires about their menopause symptoms, mood, and memory. Women who said they had trouble with memory really did. Also, those who had more trouble with hot flashes did worse on the tests, and women with more hot flashes struggled longer with memory problems than women who had fewer hot flashes. In addition, women who reported more negative emotions did worse on the tests than women who had fewer.

Source: The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)

Doctor: Menopause memory loss "is real'

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When Hot Flashes Meet Summer Heat: Tips To Help Keep You Cool

By NAPS,
North American Precis Syndicate

(NAPSI)If you are among the nearly 75 percent of menopausal women who suffer from hot flashes,1 it can be tough to enjoy the sunny weather worrying about a sudden hot flash in summertime. And since hot weather tends to be a common hot flash trigger,2 these sudden feelings of warmth can be exacerbated. But, with just a little planning and preparation you can get on the right track to an enjoyable summer.

Here are some tips that can help temper those seasonal hot flashes:

Learn your hot flash triggers. Every woman can learn how to help stay cool by paying attention to her own individual triggers. Keeping a journal to record your findings can help identify underlying triggers.2

Layer, layer! Dress in layers so that they can be removed when feeling warm; use a fan or open a window to keep air flowing; decrease the room temperature; or sip a cold drink.3

Say yes to the cool pool and no to the hot tubs. Both hot tubs and saunas can cause your body temperature to rise and trigger a hot flash. Its best to avoid these if youre sensitive.2

Watch what you eat and drink. Hot and spicy foods, caffeinated drinks and alcohol can trigger a hot flash.3

Relax. Yoga, meditation or other helpful relaxation techniques may provide some relief.3

Don't smoke. Smoking is linked to an increase in hot flashes.3

Improve your diet. Some women may find relief if they improve their diet.2

Hormone therapy. Prescription estrogen continues to be the most effective option for relieving the discomfort of hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause.1 The FDA recommends the lowest effective dose with any estrogen therapy for the shortest amount of time to achieve personal treatment goals.4

When simple lifestyle changes arent enough to control hot flashes, you and your physician may decide to explore hormone therapy treatment options. Your physician may prescribe Divigel, a bioidentical5, transdermal estrogen gel with the lowest FDA-approved dose of transdermal estradiol gel or spray (0.25 mg/day estradiol) for hot flashes.6-9 Divigel is used to treat moderate to severe hot flashes due to menopause. Generally, women should be started at 0.25 mg/day of Divigel.

For patients who are prescribed Divigel, saving money is easy and just a few clicks away at divigel.com. Patients can print the Patient Savings Coupon, bring it to their local pharmacy, and pay no more than $25 on their Divigel co-pay amount. The Patient Savings Coupon is for eligible patients only and limited to a maximum savings of $25 each on four Divigel prescriptions. Offer expires on December 31, 2013.

Divigel (estradiol gel) 0.1% is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe hot flashes due to menopause.

Important Safety Information for Patients

What is the most important information I should know about Divigel (an estrogen hormone)?

Using estrogen-alone increases your chance of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are using Divigel. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb). Your healthcare provider should check any unusual bleeding to find out the cause.

Do not use estrogen-alone to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes or dementia (decline of brain function)

Using estrogen-alone may increase your chances of getting strokes or blood clots

Using estrogen-alone may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women 65 years of age or older

Do not use estrogens with progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, strokes or dementia

Using estrogens with progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, or blood clots

Using estrogens with progestins may increase your chance of getting dementia, based on a study of women 65 years of age or older

You and your healthcare provider should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Divigel

Divigel should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding, currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus, had a stroke or heart attack; currently have or have had blood clots, currently have or have had liver problems, have been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder, are allergic to Divigel or any of its ingredients, or think you may be pregnant.

Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical problems and the medicines you take, if you are going to have surgery or will be on bedrest, and if you are breastfeeding.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms: new breast lumps, unusual vaginal bleeding, changes in vision or speech, sudden new severe headaches, or severe pains in your chest or legs with or without shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue.

Common side effects that may occur with Divigel include headache; breast pain; irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting; stomach or abdominal cramps, bloating; nausea and vomiting; hair loss; fluid retention and vaginal yeast infection.

