Most women have either heard horror stories about menopause or, conversely, how great it is to be beyond the time when you have to deal with menstrual periods and pregnancy worries. However, if the truth be known, a little of each is true. Menopause can be dicey. For some women, it's smooth-sailing; for others, not so much so. Things change; the body changes and sometimes not for the better.
Hormones Shift
Prior to peri-menopause, your body is functioning as it is supposed to. You have the proper amounts of hormones that you need to sustain and provide for a healthy reproductive system. Your hair and skin are healthy because estrogen is coursing through your body. And then ... the hormones shift, your body starts to close up shop and you notice a difference in your body. Your weight may not change but you may notice a not-so-subtle thickening in your mid region and you may feel, and look, swollen and puffy.
Estrogen Surges
According to Dr. Charles Tiff, associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, puffiness and water retention may be the result of fluctuating hormones. When there is a surge in estrogen production, this results in the production of aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone that prompts the kidneys to retain water. Retained fluid tends to collect in the abdomen and breasts.
HRT
Fluid retention in menopausal women can also be caused by undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If you are taking HRT and fluid retention is really causing you a problem and making you uncomfortable, Dr. Susan Lark, director of the PMS and Menopause Self-Help Center in Los Altos, California, and author of Premenstrual Syndrome Self-Help Book and Menopause Self-Help Book, recommends that you ask your doctor to lower your dosage.
Dr. Weed's Advice
According to Susan S. Weed and Project-Aware.com, fluid retention may very well be a sign that there is a weakness in your kidneys and adrenal glands as well as a problem with your circulation or even your heart. Weed notes that if you have a tendency toward bloating, the kidneys have to work extra hard and in the process become fatigued and can't do their job. She doesn't recommend taking diuretics to get rid of excess fluid because this can deplete potassium, which can lead to porous bone disease (osteoporosis). Weed also points out that too much vitamin C can stress the kidneys, resulting in water retention. She recommends taking herbs such as juniper, Dong quai, astragalus, uva ursi and vitamin B6 and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to increase the fluid output. However, make sure, as noted earlier, that you aren't taking too much vitamin C becauset his can backfire on you. Consult with your physician about how much you should take.
Eating Habits
Consider changing your eating habits. Eating cucumbers, grapes, corn, watermelon and asparagus may help you get rid of some of that fluid. Avoid eating celery or parsley and drinking black tea and coffee because these items may contribute to fluid retention. Reducing your salt intake will help.
Herbs
Some have had success in reducing fluid retention by using herbal remedies. Consider using Dong Qaui, which reportedly has a diuretic result and relieves bloating. It increases urine. Tincture of dandelion tones and nourishes the kidneys and removes from the body's cells. It is also reportedly good for the liver and adrenals and assists hormones, making the menopausal transition easier.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are said to reduce fluid retention. Those that are helpful are geranium, rosemary, lavender, juniper and cypress. You can use them as a mouthwash or put them in a vaporizer or in a compress. The oils can also be used while getting a massage. Drop some oil into your bathub water or just inhale some of the scent, and this may help.
Tags: your body, fluid retention, excess fluid, fluid retention, Menopause Self-Help, much vitamin, Self-Help Book