“Unashamed” of Menopause Body, Singer Shania Twain, 58, Feels “Liberated”– The Gorgeous New Photos

The ’90s icon, singer Shania Twain, now 58, exudes unwavering confidence as she gracefully ages before our very eyes. Embracing her signature glitz and glamour, Twain openly acknowledges how menopause has ushered in a profound sense of confidence and change that she wholeheartedly embraces.

Menopause, which the National Institute on Aging describes as a normal part of aging, typically begins in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Symptoms of menopause include body changes, hot flashes, and aches and pains.

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“I’m a woman in my late 50s and don’t need to hide behind the clothes. I can’t even tell you how good it felt to do nude shooting. I was just so unashamed of my new body, you know, as a woman who is well into my menopause. I’m not even emotional about it; I just feel okay about it. It’s really liberating,” Twain previously told People Magazine.

The average age women go through the menopausal transition, which usually lasts approximately seven to 14 years.

“The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity,” the institute explains.

“The menopausal transition affects each woman uniquely and in various ways. The body begins to use energy differently, fat cells change, and women may gain weight more easily. You may experience changes in your bone or heart health, your body shape and composition, or your physical function.”

While many women grow to expect the onset of menopause as they age, it can still be an emotional experience. However, menopause can occur even when you are younger than 45. When this happens, it’s called early or premature menopause. The U.S. Office on Women’s Health says early menopause occurs between 40 and 45.

“About 5% of women naturally go through early menopause. Smoking and certain medicines or treatments can cause menopause to come earlier than usual,” the Office on Women’s Health said.

How Cancer Patients May Experience Early Menopause

Certain cancer treatments can contribute to the early onset of menopause. Chemotherapy and radiation are examples of standard cancer treatments that can cause menopause. When women have their ovaries removed or undergo hormonal treatment, early menopause may also emerge.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology examined the risk of menopause during the first year after a breast cancer diagnosis. The researchers noted that women with breast cancer “often enter a premature menopause during initial treatment…adjuvant therapy (cancer treatment given after initial treatment) is believed to contribute to this early menopause.”

Researchers concluded that “age and systemic chemotherapy are the strongest predictors of menopause” in women with breast cancer.

A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute drew attention to premature menopause after treatment for Hodgkin Lymphoma.

During the study that evaluated more than 2,000 women, researchers found that “women who received six or more cycles of a standard chemotherapy regimen without pelvic radiotherapy in their late 20s had an approximately 18% chance of undergoing menopause by the age of 30, or 58% by age 40.”

Surgery for ovarian cancer can cause early menopause because it involves the removal of the ovaries. Surgically induced menopause is a very different experience from menopause occurring naturally during a woman’s life.

“Surgical menopause is very sudden,” says Dr. Daynelle Dedmond, a gynecologic oncologist with Centura Health. I explain to patients that they’re going to experience changes immediately; within the first 24 to 48 hours [after surgery], they’ll start having symptoms, particularly hot flashes.”

Women who received ovarian radiotherapy and chemotherapy also saw their risk of early menopause increase. Sometimes, these treatments may also affect fertility.

Managing Menopause Symptoms

Although menopause is a natural occurrence, there are some things women can do to minimize the impact of menopausal symptoms.

We must first outline some well-known menopause symptoms, which include:

• Menstruation changes
• Hot Flashes
• Bladder control issues
• Difficulty sleeping
• Vaginal health and sexuality changes
• Mood changes
• Body changes
• Aches and pains

The Office on Women’s Health suggests options for dealing with these symptoms.

To help with hot flashes, women may consider hormonal medication or, cooling off with a cold beverage or seeking air-conditioned air. To help with vaginal complications, moisturizers, and lubricants can offer relief. When having difficulty sleeping, consider exercising, avoid eating or drinking immediately before bed, and practice good sleeping habits such as darkening the bedroom and keeping it cool and quiet. To help with mood changes, consider getting enough sleep, minimizing stress, and seeking a support group or a therapist.

“There are certain instances where physicians can prescribe medications that may improve the vaginal dryness, or some other things that may be able to be prescribed, but it very specifically depends on what type of ovarian cancer a patient had, what their outcome was, and their risk of recurrence in the future,” explains Dr. Dedmond.

“Most of the time, we suggest lubricants for dryness and to help with elasticity of the vagina for more comfort during intercourse. We also want patients to be very deliberate and careful and have good communication with their partner, including about allowing plenty of time to be able to relax,” Dr. Dedmond continued.

Ovarian cancer survivor Araceli Rubi said when she experienced menopause earlier than she could have ever expected, it was a complete shock.

Though her doctor had warned her that she would go into early menopause, “I didn’t know what I was expecting,” says the stage I ovarian cancer survivor from Memphis, Tennessee. Her immediate response was,” ‘Ok, what’s going on? What’s this?'”

When Rubi would wake up in the middle of the night with her pajamas drenched in sweat, she’d call the nurse to ask, “Is this normal?” The nurse responded that night that feelings of intense heat accompanied by sweating in the middle of the night were normal parts of surgery-induced menopause.

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