Women's Sexual Health: Menopause. Symptoms, Natural Treatment, Depression, Hot Flashes, Weight, Diet, Libido, Hormones, Evolution

Hello. Menopause is an interesting subject from an evolutionary perspective. Why do women go through menopause and men do not?

The answer lies in the fact that evolution works on the principle of the survival of our offspring. Or more completely, the survival of our offspring's offspring. i.e. the perpetuation of the species over many generations. So we find that at a certain age it is better for our survival for the woman to become infertile.
Some of the main reasons are (there is more to research);

* Elder women care for their children and grandchildren - thus they still have a survival function for their offspring even when infertile themselves.

* There is some risk of death with child birth, which then lessens chance of survival of existing children.Thus it is best to become infertile at some age (why 45 to 55?).

* Human babies are born helpless - so they are a significant burden on the resources of their mother for 5 to 10 years. Thus at some stage, it is better to invest in survival of children that already live, rather than risk having more infants.

* Elders pass on cultural knowledge which is important for survival of the tribe (clearly much more important in the past, before books and computers, etc.).

* Males do not go through menopause - Investment in pregnancy is much greater risk for females. Men have less risk, can continue to be fertile.

* We would also expect, given the ability of evolution to be so adaptable to environment, that humans in harsh environments would begin menstruation later and start menopause earlier (less fertile environment cause less fertile woman if you like). Conversely in plentiful environments menstruation would be earlier and menopause later.

This page is based upon exploring these ideas, as well as providing information on women's reproductive health, symptoms of menopause, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), female sexuality and libido, depression, diet, statistics.

The following internet search results suggests a low interest in menopause.
The top ten related searches are;
menopause (2,960), menopause symptom (1,052), 34 menopause symptoms (300), know menopause (238), menopause the musical (200), early menopause symptom (200), male menopause (122), menopause weight gain (119), menopause and depression (118), menopause treatment (117)
(For comparison also see: Internet Search Results - Top 200 Internet Search Terms)

We hope you find the following menopause websites interesting and useful.
Karene Jade Howie

Understanding Menopause: A Definition

The word Menopause is derived from the Greek language 'meno' (month) and 'pausis' (a pause, a cessation).

Menopause means an ending of menses, or the menstrual cycle. The average of menopausal women is around 50, when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and the female is no longer fertile. The change of hormones in women can cause undesirable effects, such as hot flashes, weight gain, depression and lose of libido.

The Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Female Hormone Levels and Reproductive Function

From the website: 'Health consequences of moderate alcohol consumption for a woman may vary with the life stage. The effect of moderate alcohol consumption on the level of estrogens and progesterone in both pre and post menopausal women are reviewed in this study. It is concluded that several lines of evidence point to an alcohol induced rise in natural or synthetic estrogen levels in women. Moderate alcohol consumption has also been linked to decreased progesterone levels in pre menopausal women.'

Read More: The Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Female Hormone Levels and Reproductive Function

A Positive Study of Human Sexuality at Midlife

The AARP study conducted in 2004 surveyed a nationally representative group of adults ages 45 and older to measure attitudes and other factors affecting their sexuality and quality of life.
For more than half of the respondents, sexual activity is a critical part of a good relationship and an important factor affecting their quality of life. A vast majority of mid-life to older adults shows a positive attitude toward sex. The proportion of men who've tried potency enhancing medicines, hormones, or other treatments has doubled since 1999.

Read More: A Positive Study of Human Sexuality at Midlife: Viagra

This Page Title: 'Women's Sexual Health: Menopause. Symptoms, Natural Treatment, Depression, Hot Flashes, Weight, Diet, Libido, Hormones, Evolution'.
The main sexuality pages on the evolution of our diverse sexual behaviors have good content and are well worth browsing (see links at top of page). And the list of related sexuality terms that people actually search is informative (to say the least!).
Want to be Involved? Join us in this research, which provides an excellent opportunity to present to the world the latest knowledge about the thing we all find most interesting - sex! The work will not just benefit humanity, it will profoundly enhance your own sexuality as you learn more about our complex and diverse sexual evolution.
We seek help in finding the latest scientific (evolutionary) research on our biological and cultural sexual evolution and distributing content (overviews / summaries) to relevant pages.
This site is well respected. We are listed as the Top Philosophy Website on the Internet with around 500,000 page views each week. So your contributions will be seen and read, and will be providing humanity with a great source of wisdom about a very important subject (that currently suffers due to cultural / religious myths).

If you would like to be involved (or have comments about this website) please write to us using the form lower on this page. Many thanks! Karene

Analyse any human emotion, no matter how far it may be removed from the sphere of sex, and you are sure to discover somewhere the primal impulse, to which life owes its perpetuation. ... The primitive stages can always be re-established; the primitive mind is, in the fullest meaning of the word, imperishable. ... Mans most disagreeable habits and idiosyncrasies, his deceit, his cowardice, his lack of reverence, are engendered by his incomplete adjustment to a complicated civilisation. It is the result of the conflict between our instincts and our culture. (Sigmund Freud)

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Related Search Terms & Number of Searches
Women, Sexual, Health, Female, Menopause, Symptoms, Natural, Treatment, Depression, Diet, Libido, Evolution