Fitness is important at any age -- it keeps your body looking and feeling good, it helps prevent a host of chronic conditions, and it boosts your energy. But as you approach the big 4-0, there are some additional reasons why exercise is important.

Exercise helps alleviate some of the symptoms of perimenopause, which can begin anytime during your 40s. Exercise is also a proactive measure against the estrogen loss that will occur later during menopause; it can help prevent related problems such as bone loss. Menopause may seem far away -- but being active now will make it easier when menopause comes knocking on your door.

Revolution Health has fitness tips for women in their 40s:

• Increase your core strength, balance, and flexibility. Improving these areas and maintaining them will help prevent falls and stiff, achy joints as you get older. Activities such as Pilates and yoga will help. AOL Health has tips on strength and flexibility exercises.
• Do weight-bearing exercise. Bolster your bone density by participating in weight-bearing activities such as jumping rope, aerobics, tennis, and jogging.
• Keep up the cardio. Cardio workouts will help keep your heart strong and help you maintain a healthy weight.

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I have yet to meet a women who doesn't complain about her period. Goodness knows I have. We worry about it's arrival each month (admit it -- you've counted days on a calendar worrying about whether "it" will come during prom or your wedding or your beach vacation). But when it doesn't arrive like clockwork, that's worrisome in a whole other way. For women with irregular periods the question is usually "why?"

Researchers from four universities surveyed women and found that only 28% had perfectly regular cycles. The reasons for irregular periods vary. Here are just some of the possibilities:

• Late periods. If you're over 45 and your periods are stretching out for longer periods of time you might be perimenopausal. If you're under 45, talk to your doctor -- you may have a hormone imbalance.

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Hot flashes. Probably the most famous of all the menopause symptoms. But what if you could do away with them just by breathing a certain way? No pills, no hormones, just breathing.

It's called paced respiration, and the women who practice it can usually cut their number of hot flashes in half. Nobody really knows how or why this breathing technique works, but it does.

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Women going through menopause who report a decreased interest in sex are more likely to also report trouble sleeping, depression, and night sweats. Although the connections between the symptoms may seem obvious (night sweats and depression can cause trouble sleeping, and fatigue can cause all kinds of problems -- including decreased sex drive), this study marks the first time menopause, sleeping, and low libido have all been connected.

The connection at this point doesn't mean much, other than more studies scheduled and doctors probably being more aware of what side-effects the medications they're prescribing might have. This does, however, strongly reinforce the difficulties many women face when going through menopause, and how symptoms can play off of each other making things even worse.

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The trend in society has always been toward the bolder and less inhibited, from the changes in swimsuits to what's now allowed on TV -- from generation to generation we're definitely not getting any more conservative! It's a delicate subject for some, as opinions on whether it's good or bad for society as a whole vary wildly.

That being said, menopause happens to all women at some point in their lives, and it's not always a simple or easy change to go through. Of course there's a time and a place for everything, but nowadays it's getting much easier for women to find the support and understanding they need because it's more acceptable to talk about things like hot flashes and mood swings. It used to be so "hush hush" that women were stuck suffering in silence.

I'm still pretty shy when it comes to blurting out personal issues in a public setting (and I'm not going through menopause), but it's nice to know that when I do want to talk about something it's not going to be a big deal or make for some broken social rule. And for those of you who do enjoy announcing "hot flash!" loudly over dinner? More power to you!

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Apparently they can, in post-menopausal women anyway. In an enormous study that looked at over 36,000 women over 7 years, calcium and vitamin D specifically were shown to reduce the pounds gained in the years following menopause. Not by a lot, but every little bit helps. And of course calcium and vitamin D are also known for helping maintain or even improve bone health.

Whether women choose to get their calcium and vitamin D from their diets or from pill supplements is up to them, but experts are warning that is isn't a magic weight loss trick. Women will of course still need to watch what they eat and exercise to keep that "muffin top" in check.

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