WEBVTT 00:00:01.290 --> 00:00:38.329 Thank you. Hey everybody, welcome back to Food 00:00:38.329 --> 00:00:40.030 for Thought, Thoughts If It Were You, with your 00:00:40.030 --> 00:00:43.090 host, Neo Gentrics. Now, like I said, I'm going 00:00:43.090 --> 00:00:44.609 through all these different topics and everything 00:00:44.609 --> 00:00:47.250 that everyone has sent in. I'm trying to decide 00:00:47.250 --> 00:00:50.109 on which is what I'm going to do next. There's 00:00:50.109 --> 00:00:52.409 a lot of different topics out there, and a lot 00:00:52.409 --> 00:00:54.009 of different things that can be talked about. 00:00:54.189 --> 00:00:55.929 And as for this channel, there's always something 00:00:55.929 --> 00:00:57.689 that you can think about, stuff that you can 00:00:57.689 --> 00:01:00.450 cover on your own, and things that you probably 00:01:00.450 --> 00:01:02.869 will worry about, or probably not. It just depends 00:01:02.869 --> 00:01:07.780 on you. Everybody has something different that 00:01:07.780 --> 00:01:11.239 they like. Everyone has a different health situation. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.079 So, but before we move on to the current topic 00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.500 of today, I want to throw this out there. If 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:20.680 you're having problems getting through life or 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:23.340 for whatever reason, you just need to help a 00:01:23.340 --> 00:01:25.099 quick pick me up or you need some inspiration. 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:29.579 check out hashtag the guru the lupus survivor 00:01:29.579 --> 00:01:32.379 she has some amazing podcasts on her channel 00:01:32.379 --> 00:01:34.599 where you can get her podcast pretty much anywhere 00:01:34.599 --> 00:01:37.640 podcasts are available her inspirational speeches 00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:40.939 and like -mindedness and everything that's gone 00:01:40.939 --> 00:01:43.120 on in her life will get you going and through 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.159 your day i just want to throw that out there 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:47.180 and send the shout out her way she has a wonderful 00:01:47.180 --> 00:01:50.579 podcast thank you for all that you do and i pray 00:01:50.579 --> 00:01:54.219 that you keep on fighting on top of that I have 00:01:54.219 --> 00:01:56.579 three topics here. I'm trying to decide which 00:01:56.579 --> 00:01:58.680 one I want to do. I'm going to leave it to you 00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:01.239 listeners to decide which topic that I cover 00:02:01.239 --> 00:02:04.340 next time. And yes, while there's many different 00:02:04.340 --> 00:02:06.620 things I could definitely cover, I'm going to 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:08.639 leave it to these three. Pick one, and then we'll 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:10.780 move to something else, unless you want to hear 00:02:10.780 --> 00:02:13.060 more. So the three topics you have to choose 00:02:13.060 --> 00:02:16.819 from. One is lupus. For one, it was actually 00:02:16.819 --> 00:02:20.139 requested way before I found out about the guru. 00:02:21.219 --> 00:02:25.259 Again, shout out to my girl. Lung cancer and 00:02:25.259 --> 00:02:28.379 kidney stones. For some reason, health topics 00:02:28.379 --> 00:02:31.120 have been on the rise lately. I have no idea 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:33.439 why it's the end of the year. I'm assuming it's 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:35.719 because everyone's eating a lot. Although I have 00:02:35.719 --> 00:02:37.520 no idea why anyone would want to know about lung 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:40.039 cancer, but I guess everyone's got their preferences. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:44.800 So with that, we move forward. Today's topic, 00:02:44.939 --> 00:02:47.460 believe it or not, is on menopause. This topic 00:02:47.460 --> 00:02:51.080 was heavily requested multiple times from a lot 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:53.819 of different women for some reason. I don't know 00:02:53.819 --> 00:02:55.919 why I'm getting a lot of feedback from a lot 00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:58.360 of women. I have no complaints though. So, but 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:00.719 you requested it. I thank you guys for listening. 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:04.080 So I'll do my best with what little, uh, research 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:07.599 I was actually able to, uh, gather and for what 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:09.139 little information I already know. And from some 00:03:09.139 --> 00:03:11.319 information I've gathered from other people as 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:16.099 well. Um, just a quick overview though. Excuse 00:03:16.099 --> 00:03:21.960 me. What menopause. actually is uh it's uh their 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:25.319 symptoms include irregular periods hot flashes 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:29.960 night sweats uh i do believe uh sleep difficulties 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.759 and irritability speaking from experience on 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:36.620 that one ex -girlfriend and we'll leave it at 00:03:36.620 --> 00:03:40.379 that uh menopause treatments may include hormone 00:03:40.379 --> 00:03:45.020 replacement therapy or herbal therapy it differs 00:03:45.020 --> 00:03:51.400 from person to person okay With that being said, 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:56.439 here's a question. We'll take a short break. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:57.979 I want you to think about it. How do you know 00:03:57.979 --> 00:04:00.759 if you're in menopause? I want you to think about 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:03.539 that. And we'll be right back after this break. 