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Living Longer and Enjoying It More

Menopause is not an end - it is a beginning.
Many women see it as a time of discovery, with many new freedoms and opportunities to enjoy. In fact, most women will live at least one third of their lives after menopause. That's why it's more important than ever to maintain you good health. Taking care of your body and having a positive attitude will help you stay healty and active. After menopause, your body produces much less estrogen. Less estrogen means you're at risk for serious health problems, such as osteoporosis (thin, weak bones) and heart disease. and though cancer, diabetes, and depression aren't caused by menopause or lack of estrogen, your risk for these diseases increases as you age.


So take a few minutes right now to learn about menopause and what you can do to have a happy, healthy future.

Taking Charge of Your future...

Every woman at and beyond menopause has health concerns. Your family history, current health, and lifestyle affect your health after menopause. Taking care of yourself now can have a big impact on your future health.

Knowing how your body changes after menopause will help you learn how to stay healthy during this iimportant part of your life.

Three simple steps may help reduce your risk of serious health problems after menopause:

STEP 1: Understand how menopause may affect your total health.

STEP 2: Know your postmenopausal risk factors and discuss them with your healthcare professional.

STEP 3: Act now to prevent serious illness later.

Understand How Menopause May Affect Your Total Health...

Menopause brings new health and lifestyle concerns for every woman. Because no two women are the same, the effects of menopause may vary for everyone, depending on factors such as:

- family history
- age
- racial background
- wheather you have had children

The Three Phases of Menopause...

Menopause is a natural change often divided into three phases:
perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Menopause can be natural, or can be brought on early by oophorectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries), cancer therapy, or certain disease.

PERIMENOPAUSE usually begins in the middle-to-late forties and can last 2-8 years- until the time a woman stops having menstral periods. During perimenopause, monthly bleeding becomes irregular, and symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, or depression can occur.

MENOPUASE is marked by the end of monthly bleeding and major decline in estogen production. When a woman in her forties or fifties has not had a period for 12 months or more, it usually means that menopause has occurred.

POSTMENOPAUSE is the third and last phase. In the first 5 years or so after menopause, less estrogen in the body leads to many changes. Some changes may be noticable, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. Others may be silent changes , such as bone loss and rising levels of cholesterol. While symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats usually go away after 1 or 2 years, the silent changes continue an may lead to health problems such as osteoporosis (thin, weak bones) and heart disease. As disussed earlier, cancer, diabetes, and depression aren't related to menopause, but your risk for these diseases increases as you age.

Your Body After Menopause...

Because your body changes after menopause, you can see it is important to act early to protect your long-term health.

Osteoporosis...

After menopause, the bones in your body may become thinner and weaker. Over time, bon loss leads to an increased risk of fractures. Spine fractures are linked with height loss, chronic back pain, and curving of your spine. Each year, more women will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture than will suffer from stroke, heart attack, and breast cancer combined.
Up to one half of women over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. These breaks most commonly occur in the spine (backbone).

Take Control...

By taking steps now, You may help decrease you risks for longterm problems like osteoprorosis. A healthy future after menopause means acting now to protect your bones in the years ahead.

Taking calcium supplements or getting a lot of calcium in our diet is good, but it is not enough for most women to prevent osteoporosis.

Heart Disease and Diabetes...

Before menopause, your body's natural estrogen helps to keep cholesterol levels lower. After menopause, less estrogen can lead to higher cholesterol. Higher cholesterol can lead to heart disease, which is oone of the leading causes of death in women aged 60-79. In addition, your risk of diabetes increases rapidly with older age. Prevalence of diabetes is somewhat greater in women than men.

Cancers...

Although not directly linked to menopause, the risk of cancer increases with aging. In fact, cancer is the number one killer of women aged 60-79. One of every eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. It is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death. Uterine cancer is less common, but is seen most often in women over age 50.

Depression...

Depression isn't directly related to menopause either, but your risk for it may increse with age. depression affects twice as many women as men.

Now is the time to talk with your health care professional about ways to reduce your risks for these diseases. Read on to find out how to prepare for your next checkup.

Your personal and family history...

Everyone has a different personal and family medical history that affects their risk for developing certain diseases. If any of the following apply to you write them down and talk with your health care professional about steps you can take to protect your health after menopause.

Osteoporosis...

After menopause, the bones of most women start to get weaker. This can lead to a disease called osteoporosis. The bones may become b rittle and more likely to break. That is why it is important to determine your risks for osteoporosis now and take steps to prevent it.
  1. I went through menopause before age 40.
  2. I stopped having periods for at least 6 months because I exercised too much.
  3. I had my ovaries removed by surgery.
  4. I am Caucasian (white) or Asian.
  5. I have small bones or I am very thin.
  6. I have close family relatives who have osteoporosis, who developed a stooped posture, or who broke bones after menopause.
  7. I do NOT eat many foods high in calcium (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) or I do NOT take calcium supplements.

