Top 7 Ways to Support Your Wife Through Menopause

1. Know the Symptons

Menopausal symptons include hot flashes, decreased libido, moodiness, weight gain, forgetfulness, hostility, and depression.

2. Understand the Changes

Along with the symptons and heightened emotions, a woman going through menopause may experience alarming physical changes such as a fast heart beat, thinning hair, vaginal dryness, loss of pleasurable sensations during sex, skin flushing, irregular menstrual periods, and osteoporosis concerns.

3. Support Her Treatment Decisions

Exercise with her. Educate yourselves about the pros and cons of more vegetables and soy in your diet, along with the advantages and disadvanages of alcohol, white sugar, caffeine and milk. Give her massages. Learn together how to meditate or do relaxation exercises.

4. Encourage Her to See a Physician

With the recent findings that HRT may increase a woman's risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke, and estrogen alone may increase risk of ovarian cancer, it is important that your wife consults a physician for help in making treatment decisions that are right for her.

5. Communicate

Don't ignore her feelings. Don't make fun of her hot flashes or put her down. Let her know she can express her feelings, both positive and negative, with you. Listen to her as she expresses her fears about growing old and as she re-examines her life.

6. Make Time for the Two of You

Look for ways to nurture your marriage including finding time to spend together having fun.

7. Look for the Positive

Don't believe all the old wives' tales. Remember that a difficult menopause is not the woman's fault. Menopause can be different for every woman. Support the idea that this can be a wonderful time of change for your wife. She can become personally empowered and learn more about her own strengths and talents. Make this a time of healthy growth for you both and for your marriage.