Answers to Your Questions About Menopause – Part 2
Q: What happens to my body during menopause?
A: Menopause is medically defined as the time when your menstrual cycle ceases due to the loss of ovarian follicular function. This occurs once most of your viable eggs have been used. Your body will eventually stop producing any estrogen and progesterone as these female hormones are no longer needed for reproductive function. The symptoms experienced prior to and during menopause are the result of the loss of progesterone and estrogen within the body.
Q: Can I still get pregnant?
A: It may still be possible to become pregnant when in the peri-menopause stage. Once you begin to have irregular periods and are experiencing the symptoms associated with oncoming menopause it is much less likely for you to become pregnant. However, this is still possible. Once you have reached actual menopause and your periods have completely stopped, you can no longer become pregnant. This is because your body no longer goes through the monthly process needed for pregnancy to occur.
Most women experience the most severe challenges during pre-menopause (also known as peri-menopause) that usually lessen once menopause is reached. However, even after menopause there are still some issues that remain and have the potential to return at different times throughout your life. Some women even continue to experience the same severity of discomfort throughout the rest of their lives.
Q: At one time people were told to use soy products to help with menopause concerns. Now I hear that soy should be avoided. Why is taking soy not a good idea?
A: At one time, you may have heard that taking soy rather than hormone replacement therapy will bring the desired relief from menopausal discomfort. Today, it has become known that soy is estrogenic, and could contribute to the undesirable effects of estrogen dominance. If you are in perimenopause or menopause, most often you are suffering from estrogen dominance and estrogen dominant issues. The best way to combat estrogen dominance is through the regular use of natural progesterone. If you use progesterone on a consistent basis, it will help eliminate your discomfort and address estrogen dominance.
Q: What is post-menopause and will I still need hormone replacement?
A: Post-menopause is the last stage of menopause that continues for the remainder of your life. Most women experience the most severe challenges during pre-menopause (also known as peri-menopause) with a later decrease once menopause is reached. However, even after menopause there are still some concerns that remain and have the potential to return at different times throughout your life. Some women even continue to experience the same severity of discomfort throughout the rest of their lives.
During post-menopause your body will no longer be producing the estrogen or progesterone you need and you may be at risk for certain medical issues once your body stops making these hormones. There are many health benefits of natural hormone replacement therapy using natural progesterone.
Q: Why do progesterone creams work better than pills? Are these creams safe?
A: Natural progesterone creams are absorbed directly into the skin and as a result are much more effective than pills. Once progesterone pills are ingested by the stomach and processed by the liver they lose much of their potency and you need much higher doses to hope to achieve some effects. Progesterone cream is applied to the skin which allows the progesterone to enter directly into the bloodstream. Progesterone is made from natural substances through a scientific laboratory process to create the same progesterone as your body produces on its own. Properly made, natural progesterone cream is structurally similar to the progesterone found in the human body and allows your body to easily assimilate the progesterone.
Setting up a consistent program of natural hormone replacement therapy using progesterone and other natural products has been successful for thousands of women to meet their particular needs throughout peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause.
©Alternative Medicine Network 2009
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