Women's woes

 Getting ready for the onslaught of menopause

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Have you experienced mood swings from your mom, an aunt or elder sister? A few moments ago you were laughing merrily when all of a sudden she's sulking, or worse, exchanging heated words with you!

Fret not! More often than not, the culprit is menopausal behavior.  

Menopause is the natural cessation of menstruation that usually occurs between the ages of 45 to 55 in maturing women. Mood swings and hot flushes are some of the discomforts women face when confronted with this condition. Health professionals advise that women be prepared for such an eventuality.

Every person’s nutritional and dietary needs vary according to age, gender, and lifestyle. Some of these nutritional needs are specific to women, and can also change at certain points in their lives. 

Women benefit more from a higher intake of certain nutrients at different stages of their lives—from puberty to menopausal stage.

A  woman's fertility declines in her 40s and 50s, when hormonal changes bring about menopause-related symptoms such as irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flushes, chills, night sweats, sleep problems, nervousness, mood changes, and weight gain.  

“While women can’t avoid the effects of aging, they don’t have to spend their perimenopausal and menopausal years in misery,” said Dr. Angelica A. Lorenzo, an internal medicine specialist and functional medicine practitioner.

“Menopause is the time when a woman transitions from her reproductive stage and is accompanied with several body changes,” said Dr. Lorenzo. “Estrogen levels drop as the ovaries stop producing it and this results in many different symptoms.” 

For relief from menopausal symptoms, Dr. Lorenzo suggests that, like 50-year-old Gina Laurencio, ailing women may take supplements. Gina took LifeFood EstroG-100 with Oxxynea containing a standardized herbal root extract consisting of three herbal roots that helps in the relief of common menopausal symptoms, and a concentrate of fruit and vegetable extracts providing the same amount of polyphenols equivalent to five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Polyphenols are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin. 

“In addition to their antioxidant activity, polyphenols have many other health benefits. Some studies strongly suggest that diets rich in  polyphenols may offer protection against certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases,” said Dr. Lorenzo. 

“A woman should take special care of herself in her 40s and 50s, as her body goes through changes. Regular exercise and a healthy diet—combined with the right supplements—can alleviate menopausal symptoms,” said Dr. Lorenzo, “and help a woman feel fantastic and live life to the fullest.”

Change is constant around us and within us. But with an accepting and embracing mind, obstacles are easily managed and/or overcome.