The menopause has serious health consequences. Cause, among others, is the cessation of estrogen production. Immune deficiencies, as we age, also aggravate health problems menopause-age women.

Major health problem in the menopause is heart disease and stroke. In 2000, heart disease ranks first cause of death among women in the United States (366 000 cases). The second place was occupied by a stroke (103 000 cases). Most cases occurred at the age of menopause. This figure is well above the rate of deaths caused by breast cancer is only 42 000 cases.

Although the numbers are not accurately describe the disease cause of death of women in Indonesia, but the trend in that direction has begun to appear. Data prevalence of obesity ¾ one risk factor for heart disease and stroke in women ¾ strengthen these estimates. The work of more nutritional problems in adults conducted by the Ministry of Health in 1997 show prevalence of obesity in adults is 2.5% and 5.9% respectively for men and women. The prevalence of obesity was highest among women aged 45 years and over (9.2%). Currently, an estimated more than 6 million women are obese adult Indonesia.

Entering The Menopause

Reproductive age, the ovaries (ovary) female 200000-400000 contain small pockets (follicle) that contains the necessary ingredients to form a mature egg cells (ova). The ovaries also produce two hormones, namely estrogen and progesterone. The ability of ovarian follicle and produce hormones decrease with age. Menopause occurs when the formation of egg cells in the follicle has been discontinued. Menopause is also marked by the cessation of the secretion of estrogen and progesterone.

Although the secretion of estrogen is stopped, the ovaries still produce small amounts of testosterone that can be converted into estrogen. However, the amount of estrogen produced is far from the amount of estrogen needed to foster good health during menopause.

Estrogens are known to act to protect women from heart disease and stroke. Cessation of production of the hormone estrogen have an impact on the increased risk of this disease. At first (at a young age), women have a smaller risk for cardiovascular disease than men. However, after menopause, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease to be similar between men and women. The loss of estrogen is believed to be one of the main causes.

The role of protection by estrogen can be explained as follows. About two years before the menopause, estrogen production begins to decline. The result is that levels of LDL-cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) began to increase, while levels of HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) decreased. High levels of LDL-cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol is an indicator of increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Blood vessels may be analogous to the sewer and waste in urban areas. If the pipe is narrow, fragile, and waste water will flow stalled or even stopped. On the walls are brittle pipes, water pressure will result in a breakdown of the pipe wall. Similarly, the blood vessels. Blood flow is blocked or if the blood vessels narrow. Stroke occurs when blood vessels in the brain bursts or walls due pampat fragile.

Estrogen has an effect to widen and smooth the inside of blood vessels and flexed. The result is a smooth blood flow and pressure drop. Estrogen affects the blood clotting factors in the liver. This reduces blood viscosity and increases fibrinolysis, a natural process to break down blood clots. In addition, estrogen is known not just hormones but also as an anti-oxidant that cleans the arteries damaging free radicals.

Risk Factors

There are two major categories of risk factors for heart disease and stroke, which is a factor which can not be changed and which can be changed. Risk factors that can not be changed include age, family history, gender, and race. While the risk factors that can be changed are smoking, cholesterol and blood fat, blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, and diabetes mellitus.

Smoking will have an impact on the increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Meanwhile, the levels of cholesterol, especially LDL-cholesterol, blood is a major risk factor for heart disease and increased risk for stroke. Various studies have revealed that HDL-cholesterol levels are low will be more risk in women than in men. The other major risk factors are high blood pressure. Women likely to experience an increase in high blood pressure if body weight 10 kg or more above normal weight.

Various studies have shown that inactive people at risk of heart disease two times higher than the risk in people who are active. Meanwhile, the body weight which is far above normal, especially if the fat deposits around the waist (apple-shape), would increase health problems, namely high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Women who suffer from diabetes at risk for heart attacks 3-7 times higher than the risk in women without diabetes peers.

Other factors are also known to contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women is the use of certain contraceptive pills, alcohol consumption, and psiskososial factors (stress). Anticipated stress increases other risk factors such as blood pressure and smoking or alcohol consumption as a compensation of feeling depressed.

How to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke in women? Due to modifiable risk factors, all of them, related to lifestyle, then the answer is a lifestyle improvement. Adage ‘HEALTHY’ (Balance of nutrition, Get rid of cigarettes, avoid stress, Monitor blood pressure and Organized sports) is a practical guide to a healthy lifestyle. “You better have a dog to be invited to the evening walk rather than having a cat to a friend joked on the sofa!”

Twenty-Five Years of Fun

Currently, life expectancy is 67 years old Indonesia woman. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that life expectancy is 75 years of Indonesia in 2025. This means that women have the opportunity to live an average of 25 years since the beginning of menopause. Efforts should be made for longer periods of time were served with as pleasant as possible.

