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‘The Change’ is Changing
By Carolyn S. Peterson

Just a generation ago, talking about menopause and going through ‘the change’ was practically taboo.  Most women suffered the symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and trouble sleeping, in silence.  But that was your mother’s menopause.  Today, thanks to researchers like Dr. Nancy Avis, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Social Sciences & Health Policy at WFU School of Medicine, our generation and that of our daughters have a clearer understanding of how to cope with ‘the change’ of life.

Taking Charge of the ‘Change’
Recent studies suggest that postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) is not as beneficial as once thought in protecting women against cardiovascular disease, and may increase risk for breast cancer, heightening women’s interest in seeking natural options to relieve their menopausal symptoms. In her twenty years of research into menopause, Dr. Avis has been involved in several large epidemiological studies of menopause, as well as several smaller clinical studies.  “My current research focuses on managing menopause with the practice of Yoga and Health/Wellness classes.”  Her current study, Graceful Living at Menopause (the GLAM study), is funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and will enroll 60 women, who will be randomly assigned to one of two groups.  One group will participate in a 90 minute yoga class each week and the other group will attend health/wellness classes once a week for 10 weeks. These classes will address topics associated with menopause and long-term health, like stress management, nutrition, exercise and cardiovascular health.  “We will be looking at how these two different interventions can improve the lives of peri and postmenopausal women,” said Dr. Avis.

The One Thing You Can Count on is ‘Change’
After all her years of research, Dr. Avis admits there is still a lot that is not known about the menopausal transition.  One thing researchers do know is that women who smoke cigarettes tend to experience menopause about two years earlier and have more symptoms.  “My interest in the subject of menopause began when I was a postdoctoral fellow and was working with an epidemiologist who was interested in understanding why women’s risk for cardiovascular disease seemed to increase after menopause, and whether this was due to hormones, aging, or lifestyle changes.  As I delved more into this area, I realized how little we knew about the menopausal transition, which was rather astounding since it is experienced by almost half of the population.  It is an interesting and challenging area to study because there are so many factors that come into play: hormones, aging, behavior, attitudes and culture.  The one thing we do know is that there is a huge variation in how women experience the menopausal transition.  There really isn’t any ‘normal’ experience,” commented Dr. Avis

Yoga and Lifestyle: The Keys to Controlling Menopause Symptoms?
As women, we are notorious for putting everyone else before ourselves.  For most of our lives we are caretakers of our children, our spouses, and, in some cases, our parents.  This phenomenon leaves very little ‘me’ time.  Menopause often serves as a “marker” in the aging process that leads women to think about their long-term health.  This is the basis for the two GLAM study groups.  “Yoga has become increasingly popular and is a great way to reduce stress and help women to feel better overall. The Health/Wellness classes group of the GLAM study will help the participants to understand the menopause process, manage stress, and develop healthy behaviors.  Both of these groups should help women deal with their symptoms better,” said Dr. Avis.
Today’s women are focusing on feeling good and looking at menopause more positively.  Research studies like the one Dr. Avis and WFU School of Medicine are involved in can only help women be more prepared to accept their lives, during and after menopause, with optimism and better health.
For information about participating in the GLAM study, call Emily Smith at 336-716-5619.