Ailments and Situations - Menopause (and Related Issues) - Related Problems - Introduction

Menopause can be viewed as a time when a woman focuses on the prevention of problems that seem to intensify during this period. Some of these problems are not directly caused by menopause and are influenced by diet, culture, genetics and family history, personal expectations, and self-esteem. Fifteen percent of menopausal women do not experience symptoms, while eighty-five percent will experience hot flashes, of which one half consider to be intolerable. Over time, other symptoms such as vaginal dryness and thinning, heart disease risk, and osteoporosis fracture risk increase and become more prominent as a woman enters her late sixties or older.

In almost all cases, a wide variety of viable alternatives exist to make a situation more manageable. Naturopaths and other health practitioners often combine remedies as a complementary approach to menopause.

Hot flashes, lack of concentration, loss of libido, low DHEA levels, mood swings and depression, osteoporosis, thinning hair, and vaginal dryness, irritation and thinning are outlined in more detail below. Long term concerns such as breast cancer and heart disease are also discussed.