Hot Flashes

• Wear fabrics that breathe, such as cotton. Do not wear silk, polyester, and other synthetics that tend to trap body heat.
• If you feel a hot flash coming on, drink a glass of cold water.
• If troubled by night sweats, keep a cold facecloth or ice pack by your bed.
• Instead of pantyhose, wear cotton pants or thigh high stockings.
• Decrease your intake of caffeine and alcohol.
• Avoid spicy foods and hot drinks.
• Avoid tobacco.
• Try eating and drinking more soy products.
• Some women claim that taking vitamin E daily helps.

Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Problems

• Use a vaginal cream or lubricant (avoid petroleum jelly) to help reduce pain from dryness during sexual intercourse.
• Urinate before and after sexual intercourse to help prevent bladder infections.
• To help prevent urinary tract infections, drink plenty of fluids and empty your bladder frequently.
• Try Kegel exercises daily. These exercises, which tighten and relax the muscles you use to stop urination, strengthen the vaginal muscles, enhance orgasm, and help prevent incontinence.

Psychological Problems

If you are feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed, the following suggestions may help you:

• Communicate openly with your partner about your symptoms and ask for support.
• Join or even start a support group specific to menopause or other life changes you are experiencing.
• Find and share support with colleagues at work who are going through the same experience.
• Seek counseling.
• Identify which sources of stress you can eliminate from your life.

Weight Gain

• Engage in an aerobic exercise at least three times per week for at least 30 minutes per session.
• Find ways to incorporate more exercise into your daily routine, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Decrease your intake of fat and calories.

RESOURCES:

National Women's Health Resource Center
http://www.healthywomen.org

The North American Menopause Society
http://www.menopause.org

ThirdAge WWW