Time To Pause and Think How Amazing it is
Every woman of a certain age goes through it and every man who loves a woman of a certain age suffers nearly as much! While much maligned and feared in countries like the US and UK, and addressed as if it’s a condition that needs to be treated, elsewhere menopause is celebrated as a normal part of aging and appreciated as a sign of maturity. I choose the latter approach.
I’ve had my share of discomfort and I’ll gladly share some strategies to ease the transition below, but first let’s think about how amazing it is that our bodies spontaneously make this adjustment once the child-bearing years are over. Let’s face it, dealing with periods every month is no fun but such is the requirement to keep the machinery that enables us to grow a whole human inside us in optimal condition. I am blessed to have used that machinery twice to grow my two wonderful sons and they are worth all the pain and suffering (don’t tell them I said so!).
At 51 years old I fall into the post-menopausal category which means I have not had a period for over 12 months. I am thankful to be released from full periods that in recent years occurred every 21-23 days, monthly would have been welcome! But I still seem to have a cycle with some of the emotional and physical symptoms but no bleeding. Plus the newer symptoms more associated with menopause like night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia and periodic brain fog. My husband would call me a wonderfully complex package of eccentricities that strike every 3 weeks or so but as long as there’s good communication as to what is going on we face it together and adjust accordingly.
Conventional medicine is ready to sell you pills and potions to replace estrogen (that naturally falls during menopause as nature intended) or address the many symptoms one by one but this will only lead to a body further out of balance with documented side effects from mild to life-threatening. Let me offer you another approach.
Address any ongoing health problems preferably long before your menopause years as a body already out of balance is likely to suffer worse menopause symptoms.
At a minimum, fix your food to nourish your microbiome and address nutrient deficiencies, maintain a regular exercise or movement regimen, and address your stress. Take this time in your life as a full transition to a new you that is flourishing physically and mentally. Go along with the maturing of your body rather than trying to work against it. I took a rather extreme measure to resign from my Corporate position of 25 years and forge my own path partly to reduce the stress that was the main remaining culprit in my life given the healthy lifestyle I have committed to for the last 13 years. But here’s some other strategies that have served me well.
Ditch the Meat
While my diet has been heavily plant based for many years, I had been eating grass fed beef once or twice a week, and occasional organic chicken. Cooking for three men in my house meant there was usually some meat around. But I read a study of menopausal women where half were assigned a diet with no meat or poultry with a half-cup of edamame (soy beans) consumed daily. Guess what? It completely worked! My hot flashes, at one point several a day, often in embarrassing situations, completely disappeared.
Ashwaganda Root
Known for many excellent effects on the body I turned to ashwaganda for its effects on the nervous system. Identifying stress as the biggest issue I was facing I needed to down-regulate my adrenal glands and cortisol production. I also practice deep breathing and periodically utilize Tapping (a sort of cross between acupuncture and meditation).
Daily Movement
Although I hike twice a week with my husband I needed to incorporate more daily movement into my routine. Whether it’s the gym, walks around my neighbourhood, or some gardening, the more movement I get in my day the better I sleep and feel.
Manage my Thyroid
Most of my other strategies have been focused on improving my thyroid function which has been underactive for the last several years. Of course no one factor causes any malfunction in our body, it’s always a combination and you can read about my thyroid adventures in other Posts. But focusing on improving your thyroid function is going to be a big help with overall menopause symptoms too as they go hand in hand.
So before you jump to the pills and potions or despair at the apparent failings of your aging body, embrace the change and work with your body to get it back in balance. Let me know what else you’ve tried? Black Cohosh anyone?
Eileen Hammerman
Great info!