00:04:03.620 --> 00:04:24.529 Okay, and we'll begin. we're back so before i 00:04:24.529 --> 00:04:28.269 actually answer the other question let me let's 00:04:28.269 --> 00:04:32.269 start with the basics basic basics of menopause 00:04:32.269 --> 00:04:35.649 real quick so what is menopause that's the question 00:04:35.649 --> 00:04:40.910 of the day right here it is a i'm gonna try my 00:04:40.910 --> 00:04:42.990 best to word this as best as i can from memory 00:04:42.990 --> 00:04:47.769 uh a new it's a normal condition that all women 00:04:47.769 --> 00:04:53.189 experience as they age i say age loosely I know 00:04:53.189 --> 00:04:54.589 there's some women out there that's a bit touchy 00:04:54.589 --> 00:05:00.470 of that. The term menopause can describe any 00:05:00.470 --> 00:05:02.529 of the changes a woman goes through either just 00:05:02.529 --> 00:05:07.069 before or after she stops menstruating. What's 00:05:07.069 --> 00:05:17.050 the word? Freaking hell. Menstruating. Man. Marking 00:05:17.050 --> 00:05:21.700 the end of her reproductive period. Okay? What 00:05:21.700 --> 00:05:24.839 causes it, though? There's the question. Let's 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:29.399 see here. To my knowledge, and from what little 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:32.399 I did manage to actually find in such a short 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:34.779 time span after picking this topic out of this 00:05:34.779 --> 00:05:38.980 long list of stuff I do wish to cover from what 00:05:38.980 --> 00:05:43.779 everyone has sent, a woman is born with a finite 00:05:43.779 --> 00:05:47.569 number of eggs. This much I know is true. They're 00:05:47.569 --> 00:05:49.769 stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also make 00:05:49.769 --> 00:06:00.189 the hormones estrogen and progesterone. I forget 00:06:00.189 --> 00:06:04.689 it. You get the idea. Which controls menstruation 00:06:04.689 --> 00:06:07.209 and ovulation, which is a known fact at this 00:06:07.209 --> 00:06:10.069 point. Menopause happens when the ovaries are 00:06:10.069 --> 00:06:14.269 no longer releasing egg every month and menstruation 00:06:14.269 --> 00:06:19.579 stops. Menopause is actually considered a normal 00:06:19.579 --> 00:06:23.160 part of aging when it happens after the age of 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:28.399 40. So, good news there. For some. Others, however, 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:32.040 however, before I go any further, some women 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:35.319 can go through menopause early. Let's just go 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.100 ahead and throw that out there now. Either as 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:42.060 a result of surgery, and that can happen, such 00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:44.800 as a hysterectomy. Oh man, I hate that word. 00:06:46.430 --> 00:06:49.629 Or damage to the ovaries, which can happen from 00:06:49.629 --> 00:06:51.769 multiple different things. I will not go into 00:06:51.769 --> 00:06:57.550 that. Okay? Women can damage their ovaries in 00:06:57.550 --> 00:07:02.529 more than one way. Trust me. I've heard stories. 00:07:03.050 --> 00:07:06.209 Some I wish I'd never heard. Which is why, for 00:07:06.209 --> 00:07:09.670 the sake of this being a family -oriented, or 00:07:09.670 --> 00:07:12.930 at least kid -friendly podcast, I will not go 00:07:12.930 --> 00:07:16.720 into that nitty -gritty. Uh, the other thing, 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:19.259 uh, one of the things that I will say that can 00:07:19.259 --> 00:07:22.699 damage your ovaries, uh, is chemotherapy. Okay. 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:26.600 That's a known one. Um, it happens menopause 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:29.000 that happens before 40 though, before you turn 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:32.240 40, regardless of the cause is called a premature 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:38.079 menopause. Okay. And like mentioned before, uh, 00:07:38.379 --> 00:07:43.220 it can happen naturally though. Uh, it's not 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:45.480 brought on by any type of medical or surgery, 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.399 uh, surgical treatment. The process is gradual 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:59.220 and it has three stages, but this, well, yeah, 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:01.079 actually, you know what, before I go into those 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:02.899 three stages, let's take a short break right 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:24.589 here. Okay, and we're back. I did say a second 00:08:24.589 --> 00:08:28.870 ago that menopause is brought about naturally. 00:08:28.990 --> 00:08:30.850 It doesn't take any medical or surgical treatment 00:08:30.850 --> 00:08:33.990 to bring about. It does happen after the age 00:08:33.990 --> 00:08:36.370 of 40, but it can happen prematurely due to other 00:08:36.370 --> 00:08:40.889 reasons. Picking up on that, it is gradual and 00:08:40.889 --> 00:08:46.110 it does have three stages, okay? One, the first 00:08:46.110 --> 00:08:49.990 stage... Well, I can't really say that this is 00:08:49.990 --> 00:08:54.389 simple, but the first stage is called perimenopause. 00:08:56.110 --> 00:09:00.850 I'm hoping I'm pronouncing these right. I had 00:09:00.850 --> 00:09:02.190 to literally write these words down because there's 00:09:02.190 --> 00:09:03.690 no way in the world I'd remember these off the 00:09:03.690 --> 00:09:06.830 top of my head. This one typically begins several 00:09:06.830 --> 00:09:08.970 years before menopause ever actually starts, 00:09:09.049 --> 00:09:11.230 when the ovaries gradually make less and less 00:09:11.230 --> 00:09:16.120 estrogen than the body's needing. Perimenopause 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:19.820 lasts up until actual menopause starts itself. 