This article is from the book, The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women , by The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books. To send a link and summary of this article to a friend, click here . Yet it remains a time of profound transformation in a woman's life, as her ovaries start shutting down and production of the female hormone estrogen plummets, signaling an end to her childbearing years. Remembering the process of adapting to those earlier changes can help put current changes in a familiar perspective. The physical and emotional changes associated with menopause vary from woman to woman, but may include hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings and memory difficulties, to name a few.
Women doctors offer expert advice on ways to cope with other, more general aspects of menopause.
If menopause feels like a loss, allow yourself to feel sad about it, says Dr. Beiler. But remember that the ability to have a child is only one way to define yourself as a woman. Everybody experiences menopause very differently. Some women are happy to not have to worry about birth control and periods anymore. This female hormone shows up if you're approaching menopause, even if you're still having periods.