Menopause health guidance content

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The core is to customize an adaptation plan from three directions: medical intervention, life adjustment, and psychological support around the three cores of hormone status, symptom severity, and personal needs. There is no need to bear the sin of "being like this when you are old", nor to be overly anxious and eat health care products indiscriminately.

Speaking of which, the first thing many people ask is "Can I take hormone supplements?" ”In fact, there have been different tendencies in the industry on this issue. The mainstream view of menopause specialists in Western medicine is that as long as the patient is within 10 years of menopause, is younger than 60 years old, has no contraindications such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and thrombotic diseases, and has symptoms such as severe hot flashes, emotional loss, and vaginal dryness, the benefits of standardized use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) far outweigh the risks. It can greatly improve the quality of life and prevent long-term osteoporosis and cardiovascular problems. However, many practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine believe that not everyone needs additional hormone supplements. Adjusting the yin and yang of the liver and kidneys and improving the status of qi and blood through syndrome differentiation can also steadily alleviate symptoms. There is no need to forcibly "reverse" the natural hormone decline process.

I met a 50-year-old mid-level company employee in a clinic before. He suffered from hot flashes more than a dozen times a day. His face suddenly turned red and he started sweating in the middle of a meeting. He was too embarrassed to take on a job where he did not want to go out for communication. After checking, there were no contraindications. After using HRT for half a year, the symptoms were basically gone, and the reexamination indicators were also normal. There is also a 53-year-old aunt who has grade three breast nodules and is afraid to take hormones. After three months of treatment with a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, and doing Tai Chi for half an hour every day, her hot flashes and night sweats were relieved by 70 to 80%. Both methods are effective, the key is to suit your physical condition. I would like to mention here that don’t believe in the magic medicines in the circle of friends about “ovary maintenance” and “delaying menopause”. I have seen too many aunts spend thousands of dollars to buy oral liquids and massage essential oils, but they are either of no use at all, or illegally added large doses of estrogen. Not long after taking them, it was found that the endometrium thickened and the breast nodules became enlarged, which was not worth the gain. If you really need to intervene, go to the gynecology department or menopause clinic of a regular hospital for a comprehensive evaluation, which is better than anything else.

As for the minor ailments that everyone often encounters, many of them can actually be relieved without taking medicine. For example, if you wake up in the middle of the night and feel hot flashes on your chest that feel like hot water has been poured on your chest, and even your pillow towel is wet, you can usually carry a small fan with you, put an ice pack on the bedside to apply cold compress on your neck, and drink less irritating drinks such as coffee, milk tea, etc. Most of them can be suppressed. There are also many people who ignore waist, leg, and back pain. Don’t always think of it as “tired.” Bone loss during menopause is cliff-like, 3-5 times faster than before menopause. Don’t believe it. I met a 52-year-old aunt two months ago. She was just 2 years after menopause. She usually took calcium tablets every day. She just carried ten kilograms of rice upstairs and suffered a lumbar compression fracture. Don't just stare at calcium tablets. Spend 15 minutes in the sun every day to replenish vitamin D. Practice squatting against the wall two or three times a week, and practice strength by lifting two bottles of mineral water. No matter how many health products you take, it will be more effective.

Many aunties are afraid of getting fat when they reach menopause, so they drink porridge with pickles every day. In fact, it is really unnecessary. Eat enough lean meat, a cup of milk, and an egg every day. If you have enough protein, you will not lose bone mass and muscles easily, and you will not gain weight easily. Don’t dance vigorously for two or three hours. Not only will your knee joints be sore, but it will easily overwhelm your sympathetic nerves and make you unable to sleep well. Walk slowly for half an hour and dance for twenty minutes three or four days a week. It’s enough to be active.

The most easily overlooked thing is actually emotional problems. I have met too many aunts who told me that they used to have a very good temper, but now they can't help but get angry when their husband throws socks or the children don't eat. After getting angry, they hide in the toilet and cry, thinking that they are "sick". It's really not your problem, it's just hormone fluctuations. Don't blame yourself, and don't hold it in. If you go out with your old sisters to sing songs or go shopping, if you feel so overwhelmed that you panic and talk to a doctor, it's much better than staying at home and trying to get into trouble. I would also like to remind my family members, don’t always say “you are the one causing trouble with menopause”, help more with housework and less choke, it will be more effective than any empty comfort.

Some people also say that isn’t menopause a necessary stage in life? Just get over it and you’ll be fine? This is true. If the symptoms are mild and do not affect eating, sleeping, and daily life, it will go away after adjusting your lifestyle. There is no need to take special medicine. But if you’re already so uncomfortable that you can’t sleep well or go to work, there’s really no need to bear it. It’s just like having a cold or a fever. It’s not a shame to see a doctor when you feel uncomfortable. To put it bluntly, there is no "standard answer" to menopause. Just do whatever makes you feel comfortable.