Finding Your PMZ (Post-Menopausal Zest)
You know the drawbacks of getting older, but there really are some advantages. If you are married and/or have children, if you are the caretaker of elderly parents, if you are building your career, you really can't focus on your own personal needs. There are too many other pulls on you.

But, once you have either done, or not done, all these things (for instance, gotten married or not, had children or not, built your career or not), you are in a different life space. You know where you have achieved; you know where you have failed. Now, is the time to see what's next? This is what I call the Empty Next.

Arriving at this point could happen just before a big birthday (40, 50, 60) or it could happen when you receive a pink slip, or a husband walks away from you. But, it can also happen when you are just walking across the street and see a beautiful tree. Meaning, it can happen at any point. But, you have to be "old" enough, and wise enough to know it's now time to focus on yourself.

This could be the day you can barely drag yourself out of bed, feeling menopause is sapping your youth and your energy. This may be the day you say, "Isn't there something positive about losing a monthly bodily function that causes me pain and is no longer necessary in my life?"

This could be the day you say you are on the lookout for MZ, Menopausal Zest. The energy that comes from letting go of what you no longer need, be it your period, a job you've out-grown, a relationship that has gone stale.

Getting older gives you the freedom to say, "It's my time now." And then you need to unearth your "missing something," the thing that keeps you feeling bored, unexciting, tired of the same-old.

How do you got about finding this missing something? How do you seek out your MZ?

1. The first thing you need is time to think and reflect. You may have to get away from your daily routine, away from people who have demands and expectations of you. Even if you can only get a few hours, take it for yourself.

2. Next, you need to look inside and listen carefully. Whose voice is saying you are "selfish" if you do something for yourself that may hurt others or let them down?

3. Once you recognize that voice, write a letter - to that person, your mother or father, your husband or even a sister not doing as well in life as you. Or, perhaps it's a religious leader from childhood, who infused you with the value and honor of self-less women. (A women who is "self-less" is one who has less of a self.) You do not have to explain anything to this person; you don't have to defend yourself. You just have to tell the person what you are going to do for yourself and say goodbye. Something to the effect of, "I am releasing you now; you no longer have the power to hold me back."

Article :By Dr. Karen Gail Lewis

Hot Flashes and How To Handle Them With Ease

As a certified master Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist, I'm usually looked at funny when I begin to talk about the subject of this article. Here's why for one I'm a male, and I don't look like your typical menopause fitness expert. My experience comes from personally coaching hundreds of menopausal women over the last thirteen years and I have learned to really understand the female body and how peri-menopause and hot flashes affects a women's life once it begins.

For women who are going through menopause, hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms. The majority of American women who are in the middle of menopause experience night sweats from time to time. Hot flushes can be a sudden feeling of warmth that comes over the body, accompanied by reddening of the face and sweating, which is then followed by a cooling sensation. What causes hot flashes is not yet known, and they tend to happen without warning. Some women also experience an increased heart rate and chills along with the hot flashes. Hot flashes that are accompanied by sweating and that occur during the nighttime are called night sweats. It is known that hot flashes are related to the circulation of the blood. Hot flashes, though uncomfortable are generally harmless otherwise. For some women, they only occur for a short period of time, while for others they continue even after menopause. Prevented and remedied for this symptom are fairly simple methods.

For most women who are in the midst of menopause, feeling warm and sweaty at random times of the day pretty much go hand in hand with this phase of their lives. It can even be said that flashes cannot be avoided during menopause. For quick relief, take simple measures once you begin to feel a body temperature change begins.

One obvious solution for is to stay cool and trying not to get yourself too worked when you feel a flash coming on. Staying cool can be accomplished by keeping the air conditioner on, wearing lighter clothing if possible, and staying away from sources of heat. Most remedies aren't too complex and only take simple measures to provide relief. Another method is breathing exercises. When a flash begins to happens, simply take deep breathes for as long as necessary until the feeling passes. Try practicing breathing throughout the day to relieve stress levels and lower the chance of a random flare up.

Other remedies for hot flashes include exercising and paying careful attention to your diet. Exercises like biking, running, or walking are a great help. Certain foods are known to contribute to flare up, so watch your diet and avoid foods like spicy food, alcohol and caffeine. Hormone replacement therapy provides relief for menopause and many of the female symptom women experience during this period of their lives. Since hot flashes are a part of menopausal symptoms, getting hormone replacement therapy for menopause relief will reduce the occurrence of hot flashes. If these don't work for your relief, then you can try prescription or non-prescription drugs. Vitamins A and B complex as well as Ibuprofen are considered hot flash remedies. There are also other prescription drugs that can help relieve this severity of this symptom.

