The Healthy College

In this publication:

March is Women’s Health Month. One natural transition which can effect the feelings of well being of all women is menopause, also referred to as “change of life” or the “climacteric.” As our population ages, information about menopause is becoming relevant to more women and their families. I hope you find the following information to be helpful.

Dr. Susan Kah, Interim Campus President
Medical Center Campus

Why Menopause?

Starting in 1997 and continuing through 2015, female Baby Boomers have celebrated or will celebrate their 51st year, the average age of menopause in the United States. This generation has never been reticent about their lives and menopause is no exception. The Boomers have questions. What will happen? Will menopause disrupt their lives? Is hormone replacement therapy a boon or a time bomb? Younger or older, male or female, everyone has friends, co-workers, and/or family who are female Boomers. Any changes the Boomers experience will affect all of us. We all need to know the basics about menopause.

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Newsletter
Committee

Editors
Marie Etienne, Chair
Lisa Kokx

Technical Assistance
Fara Vázquez, Nursing Student
Iris Lopez, Media Services

Contributors
Carla Levesque, Librarian
Elisa Abella, Library Director
Roberta Neway, Project MÁS
Fara Vázquez, Nursing Student
Madeline Pumariega, Dean

Interim Campus President
Dr. Susan Kah

What is It?

Menopause is the end of menstruation and fertility due to a decreased production of hormones, including estrogen, by the ovaries. It is the result of a progressive and biological change in a woman's body that generally begins years before the final menstrual period. Menopause is confirmed when a woman has had no periods for 12 months and when there are no other physical or psychological factors to explain their absence.

Useful Resources: Miami Dade College’s Libraries have a number of resources on women's health and specifically, menopause. In addition to the print and web sources recommended below, MDC’s Libraries maintain subscriptions to several online health databases that provide full text Medical Dictionaries, Medical Encyclopedias, and articles from reputable medical journals. These databases can be accessed by connecting to the Libraries’ Homepage at http://www.mdc.edu/libraries/, clicking on “Find Articles” and entering your Borrower ID and PIN # from your MDCard.		Signs and Symptoms Pause! Learn about the signs and symptoms of Menopause. You may experience some symptoms or no symptoms. Normally, the female population starts to experience menopause between ages 41 through 59 . The following are the most frequent signs and symptoms: Irregular periods: heavy periods, decrease in duration of menstrual flow, spotting between periods, no periods Hot flashes: chest, neck and face get red and sweaty at any time of the day; night sweats followed by a mild or severe cold moment Vaginal and bladder problems: dry vagina, frequent visits to the bathroom, propensity to vaginal infections Fatigue and sleep problems: sleepless hours, sometimes due to night sweats; feelings of being tired Mood changes: irritability, crying spells, anxiety Body changes: reduction in breast size, dry skin, headaches, loss of muscle and bone mass How to Relieve the Symptoms Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not the only option to control the symptoms of menopause. Modifying your lifestyle can help. The following practices can ease symptoms: A well-balanced, low-fat diet Adequate exercise 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day 400 IU of vitamin E a day Dress in layers and keep a fan in your home or workplace Avoid alcohol, caffeine, large meals, and working right before bedtime Drink something warm, such as herb tea or warm milk, before bedtime Try to keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature Avoid napping during the day Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day Hormone Replacement Therapy? The only certainty about Hormone Replacement Therapy is the controversy that surrounds it. Many in the medical profession still tout it as a safeguard against osteoporosis and, in some cases, heart disease. While others point to the 2002 study linking HRT to cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and other medical problems. Does HRT cause heart disease or help to prevent it? Does the relief of menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes, outweigh the risks? Each woman needs to decide for herself based on her symptoms, her family history, the 'facts', and the advice of her physician.
The Greatest Experiment Ever Performed on Women: Exploding the Estrogen Myth Barbara Seaman
The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change Christiane Northrup
The Silent Passage Gail Sheehy
Dr. Susan Love's Hormone Book: Making Informed Choices About Menopause


Volume 1, Issue 2 March 2005