Menopause health advice

Don’t force yourself to do it, don’t make up for it blindly, don’t use a unified template, just choose a personalized intervention plan according to the severity of your symptoms and physical tolerance. There is never a standard answer to this matter.

I have been working in the women's health care department of a maternal and child health hospital for almost 8 years, and I have seen too many patients who have gone to extremes. I met 52-year-old Aunt Zhang a while ago. I heard from sisters in the community that soy isoflavones are the "miraculous medicine for menopause". I bought the highest dose and took it for three months. The originally fine breast nodules swelled and hurt. When I came for a check-up, I found that the nodules had grown 4mm. I was so scared that I stopped quickly. There is also a 48-year-old middle school teacher who feels that menopausal symptoms are "the sins of old age". He endured hot flashes and insomnia for half a year. In the final physical examination, he found that his blood pressure had risen to 150/90. He originally did not need to take medicine, but had to adjust his blood pressure.

There are indeed many schools of thought about menopausal intervention, and they are very noisy. In fact, they all have their own applicable scenarios. There is no need to say who is right and who is wrong. The evidence-based school of Western medicine has always said that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective way to relieve moderate to severe symptoms if it meets the indications - as long as you are under 60 years old, within 10 years of menopause, have no history of estrogen-dependent tumors, and have no high-risk factors for blood clots. If you use it under the evaluation of a doctor, the benefits far outweigh the risks. After using it, many people have relieved most of their hot flashes and insomnia problems within a week. However, the views of the traditional Chinese medicine school of regulation are also very realistic: many people's symptoms are not severe, and they do not need to take hormones when they are diagnosed. Through syndrome differentiation, they can regulate qi and blood, soothe liver qi, and cooperate with external treatment methods such as moxibustion and scraping. After two or three months of slow adjustment, not only the symptoms can be relieved, but the entire person's state will be much better, and there is no need to worry about side effects. There are also many people who advocate natural therapies. They believe that as long as you eat a balanced diet, exercise properly, and relieve your emotions well, you can live smoothly without taking medicine. There is indeed such an example around me. My 49-year-old sister dances square dance for an hour every day and goes hiking with friends on weekends. Apart from being a little irritable occasionally, she has no symptoms. She doesn’t even take extra calcium tablets. Her bone density is higher than that of many young people.

When it comes to specific points to pay attention to, you don’t need to remember so many rules and regulations. Just focus on solving the problem that is most uncomfortable for you first.

For example, hot flashes are the most embarrassing problem for many people. When you sit in the office in the summer, your colleagues will complain that the air conditioner is cold. Suddenly, hot air will rush from your neck to your back, and your collar will be half wet in an instant, making you want to take off your clothes on the spot. If you only commit an offense two or three times a week, you don't need to take any medicine at all. You can carry a small spray with you and wear an easy-to-take-off pure cotton cardigan. When you commit an offense, spray your face twice, take off your coat and let it pass in two minutes. Drink less strong tea and coffee at ordinary times, and you can reduce the offense by half. But if you commit the disease ten to eight times a day and wake up from the heat at night, then don’t take it hard. If you are willing to consult a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, then consult a traditional Chinese medicine doctor for treatment. If you are willing to evaluate and use hormones, it is absolutely fine. There is no need to suffer for the saying that "it is a medicine with three parts of poison".

There are also emotional issues that everyone is embarrassed to mention. One second, I was chatting happily with my old sisters, and the next second, I saw my wife lying on the sofa without washing the dishes. I got angry immediately. After scolding myself, I hid in my room and cried. I felt that the whole family did not understand me. I have taught several aunties a little trick before. Put a small mint in your pocket. If you feel the fire is coming, take one and hold it in your mouth. Go to the balcony and stand for two minutes to blow in the wind. Most of the time, the unknown fire will be suppressed. You don't have to blame yourself for "having a bad temper". This is caused by hormone fluctuations, not your fault.

By the way, don’t believe those lists of “must-supplement health supplements for menopause” on the Internet. I’ve seen too many people follow the trend and buy a large cabinet, only to eat them again and again and end up with problems. For example, when it comes to calcium supplementation, the more calcium tablets you eat, the better. Drinking 300ml of pure milk every day, eating half a pound of green leafy vegetables, and being exposed to the sun for 15 minutes in the morning will absorb it better than eating three bottles of calcium tablets. Many people suffer from constipation if they eat too much calcium tablets. Some people also say that eating snow clams and royal jelly can supplement estrogen. If you have breast nodules or uterine fibroids, don’t eat them blindly. The content of these animal-derived estrogen is unstable. If you supplement too much, it will easily stimulate the growth of nodules, which is not worth the loss.

Oh, yes, there are still many people who are afraid of osteoporosis and dare not move. Instead, they lie at home every day. This is really hurting their bones. Three nights a week, do 5 sets of squatting for 2 minutes against the wall, or lift 20 times with two mineral water bottles filled with water, and do some light strength training. Compared with lying down every day, your bone density will be much stronger, and you will be less likely to fall.

To put it bluntly, menopause is a normal physiological stage. Just like acne in adolescence and morning sickness during pregnancy, it is a change caused by fluctuations in hormone levels in the body. It is not a "problem", and there is no need to force yourself to "go through it perfectly." There is no need to compare yourself with others. The medicines and health supplements taken by others may not be suitable for you. Your own comfort is the most important thing. If you really feel unbearable, go to the gynecology department or women's health department to see a doctor. It's not a shameful thing.