Otherwise, for hot flash relief and overall menopause relief, preventative measures should be taken as well as general daily care to lessen and prevent the symptoms. Experiencing body temperature changes are only a normal part of menopause. If the right steps are taken, the experiencing night sweats and warm sensations during random times a day can stop completely. Following a healthy active lifestyle will make this crazy symptom become much more bearable once it occurs. If you are unsure of what to do, always consult a doctor for the best advice on how to lessen or prevent your menopause symptoms.

Kris T. Smith is the author of The 7 Day Menopause Diet Guide and founder of the My Menopause Fix Blog.

If you liked this article then you can find more tips, and strategies on menopause fitness, menopause exercise, and weight loss http://www.mymenopausefix.com.

Articla  : By Kris T Smith

Perimenopause: Let It Be, But Not Too Early


When a girl turns to a young lady, she experiences puberty or adolescence where her breast and her hips start developing (leading to a more feminine figure) and her menstrual cycle begins. Such transition also occurs when a fertile woman has her period less than usual, and eventually loses it (menopause), and this transition stage is referred to as perimenopause. People usually interchange menopause and perimenopause although, technically, they are different stages. Menopause is the stage when the ovulation has completely stopped; meaning, the woman has become permanently unable to produce egg cells. Perimenopause, on the other hand, involves the ups-and-downs of a woman traversing from fertility to infertility.

If you have been asked are you in perimenopause? You probably need to check out some symptoms that you might be experiencing because perimenopause may actually occur as early as 30's. If you have not had your menstrual period for a year, then you are no longer in your perimenopause stage, instead, you already reached the menopause stage and after that, the post-menopause. Symptoms of perimenopause might include hot flashes, or sudden feverish feelings; mood swings like anxiety, depression and irritability; night sweats without any particular reason (hot weather); and, irregular or sometimes decreasing occurrence of menstrual period. These are the more common signs that you are on your way to menopause. It is a natural phenomenon, with all the hormonal changes your body experiences, but the onset of perimenopause can be delayed.

Are you in perimenopause and are you wishing to reduce the uncomfortable symptoms? There are varying approaches on how to slow down this process including hormone therapy where the patient is supplemented with either estrogen or progesterone (or a combination); however, many claims have gone against this because of the suggested risk leading to breast cancer. Nevertheless, natural therapy is fast becoming popular and it seems that patients are more positive about such treatment. For example, bioflavonoids, vitamin E and soy isoflavones are some suggested relief for hot flashes since they lower the severity of the symptom. Chamomile and kava root are natural sedatives that helps calm the mind and may lessen sleeping disorders.

Perimenopause and menopause will happen and there is no way to avoid it, however, the cases of premature perimenopause have been observed and this is primarily due to poor eating and health lifestyle. This will also help you with other severe effects of menopause like osteoporosis so as early as now (assuming you haven't experienced perimenopause), you should avoid foods high in cholesterol, exercise regularly, take in supplements for your bone and stop or do not smoke. Smoking has been regarded as a culprit for premature menopause.

When asked, are you in perimenopause? Do not be disturbed. It is only natural for women to experience such. It is not normal when you feel pain far from discomfort, like when you suddenly had excessive bleeding. While there is no way to delay what is to come, you can prevent it from happening too early, so starting today, you should make it a habit to live healthy.

Menopause Fat Loss Expert, Personal Trainer, Nutrition Expert

Since early 1999, Kris has been teaching women around the world how to use simple effective strategies to lose fat, tone and shape their bodies and feel amazing in their own skin. Kris is the Author of "The Menopause Cookbook" sold through Amazon Books. He also is the creator of the highly visited blog http://www.mymenopausefix.com

Kris has been coined "The Menopause Savior" because of his unique and profound understanding of the women's body and how it works.

"Kris sees the female Body like no other male."
AnnaMaria D. (48) NYC
If you would like to receive my 7 Day Menopause Diet Guide pick a FREE COPY at http://www.7daymenopausediet.com
Article  :By Kris T Smith

Tips For Choosing The Best Natural Menopause Treatment

When a woman is in the menopausal stage, they opt to choose what procedure may help them to alleviate the pains caused by the symptoms. Several may just ignore whereas the others resort to the use of medications and treatments. Other women are fighting it through the use of herbs which were used even before science formulated the technology. Nevertheless, no matter what type of procedure a woman chooses to adapt, it is alright so long as she can overcome the menopause symptoms with less discomfort. On the other hand, in spite of the quite number of treatment, there still no guaranteed effective way for they may still cause effects that are beyond the influence of the mentioned medications. The different types of medication will be discussed in the succeeding paragraph.