00:09:19.940 --> 00:09:21.740 The point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:26.720 in the last one to two years of perimenopause, 00:09:26.740 --> 00:09:31.259 the drop in estrogen quickens at the stage many 00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:34.960 women start to have the actual menopause symptoms. 00:09:35.800 --> 00:09:39.000 Which brings about the second stage, which is 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:41.580 obviously menopause itself. This is the point 00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:43.919 where when it's been a year since a woman last 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:46.220 had her last menstrual period, at this stage 00:09:46.220 --> 00:09:49.340 ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and making 00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:52.559 most of their estrogen to start with. The third 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:55.440 final stage is what they call post -menopause. 00:09:55.539 --> 00:09:57.639 These are the years after menopause during this 00:09:57.639 --> 00:10:01.059 stage. The menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes 00:10:01.059 --> 00:10:04.690 ease for most women. But health risks related 00:10:04.690 --> 00:10:08.470 to the loss of estrogen do rise as the woman 00:10:08.470 --> 00:10:13.590 ages. This can be a problem depending on the 00:10:13.590 --> 00:10:18.429 person and how old they actually are. So what 00:10:18.429 --> 00:10:21.129 conditions cause premature menopause? Let's go 00:10:21.129 --> 00:10:24.669 back to that for a second. Premature menopause 00:10:24.669 --> 00:10:27.409 can be the result of genetics, autoimmune disorders. 00:10:28.190 --> 00:10:30.809 or medical procedures. Other conditions that 00:10:30.809 --> 00:10:35.789 may cause early menopause include premature ovarian 00:10:35.789 --> 00:10:41.590 failure. Why do women have to have such oddly 00:10:41.590 --> 00:10:46.429 named parts? Normally, the ovaries make both 00:10:46.429 --> 00:10:51.830 estrogen and progesterone. Again, I'm sorry if 00:10:51.830 --> 00:10:54.649 I'm mispronouncing these words. Changes in the 00:10:54.649 --> 00:10:56.850 levels of these two hormones happen when ovaries, 00:10:56.870 --> 00:10:58.970 for unknown reasons, prematurely stop releasing 00:10:58.970 --> 00:11:02.090 eggs. It can happen either through accident, 00:11:02.169 --> 00:11:04.769 surgery, or other means. When this happens before 00:11:04.769 --> 00:11:07.529 the age of 40, it's called premature ovarian 00:11:07.529 --> 00:11:10.610 failure. Unlike premature menopause, premature 00:11:10.610 --> 00:11:13.549 ovarian failure is not always permanent. It can 00:11:13.549 --> 00:11:23.360 be resolved. cause premature menopause is induced 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.779 menopause. Induced menopause happens when the 00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:28.379 ovaries are surgically removed for medical reasons, 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:40.039 such as... Do I have to say this word? I'll just 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:42.379 say it like this. Uterine cancer. I'll say it 00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:57.860 like that. Or... Endo... My... Oh my god. Induced 00:11:57.860 --> 00:12:00.539 menopause can also result from damage to the 00:12:00.539 --> 00:12:02.860 ovaries caused by radiation or chemotherapy like 00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:06.259 I mentioned earlier. Again, all these different 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:14.500 things can cause premature menopause. It is not 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:21.690 a bad thing, but it is... Well, we'll go into 00:12:21.690 --> 00:12:24.450 the symptoms in a second. How about we just take 00:12:24.450 --> 00:12:28.129 a short break here while I try my best to untie 00:12:28.129 --> 00:12:29.649 my tongue from trying to say some of these words. 00:12:30.570 --> 00:12:37.830 And we'll cover symptoms in the next piece. Hmm. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:53.019 And we're back. I did say we were going to cover 00:12:53.019 --> 00:12:57.960 the symptoms. I'm not going to lie. Well, let's 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.759 look at it this way. At least you'll now know 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:06.360 if you have it or not. So let's see here. Oh, 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:09.519 and before I go any further, if you haven't realized 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:12.700 this yet, I try my best to script most of my 00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:14.720 podcasts. I try to write down what I'm mostly 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:17.000 going to say and use note cards as if I'm doing 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.519 a presentation. God help me if I forget something 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:25.600 or I say something out of line. So not out of 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:29.820 line. I mean, it's not correct because I've remembered 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:33.960 the information wrong. But for the most part, 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:36.899 most of this is exact from what I have researched, 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.019 at least. OK, I do a lot of reading. I like to 00:13:40.019 --> 00:13:42.879 read even some of the most weird stuff out there. 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:46.970 OK, so. Most women approaching menopause, like 00:13:46.970 --> 00:13:49.049 I mentioned before, will have hot flashes. This 00:13:49.049 --> 00:13:51.789 is a known fact to every woman who's ever had 00:13:51.789 --> 00:13:54.730 it or is about to go through it or has gone through 00:13:54.730 --> 00:13:58.169 it. A sudden feeling of warmth spreads over the 00:13:58.169 --> 00:14:01.289 upper body, often with blushing and some sweating. 00:14:01.750 --> 00:14:04.049 You can have hot flashes normally too, but I 00:14:04.049 --> 00:14:05.470 mean, they're more common during this period. 