UNDERSTANDING THE MENOPAUSE: THE OVARIAN HORMONES
The two significant female ovarian hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, have a profound effect on the body. During the peri-menopause, and at the menopause, the changes that take place are due in particular to a lack of these two hormones.
Oestrogen
Oestrogen attaches itself to the surface of cells and in organs where it is needed, influencing the functioning of that organ either by its presence (during the fertile years) or by its absence (after the menopause). The chief source of oestrogen is the granulosa cells.
Table 1: What does oestrogen do?
Maintains the health and proper functioning of the genital organs
Causes the endometrium (uterus lining) to thicken in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle
Softens the cervix and produces the thin mucus in which the sperm can swim
Enhances the chance of fertilisation by improving the mobility of the egg as it passes down the Fallopian tubes
Acts with inhibin to affect the hypothalamus in its regulation of the menstrual cycle
Acts with prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) to maintain the health of the walls of blood vessels
Maintains supply of collagen to the skin, which promotes skin elasticity, and calcium to the bones, which keeps them strong
Influences the development of the breasts and maintains breast structure and the milk ducts
Affects the thickness of the skin and the condition of the hair
Causes the emergence of typical female shape and form at puberty
Brings about the energy, happy disposition and positive outlook often typical of the first two weeks, in particular, of the menstrual cycle
Progesterone
The second female hormone produced by the ovary is progesterone, which is broken down by the liver and secreted in the urine as pregnanediol. This corpus luteum hormone, of equal importance to oestrogen, has recently been linked with it in a preventive role against osteoporosis. Synthetic progesterone (progestogen) is used with natural oestrogens for the control of menopausal symptoms.
Table 2: What does progesterone do?
Transforms the proliferative endometrium to the secretory form in the second half of the menstrual cycle
Changes the cervical mucus in the second half of the menstrual cycle from a thin and watery substance to one which is thicker and tenacious
Tends to reduce the acidity level of the vagina
Joins with oestrogen to lower the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone by acting with inhibin on the hypothalamus
Raises the basal body temperature, which can be measured at the time of ovulation
Maintains pregnancy through an intricate hormonal interaction
Stimulates development of breast tissue, particularly the alveoli gland system
Encourages water and salt retention (although less so than synthetic progestogen)
Enhances the immune system through intricate links with prostaglandins and immunoglobulins
Influences mood during the latter half of the menstrual cycle
Testosterone
This primary male hormone is produced in small quantities in women by both the ovaries and the adrenal glands. If produced in excess it may cause masculinisation and give rise to an excess of unwanted hair (hirsutism).
In post-menopausal women the ovary tends to produce more testosterone than in pre-menopausal years and this may explain why older women tend to show a degree of defeminisation and hirsutism. However, this is by no means a common feature of the postmenopausal years.
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Womens health
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ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE IN PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH: MISUSE
Originally, when Alexander discovered that he was stiffening his neck and pulling his head back, and creating tension throughout his body, he thought that he was the only person to do this, but his investigations confirmed that this pattern of 'misuse' is common to the vast majority of people.
The effect of this misuse is that it interferes with the head/neck/back relationship, which means that a high degree of muscular tension is needed to maintain upright posture and for movement. This muscular tension is distributed unevenly through the body, with an excessive amount in some areas and too little tension in others, and there is a lack of interaction between the muscle groups. Obviously this brings about the very opposite of what we find with good use: being upright becomes an effort, there is a limited range of movement, the joints are stiff and breathing is impaired.
As with good use, misuse refers to our 'thinking'. It involves performing activities in a habitual and automatic way that is harmful to overall use and functioning. This could mean that we allow our emotional state to affect our musculature adversely, for example if we are worried about something we let tension build up in the neck muscles. Or it could be how we perform everyday activities. Observing people in action, we often see a great deal of effort being used, in parts of the body that are not directly involved in the activity. Check for yourself how tightly you hold your toothbrush while cleaning your teeth - or how tightly you are holding this book right now! You will probably find that, like most people, you are using an excessive amount of effort in holding what is a very light object, and in a task that actually requires a minimum of force.
People misuse themselves in different ways. Broadly speaking, a person may hold himself up with too much tension - the 'sergeant major' approach - or he may 'collapse', with over-relaxed muscles. In practice, of course, it is not as clear cut as this; both forms of misuse involve a combination of excess tension and over-laxity. For example, even in someone with collapsed posture, only some muscles are 'over-relaxed', and therefore others have to work all the harder in compensation, and are over-tense.
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Womens health
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