The 2nd Talk: Menopause Awareness Month

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When you think about menopause, what comes to mind? For many people, “The change” is a topic shrouded in shame and mystery. It saddens me that even in 2012, there isn’t enough discussion and education about the natural phases and functions of a woman’s body.

If you want to know what menopause means to me, I’d like you to have a look at the photo above. It’s a snapshot I captured earlier in the week of a sunrise. To me, menopause is just the dawn of another day in a woman’s life – just like menstruation, pregnancy, and childbirth, menopause is a natural life experience for most women. I just turned 29 on Tuesday, so while menopause may be a ways off for me, it’s not something that I dread; it’s merely another phase of life. I believe that knowledge is power and that it is very important for women to have reliable information and open discussion of these important experiences. It’s never too soon to educate yourself about menopause, even if it may seem far away now. It’s been dubbed “The 2nd Talk”, since it’s just as important and necessary as the talk we get as young girls! September is Menopause Awareness Month, so in honor of this I wanted to share some fast facts with you:

• Menopause usually occurs between ages 40 and 60. “Perimenopause” is the period prior to menopause onset where the body begins to transition. Some women may begin to experience perimenopause symptoms in their 30s, although this is rare. (Source)
• Symptoms of menopause onset can include hot flashes, insomnia, intimate dryness, depression, and of course, irregular menstrual cycles – did you know that menstruation may actually increase in frequency right as menopause approaches? (Source)
• There are a variety of ways to deal with unpleasant symptoms that may occur with menopause, and treatments will vary depending on each woman’s needs. Approaches range from caring for the body with a healthy diet to keeping a fan in your room during hot flashes or even considering hormone therapy. (Source)

There are also new, over-the-counter products coming out that have been designed with the aim of treating mild menopause symptoms. These products are the Poise Fab Five line, sold exclusively at Walmart. The line includes products for intimacy, freshness, and cooling off from hot flashes – all of which are concerns which women may have while going through menopause. I had the opportunity to visit Walmart over the the weekend and pick up a few of these items to gift to the women in my life. Be sure to check out my Google+ album for the full story!

The Fab Five line includes the following:

– Poise Roll-On Cooling Gel

– Poise Body Cooling Towelettes

– Poise Feminine Wash

– Poise Panty Freshener

– Poise Personal Lubricant

The September issue of All You Magazine has a $1 off coupon for these products, along with information on menopause, so if you store still has the issue on the shelves be sure to check it out! You can also click here for a printable $1.00 off coupon good on any two Poise Fab Five products on Walmart.com – which is exactly what I did before I headed to the store, being Super Coupon Girl and all. 🙂 I focused on purchasing the Poise cooling products, so that I could share them with my friends to help them dab on some relief from those hot flashes!

For more information on the Fab Five, be sure to follow Poise on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!