00:14:05.649 --> 00:14:09.129 The severity of the hot flashes varies from mild 00:14:09.129 --> 00:14:12.639 to most women. I'm sorry, mild in most women, 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:15.279 too severe in others. It can be really bad where 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.759 you have to be hospitalized, okay? Other common 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:19.539 symptoms, though, around the time of menopause 00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:22.799 include irregular or skipped periods. This does 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:28.759 happen. Insomnia, mood swings, fatigue, depression, 00:14:29.139 --> 00:14:32.500 irritability. Now you know why you're always 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:37.080 upset. Racing heart, headaches. Covered that 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:40.269 already. Joint and muscle aches and pains. Changes 00:14:40.269 --> 00:14:43.009 in libido. Your sex drive is either lower or 00:14:43.009 --> 00:14:45.029 increased. Believe it or not, that's a thing. 00:14:46.990 --> 00:14:49.509 Vaginal dryness. It gets very dry downstairs. 00:14:50.649 --> 00:14:52.610 Bladder control problems. You have issues either 00:14:52.610 --> 00:14:54.889 going to the bathroom or not being able to hold 00:14:54.889 --> 00:14:57.850 it. Now keep in mind, not all women will get 00:14:57.850 --> 00:15:00.870 all these symptoms. You'll get like a cluster 00:15:00.870 --> 00:15:04.870 group of some of them, but not all of them at 00:15:04.870 --> 00:15:08.200 the same time. How do you know when you're going 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:11.580 through it? Now is the time we answer that question. 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:15.679 Either you'll suspect the approach of menopause 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:17.980 on your own or your doctor will, based on symptoms 00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:21.559 you've told her about, or him, for those unlucky 00:15:21.559 --> 00:15:24.820 enough to get a female doctor. To figure it out, 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:27.259 your doctor will do a certain blood test. It 00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:30.679 also helps if you track your periods on a chart. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.179 Most women do, but for those who don't, you should 00:15:33.179 --> 00:15:37.259 probably. And they will become irregular. As 00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:39.620 soon as they become irregular, you'll know that 00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:43.460 your menstrual pattern will be an added clue 00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:46.779 to your doctor about whether you're either in 00:15:46.779 --> 00:15:53.399 pre -menopause or premature menopause. Pre -menopause 00:15:53.399 --> 00:15:56.960 meaning you're about to go into it or something 00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.059 has happened in your body that changed that caused 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:00.799 you to go into it sooner than you were supposed 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:05.559 to. Alright? And last bit we're going to cover 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:09.740 here. What long -term health problems are tied 00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:13.940 to menopause? I like to always cover anything 00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:15.820 that's long -term, anything that might be an 00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:17.840 issue as a result of something, because I want 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:21.039 you to understand, if it has a severity, how 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:25.549 bad it is, okay? Earlier, I mentioned that there 00:16:25.549 --> 00:16:28.409 is a loss of estrogen that's linked with menopause 00:16:28.409 --> 00:16:31.309 that has been tied to a number of health problems 00:16:31.309 --> 00:16:34.289 that become more common as a woman ages. So you 00:16:34.289 --> 00:16:36.370 need to keep this in mind. After menopause, women 00:16:36.370 --> 00:16:40.029 are more likely to have an issue of, and it's 00:16:40.029 --> 00:16:42.330 not saying you will, it just says it's a possibility. 00:16:42.669 --> 00:16:45.529 Hear me out when I say this. It's not a, oh, 00:16:45.629 --> 00:16:48.330 I will get this. No, this is a possibility. This 00:16:48.330 --> 00:16:49.990 is why you need to stay in prayer and let God 00:16:49.990 --> 00:16:53.639 help you, okay? One of them is osteoporosis. 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:59.980 Another is heart disease. A poorly, I can't enunciate, 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.600 working bladder or bowel movement. A greater 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.859 risk. See, I said greater risk. It doesn't say 00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:09.180 you get it. A greater risk of Alzheimer's disease. 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:13.079 Poor skin elasticity. Increased wrinkling. If 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:14.480 you take care of yourself, you won't even have 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:18.059 that problem. Poor muscle power and tone. Again, 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:20.599 if you take care of yourself, that's not as big 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:24.279 of an issue as it sounds. Some weakening in vision, 00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:26.859 such as cataracts, clouding of the lenses of 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:32.720 your eyes, and what's the word I'm looking for 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:35.680 here? Macular degeneration. Basically, that's 00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:38.140 the breakdown of the tiny spot in the center 00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:40.480 of your retina that is the center of your vision. 