A medication that is proven useful is change in lifestyle. Planning a routine with regular exercise is best in order to maintain a healthy body. It is well known that exercising promotes many benefits. A mixture of aerobic and anaerobic exercise will be essential in order to fight the risk of heart failures, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. This will enable you to concentrate more and be alert at all time. Exercise also prevents stress and insomnia. Adding up to the routine, panning a balance diet is effective as well. As you grow old, your body requires more nutritious food plus an intake of vitamins and minerals. It is known that menopause bring osteoporosis more closely to women that is why a lot of calcium intake is highly recommended by all experts.

A number of women have tried using anti-depressants in order to fight the effects of menopausal symptoms. Many may not agree but as what have been said, the symptoms of menopause and effects of a treatment vary from one woman to another. The dosage of an anti-depressant depends upon the intensity of the symptoms. Some account proves this to be effective for hot flashes, bad temper, and great depression. However, it is still best to consult a doctor before deciding to consume the drug. Women should not be abrupt of seeing the effects of the medication immediately because this will happen gradually.

Moreover, you should not decide on adapting a certain medication without the advice of a professional because instead of relief it may bring more harm to you. It is always wise to converse with your physician in order to learn what type of treatment is suitable to your condition.

It has been acknowledged that menopause is a normal occurrence as women grow old. However, there are symptoms associated with this condition that cannot be escaped though may be alleviated. With the use of many treatments available, you still have the chance to overcome menopause with comfort and ease. It is just a matter of choice and determination.

Article   : By Caroline Bourke

Herbal Treatment for Menopause Works Better Than HRT
We may use herbs for a number of different remedies, but what about Herbal Treatment for Menopause? This may sound farfetched because menopause is a life changing event that takes over a woman's body. How could herbs help?
If you haven't heard of using herbs to attack various symptoms that arise due to menopause, then perhaps you would rather adhere to modern medicine's lead and take a pill. I know you have heard the commercials where a certain medicine will relieve your symptoms but yet the side effects go on and on. Are those side effects worth taking that pill? I choose the safer alternatives; yes, safer alternative which can be herbs.
Let's face it; our bodies are 100% completely natural and so are herbs. Thinking of it this way, the solution is black and white. Herbal Treatment for Menopause is a must for every woman. There are herbal remedies for those who have minor symptoms to those who unfortunately are experiencing every symptom possible. I would like to share some helpful herbs with you.
Which Herbal Treatment for Menopause is for You?
Black cohosh is a very common herb in which only the roots (dried) and rhizomes help to relieve muscle pains, cramping and hot flashes. In some cases, it has also been helpful in reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The dosage recommended is for 2 to four 250mg tablet/capsules each day.
Chaste tree is native to central Asia and to southern Europe and offers beautifully delicate small blossoms in which only the fruit (dried) is used. The daily dosage is one 300 to 600 mg tablet/capsule each day to help dissipate depression. This time of your life is worth living, not let it go by without you.
Dandelion, yes those nasty weeds in your yard can offer help to your liver when hormones are out of balance and we know how often that occurs! The parts of this dandy plant are the tops, leaves and roots. The recommended dosage is one 1,000 to 3,000mg tablet/capsule per day or you can mix it to make tea and drink 2 to 3 lovely cups per day. Did you ever think that the dandelion would be an excellent Herbal Treatment for Menopause?
Ginkgo (biloba) is a must have when a woman transitions into the next stage of her life. This particular herb is beneficial in improving brain functions, blood circulation and oxygenating body cells. It can also help with depression, fatigue and memory issues. The recommended dosage is one 1,000mg tablet/capsule daily.
Licorice is considered an extremely strong adrenal stimulant and an excellent estrogenic herb. It makes a lovely tea and can be added to other herbal teas. The suggested dosage is 500 to 1,000mg tablet/capsule per day or 1 to 2 cups of tea. Since this herb is very potent, do not take too often as it can drastically reduce potassium levels and raise the blood pressure.
Wild yam roots (dried) and rhizomes work together to make an awesome estrogenic herb. Women all over have used this herb to find relief of menopausal arthritis. Wild yam is also known to have progestogenic properties which could help minimize those with heavier menstrual bleeding.
There are a number of other wonderful herbs that will help combat a number of symptoms that women may deal with as their body goes through this stage of their life. If you have questions about the herbs discussed or other possibilities, please consult with your doctor. Herbal Treatment for Menopause is simply a natural way to heal your body and mind while you enter into the next stage of your life.
Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Jeanne Lovely, and chances are you have never heard of me before, but when you finish reading about what I have to offer you, you will be glad you finally did!
My goal is to empower women to renew themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually in order to transform from who they are into who they want to be.
I have read all the books, tried all the methods, and I have worked with clients to improve their lives, as well as my own. "I practice what I preach" and the results are outstanding. I help women Empower•Renew•Transform their lives.
Article By Jeanne Lovely