Menopause can be defined as the conclusion of the female reproduction phase of life.  In most women the onset of menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 50, but it has been known to occur anywhere from age 40 to 60.  In addition, menopause can be provoked at an earlier time due to uterine or ovarian surgery or certain types of illness.  Menopause is characterized by the decreased functioning of the ovaries, which results in reduced quantities of the hormone estrogen in the body.  Not just a discrete event, menopause is actually a process, one that last several years, or even a decade.

Although menopause is an experience common to women all around the world, those in Asian cultures tend to adapt more easily to the hormonal changes involved, due to their willingness to accept the aging process as a natural transition.  In Asian countries, age associated with wisdom and respect; hence, women in these countries do not dread this stage of life.  In the United States and other Western nations, advanced age is feared profoundly by women, due to cultural conditioning.  This negative outlook is often correlated with the acquisition of acute menopausal symptoms.  Women who are about to experience menopause, or have already, should reexamine their attitudes and try to eliminate any preconceived ideas regarding aging.  It should also be noted that acute symptoms are frequently avoided by Asian women because their diets contain ample quantities of soy products, which are high in phytoestrogens and phytoesterols.  In addition, Asians benefit from the widespread use of medicinal herbs.

What Women Experience

The menopausal process usually begins with variations in the menstrual cycle.  The time between cycles often becomes irregular, and sometimes periods are skipped.  Although menopause is usually accompanied by reduced menstrual flow, some women report heavy, irregular bleeding.  Hot flashes are another common experience, while some women may experience dry skin, irritability, vaginal dryness, night sweats, urinary tract infections, mood swings, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.  It should be kept in mind that some women have no troublesome symptomatology at all.  It's also important to mention that menopause is characterized by diminished estrogen production by the ovaries, and when this occurs, the manufacturing process is transferred to the adrenal glands.  Consequently, women with healthy adrenal glands are less susceptible to experiencing acute symptoms.

A common misconception is that women will lose their sex drive once they have experienced menopause.  In fact, only a small percentage lose their ability to become aroused, and these cases can be effectively treated.  Actually, many women report heightened sexuality because the risk of pregnancy is absent.  Another assumption whose time has gone is the belief that, after the change of life, life will no longer be enjoyable.  Many women fear that their later years will be characterized by intense psychological problems.  This is untrue, as women who have reached 50 years of age are not at any increased risk of clinical depression.  Although some women may experience mood swings due to decreased levels of estrogen, serotonin, and endorphins, these levels can effectively be corrected by natural means, and thus symptomatic mood swings can be eliminated.

Fortunately, synthetic hormone replacement can be averted in favor of natural treatments through nutrition and supplements that have no harmful side effects.