Problems That Concern Women (Part 3)

MENOPAUSAL DIFFICULTIES

Now that I am 52 1/2, the subject of menopause has become increasingly important to me. Even though there are more and more books out on the subject, it seems like it is still a mystery to a lot of women how to deal with it. I'm glad I read this; it makes a lot of sense and explains a lot I didn't know. Here's Adele again this time on menopause difficulties...

At the end of the reproductive period, the ovaries gradually become inactive. This process is the reverse of changes that occurred at puberty, and a healthy woman on an adequate diet is as unaware of any disturbances as she was at adolescence. Furthermore, normal adrenal glands produce a number of sex hormones which take over when menstruation ceases.

Problems at menopause are often much more severe than at puberty, largely because the diet has been deficient in many nutrients,--protein, calcium, magnesium, vitamins D, E, and B5--for years prior to its onset. For instance, persons who spend much of their time indoors may have no vitamin D whatsoever in their blood. Moreover, women who have a particularly difficult time during this period are usually those whose adrenals are exhausted.

Because calcium is less well absorbed and the urinary losses are greater when the output of estrogen decreases, such calcium-deficiency symptoms as anxiety, irritability, insomnia, headaches, and depression are common. These problems can be easily overcome if the intakes of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D are all generously increased and are well absorbed. Any woman having difficulty at this time should probably supplement her daily diet with 5,000 units of vitamin D, and 500 mg of magnesium, and obtain 2,000 mg of calcium daily. She suggests 500 mg of calcium with magnesium with all meals and before bed.

During this time the need for vitamin E soars 10 to 50 times over that previously required. Hot flashes and night sweats often disappear when 50 to 500 units of vitamin E are taken daily, but they quickly recur should the vitamin be stopped.

I also thought this was important to know about calcium absorption. She says, "Normally the hydrochloric acid in the stomach dissolves the calcium supplied by foods and holds it in solution until it can be absorbed the the intestinal walls. Sugar and other sweets, however, stimulate the production of alkaline digestive juices so rapidly that calcium becomes insoluble before it can reach the blood." In other words, sugar keeps you from absorbing the calcium...

I also read in this book somewhere that after menopause, women have a week that seems to still need a little more calcium just like before. So she was saying we still go through a monthly cycle, but not the same way, that produces a slight dip in the calcium levels and just to be aware if you feel more edgy than normal to get out the cal/mag.

I've found that it doesn't do much good to analyze it too much, but to just keep it in mind when I'm making my choices and understand that if I'm feeling edgy, I can reach for the cal/mag bottle and not have to medicate myself with any number of other things that people commonly use. As they say, the body cries out for something it's lacking, not a drug to silence the cries...

I want to say here that even with vitamins, the answer isn't only a pill. Ideally, our diets should be close to covering what we need, and the vitamins supplement. You can't live on vitamins; they just pick up the slack and if you are caught short, it's okay to use them to get rid of a deficiency while you are trying to eat a healthier diet. I know most of us know this, but I remember back in my teens and 20's sometimes I thought I could get away with just taking the vitamins and not eating much--wrong--just like you shouldn't eat protein bars or shakes three meals a day...

Anyway, that's all for today!