00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:43.279 Basically, you're going to have a... possibly 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:45.839 going to end up wearing glasses in the future 00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:49.920 or reading glasses. Now keep this in mind. These 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:54.220 are possible risks. This doesn't say you will 00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:57.480 get these items. Most people that I've met who've 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:59.039 already gone through menopause have never even 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:02.200 had any of these. Yes, some of them do wear glasses, 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:05.920 but most of them have worn glasses most of their 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:08.740 life to start with. And that can actually be 00:18:08.740 --> 00:18:12.009 fixed with surgery. However... If for whatever 00:18:12.009 --> 00:18:16.150 reason the retina in your eye starts to break 00:18:16.150 --> 00:18:19.049 down, I don't know if we have a surgical procedure 00:18:19.049 --> 00:18:23.630 nowadays to fix that, but again, a lot of things 00:18:23.630 --> 00:18:27.049 can be taken care of surgically. A number of 00:18:27.049 --> 00:18:29.670 the treatments can help lower risks that are 00:18:29.670 --> 00:18:31.230 linked with these conditions, so you have to 00:18:31.230 --> 00:18:34.369 talk to your doctor about those, okay? They should 00:18:34.369 --> 00:18:36.509 be able to help you take care of it, alright? 00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:56.900 Okay, actually, with that out of the way, let 00:18:56.900 --> 00:18:59.599 me delve a little bit deeper before we get to 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.259 some frequently asked questions about menopause. 00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:06.400 Let's see if I can get these answered as best 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:10.619 as I can. But first, let me go ahead and simplify 00:19:10.619 --> 00:19:13.680 basically everything that I have covered already. 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:20.859 Menopause, let's see here. It simply means... 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:26.940 It means the end of menstruation for one year. 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:32.039 As a woman ages, there is a gradual decline in 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:34.000 the function of her ovaries and the production 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.220 of estrogen. At this point, I've said that about 00:19:37.220 --> 00:19:41.980 10 or 20 times already, so it's understood. Around 00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:44.539 the time a woman turns 40, this process actually 00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:48.279 speeds up. The transition is known as perimenopause, 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:54.799 as I mentioned earlier. menstruate for the last 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:59.839 time at about 51 years of age okay a few stop 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:03.319 menstruating as young as 40 and a very small 00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:06.480 percentage as late as 60 okay women who tend 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:09.000 to smoke however go through menopause a few years 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:12.180 earlier than non -smokers obvious reasons why 00:20:12.180 --> 00:20:16.460 most women notice some menstrual changes such 00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:19.220 as periods occurring closer together skipped 00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:22.900 menstrual periods and occasionally Occasional 00:20:22.900 --> 00:20:26.640 heavy periods, very heavy periods, up to a few 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:29.720 years before menstruation ceases. Women who have 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:39.140 menses will occur very close together, are heavier, 00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:43.779 and last longer than normal. If that be the case, 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:46.099 they should call their healthcare provider because 00:20:46.099 --> 00:20:56.680 these could be signs of cancer. Well, I really 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:59.140 don't like this word. Uterine cancer. Okay, it's 00:20:59.140 --> 00:21:01.039 just signs of that. I'm going to leave it at 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:03.200 that. When I cover cancer, I'll cover what that 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:07.160 is. But until then, we'll just leave it at that. 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:10.720 All right. There is a great variation in how 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.349 women... Different women experience menopause. 00:21:13.369 --> 00:21:17.069 About 75 % of women will have hot flashes. Like 00:21:17.069 --> 00:21:18.869 I mentioned before, it's not as common, but it 00:21:18.869 --> 00:21:21.549 does happen. Nighttime hot flashes and sweats 00:21:21.549 --> 00:21:24.730 are more common, though, and may result in chronic 00:21:24.730 --> 00:21:27.430 sleep deprivation, which is the insomnia I mentioned 00:21:27.430 --> 00:21:30.849 before in the symptoms portion. Moon swings aren't 00:21:30.849 --> 00:21:34.190 as well understood, but some women report... 00:21:34.490 --> 00:21:37.309 An obvious change in mood. In addition, women 00:21:37.309 --> 00:21:40.470 may experience the dryness I mentioned before. 00:21:40.829 --> 00:21:46.369 If they try to have sex, their intercourse may 00:21:46.369 --> 00:21:50.809 be painful. Urinary symptoms. Possible urinary 00:21:50.809 --> 00:21:54.029 infection. Keep that in mind. These symptoms 00:21:54.029 --> 00:21:57.609 are often temporary and they pass as your body 00:21:57.609 --> 00:22:06.440 adjusts. So they don't stay. However, HRT. HRT, 00:22:06.460 --> 00:22:11.619 HRT, HRT. Hormone replacement therapy. Sorry. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:14.980 Can help relieve the symptoms in the meantime. 00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:19.140 Non -hormone treatment options also are available, 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:21.140 but you would have to talk to your doctor about 00:22:21.140 --> 00:22:25.680 that. Like I mentioned before, menopause does 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:28.539 increase your risk of osteoporosis, which is 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:30.500 the thinning of the bones and possible heart 00:22:30.500 --> 00:22:33.319 disease. But again, these are possibilities. 00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:35.980 These are not definites. If you talk to your 00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:38.039 health care provider, they can help you decrease 00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:40.380 these risks and prevent them from happening. 00:22:40.779 --> 00:23:04.339 All right. Alright, everybody. Before we close 00:23:04.339 --> 00:23:06.799 out, I want to cover a couple of frequently asked 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:09.920 questions about menopause. No one's asked me, 00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:13.619 trust me. No one's asked me any of these. I've 00:23:13.619 --> 00:23:15.579 actually legitimately looked these up for people 00:23:15.579 --> 00:23:19.339 who have these same questions. Their answers 00:23:19.339 --> 00:23:23.559 can be found pretty much on any doctoral website. 00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:25.980 But I figured I'd go ahead and cover it since 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:30.900 I'm already covering menopause as a whole. I 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:33.940 got 10 questions here. I'm going to answer them. 00:23:35.880 --> 00:23:37.480 I'm going to give you the answers that I found 00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:40.980 for them. These are 10 commonly asked questions. 00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:42.880 I actually legitimately have to go look up the 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:48.579 answers for them. So, first things first. The 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:51.700 first question said, my hot flashes aren't as 00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:54.619 intense as the ones my friends describe. Is this 00:23:54.619 --> 00:23:57.059 normal? Well, like I mentioned before, actually, 00:23:57.140 --> 00:24:02.579 this... Hot flashes or flushes are common in 00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:04.559 perimenopause. Not all women will experience 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:06.640 them and not all flashes are the same intensity. 00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:11.019 Hot flashes can be as mild as a light flush or 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:13.000 severe enough to wake you from a sound sleep 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:16.319 and be associated with perspiration, also known 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:20.700 as night sweats. Most hot flashes last 30 seconds 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:23.339 to 5 minutes at most. They usually disappear 00:24:23.339 --> 00:24:25.839 within a few years after menopause, but in some 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:28.900 women, they can continue for decades. I didn't 00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:30.920 have to actually look this one up as I already 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:32.960 had the info for it off the top of my head. I 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:37.180 had just covered it for you guys. The second 00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:39.700 question was, now that I've begun menopause, 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:44.079 should I be concerned about birth control? This 00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:45.940 one was a bit difficult to actually look this 00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:50.700 one up. You will know for sure that you have 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:53.019 experienced menopause when you have Not had your 00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:57.440 period for an entire year. All right. Until you 00:24:57.440 --> 00:24:59.720 have gone one year without a period, you should 00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:01.880 still use birth control if you do not want to 00:25:01.880 --> 00:25:03.740 become pregnant. Let me just say that right now. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.339 After menopause, you should continue to practice 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:10.700 safe sex techniques by using the right equipment. 00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:14.500 I'll just say it like that. To reduce the risk 00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:18.559 of sexually transmitted diseases or STIs. And 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.569 I'm going to leave that one. alone right there 00:25:20.569 --> 00:25:22.650 okay because with that you would have to still 00:25:22.650 --> 00:25:24.690 speak with your doctor to know whether or not 00:25:24.690 --> 00:25:28.210 you still need it the third question was i'm 00:25:28.210 --> 00:25:30.710 a perimenopausal and i have been told i should 00:25:30.710 --> 00:25:34.069 be taking a low dose birth control pills why 00:25:34.069 --> 00:25:40.490 uh uh with this one actually i had to actually 00:25:40.490 --> 00:25:42.730 this one i didn't look up i had to actually ask 00:25:42.730 --> 00:25:45.109 a doctor it was a little uncomfortable i promise 00:25:46.589 --> 00:25:51.049 Her reply was, and it is, it is common in perimenopause 00:25:51.049 --> 00:25:53.910 to give medications to regulate cycles and common 00:25:53.910 --> 00:25:57.789 medication given is the lower dose version of 00:25:57.789 --> 00:25:59.910 birth control pills compared to regular birth 00:25:59.910 --> 00:26:02.809 control pills. The lower dose of estrogen and 00:26:02.809 --> 00:26:06.369 very low dose pills may be safer for perimenopausal 00:26:06.369 --> 00:26:11.289 women. In other words, perimenopause typically 00:26:11.289 --> 00:26:13.490 begins several years before your final period. 