Serious but less common side effects include heart attack, stroke, blood clots, dementia, breast cancer, cancer of the uterus, ovarian cancer, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, gallbladder disease, liver problems, and enlargement of benign uterus tumors (fibroids).

Alcohol-based gels are flammable. Avoid fire, flame or smoking until the gel has dried.

Please see Patient Information for Divigel at www.divigel.com and talk to your healthcare provider. For more information, call 1-888-650-3789 or visit www.divigel.com.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects to Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. at 1-855-899-9180, or to the FDA by visiting www.fda.gov/medwatch or calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

For more information about hot flashes, talk to your doctor, and visit www.divigel.com to learn more about this treatment.

Divigel is marketed in the U.S. by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.

2013 Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., Maple Grove, MN 55369

References

1. Shanafelt TD, Barton DL, Adjei AA, Loprinzi CL. Pathophysiology and treatment of hot flashes. Mayo Clin Proc. 2002;77(11):1207-1218.

2. Hot Flashes. Listen to Your Body. http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=130. Accessed April 18, 2013.

3. Mayo Clinic. Hot Flashes: Definition. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hot-flashes/DS01143. Accessed April 18, 2013.

4. US Food and Drug Administration. Menopause and Hormones. http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118624.htm. Accessed April 18, 2013.

5. The North American Menopause Society. Menopause Guidebook. 7th ed. Mayfield Heights, OH: The North American Menopause Society; 2012.

6. Divigel [package insert]. Minneapolis, MN: Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.; 2012.

7. EstroGel [package insert]. Herndon, VA: ASCEND Therapeutics, Inc.; 2008.

8. Elestrin [package insert]. Philadelphia, PA: Azur Pharma, Inc.; 2012.

9. Evamist [package insert]. St. Louis, MO: Ther-Rx Corp.; 2011.

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On the Net: North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)

What Every Menopausal Women Should Know About Menozac and Why?

Menozac is all-natural and also highly effective in ameliorating menopausal signs or symptoms. It assisted women reduce the physical issues and, the more important is, it assisted them boost there emotional state.

Menozac is a botanical choice medication formula consisting of a mixture of all the natural herbal ingredients formulated to relieve the change and give highly effective menopause signs or symptoms relief. It  have been formulated as an all-natural herbal assistance supplement that contains the most well-known mixture of high-potency estrogen botanical which have a lengthy empirical history of minimizing menopausal signs or symptoms, and assisting the body's hormonal issues.

Menozac Ingredients

* Damiana Leaf - extremely helpful in minimizing the emotional signs or symptoms caused by the menopause. Reduce anxiousness and tension as well as to stimulate rest.
* Vitamin E - bring in comfort to urinary issues, vaginal dryness, night sweats and hot flashes.
* Black Cohosh - It is also known to minimize menopausal signs or symptoms. It is really a phytoestrogen and it also operates as an analgesic and also anti-inflammatory treatment.
* Soy Seeds - Soy made up of phytoestrogens (all-natural estrogens), which can restore the hormone amounts. Studies have demonstrated that soy intake is also helpful sustain the heart's health.

What does it claims to do?

If you are thinking about trying natural product that guarantees to decrease the signs and symptoms of menopause, you have to think about this natural medicine. This supplement will naturally decrease anxiousness, modifications in urinary patterns, swelling, hot flashes and night sweats, mood swings and depressive disorders, hunger modifications and vaginal dryness.

The natural phytoestrogen including plants which are present in this supplement are not a hormone replacement however they join to the similar places that all-natural estrogen would have been present in the entire body, hence producing the same impact. There is absolutely no need to bother about taking hormone replacement treatment that raises your opportunities of creating a critical blood clot or raises your chance of heart attack or stroke. Get assistance from Mother Nature with the all-natural items with this health supplement.

How to use Menozac?

By getting simply 2 pills daily, the menopausal female will discover herself feeling such as a young once again. The hot flashes, moodiness and also tired sensations are generally swept away and she will be left sensation and also seeing much better. Much better, the components are all natural. Ladies who have a personal or even family history of liver issues need to discuss with their family doctors before using this product. Jenise L., from Japan mentioned the following: "Menozac removed my hot flashes quickly. Using Menozac has assisted me physically, mentally and emotionally." 

