2024-01-11 07:05:59
Published on January 11, 2024
Menopause is a normal biological process that scares many women because of what it entails on a physical and emotional level. The end of the menstrual cycle and therefore of the woman’s reproductive period, as well as hormonal changes, cause a series of physical and psychological alterations that we often do not know how to address and end up affecting daily activity and quality of life. Menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, as a consequence of the aging of the ovary, which causes the levels of estrogen and progesterone to decrease, giving rise to typical symptoms such as hot flashes, weight gain and fat that accumulates in the abdomen. , difficulty sleeping, excessive sweating, headaches, palpitations, vaginal and skin dryness or mood changes, to name a few, in addition to having a greater risk of suffering from certain pathologies.
Osteoporosis
The most common diseases that usually appear at this time of women’s lives are mainly related to bones, osteoporosis. After the age of 35, bone mass is naturally lost, which causes the bones to weaken, become more brittle and there is a greater risk of falls and therefore fractures. Lack of vitamin D, calcium, tobacco and alcohol consumption can accelerate this process. The risk of suffering from osteoporosis is higher in women as a result of the hormonal changes that occur during menopause. As a curious fact, 200 million people in the world live with osteoporosis and at the age of 80, 70 percent of women suffer from this disease.
Less estrogen and more problems
By decreasing estrogen production during menopause, there is a risk of cardiovascular disease. Body fat is redistributed, lipid metabolism changes, bad cholesterol levels increase, and coronary arteries narrow. That’s why it’s important to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and keep your weight within normal limits, because it can reduce your risk of heart problems. Another problem that comes with the hormonal changes of menopause is urogenital. Urinary tract infections occur when certain pathogens enter the urinary tract through the urethra and multiply in the bladder. The reduction in estrogen causes changes in the vagina, external genitalia, urethra and bladder, as well as imbalances in the vaginal flora and dryness, which facilitates the entry of bacteria into the genitourinary system.
Why do we gain weight during menopause?
After a period of time after the cessation of menstruation, normally around two years or so, body fat doubles and muscle mass progressively decreases. Women gain between 5 and 8 percent of weight in this period, of course. This value is very variable, depending on the person and their daily activity. Hormonal changes cause, in this biological phase, more fat to be deposited in the abdomen, which generally causes us to gain weight. Furthermore, the loss of muscle mass, changes in lifestyle, emotional problems that are linked to hormonal changes, make us have more anxiety and a greater desire to eat, and not especially healthy food, so the increase in weight is inevitable, or not.
Help at this stage
To deal with all these problems that women suffer at this time of life, at the Quirónsalud Toledo Hospital we have launched the Menopause Unit. Here a team of doctors specializing in Gynecology and Obstetrics, including Dr. Jonathan Sánchez Oliver, gynecologist and obstetrician at this center and at the Quirónsalud Talavera Day Hospital, carry out evaluations to determine the type of help or therapy necessary to anticipate the possible problems that can cause menopause. From hormonal therapies to changes in lifestyle, nutrition and exercise to better cope with this period of change for women.
Not everything is negative
Dr. Trinidad López Navarro
At this stage of life in women there are many diseases associated with menopause, but this does not mean that they have to always appear in all cases, therefore, the appropriate medical care that we offer and the preventive approach is essential to take advantage of this vital moment, to maintain and improve the state of health and the normal rhythm of life. From this space we can help resolve any doubts that may arise about this topic or any other that is related to women’s health at any stage of life. At the Menopause Unit we are here to inform, advise and try to solve women’s problems and make the change that occurs during menopause easier.
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