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An army of baby boomers (nearly 35 million to 40 million right now and another 20 million in the next decade) is storming on to menopause. And myths and generalities concerning this time of life are the enemy.

If this were the turn of the 20th century, menopause would signal the beginning of the end, since a woman's life expectancy at that time was only 62 years. But today, a 50-year-old woman can expect to live at least one third of her life after menopause.

So, as you enter this stage of life, get comfortable - you're just hitting your stride. This journey, like every other, is powered by knowledge. A first step is to learn what is happening to your body and what you can do to hit the ground running.

Not a time for a midlife crisis

Expecting a midlife crisis? Actually, though we've all heard about them, you likely won't have to go through one.

A 10-year study sponsored by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation reveals that most mid-lifers are doing just fine, thank you. In interviews with more than 3,000 people, researchers found that people generally have a positive response to midlife changes, citing growing satisfaction with marriage and relationships.

The majority of women interviewed considered menopause, the time in a woman's life when menstruation stops (typically between the ages of 45 and 55), to be a benign (that is, mild or gentle) experience.

So just how good do I have it?

It depends on you, your body, your hormones, your diet, your fitness level and your attitude. Here are some basic definitions.

Perimenopause. The stage of your life leading up to menopause is referred to as perimenopause. These are the years, typically the mid-40s, but possibly even in your 30s, when your body says, "Get ready!" You begin to produce fewer of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Like any change, this may or may not wreak havoc. It may last for as little as two years or as long as eight.

Menopause. Every woman is born with thousands of eggs. Each month one or more may be released. During menopause your body, wonderfully efficient instrument that it is, cuts back on its production of female hormones. In turn, this leads to decreased egg release.

You may think you've reached menopause when you've stopped having a menstrual period. In fact, though, the clinical diagnosis is not made until you have gone without a period for 12 months in a row. For most women, this takes place sometime around age 51, but it can happen years earlier or later. Every woman is different.

Postmenopause. This is the term used for the years in your life following menopause. Once you are postmenopausal, you are at increased risk for developing two significant diseases: heart disease and osteoporosis. Although all women need to be aware of their risk for these diseases, they can dramatically reduce them with regular exercise and a healthy, calcium-rich diet. Talk with your doctor about what levels of exercise and calcium are appropriate for you.

Sources: MIDMAC. How healthy are we? A national study of well-being at midlife. Accessed May 30, 2008. National Institute on Aging. AgePage. Menopause. Accessed May 30, 2008.

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