Are there any Menozac side effects?

Testimonials on menozac are flooding with myriads of good feedback for this awesome product. No shock they are sure to be comfortable with menozac as that of the earlier clients. Menozac is the actually discovered great reliever of menopausal signs or symptoms. Menozac raises your self-confidence and you're guaranteed to get back your youthful life. Use menozac and also feel existence fantastic.

It is acknowledged that ladies go through innumerable untenable signs or symptoms all through the menopause. Even though a lady can't avoid this stage of life she is a certainty to appreciate menopause free from the problematic signs or symptoms by using all-natural menozac. Menozac is the perfect medicine that relives out the signs or symptoms throughout the menopause without inviting unintended outcomes. Although there are actually amount of the menopause comfort items, menozac outstands all by its all-natural ingredients. Even though it is a natural product, it is good to consult with a physician prior to the use of menozac. However the change is actually a kind of physical maturation, it's not enjoyable most from the times due to the diverse symptoms that occur during the menopause.

Menozac will be the excellent blend of phytoestrogen botanicals which has been verified for his or even her effectiveness to reduce menopausal signs or symptoms without menozac side-effects. They combine with the estrogen receptor areas in your body and operate efficiently to sustain the hormonal balance by reducing the estrogen stage throughout premenopausal time period and improving the estrogen levels during postmenopausal time. Since1940s vitamin E, a perfectly acknowledged anti-oxidant remains to be mentioned for its performance to offset vaginal dryness combined with intense flashes that a woman encounter throughout publish the menopause. Black cohosh keeps on being primarily used to assuage the menopausal signs or symptoms.

Menozac Testimonials

Testimonials of product can be found easily on http://www.winnerp.net/menozac.html

"I no longer take any prescription medication for my depression..."
I was becoming an old, grouchy bear. I hated the world and couldn't stand myself. I had terrible mood swings and depression. I was on Prozac for the depression, but I was still very moody. I had heard so much about Menozac that I had to give it a try. I was afraid it would be too good to be true. Well, I just love it! It is such a wonderful product. I no longer take any prescription medication for my depression and the mood swings are gone. - By Victoria S, USA

"Menozac Eliminated my hot flashes...immediately"
Using menozac has helped me physically, mentally and emotionally. After three months, I couldn't be more pleased. Eliminating hot flashes was my primary concern and menozac accomplished this immediately. I have experienced no cramping, bloating and, most of all, no weight gain. Maintaining my normal weight is important to me as I have never had a weight problem and, hopefully, never will. I am extremely pleased with Menozac and continue to recommend it to my close friends. - By Jenise L, Japan

"I was on three different prescriptions before menozac"
I experienced mood swings, forgetfulness, lower back pain, headaches, fatigue, low energy and hot flashes occasionally, but I thought all of these were just due to getting older. Then I heard about Menozac , and decided to give it a try. I can't believe how much better I felt after I began taking Menozac . It has made a HUGE change in my life. All of my friends have even noticed a difference in me. They can't pinpoint why, but I know. Menozac System is the reason. Also, I was on three different kinds of prescriptions before Menozac and now I take no prescription medication! Thank you, Menozac!  - By Sandy V, Canada

Final Call

Some women breeze through this life change while others appear to suffer seriously. Because everybody is distinct, Menozac is useless 100% of times on everyone - but then again no cure can reasonably state that.

At the end of the day you need a treatment method that doesn't trigger any horrible side-effects and has a great track record for operating well. if you purchase Menozac, you can't go wrong but really, you have to try it before
you know.

Overall, the Menozac reviews I have read are really encouraging. I highly recommend you to keep in mind the health hazards of artificial medicines and consider the advantages of having Menozac. I'm confident that you'll discover this all-natural strategy to the menopause extremely effective and less worrisome.

Foods That Prevent Hot Flashes

Garlic, peppers, mushrooms, pasta, strawberries, and red wine. These foods might heat up a romantic dinner—and new evidence suggests they cool you down during menopause, too.

