Menopause - or "Men: Pause!"?

I received an email from a woman wondering whether menopause could account for her loss of interest in sex. The short answer to that question is - possibly. However, long after menopause, the ovaries continue to produce estrogen and testosterone, both of which play an important role in sexual desire and response. But testosterone is the biggie in driving desire, and women have 10-100 times less testosterone than men from the get go. So women start out with a disadvantage in the desire department, and little things like MENOPAUSE don't help the cause. Luckily, menopause often comes along at a time when children are almost grown - maybe even gone! - and women are freed from some of their caregiving tasks. That means some new energy which can be directed toward more 'selfish' pursuits - like taking deep breaths and eating something other than fast food and sleeping for 7 hours straight. It also means more energy available for sex. The key is to forget about waiting for divine inspiration. Spontaneous desire is lovely when it happens (for many women, that's only when they're newly in love) but it's way over-rated. Sex is important and shouldn't be left to chance. Be intentional in creating opportunities for sex and jump-start your interest with whatever turns you on. Menopause doesn't have to be a' man-pause'as long as you don't leave sex to the whim of desire.