The menopause conversation is getting louder

Looking into the symptoms and how VitOrtho can help

As a nation we’re some way behind Europe (and particularly the Netherlands) when it comes to talking about menopause. Not only the stigma of the physical symptoms, but also the mental and emotional effects it can have on women, their families and their work.

The good news is that we’re now talking more about this stage of life; and it should be noted that it doesn’t always occur between 45 and 55 years old. Women enter their menopause years at younger ages for various other reasons and while these women are a minority who have suffered often with no remedy or acknowledgement, their symptoms can actually be more severe especially when menopause kicks in overnight after a total hysterectomy which can be emergency or otherwise.

What exactly is it, and what are the symptoms?

Menopause is when a woman has gone 12 months without menstruation. For approximately 10 years preceding menopause, a woman is in peri-menopause. This is when symptoms are likely to occur. They are different for everyone in terms of severity, but include hot flushes (or hot flashes, as they’re sometimes called).

This heat is unlike any other experienced in a woman’s life up to that point. The wave hits like a tsunami, and you feel the heat rising, usually in your chest, neck and face. Your skin may go red, similar to intense blushing; and it can be highly uncomfortable, leaving your clothes wringing wet.

Mood changes are another common symptom, as are trouble sleeping, staying asleep and loss of libido. These are all a result of the changing balance of the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which is inextricably linked to oestrogen and progesterone; both of which change massively during the peri-menopause years. Stress can make these symptoms more severe, as can the wrong kind of exercise, and too much alcohol or sugar.

How did our ancestors handle it?

Our female ancestors understood the natural remedies for the symptoms of menopause and peri-menopause. In fact, it could be said that it wasn’t a ‘problem’ because their diets and lifestyles were healthier, and environments weren’t as chemical-laden as they are today. The way in which they lived allowed them to ease from one life stage to the next, with relatively little upset.

How can food supplements and natural remedies reduce symptoms?

Reducing the effects of stress is a good starting point. Rhodiola Rosea helps shelter your brain from cortisol – the stress hormone. While Sleep 4 -in-1 contains hops and valerian, helping to gently ease you into sleep; and Liposomal Magnesium and other magnesiums  can play a part in calming your nervous system. The combination of sage, black cohosh, red clover, agnus castus and wild yam top trumps stress, mood, hot flushes and sweating and is encapsulated within VitOrtho’s Menoform 507257

So, not only are we talking about menopause and peri-menopause – VitOrtho can help with its effects day to day as well.