It is gratifying to tell that research has proof now that menopause is not a disease, rather it is a transition from fertility to natural infertility especially for women, since men also pass through menopausal transition. However, this article shall be bent towards feminine menopause, and the good news that the stage brings with it challenges and some freedom, too. Even though getting there entails bearing some symptoms that can be unfavourable.

Menopause as a function of aging will be experienced by most women at a point in life, with the unbearable symptoms of hot flash, tiredness, bone loss, imploratory pains in the joints, night sweats, dry vaginal canal (which ultimately inhibits sexual enjoyment) irritability, mood swings and depression; just as men also suffer benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which symptoms include urinary tract problems and some of the above menopausal symptoms, especially mood swings, irritability, loss of libido and depression.

The supposed answer to the above problems was hormonal replacement therapy, which is now not very much favoured since research suggested that HRT could really predispose breast cancer and even stroke even though some experts continue to maintain that hormonal replacement therapy does not predispose cancer in all women.

However, a natural health and menopause expert Dr Marilyn Glenville says. 'The menopause isn't a disease and we shouldn't medicalise it, diet, exercise and supplements are key to enjoying what should be an enriching phase in a woman's life. And Nick Panay consultant gynaecologist, a member of the British Menopause Society, concurs, even though cautious of the benefits of complementary therapy. 'Some herbal preparations aren't as effective as HRT and are often expensive. However, there's evidence that well-researched preparations such as soy and red clover may have real benefits,' he says.

I am in agreement with both experts: first that diet, exercise and supplement is the key to sound health all through life, and especially at old age. Secondly, that not all supplements are beneficial. But I must say that diet being the obvious source of sound health, the most important thing to note is that you are what you eat. In fact you can just do nothing more than improve your intake of the right sort of foods.

The change in diet should not be expected to happen overnight. But that health benefits will follow is sure given due consideration to the following:

Vegetables, essential fats from oily fish, nuts, seeds and lots of fruit will do you a world of good health wise.

Tofu, chickpeas, kidney beans linseeds, lentils, tofu and lots of soya milk will do for you same health good expected for hormone replacement therapy. There is proof from research that two cups of soy milk a day brings hot flashes down by 50%

Reduction of ingesting of hot curries, caffeine intake from coffee and cola, and alcohol consumption will also bring hot flashes down by 50%

Cigarettes aggravates hot flashes, avoid it.

Activity they say is the secret of good health, increase exercise; walking is highly recommended. Dancing too is quite an activity, do you bit of it even in you own home, it will help in strengthen your bone and thus check osteoporosis, hot flashes and pains. There must be some activity you like, do it.

There are very beneficial supplements out there that can help you depending on your body's constitution. Everyone one does not react the same to all supplements. It is not always that what works for one works for the other. Consult a trained nutritional expert to guide you.

Menopause as said earlier is not a disease, it is a transition which you can methodically control using the methods and knowledge discussed in this article, which are guaranteed to see you through menopause without suffering.