Last weekend, I attended a talk about ‘ A Women’s Journey Through Health’ organised by Menarini. This was truly an eye-opener experience for all women who participated, as the talk focuses on topics about a woman’s overall health and especially menopause. We kick start the day with some fun activities by doing a quick cycling activity around the area.
The first talk of the day was held by Dr. Ho Choon Moy, an obstetrician & gynaecologist at Pantai Cheras Hospital who is also a member of the Malaysia Menopause Society. Her topic focuses on a woman’s ‘Wonder Years’ & ‘Golden Years’. In our ‘Wonder Years’, we’re actively planning for parenthood and to avoid unwanted surprises there are many methods used to control it. Dr. Ho Choon Moy, explained in detailed of the several methods applicable such as double dutch, contraceptive pills and many more. However, many of us were surprised to find out that contraceptive pills offer other benefits such as regulating our period, treatment of PMS and many more (refer to the slide below)
So, what happens as we gradually aged? That’s when our ‘Golden Years’ begin as we will be entering our menopause stage which is known as the final menstrual period. Each woman enters menopause stage differently, some as early as in their 40’s and some as late as the 50’s. In general, most women hits menopause at the age of 51. There are two stages in menopause as follows:
- Peri-menopause – starts from anytime in your 40s until the beginning of post menopause.
- Post-menopause – one year after last menstrual cycle
When a woman starts peri-menopause to post-menopause, there are many symptoms that causes us discomfort such as sleep disorder, mood changes, vasomotor systems, menstrual disorders and hot flushes. Is there a way to relieve ourselves from this symptoms? In here, Dr. Ho Choon Moy explained about Hormone Therapy Replacement (HRT) that’s effective and can help relieve our menopause systems, protect post-menopause osteoporosis, and prevents Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM). We’re encouraged to consult with our doctors when we hit menopause stage, as there are ways to help lighten our discomfort.
Besides this, we also took the time to check out the booth set up by other sponsors such as Beauty Labo, Caring Pharmacy, Betadine, Sun Tech, Slimming Sanctuary and many more. Each booth offers us different activities from bone density scan to blood pressure test as well as redeeming health and beauty products.
At Menarini’s booth, I learned about other products available such as Atopiclair (non steroidal cream for eczema treatment which is suitable even for baby and children) and Papulex (that’s suited for acne skin).
The event also serves as a charity drive for the Ragunathan family who was featured in Feminine magazine recently. Mr. Ragunathan earns RM1,200 per month and needs to feed 11 children. Thus, without the extra funds, life is truly difficult for their family. For this event, participants just need to pay RM25 and all of it was donated to the Ragunathan family. There was also a donation box set up to raise additional funds as well.
The event ended with two more health talks about the myth of Virgin Coconut Oil and health products from Sun Tech. What an informative day it has been, I’m truly glad I attended this event organised by Menarini and Feminine magazine. Shall look forward to more of it in the future.