MENOPA– USE – full of pleasure beyond your wildest dreams!

Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining (a.k.a. the menses or the period). Menopause typically (but not always) occurs in women in midlife, during their late 40s or early 50s, and signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman’s life.

The transition from reproductive to non-reproductive is the result of a reduction in female hormonal production by the ovaries. This transition is normally not sudden or abrupt, tends to occur over a period of years, and is a natural consequence of aging. However, for some women, the accompanying signs and effects that can occur during the menopause transition years can significantly disrupt their daily activities and sense of well-being. In addition, women who have some sort of functional disorder affecting the reproductive system (e.g., endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, cancer of the reproductive organs) can go into menopause at a younger age than the normal timeframe. The functional disorders often significantly speed up the menopausal process and create more significant health problems, both physical and emotional, for the affected woman.

The word “menopause” literally means the “end of monthly cycles” from the Greek word pausis (cessation) and the root men- (month), because the word “menopause” was created to describe this change in human females, where the end of fertility is traditionally indicated by the permanent stopping of monthly menstruation or menses. However, menopause also exists in some other animals, many of which do not have monthly menstruation; in this case, the term means a natural end to fertility that occurs before the end of the natural lifespan.

The date of menopause in human females is formally medically defined as the time of the last menstrual period (or menstrual flow of any amount, however small), in those women who have not had a hysterectomy. Women who have their uterus removed but retain their ovaries do not immediately go into menopause, even though their periods cease. Adult women who have their ovaries removed however, go immediately into surgical menopause, no matter how young they are.
Menopause is an unavoidable change that every woman will experience, assuming she reaches middle age and beyond. It is helpful if women are able to learn what to expect and what options are available to assist the transition, if that becomes necessary.

Menopause has a wide starting range, but can usually be expected in the age range of 42–58. An early menopause can be related to cigarette smoking, higher body mass index, racial and ethnic factors, illnesses, chemotherapy, radiation and the surgical removal of the ovaries, with or without the removal of the uterus.

Menopause can be officially declared (in an adult woman who is not pregnant, is not lactating, and who has an intact uterus) when there has been amenorrhea (absence of any menstruation) for one complete year. However, there are many signs and effects that lead up to this point, many of which may extend well beyond it too. These include: irregular menses, vasomotor instability (hot flashes and night sweats), atrophy of genitourinary tissue, increased stress, breast tenderness, vaginal dryness, forgetfulness, mood changes, and in certain cases osteoporosis and/or heart disease. These effects are related to the hormonal changes a woman’s body is going through, and they affect each woman to a different extent. The only sign or effect that all women universally have in common is that by the end of the menopause transition every woman will have a complete cessation of menses.

In the Western world, the most typical age range for menopause (last period from natural causes) is between the ages of 40 and 61 and the average age for last period is 51 years. The average age of natural menopause (in Australia) is 51.7 years, although this varies considerably from one individual to another. In India and the Philippines, the median age of natural menopause is considerably earlier, at 44 years.

The hormonal context

The stages of the menopause transition have been classified according to a woman’s reported bleeding pattern, supported by changes in the pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels.

In younger women, during a normal menstrual cycle the ovaries produce estradiol, testosterone and progesterone in a cyclical pattern under the control of FSH and luteinising hormone (LH) which are both produced by the pituitary gland. Blood estradiol levels remain relatively unchanged, or may increase approaching the menopause, but are usually well preserved until the late perimenopause. This is presumed to be in response to elevated FSH levels. However, the menopause transition is characterized by marked, and often dramatic, variations in FSH and estradiol levels, and because of this, measurements of these hormones are not considered to be reliable guides to a woman’s exact menopausal status.

Menopause is based on the natural or surgical cessation of estradiol and progesterone production by the ovaries, which are a part of the body’s endocrine system of hormone production, in this case the hormones which make reproduction possible and influence sexual behavior. After menopause, estrogen continues to be produced in other tissues, notably the ovaries, but also in bone, blood vessels and even in the brain. However the dramatic fall in circulating estradiol levels at menopause impacts many tissues, from brain to skin.

In contrast to the sudden fall in estradiol during menopause, the levels of total and free testosterone, as well as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and androstenedione appear to decline more or less steadily with age. An effect of natural menopause on circulating androgen levels has not been observed. Thus specific tissue effects of natural menopause cannot be attributed to loss of androgenic hormone production. However, women who have had their ovaries surgically removed, who have had their ovaries damaged by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or who have ovarian gonadotropin suppression, do have loss of ovarian androgen production as a result.

Menopause can be surgically induced by bilateral oophorectomy (removal of ovaries), which is often, but not always, done in conjunction with removal of the Fallopian tubes (salpingo-oophorectomy) and uterus (hysterectomy). Cessation of menses as a result of removal of the ovaries is called “surgical menopause”. The sudden and complete drop in hormone levels usually produces extreme withdrawal symptoms such as hot flashes, etc. Removal of the uterus without removal of the ovaries, a hysterectomy, does not cause menopause, although pelvic surgery can often precipitate a somewhat earlier menopause, perhaps because of a compromised blood supply to the ovaries.

The Secret Pleasures of Menopause is a groundbreaking book that is long overdue! Christiane Northrup, M.D., delivers a breakthrough message that will help millions and millions of perimenopausal and menopausal women just like you understand that at menopause . . . life has just begun!

Dr. Northrup believes that it’s time for you to step forward and learn to enjoy the best years of your life! Even though studies show that menopause doesn’t decrease libido, ease of reaching orgasm, or sexual satisfaction, the majority of menopausal women aren’t experiencing the pleasure and sexual satisfaction that is their birthright. It is a long-held misconception that menopause signals “the beginning of the end,” and nothing could be further from the truth.

It is the beginning of a very exciting and fulfilling time, full of pleasure beyond your wildest dreams!

In this fascinating book, Dr. Northrup candidly guides you toward experiencing life after 50 as the most pleasurable time of your life!

Christiane Northrup, M.D., is a visionary pioneer and the world’s leading authority in the field of women’s health and wellness. A board-certified ob-gyn physician who graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and did her residency at Tufts–New England Medical Center, Dr. Northrup was also an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics-gynecology at Maine Medical Center for 20 years. Recognizing the unity of body, mind, and spirit, she helps empower women to tune in to their innate inner wisdom to positively transform their health. Dr. Northrup is the author of two New York Times best-selling books, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. In 2005, Mother-Daughter Wisdom, her third book, was voted Amazon’s #1 book of the year in both parenting and mind/body health and was also nominated for a Quill Award. In her latest books, Secret Pleasures of Menopause and The Secret Pleasures of Menopause Playbook, Dr. Northrup outlines the crucial link between health and pleasure. Her books, which have been translated into 20 languages, have taught women worldwide how to create joyous, vibrant health throughout their lives. Dr. Northrup has also hosted seven highly successful public-television specials. Her latest is based on the newly revised edition ofWomen’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom began airing nationwide in June 2010. Dr. Northrup has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, The View, Rachael Ray, Good Morning America, 20/20, and The Dr. Oz Show. Dr. Northrup now devotes her time to inspiring women worldwide to truly flourish on all levels by tapping into their inner wisdom. She does this through speaking engagements; on her weekly Hay House radio show, Flourish!; in television appearances and specials; on Facebook; and in her e-newsletter. Don’t miss any of Dr. Northrup’s cutting-edge information. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at her Website: www.DrNorthrup.com

Image MENOPA– USE, thanks to Sophie Blackall