What happens to your feminine parts during menopause ?

There are two key changes in the body that, for many women, cause a variety of sexual problems, including inability to properly lubricate, pain or discomfort during intercourse, increased urinary tract infections, and for some, urine leakage, especially when laughing, sneezing, or crying. 

Not too pleasant, any way you look at it, is it? All this happens for two reasons: your body isn't producing as much of its feminine hormones as it once was, causing you to lose lubrication. Secondly, as you grow older, your muscles start to thin, including the muscles making up the walls of your vagina. 

Fortunately, choosing diets rich in Vitamin E and soy products seems, for most women, to keep your muscles strong. In addition, pelvic exercises known as Kegels will strengthen your muscles, helping you to maintain a healthy and well-lubricated vagina. 

Kegels are deceptively simple to perform, and you can often exercise your pelvic muscles at the checkout line at the grocery store, while watching television, or while holding a conversation with someone - once you know what you're doing, no one will know! 

To perform Kegels, imagine you're trying to stop your urine in mid-stream (or better, the next time you go to the toilet, go ahead and try it!). The muscles you engage in doing so are your pelvic muscles, and these are the muscles that you're aiming to exercise. 

The exercises themselves are as simple as flexing and relaxing your leg or arm muscles. Over a count of four, slowly tighten these muscles, making sure you're mimicking the action of trying to stop urinating and not engaging your abdominals, and hold the muscles tightened for a few seconds. 

Then, in a slow and controlled motion, over the same count of four, relax these muscles. Do several sets of slow flexing and releasing, followed by repetitions where you flex and release the muscles as quickly as possible. 

Repeat this several times a day, whenever you think of it, and as the muscles grow stronger, increase the length of time you hold the muscles tight. Remember to keep breathing deeply and regularly throughout - this should not be a strenuous workout! 

Remember to exercise your Kegels as often as possible, and don't be too modest or embarrassed to share the tip with others!

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What are common early signs of menopause?

Menopause is not an illness but a natural process for a woman's body. There are normal changes in the reproductive system and cycle and ultimately, the reproductive system will cease to function. That is normal. However, certain menopause symptoms are indications of underlying hormonal imbalances or damage from poor eating habits, stress and other factors. 

And you may feel like you're the only woman to experience symptoms, but millions of women in the industrialized countries are going through the same experience many years before the average age of menopause, which is 51 years of age. 

As early as in their 30's and 40's, many women begin experiencing symptoms that make them wonder - can these be early signs of menopause? 

What are common early signs of menopause? The most common symptoms include PMS, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, loss of sex drive, hair loss or unwanted hair growth and fibroids. Some women have one or two of these symptoms while others may experience several symptoms at the same time. The result can be mildly irritating or it can be exhausting and overwhelming. 

What happens so frequently is that women put enormous demands on their bodies much more stress than it was designed to handle and then do not give it the support it needs. 

Women likely have demanding and stressful careers. Women have families to take care of on a daily basis. The relationship with one's spouse or partner may not be the best. Aging parents may require help. These and other responsibilities add up in the toll taken on a woman's body. 

And at the same time, the woman's body may not be receiving the support it needs to function as it was designed to do. Poor eating habits, lack of exercise, excess caffeine and alcohol add to the problem instead of helping the body cope with the demands placed on it. 

This lack of balance between the "demands made" and "support given" is what gives rise to many symptoms. And are the health problems you are having related in any way? Very likely! 

When taking the women's health and early signs of menopause test, here's what should be considered: 

1. Which symptoms do you have? Certain symptoms are related to each other and are related to the same underlying causes. Knowing which symptoms you have is important information. 

2. How mild or severe are your symptoms? Perhaps a symptom is "mild" and it's not a big deal. It may be "moderate to severe", meaning you can deal with it but it is a real problem. Or you may consider it "very severe", in other words, you can barely function because of it. 

3. What are you demanding of your body? Are you frequently under stress? Do you not always eat when you should? What prescription drugs are you taking? What about the consumption of caffeine and alcohol? 

4. What kind of support are you giving your body? What do you eat, do you exercise and are you taking a high-quality nutritional supplement? 

5. What is your age? Your age is important, because you need to compare your health with other women your age. 

By taking the women's health test, you can find out more about your health, symptoms you may have, what those symptoms mean and what you can do about improving your health.

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