In every woman’s life comes the time that she goes into menopause. It is a very natural process, but the transition can be very unpleasant. But there are always remedies, medication and other products you can use to make this journey a less painful one.
What is menopause?
Menopause is a natural occurrence where a woman stops having her period, thus also ending her reproductive years. When a woman is born, she is born with all the eggs of her natural life. These are stored in her ovaries, which also produces the oestrogen and progesterone that controls both the period and the ovulation. Once the ovaries stop releasing eggs and the hormones, then this is the period of time where a woman transitions into menopause.
Symptoms of menopause
The most common symptom is hot flushes, where the entire body feels warmth. It can feel as though you are suddenly running a fever. Flushes can be mild to severe. This is also when your periods become uneven, spotty or skipped. With this symptom it is nice to be able to wear a Lady Anion panty liner, which gives you the comfort, protection and peace of mind that you need. Another symptom is vaginal dryness, which can make intercourse painful and unpleasant. Dry skin, eyes and mouth is another symptom, as well as sore breasts. You will find yourself needing to urinate more often, have trouble sleeping, and experience emotional changes. All of these are tied to the lessening of produced oestrogen and progesterone.
But those are just the common symptoms. Other symptoms that may show up later includes fatigue, increased heart rate, headaches, aching joints and muscle pain, weight gain, hair loss, facial hair growth, and decreased libido.
Average age of menopause
You can expect to go into menopause from the age of 40. Some women may experience premature menopause, which usually occurs with certain surgeries such as a hysterectomy or ablation, or from treatments such as chemotherapy.
Menopausal vaginal dryness
We know now that it is a symptom to experience vaginal dryness, but not the why. Under normal circumstances the vagina stays lubricated due to a thin layer of fluid produced by the oestrogen hormone. This fluid not only lubricates the lining of the vagina, but also keeps it healthy, thick and elastic.
Best lubricant in Australia
Now that we know about vaginal dryness, how can this be treated to not only keep your vagina healthy, but to also maintain a healthy sex life? You can always turn to the Australian-made Skin Federation range. With their prebiotic intimate hydrating gel to their prebiotic moisturising personal lubricant. It is recommended by doctors as it improves and maintains the health of the cervix. Another very good option is Astroglide Australia, which is made completely natural and with organic ingredients. They have a wide range of products available for your individual personal needs. It is water-based, which means that it is never sticky.
Tea for menopause
There are few things as comforting as a hot cup of tea. What could be better? Well, a cup of The T Lady’s herbal menopause tea! This Australian-owned label specializes in herbal tea that is specifically designed, in their own words, “…to help relieve symptoms of menopause.” They blend a selection of herbs which includes black cohosh, skullcap and wild yam. This product has been thoroughly tested, certified, and endorsed on Shark Tank.
But there are also other teas that you can try. Chamomile tea is used to calm you and help you fall asleep, and also has the added benefit of being antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and liver-protecting. One study found that chamomile tea reduced the symptoms of menopause. You could also try ginger tea, which has been found to relieve period pain. Since the body is going through a change, cramps will definitely form part of the package.
Menopause tablets
Femular Forte by Flordis has been proven to relieve the symptoms of menopause. Also making use of black cohosh as the main ingredient, these non-hormonal tablets uses phytotherapeutic formulations that has been clinically proven to relieve menopausal symptoms. These tablets are taken once a day in the morning after breakfast. One tablet for mild symptoms, two for moderate to severe symptoms. It is recommended that you talk to your doctor about dosage and for how long you should drink the tablets.
Other medication
For a gluten-free, herbal supplement that has the health benefits of energy, hair, skin, nails, and sleep support, Harmony Menopause is a great supplement to have in your medicine cabinet. This multi-herb formula helps to manage mild symptoms of menopause whilst suppressing hot flushes and irritability. It has added vitamin D, magnesium and calcium. This product however does not use black cohosh in their ingredients, but rather rely on rehmannia to help alleviate symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats. Other ingredients include chaste tree, Angelica, Chinese yam, peony, and bupleurum.
Another medication that is also excellent is Fusion Menopause. It also uses black cohosh, along with dong quai, vitex and other herbs.
The herbal side
So what does the tea and tablets have in common? Herbs! Most of the medications and remedies that you will find available for menopausal symptomatic relief is made from natural ingredients. There are a couple that stand out, some of which has been named above. While black cohosh is native to North America, most of the other is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine. Red clover, dong quai (female ginseng), evening primrose oil, maca, soy, flax seeds, valerian, chasteberry, wild yam, French maritime pine bark extract, and kava make up a lot of the ingredients in many herbal remedies. But again, it is always best to first consult your doctor before taking any medication, whether or not it is herbal or natural. You might be allergic to one of the ingredients, or face risks due to an underlying or pre-existing condition.
Along the way Menopause isn’t something that happens overnight. It can take up to 12 months for the transition to be complete. During this time you will still get your period, although it will become irregular. Some months you may only experience spotting, while other months you will skip your period completely. Therefore it is always a good idea to wear a good panty liner during this time, so that if your body surprises you, you are prepared. Lady Anion organic cotton pads have a wide variety of pads that you can keep in your purse just in case, with the added benefit of it being antibacterial and containing negative ions. So during this uncertain time of your life, at least you won’t have to worry about vaginal infection, bacteria, inflammation or odor.