So far, the government’s concern for women’s health problems are still not as serious as the age of menopause on health issues in other age groups, such as the health of pregnant women or nursing mothers. Due to rising income levels ¾ the impact on lifestyle changes ¾ and increasing life expectancy, it’s time great attention is given to the age of menopause women’s health issues, for example by establishing health care centers, elderly woman. Decentralization policy provides an opportunity for each region to develop a form of health care for menopausal women.

Communities can also serve lower rates of heart disease and stroke in women through various efforts, such as the campaign intensified the woman without smoking or exercise. Regular health check, improve your diet (eating food that diverse and balanced), including selecting and using the right fats is another effort that was instrumental to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Overall it aims to make menopause a ‘period of 25 years of fun’.

source : http://senopatiarthur.wordpress.com/2008/04/25/saatnya-memperhatikan-kesehatan-wanita-usia-menopause/

Do not ‘make’ yourself you fat by always ‘meet’ demand abdomen. You can easily eat 600 calorie pastries and snacks without you knowing it.

Bring a basket lunch to work or where you move. If you can not eat lunch outside. This will help you prevent excessive eating lunch.

Eat more soup (without cream). No cream soups are usually pretty low in calories and make full.

Try to eat low-calorie menu first before eating the other menu. Start with salads, vegetables and soup broth, then the meat in the final sequence. So that when their turn to eat meat, the stomach is full enough for high-calorie menu.

Do not use a dinner plate. Use a salad plate every time you eat.

Make sure that the half portions of lunch or dinner is vegetables and fruits.

Start your day with a breakfast menu and the portions are adequate. This will help reduce your calorie intake throughout the rest of the day.

Make eating an activity that has a purpose, namely to live healthy.

Enjoy the moment the food into your mouth and chew slowly so that food can be digested properly. Do not eat too fast. Eating more slowly can help to ensure the amount of food absorbed by the body and can reduce the risk of eating too much. It also can help us not to touch the food and cutlery again until the food actually eaten whole.

Reduce the use of salt; avoid using table salt.

Add one serving of fruit or vegetables on your menu. Fruits and vegetables can also be consumed as a snack, in between breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Drink water as much as 8 glasses per day.

Reduce consumption of fast food / fast food to less than once a week. Fast food contains lots of saturated fats and there are only a few key nutrients, like fiber, vitamins, and minerals (especially calcium).

Reduce excessive sugar consumption. Replace have syrup drinks with water or unsweetened tea. Avoid soft drinks, because they contain high sugar levels.

Ber-Exercise. Make it as an activity that can not be compromised again.

Beraerobik to favorite music can be fun and healthy activity.

Go ate, also lunch and dinner. Because most of them are struggling to avoid the hobby in the middle of the night are those who eat irregularly or eating unbalanced.

Eat on time, do not procrastinate any meal.

If you’re used to snacking when stressed, it’s time for change. You should focus on finding other ways to be healthier.

Brush your teeth immediately after dinner, to remind yourself that the meal is over.

Avocados, bananas, tuna, salmon, sardines, milk, and yogurt contains vitamin B. While folic acid can be obtained from the oatmeal, orange or asparagus. Magnesium, which can help you sleep soundly, there is lots of almonds, spinach or tofu that will help the body to produce dopamine. While foods with vitamin C can be more easily found in fruits such as oranges, kiwi, guava or strawberry.

To obtain the desired benefits, your diet should be combined. At the time of meals, select foods with protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. A good combination would create a stable blood sugar and reduce cravings for snacks.

After learning of food stress reliever, it is also necessary to know the drinks that can reduce stress. Drinking enough water, which is about 2 liters per day or sipping a cup of tea will help calm the heart. Especially if you drink tea with the family and in a pleasant atmosphere, will definitely keep you from stress.

After learning of food can trigger stress, then choose a diet now so as not to interfere with the intelligent emotions. Eat quietly, slowly, as she thanked dinkmati because you can still obtain a healthy diet. Thus, the food will help you gain peace of mind.

Research in nutrition studies the relationship between food and drink to the health and disease, especially in determining the optimal diet. In the past, only limited research on nutrition in disease prevention of malnutrition and benchmark the basic needs of nutrition in living organisms. Figures nutritional needs (nutrients) the base is known internationally in terms of the Recommended Daily Allowance. Along with scientific developments in the field of medical and molecular biology, medical evidence suggests that the recommended daily allowance has not been sufficient to maintain optimal body function and prevent or help treat chronic illnesses. The medical evidence showed that the root of many chronic diseases is oxidative stress caused by excess free radicals in the body. The use of nutrients in an optimal level, known as the Optimal Daily Allowance (ODA), is proven to prevent and respond to oxidative stress, thus helping to prevent chronic disease. Optimal level is achieved when the number and composition of nutrients that are used appropriately. In treating the disease, the use of nutrition as a complementary treatment can help the effectiveness of treatment and at the same time overcome the side effects of treatment. Therefore, nutrition / nutrition is closely associated with optimal health and improved quality of life. The results of measurement can be performed by the method of anthropometry