EMBRACING MENOPAUSE
Health and Healing in the “Wisdom Years”

Today, approximately 70 million American women are menopausal. I think that’s great news for this country and the planet!  Women in this stage of life have accumulated wisdom. They rock—but it comes with a price.

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a fixed point in time: the date on which you haven’t had a menstrual period for a year. Medical menopause is menopause brought about by medical treatment, typically a hysterectomy or cancer treatment, accounting for an incredible 25 percent of women entering menopause!

Hormonal balance is our normal state. When we experience menopausal symptoms, as do 80 percent of women, we are suffering from hormonal imbalance, an abnormal state. The demands we place on our bodies like stress, poor diet, lack of exercise and cumulative exposure to toxins, all make the problem much worse. Menopause symptoms are definitely related to diet, lifestyle and our genes. But almost all women can resolve these issues, easily and naturally!

Symptoms of Menopause

First let’s take a look at the symptoms of menopause which are caused by hormonal imbalances and changes—not necessarily estrogen loss. The stronger your health foundation as you approach menopause, the less your symptoms are likely to disrupt your life. These are the most common symptoms:

• hot flashes or night sweats
• sleep disorders—insomnia, restless sleep, then fatigue
• mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, nervousness
• lowered sex drive, vaginal dryness, atrophy vulvar thinning
• menstrual cycle changes, including heavier periods, uterine fibroids, spotting between periods, skipped cycles, PMS and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)
• fuzzy thinking, failing memory and attention
• food cravings, stubborn weight gain, insulin resistance, difficulty controlling blood sugar
• digestive problems such as irritable bowel, bloating, acid reflux
• cardiac complaints including heart arrhythmia, chest pain, palpitations, heart disease and stroke
• inflammation, stiffness or pain in joints and muscles
• dizziness, decreased balance, headaches or menstrual migraines
• breast tenderness, breast cysts, nipple discharge
• hair loss, unwanted facial hair, dry eyes/skin/hair, midlife acne
• urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections (UTI’s), pelvic prolapse, cystocele, rectocele
• increased allergies and sensitivities, hives.
• HRT.

It’s more important than ever for every woman to educate herself about this important issue and to use her own innate feminine wisdom to make healthy choices when it comes to treating the symptoms of menopause.

The Hazards of Synthethic Hormonal Replacement Therapy

Until recently, many doctors encouraged women to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopausal symptoms. HRT, we were told, not only helped with “the change” but also strengthened bones (Fact check?) But we now know the truth. And it’s not pretty - some forms of HRT are linked to cancer! 

If you have been on prescribed HRT and want to stop, you’ll need to take into consideration the type of synthetic hormones you’ve taken and how long you’ve used them. If your symptoms of HRT were severe, your HRT prescription probably is higher-dosage and you could have symptoms of HRT withdrawal when you quit. There could be a “rebound effect.”

More than 80 percent of women on HRT also have other health challenges that are obstacles to restoring their wellness after they are off HRT. The most common of these are digestive problems (floral imbalance, leaky gut syndrome and others) and endocrine problems (primarily insulin resistance, adrenal exhaustion and hypothyroidism). Not surprisingly, these disorders all can interfere with hormonal balance and need to be addressed along with the menopause symptoms.

That’s why it’s never wise to stop taking prescription medications without guidance from a trained medical professional. You will need to put a support program in place first—rich nutrition, a well-functioning digestive system so your nutrition is completely absorbed, a robust metabolism, and a program of exercise and stress reduction. Then you can wean off the HRT gradually. Natural remedies can also help.

Natural solutions for a natural stage of life.

Providing your body with the proper support to ease the transition into menopause is easier than you think. We have found that women get amazing results simply by giving their bodies the nutrition they need. Eating a balanced diet of protein, healthy fats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables gives your body and brain the building materials they need to function at their best (and make menopause much easier).

These building materials must also include the vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that make menopause a lot less troublesome. Adding a high-grade multivitamin-mineral complex and essential fatty acids like the Women’s Empowerment Formula (more info about the ingredients?) will help bridge the gaps in your nutritional needs and ensure you have an adequate supply of micronutrients for hormonal balance.

To wean yourself off of HRT, consider asking your health practitioner about using phytotherapy, low-dose bioidentical progesterone and other forms of bioidentical hormones to ease women’s symptoms. To date, few studies have been done in the U.S. to measure these natural remedies, but those published have been promising and affirm an intuitive sense that when it comes to hormones, that which is closer to nature is preferable.

Healing Mind & Body

At Vibrant Way, we also recognize that menopausal symptoms are determined by both our emotional and physical states. Stress and negative emotions can be just as toxic and certain foods and drugs. When you are stressed, for example, it just makes the symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and night sweats even worse. Many mind-body practitioners also link anger to the liver and, in turn, to women’s hot flashes.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. A recent study also showed that deep breathing and relaxation exercises, done throughout the day, significantly lower the frequency and severity of some symptoms. You may also want to practice meditation in order to relax.  

Regular exercise can also ease symptoms of menopause including anxiety. Finally, learn to identify and channel negative emotions accordingly, and find ways to give yourself more time for relaxing and re-energizing

Our Women’s Empowerment Program is a great way to get natural relief fast!

Read what our clients are saying!