During our reproductive years, our ovaries usually produce one egg per menstrual cycle along with the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The hormones in the pituitary gland control the activities of the ovaries.

When levels of estrogen are low, the hormones stimulate the ovary to ripen an egg and produce estrogen. When levels of estrogen are sufficient, hormones cause the egg to be released from the ovary about mid-cycle. This cycle repeats itself every month, if the egg is not fertilized.

The number of eggs available steadily declines over the years until between the ages of about 40 to 55 there are fewer and fewer eggs until eventually no more eggs are left to be released. So the production of estrogen and progesterone falls and monthly menstrual cycles cease.

Estrogen is the main female hormone produced in the ovaries and to a much lesser extent in the adrenal glands and fatty tissue. Estrogen is responsible for the development and maintenance of physical female characteristics contributing to both physical and emotional well being.

Progesterone controls the level of estrogen. In post menopause, when the levels of estrogen have decreased, the adrenal glands and fatty tissue take over as the major estrogen producers.

Once you enter the post menopause phase and begin to experience the many post menopause symptoms you may regain your energy and feel emotionally normal once again, but the lower level of estrogen in your body may put you at higher risk for certain conditions.

Good nutrition affects the way we look, feel and behave and this is particularly true for our bodies as we go through menopause and with post menopause symptoms.

Some problems associated with Menopause and Post Menopause may be related to low levels of some vitamins, so increasing your vitamin intake and paying attention to your overall nutrition can help minimize some of the challenges associated with post menopause.

One of the biggest challenges for women experiencing post menopause symptoms can be "osteoporosis." The gradual loss of calcium from bones is a normal process in mid life and later life, but excessive loss of calcium causes thinning and brittleness of the bones and this is called "osteoporosis."

Estrogen helps protect the female body against calcium loss, so when estrogen levels decrease during menopause there can be a sharp decline in the thickness and strength of your bones. The greatest loss of calcium occurs in the first five years of experiencing post menopause symptoms.

To ensure an adequate calcium intake during menopause and especially when experiencing post menopause symptoms, it is recommended that a woman take 1000 to 1500 mg of calcium per day and combine this with magnesium and Vitamin D for absorption. Our suggested supplement meets these needed requirements.

Another health challenge for women with post menopause symptoms is heart disease. The risk of heart disease increases due to the permanent drop in estrogen levels. In the cardiovascular system estrogen acts as a guard against heart disease.

In post menopause a woman's risk of heart disease is almost the same as a man's. Heart disease is a serious condition, so it is important for women to know their blood pressure, levels of cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides and fasting blood glucose.

Women with post menopause symptoms can lower their risk of heart disease by eating a healthy diet, a diet rich in B Vitamins, especially B-12, B6 and Folic Acid. Not smoking, losing weight, exercising regularly, and managing your response to stress will also help lower your risk of heart disease.

Post menopause symptoms can cause a woman's life to be quite complicated, physically and emotionally, but if you pay attention to your health and lifestyle post menopause can be vibrant time of your life.