Early menopause doubles CVD risk.

Women who experience early menopause, before their 46th birthday, are twice as likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and stroke as women who don't enter menopause prematurely. The study from the October issue of Menopause adds to previous work in this field by extending the results to females of all ethnicities. 

If physicians know a patient has entered menopause before her 46th birthday, they can be extra vigilant in making recommendations and providing treatments to help prevent heart attacks and stroke. It's important that doctors do not overlook younger women who are often not targeted for prevention, because CVD is thought to be attacking women only in old age.

Keys to prevent early menopause

• Avoidance of smoking - Smokers reach menopause, on average, two years before nonsmokers.
• Oophorectomy (ovary or partial ovary removal) - Luckily, rates of elective oophorectomy have fallen since the practice of using HRT has waned.
• Eat real food with minimal chemicals or processing.
• Do not overdo it with carbohydrates. Balance each meal with lean protein and healthy fat. A new study at the American Menopause Society linked an increase in hot flashes and night sweats with insulin resistance and high serum glucose levels.