Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her body begins to change as the ovaries start to shut down. When the ovaries shut down there is also the shutting down of progesterone and estrogen in a woman's life. Menstruation will start to diminish and end during this shutting down of the ovaries. Menopause occurs at a different age for all women, although the general age is from 50 to 54.

Menopause is the part of a woman's normal aging process and it will happen to all who haven't had their uterus and ovaries surgically removed. If this is the case, premature menopause will occur. In some cases, only the uterus is taken out and the ovaries are left. Under these circumstances, there are no immediate menopausal symptoms, since the patient is still receiving the hormones mentioned above.

At the onset women don't generally experience symptoms. Over time, as the ovaries produce less of the hormones, the monthly cycle will be affected. One month she may experience heavy menstruation and the next month she may only have a couple of days of spotting.

There are a number of symptoms that start manifesting as she begins to enter the various phases of menopause: (1) hot flashes (2) irritability (3) sweating at odd times (4) sleep disturbances (5) vaginal dryness that can lead to sexual and urinary discomfort (6) mood swings that may include anger and depression. (7) hair growth on the face, arms, chest and stomach (8) memory problems and difficulty with concentration (9) low frustration level, affecting her whole mood.

Women can prepare for menopause by learning as much as possible about it. This will help them understand what is happening as they start going through the "change of life". They won't feel alone in the process or be as alarmed by the unusual things they experience.

A well balanced diet and an exercise program are vital in minimizing the effects of menopause. When a woman who is experiencing menopause takes care of her body through good nutrition she has a better chance of experiencing minimal symptoms of menopause. Vitamins and minerals taken as supplements are also an important part of easing the symptoms of menopause. Some women who are experiencing severe menopause may need to think about hormone replacement therapy to help ease the symptoms. It is important that menopausal woman contact their doctors on a regular basis so that they can be aware of any physical changes in their body that are not menopause related. It may be of benefit for some women to join some type of support group to help them deal with the changes to their lives as they learn to live with menopause.