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:17.480 While regular birth control pills contain 30 00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:22.480 to 50 micrograms of estrogen, these low dose 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:27.140 pills contain only 0 .3 to 0 .45 micrograms and 00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:32.220 can be increased only if needed. The fourth question 00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:35.900 was, what are some of the benefits of taking 00:26:35.900 --> 00:26:39.220 the low dose birth control pills? This was an 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:45.380 ongoing thing, these questions. In addition to 00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:47.839 prevent pregnancy, the pills can often regulate 00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:50.240 heavy or irregular menstrual periods. It may 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:54.839 provide protection from ovarian and uterine cancer. 00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:58.099 The pills may also prevent bone loss. So there's 00:26:58.099 --> 00:27:00.420 actually a possibility of that, which can lead 00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:04.859 to osteoporosis, as I mentioned before. But women 00:27:04.859 --> 00:27:06.779 with a history of breast cancer, blood clots, 00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:08.940 or heart disease, or women who smoke, should 00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:13.069 never take these pills. I wish y 'all could have 00:27:13.069 --> 00:27:15.069 seen the look on the lady's face when she told 00:27:15.069 --> 00:27:20.369 me that. The fifth question was about HRT, the 00:27:20.369 --> 00:27:24.190 hormone replacement therapy. Like I mentioned 00:27:24.190 --> 00:27:26.390 before, it is designed for women who have menopausal 00:27:26.390 --> 00:27:28.410 symptoms such as the hot flashes, night sweats, 00:27:28.589 --> 00:27:33.569 insomnia, mood swings, the dryness. If it's severe 00:27:33.569 --> 00:27:36.470 and affecting their quality of life, then yeah, 00:27:36.569 --> 00:27:39.920 you should get it. These symptoms can go on for 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:43.039 years after your last period, okay? HRT replaces 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:44.880 and supplements the hormones your body doesn't 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:47.599 make anymore. So most women who use it take a 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:51.079 combination of estrogen and progesterone, in 00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:53.380 which case estrogen is what helps most of the 00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:56.079 symptoms, like the hot flashes and the dryness, 00:27:56.259 --> 00:28:01.460 whereas the progesterone is added to protect 00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:04.900 against uterine cancer and bone loss. Okay, so 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:09.220 they each have their purpose. All right? Besides 00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:12.279 hormone replacement therapy, how can you treat 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:15.359 hot flashes? That was the next question. Again, 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:18.259 while HRT relieves the hot flashes for women, 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:21.960 there are other drug treatments that may offer 00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:24.900 relief, and these include both over -the -counter 00:28:24.900 --> 00:28:27.480 and prescribed therapies. You may recognize some 00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:30.079 of these from their more common medical uses. 00:28:30.619 --> 00:28:34.319 As for the over -the -counter therapies, It can 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.799 vary between vitamins, ibuprofen products, and 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:40.359 soy proteins found in food. The prescription 00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:45.619 therapy includes, obviously, HRT, low -dose depression 00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:50.039 drugs of fluoxetine or Prozac, for those who 00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:55.259 know what that is, Prozacine, which is known 00:28:55.259 --> 00:29:00.039 as Praxil, or Effexor. You can use that. Make 00:29:00.039 --> 00:29:01.559 sure you ask your doctor before you take any 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:05.200 of these. Clonidine, a blood pressure medication, 00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:10.640 uh, anti -seizure drugs, uh, Brisdel. It's a, 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:16.000 it's a formula of, um, Praxil, uh, for hot flashes 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:21.200 and, uh, Duivi. It's a congestive estrogen, um, 00:29:21.480 --> 00:29:25.559 mesodoxfine formula. It's used to treat hot flashes. 