The menopause is the cessation of menstrual periods that occurs in most women sometime between the ages of 45 & 53 at that time, the body's reproductive machinery shut down, though the shutdown is hardly an overnight thing. Some women periods stop abruptly, while in others the amount and duration of the menstrual flow tapers off gradually. The most common pattern, however, is irregular there will be a heavy flow one month scant flow the next month, several months with no periods at all, them another flow or two before the periods stop altogether. In much the same way, the body's production of sex hormones slows down. The levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and progesterone (the female hormone that plays a major part in menstruation) are reduced in the body. Often the reduction comes by fits and starts. The body's hormonal state is shifting in to a new equilibrium, and sometimes the shift is jerky and uneven the result can be a hormonal imbalance the "Raging hormone" syndrome. As with every big change in the body's chemistry, good nutrition is essential for a smooth transition. What you eat can help you deal with some of the unpleasant side effects of the menopause and protect you against ailments that commonly afflict women after the change is complete. As the body's chemical balance shifts, its nutritional needs after as well. Some women suffer no symptoms at all at the menopause, but for the majority the best known symptom is hot flushes, night sweats, irritability, depression, dizziness, and fatigue. In addition, weight gain and osteoporosis (a loss of bone density) are often encountered at the menopause. Medical science has an answer for those problems, but as the often the case, the conventional remedy can cause more serious problems than those it is means to relieve. For the last so many years, what ever modern medicine prescribed to deal with menopause, produced complications like breast cancer, gall bladder disease, and high blood pressure, however these side effects can be avoided by taking herbal medicines, particularly unani treatment.