Menopause is a normal biological process and will occur for most women between the ages of 40 and 55. If it occurs before this time, it is considered to be premature or early-onset menopause. This can happen either spontaneously or can be induced as a result of surgery or some other medical procedures or conditions.
One of the most common causes of early menopause is due to a total hysterectomy in which the ovaries and uterus are removed. However, there are other times when menopause may be premature for no apparent reason and this is usually called premature ovarian failure. This may be the result of genetic factors, autoimmune disease, or unknown causes. Menopause may also come early as the result of radiation or chemotherapy.
Many women are able to determine that they are experiencing early onset menopause by self-diagnosis, however, a lot of symptoms can be the result of a variety of other health problems, which may need to be ruled out. Some health conditions like thyroid disease, pituitary or hypothalamic disorders, Cushing disease, PCOD, and a few others can create symptoms that mimic menopause. Your health care provider can usually validate your suspicions by testing your FSH or follicle-stimulating hormone levels.
Technically a woman does not truly reach menopause until she has gone one full year without menstruation. The period prior to that is actually called perimenopause and that is the time when the most severe menopause symptoms are usually experienced.
One of the reasons we could be seeing so many women going through menopause early and endure such severe perimenopause symptoms at such an early age is due to the use of hormones in our meat supply. It is common practice for our meat to be injected with hormones which when eaten is absorbed in our bodies and upsets the natural balance of our hormones.
Another potential cause of early-onset menopause is the presence of toxic chemicals called hormone or endocrine disrupters that we are all exposed to on a daily basis through products like pesticides, herbicides, plastic, dioxins, phthalates, fuels, and cleaning supplies.
We absorb these toxic substances through our water, air, and food and once in the body they disrupt or alter the proper functioning of not only our hormones but our entire endocrine system, reproductive system, nervous system, and immune system.
Women who experience premature menopause will experience all the same symptoms as any other woman who approaches it on time, only at an earlier date. It’s nothing to be alarmed about or no reason to feel inadequate. It simply means that changes are taking place in your reproductive system at an earlier age than expected.
Just like any woman approaching menopause you may experience a variety of undesirable symptoms that may include, hot flashes, irregular menstrual cycles, incontinence, headaches, irritability, anxiety, depression, short term memory problems, heart palpitations, disruption of sleep, inability to cope, lack of energy, mood swings, night sweats, dizziness, dry mouth, weight gain, loss of libido and many more.
The good news is that many of these symptoms can be managed or reduced through nutritional supplementation, eating an organic diet that is free of hormones and pesticides, exercising every day, managing stress, adopting a diet that is free of sugar, refined foods, and caffeine, getting proper rest and eliminating the use of toxic chemicals in your cleaning supplies and personal care products.
Educate yourself as thoroughly as possible about early-onset menopause. Knowledge is the key to effective management and relief.