00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:27.359 But again, if you're going to take anything to 00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:29.180 treat hot flashes, you need to consult your doctor 00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:33.519 first. All right. Most of the treatments for 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:38.859 menopause are natural. Some are bio -identical 00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:41.359 supplements that can be used in their place, 00:29:41.480 --> 00:29:45.900 such as soybeans or wild yams. So those can actually 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:50.940 help. They may provide some of the benefits of 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:54.079 estrogen in releasing some of the symptoms. Because 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:56.059 people have asked, are there natural treatments 00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:58.799 available for menopause? That was the seventh 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:02.400 question that was received. They commonly include 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:08.319 the soybeans and yams, estrodol, estrone, estriol, 00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:11.640 a couple other things as well. I'm not going 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:15.200 to try to say all these names. The products are 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:18.480 not regulated by the U .S. Food and Drug Administration. 00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:26.220 So keep that in mind. Question I didn't really 00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:27.339 want to answer, but I'm going to go ahead and 00:30:27.339 --> 00:30:32.140 answer it anyway. I'm assuming at this point 00:30:32.140 --> 00:30:34.099 sex has become painful. The question is, what 00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:37.339 do you do? The pain you're experiencing during 00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:39.579 sex is due to the dryness I mentioned before. 00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:41.700 It's associated with the decline of estrogen 00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:44.380 levels during menopause. You have to talk to 00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:48.700 your doctor about possible causes of painful 00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:51.079 intercourse in the first place. There are a number 00:30:51.079 --> 00:30:53.599 of lubricants you can try to use to relieve the 00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:55.619 symptom, but again, you need to ask your doctor 00:30:55.619 --> 00:30:58.190 and pharmacist for suggestions on this. There 00:30:58.190 --> 00:31:01.069 are local estrogen treatments, creams, tablets, 00:31:01.210 --> 00:31:05.289 and for the love of God, I don't know why, an 00:31:05.289 --> 00:31:10.009 estrogen ring that treat the dryness. An oral 00:31:10.009 --> 00:31:15.730 drug taken once a day, Asfina, is also available. 00:31:15.950 --> 00:31:17.930 But again, check with your doctor. Don't just 00:31:17.930 --> 00:31:20.730 go and take something just because. The drug 00:31:20.730 --> 00:31:24.950 makes the tissue thicker and less fragile, resulting 00:31:24.950 --> 00:31:33.440 in less pain. Okay? In your lady area. Just a 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:37.299 heads up. Menopause can change a woman's voice, 00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:40.940 but it's not as common. Just thought I'd throw 00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:42.279 that out there. That was the ninth question. 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:46.140 And the last one. What can I do about facial 00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:48.140 hair I've developed as a result of menopause? 00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:53.920 There are supplements for that. Again, like soy. 00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:58.259 Soy is a great supplement. It may provide some 00:31:58.259 --> 00:32:00.339 of the best benefits of estrogen since your body 00:32:00.339 --> 00:32:04.279 doesn't have it. But research results are, again, 00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:06.220 contradictory on something like that. So, I mean, 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:07.559 I figured I'd at least give you the information 00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:10.119 on it. You'd still have to talk to your doctor 00:32:10.119 --> 00:32:13.579 about it. Other botanicals, including black cohosh, 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:17.200 have shown some promise for reducing menopausal 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:20.619 sweats and hot flashes. However, again... It's 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:22.539 one of those things that they have to research 00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:29.119 a little bit more. So there's that. And that 00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:31.220 pretty much covers everything I have to say on 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:52.400 this specific topic. All right, everybody. Thank 00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:54.740 you for listening. This has been a wonderful 00:32:54.740 --> 00:32:57.559 podcast. I know it was a little bit weird for 00:32:57.559 --> 00:33:00.680 you. If it wasn't great, it was a little bit 00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:02.900 creepy, a little bit weird for me. But again, 00:33:03.099 --> 00:33:05.380 this is food for thought. Thoughts are fit for 00:33:05.380 --> 00:33:08.680 you by Neogentrics. If you like my podcast, please 00:33:08.680 --> 00:33:12.839 feel free to subscribe on the anchor .fm website 00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:15.799 for slash Neogentrics. Show your love and support 00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:19.440 there. Check out hashtag the guru, lupus survivor. 00:33:20.009 --> 00:33:22.730 And Gloria TP5. Check out their stations. They 00:33:22.730 --> 00:33:25.869 have wonderful stations. Hit me up on my Facebook 00:33:25.869 --> 00:33:27.670 or on Anchor anytime if you have any subjects, 00:33:27.849 --> 00:33:29.089 any things you would like to talk about, or if 00:33:29.089 --> 00:33:31.130 I missed something. Please feel free to let me 00:33:31.130 --> 00:33:32.869 know. Have a great rest of your day.