Time for "the change".(Brief Article)

If you're a woman in your late 30s to mid-40s, chances are you've begun to experience one or several physical, mental and emotional symptoms that seem like menopause long before you actually reach it. During this decade-long transition, called perimenopause (which some have described as PMS times 10), hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain and mood swings can become unbearable. At menopause (which technically begins 12 months after the last menses), a woman's estrogen and progesterone levels fall off precipitously. It is during perimenopause that the body gears up for this change with subtle fluctuations in hormones that cause the menstrual cycle to vary, usually shortening from one period to the next, though any and all changes in the cycle are possible.

"Perimenopause is a completely normal process," reassures Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of The Wisdom of Menopause (Bantam, 2001). "But in order for your body to continue producing adequate levels of hormones, you must be healthy going in--physically, emotionally, spiritually and situationally. Your future depends not only on the health of your physical body, but also on your nonphysical support system." Because perimenopause typically occurs at the midpoint of a woman's life, it's a perfect opportunity to take stock and make sure you're doing everything you can to stay healthy.

The Symptoms of perimenopause are as individual and unpredictable as one's fingerprints. The list includes, but isn't limited to, menstrual irregularities, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and thinning, skin changes, fatigue, decreased libido, mood swings, weight gain, depression, anxiety, changes in memory and cognition, sleep disturbance, hair loss on head, acne, heart palpitations, nausea, headaches, facial hair growth, urinary tract infections and the onset of bone loss and cholesterol changes. Initially, symptoms can vacillate between subtle and infrequent to overt and daily. They can be mild, moderate or severe. And while some women experience only slight changes, others have escalating problems over time.

Beyond hormonal shifts, two significant physiological changes occur during perimenopause--a decrease in bone mineral content and an increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Ideally, before these changes occur, you should have baseline tests (and determine risk) for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. You should also be eating a low-fat, plant-based diet, exercising regularly and making sure to get enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in your diet. Additionally, you'll need to consult with your doctor about whether you should use phytoestrogens (plant hormones) and natural hormones or consider going the route of conventional hormone replacement therapy instead.

Still, there's no need to despair. Basic awareness and simple, sustained changes ...