The menopausal women who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, noodles, and red wine were about 20 percent less likely to report hot flashes and night sweats than those who didn't stick to the diet, according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Women who regularly ate certain fruits, including strawberries, pineapple, melon, and mango, were also less likely to report these symptoms.

On the flip side, women whose diets were high in fat and sugar were 20 percent more likely to develop hot flashes and night sweats, collectively called vasomotor symptoms. The results come from a group of more than 6,000 women followed for about nine years.

Hot flashes and night sweats occur when fluctuating estrogen levels interfere with your body's ability to maintain a steady temperature. Eating the right diet can stabilize your shifting hormones, reducing your flushing and excess perspiration, says Carmella Sebastian, M.D., M.S., internist and author of Sex and Spaghetti Sauce: My Italian Mother's Recipe For Getting Healthy and Getting Busy In Your 50s And Beyond.

Scientists aren't yet sure exactly why the Mediterranean way of dining (or the extra fruit, for that matter) specifically offers relief, but the study authors offer several hypotheses. For one thing, the fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in these eating patterns provide ample fiber. This nutrient has been linked to lower estrogen levels, perhaps through stabilizing blood levels of the hormones insulin and cortisol, says Dr. Sebastian, who wasn't involved with the study. "You won't have that variability in estrogen and thus you're not going to have as many symptoms," she says.

Similarly, these diets feature carbohydrates lower on the glycemic index, a measure of how quickly a food causes your blood glucose to spike. And other recent research found women with more stable blood sugar have fewer vasomotor symptoms.

Although women eating a healthy diet in the study also drank red wine, there's little evidence of an individual link between vino and hot flashes, Dr. Sebastian says. However, moderate drinking in general and red wine in particular have been linked to better heart health, offering a good reason to drink up—within reason. Stick with no more than a glass a day at most.

Read more: http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/eat-ease-menopause-symptoms

Menopause Symptoms

Women may have different signs or symptoms at menopause. That's because estrogen is used by many parts of your body. So, as you have less estrogen, you could have various symptoms. Here are the most common changes you might notice at midlife. Some may be part of aging rather than menopause.

Mood Changes

You might find yourself more moody or irritable around the time of menopause. Scientists don't know why this happens. It's possible that stress, family changes such as growing children or aging parents, a history of depression, or feeling tired could be causing these mood changes.

Your body seems different

Your waist could get larger. You could lose muscle and gain fat. Your skin could get thinner. You might have memory problems, and your joints and muscles could feel stiff and achy. Are these a result of having less estrogen or just related to growing older? Experts don't know the answer.

Change in your period

This might be what you notice first. Your periods may no longer be regular. They may be shorter or last longer. You might bleed less than usual, or more. These are all normal changes, but to make sure there isn't a problem, see your health professional if:

• Your periods come very close together
• You have heavy bleeding
• You have spotting
• Your periods last more than a week

Sex

You may find that your feelings about sex are changing. You could be less interested. Or, you could feel freer and sexier after menopause. After 1 full year without a period, you can no longer become pregnant. But remember, you could still be at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea or even HIV/AIDS.

Hot flashes

Many women have hot flashes around the time of menopause. They may be related to changing estrogen levels. Hot flashes may last a few years after menopause. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck become flushed. Red blotches may appear on your chest, back, and arms. Heavy sweating and cold shivering can follow. Flashes can be very mild or strong enough to wake you from your sleep (called night sweats). Most hot flashes last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes.

Sleep

Around midlife, some women start having trouble getting a good night's sleep. Maybe you can't fall asleep easily, or you wake too early. Night sweats might wake you up. You might have trouble falling back to sleep if you wake during the night.

Problems with your vagina and bladder

Changing estrogen levels can cause your genital area to get drier and thinner. This could make sexual intercourse uncomfortable. Or, you could have more vaginal or urinary infections. Some women find it hard to hold their urine long enough to get to the bathroom. Sometimes urine leaks during exercise, sneezing, coughing, laughing, or running.

Other Physical Changes

Two common health problems can start to happen at menopause, and you might not even notice.

