Jing'er, the daughter of my close middle school friend, has been admitted to a university in my city. Today, she came to visit me at her mother's request.After she shared her hopeful expectations for university life, I inquired about her mother's condition. A hint of worry flashed in Jing'er's bright eyes: "Mom hasn't been feeling well lately. She often has aching back and waist pain, occasional calf cramps, and her temper has become much more irritable than before. She might be going through what people call menopause. Mom herself is quite troubled and doesn't know what to do. Do you think something might be wrong with her?"
I explained that for women in their forties, menopause—the cessation of menstruation—brings a significant drop in estrogen levels, which can disrupt many bodily functions. If proper care isn't taken during this phase, what seems minor now could lead to more serious health issues later in life.
"Auntie, you're a doctor. What should my mom do?"Jing'er looked anxious and bewildered.
I patted her head and reassured her, "Don't worry. Women going through menopause can supplement with estrogen to some extent. They should also actively increase calcium intake to prevent various diseases that may occur after menopause. The most common one is osteoporosis, which can lead to fractures—that's why people pay so much attention to it nowadays."
"No wonder my grandmother fractured her bone just from twisting her ankle."
"That's why your mother needs to be vigilant now. I recommend she start taking calcium supplements immediately and ideally undergo a comprehensive physical examination at the hospital."
"My mom took calcium supplements for a while before, but she stopped because she said they caused constipation."
"Constipation can be categorized into organic and functional types. The former results from lesions in the defecation organs (colon, rectum, and anus), while the latter stems from insufficient food intake, overly refined diets lacking fiber to stimulate the rectum, disrupted bowel habits, or psychological factors and lifestyle changes.Your mother's constipation might be a gastrointestinal reaction to inorganic calcium supplements. You could have her try Leli Amino Acid Chelated Calcium. Unlike some traditional calcium supplements, it doesn't produce calcium hydroxide precipitation, thus avoiding gastrointestinal side effects. It also contains Vitamin D3 and multiple essential trace elements. It's convenient to take—just one tablet daily—making it suitable for middle-aged and elderly individuals needing long-term calcium supplementation."
Jing'er's frown eased as she exclaimed happily, "That's wonderful! Now my mom won't have to worry!"
Recommended Reading:
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