Menopause is the code word for “My sex life will never be the same”. Menopause and Middle Age Spread are synonymous. Menopause is going to lead to breast cancer and heart disease.

These Menopause Myths, or Urban Legends, can have the premenopausal woman fighting to avoid the inevitable. But are there any truths to these urban legends? Is menopause just the beginning of the end? After examining each myth to see if any truth exists, we will explore what options are available to you.

#1 My Sex Life Will Never Be The Same

It’s a fact that during menopause, women may be aware of a decrease in vaginal lubrication, which can result in painful intercourse. It’s also true that many women may exhibit a decrease in their desire for sexual intimacy. Both of these conditions develop as the body decreases the production of the hormone estrogen. So, although this myth may appear accurate, it doesn’t have to stay that way. There are several options available to you to counteract the effects of lower levels of estrogen.

#2 Menopause and Middle Age Spread are Synonymous

After menopause many woman do find that they gain weight. Men may also gain weight as they age. Both sexes can experience weight gain due to their metabolism slowing down with age. But is it unavoidable? As with most situations, there are ways to combat weight gain. During this time it’s very important to eat moderate portions of healthy foods and exercise more often. This is an important first step to help you keep your weight at a level that you can be comfortable with.

#3 Menopause Causes Breast Cancer and Heart Disease

This is, perhaps, the scariest of the urban legends. While the other myths are annoying inconveniences, breast cancer and heart disease, left untreated, can take your life away. So is there a connection between these diseases and menopause? The answer is tricky. Due to our natural aging process, human beings in general are more likely to suffer from these diseases as well as dementia, osteoporosis, cataracts, incontinence, skin elasticity, and a slew of other various age related illnesses. Menopause itself, does not cause breast cancer or heart disease. The change in hormones, along with our natural aging process, however, will increase the odds that we may have to deal with these maladies.

With hormone levels changing, and the progression of age, menopausal women have special needs. Some doctors recommend Hormone Replacement Therapy…but is that mandatory?  HRT safe? These questions are often debated in the medical field.

Don’t let myths keep you from enjoying this new stage in your life. Menopause doesn’t have to be a time to dread. It should be a time for you to take care of yourself, allowing you to live life to it’s fullest.

Written by Pauline Pike for MicroNutra Health™

This entry was posted on Monday, July 23rd, 2007 at 3:11 pm and is filed under Menopause. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.