Osteoporosis

Day in and day out, your body is busy breaking down old bone and replacing it with new healthy bone. Estrogen helps control bone loss, and losing estrogen around the time of menopause causes women to lose more bone than is replaced. In time, bones can become weak and break easily. This condition is called osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor to see if you should have a bone density test to find out if you are at risk. Your doctor can also suggest ways to prevent or treat osteoporosis.

Heart disease

After menopause, women are more likely to have heart disease. Changes in estrogen levels may be part of the cause. But so is getting older. As you age, you may gain weight and develop other problems, like high blood pressure. These could put you at greater risk for heart disease. Be sure to have your blood pressure and levels of triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol checked regularly. Talk to your health care provider to find out what you should do to protect your heart.

This Article was originally published at NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine on Spring 2013 Issue: Volume 8 Number 1 Page 16

Menopause and Weight Gain

Fruit, Mediterranean diet tied to fewer hot flashes

Researchers found that of about 6,000 women followed over nine years, those who ate a lot of strawberries, pineapple and melon and most closely followed a Mediterranean-style diet were about 20 percent less likely to report those common symptoms.

At the same time, menopausal women who ate high-sugar, high-fat diets were 23 percent more likely to experience hot flashes and night sweats during the study.

The study can't prove certain foods prevent or trigger hot flashes, researchers said. And it's one of the first yet to tie general dietary patterns - not just certain supplements - to menopause-related symptoms.

"The study is well done, but I wouldn't get so excited about it, especially because we don't know why," said Teresa Fung, a nutrition researcher at Simmons College in Boston. "We don't know the biologic mechanisms behind it."

Researchers surveyed 6,040 women, age 50 to 55, about what foods they ate and how often as well as if they smoked, drank or exercised. All of those women went through natural menopause - meaning not brought on by uterus-removing surgery, for example.

At the start of the study, 58 percent of participants reported having hot flashes, night sweats or both. At that point and over the next nine years, women who ate fruit and the components of a Mediterranean diet - in this case garlic, salad greens, pasta and red wine - reported fewer hot flashes, after accounting for their other lifestyle habits.

However, vegetables in general, as well as meat and dairy, were not associated with either a higher or lower chance of having menopausal symptoms, Gerrie-Cor Herber-Gast and Gita Mishra from the University of Queensland wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Hormone therapy is the only known effective treatment for hot flashes. But since the drugs were linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and breast cancer in the Women's Health Initiative study, researchers and affected women alike have been searching for alternatives.

It's possible that low-fat, high-fiber diets may help stabilize estrogen levels and ease hot flashes and night sweats, Herber-Gast and Mishra speculated. Or, eating a Mediterranean-style diet may keep blood sugar within the optimum range, which could also lower a woman's chance of bothersome symptoms, they said.

"We don't really have enough studies to make a blanket recommendation yet," Fung, who wasn't involved in the new research, told Reuters Health.

However, she added, "We don't necessarily need to know why (this may work) before we do it, especially for something that's healthy to begin with."

Fung said because of all the changes - both physical and psychological - that happen during menopause, it may already be a natural time for women to think about improving their diet and general health.

SOURCE: bit.ly/13vv2E5 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online April 3, 2013.

Menopausal Hot Flashes Reduced By Chinese Herbal Mix

A Chinese herbal formula halved the number of hot flashes menopausal women experienced, a Hong Kong study showed.

The frequency of daily hot flashes dropped by 62 percent for women taking a herbal mix called Er-xian decoction, or EXD, compared to a 52 percent drop among women taking placebo. Investigators reported the findings this week in the Journal of the North American Menopause Society.

"It's a modest effect but not a zero effect," said Katherine Newton, a researcher at Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, who has studied herbal menopause remedies. Newton told Reuters she would recommend the treatment to women only after seeing more, long-term studies demonstrating safety but said the current study - which she was not involved in - looked promising as an alternative menopause treatment.

Presently, physicians consider hormone replacement therapy most effective for relieving discomfiture associated with menopause, though side effects include greater risk of breast cancer and heart disease - in addition to brain shrinkage, which increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Previous study of EXD, comprised of compounds extracted from the roots, stems or leaves of six Chinese herbs, found promise in the treatment, said Yao Tong, a professor at the University of Hong Kong who co-authored the study. In an effort to conduct higher quality experimentation of the herb, ingested as a tea tincture, Tong and colleagues followed 101 menopausal women in their 40s and 50s as they drank the formula twice daily for 12 weeks.

Half of the women drank a 15 gram dose while the others drank a mix of tea, caramel and a compound called gardenin. During the two weeks prior to treatment, the women recorded their hot flashes, with the study group reporting an average of 5.8 compared to the control group's five per day. Following treatment, the number of incidences dropped to 2.2 among those receiving EXD and 2.5 among those receiving placebo.

Yet, the more dramatic difference came three months after cessation of treatment, with rate of hot flashes staying at 2.2 per day for the study group and rising slightly for the control group to 2.9 per day.

"Menopausal flushing is notoriously responsive to fluctuations and placebo responses in clinical trials, yet they have rigorously demonstrated an improvement in favor of active treatment" with Er-xian decoction, said Dr. Alan Bensoussan, the director of the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research at the University of Western Sydney, told Reuters.

The severity of the menopausal symptoms also declined to a greater degree among women taking the treatment, from a three out of four rating at the beginning of the study to a 1.6. By comparison, the control group experienced a decline in symptom severity from three to 2.3 on the four-point subjective scale.

"It's a small effect, but a measurable effect," said Newton, adding that the findings put the treatment on par with other alternative medicines on the market.

The researchers reported in their study that Chinese traditional medicine sees menopause symptoms as related to deficiencies in kidney "yin and yang," noting that EXD contains herbs known for enhancing such kidney functions.

However, other researchers criticized the study, saying Tong and colleagues had failed to accurately report chemical profiling of key ingredients and selected chemical markers in the herbal remedy, making the study hard to reproduce.

Ref Source:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/14465/20130330/menopause-menopausal-hormone-therapy-alternative-medicine-exd-chinese-herbs.htm
http://frenchtribune.com/teneur/1317080-chinese-herb-helps-menopausal-hot-flashes-study

Hot Flashes: How Hypnosis Can Help You in Reducing Menopause Symptoms?

Hot flashes: those instant experiences of hotness that sweep by means of a woman's body system, normally accompanied with a expeled experience and even excessive sweating. They really are the most common signs and symptoms of menopausal also perimenopause together with -- quite truthfully -- hard drive a great deal of mature females insane. Hypnosis will be helpful get rid of hot flashes in postmenopausal women of all ages and, minimizing their occurrence as high as 74%, professionals say. Hot flashes have an effect on about 80% of women as they simply go through menopausal. The unexpected hasten of heat function could be pursued by anxiety allowing it to eliminate good quality of lifestyle. 

However right now the latest research states that that medicinal hypnosis can aid in eliminating hot flashes in addition to their associated signs or symptoms. Hypnotic relaxation therapy diminished hot flashes by just as much as 80%, as reported by analysis from Baylor University's Mind-Body Medication Researching Laboratory. The conclusions also suggested that attendees encountered a more suitable excellence of living because of sensation much less anxiousness and depression symptoms. 

A healthy diet is best part for a number of women: Above two-thirds of North American most women experience hot flashes in the course of perimenopause, together with nearly every individual who suffers through triggered or premature the symptoms of menopause, according to WebMD. The more than likely disadvantage of employing hypnosis for hot flashes, is the time and effort demanded. Preliminary instruction should be issued by a medical professional well-versed in hypnosis, after which you will need to rehearse at your home. 

Professionals don’t are fully aware of exactly how hypnosis might work to comfortable the hot flashes. It most likely impacts on the body’s thermostat control in the human brain. To be clinically essential, the reduction will have to be 55% or even more, he stated. Furthermore reducing in number of occurrence, the hot flashes as well started to be milder. 

Although hypnosis might end up being a whole new alternative for hot flash affected people, a previous all natural treatment was just lately debunked. In contrast to past researches looking into the association between soy as well as these particular menopausal signs and symptoms, the present review incorporated an incredibly major human population over an extensive period of time of their time: much more than 1,600 women of all ages over a decade.