Almost 4,000 women in the UK undergo operations each year to remove their ovaries. The procedure, which triggers the menopause, is often carried out on younger women to prevent cancer.

But now scientists from Toronto University have linked the surgery with a reduction in memory and thinking skills.

Experts fear this may eventually lead to early-onset dementia for many women, and even to Alzheimer's.

The menopause is so often regarded as a negative experience, but it can be a new chapter in which many women find themselves with a new lease of life.

The rush of energy and increased confidence that women can experience can be the perfect springboard for pursuing long-held ambitions or new dreams, whether that's embarking on a new career, taking up a new sport or hobby, or simply taking the time to focus on feeling your best.

Here we speak to women about the greater self-assurance that comes with menopause – and what it inspired them to do.

The therapeutic benefits of omega-3 fatty acids – which are abundant in certain fish oils – have long been known. In the 1950s, upon the discovery that omega-3 improves brain development, cod liver oil was given for free to young children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. In the 80s, scientists reported that eskimos enjoy better coronary health than their mainland counterparts as a result of their fish rich diets. And in 2009, a study published in the Menopause journal suggested that omega-3 helps reduce the frequency of hot flushes in menopausal women.

Brain imaging and gene analyses in twins reveal that white matter integrity is linked to an iron homeostasis gene.

 Iron deficiency is a well-known cause of impaired cognitive, language, and motor development, but a report out today (January 9) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that even in apparently healthy young adults, variations in iron levels correlate with variations in brain structure integrity.

More forgetful? Not thinking as clearly? Simple arithmetic coming more slowly? Worried that mental functions are worsening? Are the processes of aging catching up? There is much that can be done to prevent worsening mental functioning and memory loss. For some, memory loss heralds the onset of dementia. Regardless of a person's occupation or social environment, loss of memory is the most feared consequence of aging...

 ...Specific nutritional interventions and nutritional supplements can help to detoxih/and protect individual cells of the brain and nervous system.