Menopause Health and Wellness Guide

There is no unified standard answer to menopausal health care. There is no need to forcefully fight the symptoms. First, distinguish the boundaries between physical discomfort and emotional fluctuations, and then choose an appropriate plan according to your own tolerance. What you feel comfortable with is the highest standard.

Last week, a 48-year-old sister Zhang was admitted to the outpatient clinic. She suffered from hot flashes and night sweats for half a year. She read on the Internet that estrogen supplements can "reverse growth." She bought several imported ovarian maintenance supplements and forced herself to do aerobics for an hour every day, which was called "enhancing metabolism." As a result, within two months, her knees hurt so much that she couldn't walk, and her insomnia became more serious. After six hormone tests, the estrogen level fluctuated, and mild endometrial hyperplasia was also found. In fact, there are too many people who make detours like Sister Zhang. They either regard menopause as a scourge and try their best to "suppress" the symptoms, or they think it is normal aging and do nothing. In the end, they turn small problems into big troubles.

From the perspective of modern medicine, all symptoms of menopause are essentially caused by declining ovarian function and decreased estrogen fluctuations. Among the current mainstream solutions, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most discussed and controversial. Supporting scholars believe that as long as there are no contraindications such as malignant breast lesions, high risk factors for blood clots, and endometrial abnormalities, the standardized use of HRT in early menopause (within 10 years after menopause and before the age of 60) can not only quickly relieve hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and bone loss, but also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The cancer risk of use within 5 years can basically be ignored. However, many scholars hold a conservative attitude and believe that as long as symptoms do not affect normal life, priority should be given to lifestyle intervention to avoid unknown risks that may be brought about by exogenous hormones. As for non-hormonal supplements such as soy isoflavones and oryzanol that everyone often asks about, clinical feedback varies greatly. Some people can really relieve mild hot flashes, while others have no effect at all. There is currently no unified effective dosage standard. It is also recommended that you drink 300ml of soy milk and eat about 100g of soy products every day to supplement natural phytoestrogens, which is much safer than purified supplements.

Traditional Chinese medicine’s approach to menopause is completely different from that of Western medicine. Even the plans given by Chinese medicine practitioners from different schools are quite different. The traditional liver-kidney tonifying school believes that menopause is the "year of seventy-seven, when Tiangui is exhausted". The essence is liver and kidney deficiency. Prescriptions such as Liuwei Dihuang Pills and Zhibai Dihuang Pills are needed to nourish yin and clear away heat. Many people's symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats can be relieved after taking them. But now there are many young and middle-aged Chinese medicine practitioners who advocate "prioritizing flirting". They have clinically found that at least half of the menopausal symptoms are actually suppressed emotions - there is a small pressure from the boss, the status gap after retirement, and long-term accumulation of emotions. They all emerge along with the fluctuation of hormones. In this case, no matter how many supplements you give her, it will be useless. First, untie the knot in the heart, go out more, and remove half of the work at home, which is more effective than anything else. I met a 50-year-old aunt before. She always felt chest tightness, palpitations, and prone to losing her temper. She took traditional Chinese medicine for three months, but it didn't get better. Later, her daughter signed her up for a square dance team, and she danced for two hours every night. She also made a group of friends. Within a month, most of her symptoms disappeared, and even the amount of antihypertensive medication was reduced.

To be honest, after so many years of exposure, I feel that most people’s menopausal symptoms are really not enough to require medication. Many times, if you take it too seriously, it can easily amplify the discomfort. For example, when some people have hot flashes, they have to carry it. They feel that turning on the air conditioner is too wasteful and taking off their coat is too troublesome. They hold it in until their face turns red. In fact, it is completely unnecessary. What if they carry a small fan in their bag and turn on the air conditioner at home to 24 degrees? Your own comfort is much more important than the opinions of others. There are also people who are called "aging gracefully" PUA on the Internet. They are obviously very angry but still hold it in. They are afraid that others will say that they have a bad temper during menopause. It is really unnecessary. The emotional loss caused by hormone fluctuations is not your fault. You can get angry if you want. Make it clear to your family in advance. Most people can understand. It is not worth the gain to hold back breast nodules and thyroid nodules.

Of course, you are not forced to carry it. If it is serious enough to affect your normal life - for example, you suddenly have a hot flash and sweat and your clothes are very embarrassing during a meeting, or you can't sleep all night and cannot go to work the next day. There was a 49-year-old university teacher who suffered from insomnia and anxiety. He forgot his words several times during lectures and thought he was going to suffer from Alzheimer's disease. After he came for evaluation, he used the lowest dose of HRT. He was able to sleep in less than half a month. He is still teaching graduate students and is in extremely good condition.

What impressed me the most was an aunt I met last year. She was 52 years old and had just gone through menopause. She had symptoms of hot flashes and irritability. She took a half-year leave from her employer and rented a small yard in Yunnan. She visited the vegetable market every day, planted flowers, and danced with the local aunts. She came back for a follow-up check after three months. Although her hormone levels were still within the menopausal range, she said that her symptoms were gone, and even her recurring oral ulcers were healed.

In fact, menopause is a normal stage of life. It is no different from menstruation in your teens or pregnancy and childbirth in your twenties. There are no health rules that you must abide by, and you don’t have to force yourself to be in the same good shape as when you were young. Whatever you feel comfortable with is the best health regimen.