The Cellular Water Principle® is not about drinking eight or more
glasses of water a day; it’s about getting and maintaining water
in the cells, so that the body can function in its full capacity.

Next to oxygen, water is the more important substance you
need, and almost everything we know about aging tells us that
the decline in function over the years is a story on water loss. 
Imagine a baby, at birth.  Its body weight is about 75 percent
water.  In our adult years it drops to just 60 percent.  Combine
the loss of water with the reduction in hormone levels experienced
in menopause, and the visual and physical effects of aging
can be quite dramatic.

What is menopause and why is it so unsettling? In a society
that embraces youth, it signals the aging process and takes its
toll emotionally as well as physically.  A part of every woman’s
reproductive life cycle, menopause is the cessation of menstruation
during which a woman’s ovaries produce less of the female hormone
estrogen.  Menopause cannot be diagnosed medically, until a
woman has been period-free for one year without being pregnant,
breastfeeding, medication or certain diseases — factors that can
also cause menstruation to cease.  After menopause, women are
no longer able to bear children and become more vulnerable to
certain diseases. 

Menopause is unpredictable.  The drop in hormone levels
differ from woman to woman, as do overall menopausal symptoms. 
While the onset of menopause usually occurs between the ages of
45 and 55, some women in their early 30’s experience menopausal
sleeplessness, weight gain, irritability, temporary memory loss, hot
flashes, increased facial hair, acne and dry skin. 

Medical studies have shown that hormonal changes taking place
during and post-menopause can change skin composition.  The
sub dermis, or layer of fat that cushions the skin, deflates while
the production of collagen and elastin (structural protein tissue)
lessens.  The dermis (the skin’s supporting and nourishing layer)
thins out and the skin loses much of its “extensibility,” or ability
to bounce back.  This is due primarily to the decreased level of
estrogen that prevents the growth, leading to the weakening of
blood vessels causing broken capillaries.  The lack of nutrients and
oxygen contribute to this thinning and slower cell turnover rate. 

The physical ramifications of menopause are apparent.  Wrinkles
become more prominent, while the skin assumes a dull, discolored,
rough, dry appearance.  Additionally, women who never had acne
in their life may discover unexpected breakouts because of a lack
of estrogen in their bodies.  They may have more facial hair and,
due to the thinning of skin with age, brown spots, more sensitive
skin and fine, dilated blood vessels.

An option for some women is Hormone Replacement Therapy
(HRT), sometimes called postmenopausal hormone therapy. 
With HRT, estrogen is supplemented with another female hormone,
progesterone.  HRT is available in a variety of forms, such as
estrogen tablets, patches, cream, implants or a combination of
these.  It is only suggested for healthy women with specific
problems directly related to menopause.  HRT has been shown
to help prevent many of the physical changes experienced during
and after menopause.  However, side effects to this therapy may
include monthly bleeding, breast tenderness, nausea, abdominal
bloating and headaches.  Recent studies warn women against
the risks of HRT.  It is important to thoroughly evaluate all
benefits and risks with a physician.