Menopause health - what about my heart and bones?

Two common health problems can start to happen at menopause, and you might not even notice.

Osteoporosis.

Day in and day out your body is busy breaking down old bone and replacing it with new healthy bone. Estrogen helps control bone loss. So losing estrogen around the time of menopause causes women to begin to lose more bone than is replaced. In time, bones can become weak and break easily. This condition is called osteoporosis. Talk to your doctor to see if you should have a bone density test to find out if you are at risk for this problem. Your doctor can also suggest ways to prevent or treat osteoporosis.

Heart disease.

After menopause, women are more likely to have heart disease. Changes in estrogen levels may be part of the cause. But, so is getting older. As you age, you may develop other problems, like high blood pressure or weight gain, that put you at greater risk for heart disease. Be sure to have your blood pressure and levels of triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol checked regularly. Talk to your health care provider to find out what you should do to protect your heart.

How Can I Stay Healthy After Menopause?

Staying healthy after menopause may mean making some changes in the way you live.

• Don’t smoke. If you do use any type of tobacco, stop—it’s never too late to benefit from quitting smoking.

• Eat a healthy diet—one low in fat, high in fibre, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods, as well as all the important vitamins and minerals.

• Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D—in your diet or in vitamin/mineral supplements.

• Learn what your healthy weight is, and try to stay there.

• Do weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging, or dancing, at least 3 days each week for healthy bones. But try to be physically active in other ways for your general health.

Other things to remember:

• Take medicine to lower your blood pressure if your doctor prescribes it for you.

• Use a water-based vaginal lubricant (not petroleum jelly) or a vaginal estrogen cream or tablet to help with vaginal discomfort.

• Get regular pelvic and breast exams, Pap tests, and mammograms. You should also be checked for colon and rectal cancer and for skin cancer. Contact your doctor right away if you notice a lump in your breast or a mole that has changed.

Are you bothered by hot flashes? Menopause is not a disease that has to be treated. But you might need help with symptoms like hot flashes. Here are some ideas that have helped some women:

• Try to keep track of when hot flashes happen—a diary can help. You might be able to use this information to find out what triggers your flashes and then avoid it.

• When a hot flash starts, go somewhere cool.

• If night sweats wake you, try sleeping in a cool room or with a fan on.

• Dress in layers that you can take off if you get too warm.

• Use sheets and clothing that let your skin “breathe.”

• Have a cold drink (water or juice) when a flash is starting.

You could also talk to your doctor about whether there are any medicines to manage hot flashes.

Source: National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Part 1 - What is menopause?

Part 2 - What are the signs of menopause?

Part 3 - What about health during menopause?

Part 4 - What about those lost hormones?