The transition is a natural process. Symptoms are not by definition complaints and those who take good care of themselves will enter the menopause in a healthy way and come out in the same way. Or, as gynecologist van Hall once put it:women are healthier than you think.
When gynecology professor Eylard van Hall retired from Leiden University in the late 1990s, his book was published:Women are healthier than you think. An old book you would think, but it could appear again in a moment. Or at least the chapter on the 'hormonal mythology surrounding menopause'. The transition is a natural process that should be much more open. Women themselves know what is needed and whether they have menopausal symptoms or complaints. And in case of complaints, they should also raise this and possibly ask for medication.
Until years before, doctors paid little attention to menopausal symptoms. It just belonged. However, no woman can avoid the menopause, and if complaints really occur, you as a woman do not have to resign yourself to it. There are indeed remedies that can reduce or even eliminate actual complaints. From hormone patches and pills to a real hormonal therapy. But a healthy lifestyle also contributes to the reduction of complaints.
Before that happens, it is important to know whether these menopausal symptoms are actually complaints. They are when women have to call in sick for work, for example, because things simply don't work. Then there is seriously a reduced quality of life. If something can be done about this, it should be clear and possible.
On the other hand, complaints are also very often discussed, regularly in the media, while they are simply normal phenomena. Very natural and easy to live with. Weight gain for example. It often plays a role and women find that very annoying. Losing weight during the menopause is also not easy, but in many cases something can be done about it. Eating more vegetables and fewer carbohydrates, fewer large portions, but more throughout the day to get enough vitamins, minerals and proteins. Taking good care of yourself and taking care of yourself in particular seem to work. Healthy eating and (more) exercise are important aspects to prevent or minimize overweight.
It is slightly different for women with heart problems. Estrogen is a hormone that also ensures clean artery walls. If that amount decreases, as during the transition, then it is much more likely to become silted. If a woman is also overweight, with more fat in the abdominal area, cholesterol levels and blood pressure also rise, all of this together increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Years ago, cardiovascular diseases were considered typical men's diseases, but that is with the above data from the world. Studies show that middle-aged women indeed have few narrowings in the larger coronary vessels, but in the smaller vessels. Especially after the menopause, when the woman no longer menstruates, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Hormone treatments then turn out not to be the cure. A healthy lifestyle such as exercising more, preventing obesity, not smoking and eating healthy. This lowers the risk.
This just means that menopausal symptoms should certainly be taken seriously, but that we should not immediately talk about complaints. Those who maintain a healthy lifestyle often make it through the menopause without significant problems. Then women are simply healthy and the menopause is part of it, as Eylard van Hall argued. If there are real complaints, a woman must be able to talk about it openly and be well informed about how important it is to follow a healthy lifestyle. And if necessary, be able to receive medication. In all cases, serious consequences such as cardiovascular disease should be avoided as much as possible.
Read also: What every woman should know about menopause (before going through it)
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