Heart Disease and Diabetes
Before menopause, the estrogen produced by your ovaries helps protect you from heart disease. As you reach menopause, your body produces much less estrogen. With out this protection, your risk of heart disease begins to rise. The risk for diabetes increases with age and may increase your risk for heart disease.

  1. I have high blood sugar.
  2. I have high blood pressure
  3. I have high cholesterol
  4. I have one or more relatives with a history of heart disease.
  5. I am overweight.

Cancer
All women face an increased risk of different types of cancer as they age. When cancer is detected in the early stages, it can often be treated successfully.

  1. I went through menopause after age 55.
  2. I started my periods before age 12.
  3. I have more than one close relative who has had colon, breast, or ovarian cancer.
  4. I have not given birth or I did NOT have my first baby until after age 30.
  5. I do NOT check my breasts for lumps every month.
  6. I do NOT protect my skin from the sun with sunscreen, clothing, or hats.
  7. I smoke cigarettes or breate in "second-hand" smoke at home or at work.

Depression...
Depression affects twice as many women as men. Depression can be successfully treated in 70% of all cases.
  1. I am experiencing a loss of interst in the things I used to enjoy.
  2. I am feeling sad, blue, or down in the dumps.

Your regular health exams...
Screening tests can help protect your health after menopause. Which of the following statements apply to your?
  1. I am over age 50 and my last mammogram was more than a year ago.
  2. I do NOT have a Pap test as often as my healthcare professional recommends.
  3. I do NOT have my cholesterol level tested regularly.
  4. I do NOT get my stool checked for blood every year or do not have a bowel exam (sigmoidoscopy) every 3-5 years.
    Talk with your healthcare professional to find out which screening tests are recommended for you.
Your Lifestyle Habits...
Everyday habits and activities can play a ig part in staying healty.
  1. I drink too much alcohol.
  2. I exercise less than an average of 30 minutes a day.
  3. I use tobacco products.

What are my health risks...

The more statements you wrote down, the more you may be at risk for certain health problems. Talk with your healthcare professional about your responces. Take this list with you. This will help you make the most of your appointment time. It will also help you feel more comfortable asking questions about menopause and your healthcare.

This list is to be used a s gerneral guide. Only your healthcare professional can determine your risk for a health condition and decide if you need treatment.

Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Professional...

  • What are my risks for the diseases discussed in this web page.
  • What can I do to help prevent these problems?
  • Are there any treatments or medications that might help me?
  • Are there any tests I need? How often should these tests be done?

    Act Now to Prevent Serious Illness Later!


    Partnering With Your Healthcare Professional... Menopause is not a signal to stop visiting your healthcare professional regularly. Now is the time to discuss ways to stay healthy during the years ahead. Think of your healthcare professional as a partner to help you with this goal, and think of these visits as your "postmenopausal health Checkups." Don't wait for specific symptoms to appear. Plan ahead and talk to your healthcare professional now.

    During your visit with your healthcare professional, he/she may suggest ways to maintain good health and reduce your risk of disease. He/she may suggest one or more of the following:

To reduce the risk of osteoporosis...
  1. Increase calcium in diet
  2. Eat right
  3. Exercise
  4. Stop smoking
  5. Limit alcohol intake
  6. Measure bone mineral density
To reduce the risk of heart disease...
  1. Lower salt intake
  2. Lower fat and cholesterol in diet
  3. Exercise
  4. Reduce/control weight
  5. Reduce stress
  6. Stop smoking
  7. Have blood pressure checked regularly
  8. Have cholesterol levels checked regularly

To reduce the risk of cancer...
  1. Eat low-fat, high-fiber foods, including fruits and vegetables
  2. Reduce/control weight
  3. Limit alcohol intake
  4. Stop smoking
  5. Have an annual pelvic exam and Pap smear
  6. Avoid too much sun and always use sunscreens
  7. Do monthly breast self-exams and hav mammograms performed regularly
  8. Decrease exposure to carcinogens
  9. Have regular colon cancer screenings
To reduce the risk of depression...
  1. Get depression screenings
  2. Avoid drinking too much alcohol
  3. Avoid using drugs

To reduce the risk of heart diabetes...
  1. Get diabetes screenings
  2. excersise regularly
  3. reduce/control weight

Your Medical Options After Menopause...

The many changes taking place in your body can lead to major health problems in the future. Take steps now to maintain your health and quality of life after menopause. In addition to simple lifestyle changes, there are medical options both prescription and over-the-counter that may help protect your long-term health.

Healty Solutions for Today's Woman is an ongoing educational series about health after menopause provided by Eli Lilly and Company. Copyright 1999 Eli Lilly and Company All Rights Reserved.

more information available at:The North American Menopause Society

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Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider.