Let’s talk about the menopause….from the very beginning….as it has been around from the very beginning of time. As long as there have been females there has been the menopause. 

So why are so many treating it like they have purchased it from a department store and are horrified with their purchase?? The menopause isn’t something we picked up in between the grocery aisles by accident because every other person was buying it and we felt curious and pressurised by our peers!

There are very few things we can firmly say with confidence that are guaranteed to happen to us. The first is too morbid and more for the discerning individual but the second is for every person who menstruates: most of us will not leave without experiencing the menopause! Fact…

That said…why are we having such a hard time accepting and living with the menopause? If our female ancestors, without having the luxury of going to the local pharmacy armed with a prescription for one of the most controversial drugs ever invented, survived, then surely we can too? Maybe we need to have a closer look at the causes of our symptoms rather than medicating immediately. Today’s fast paced modern life doesn’t give way for exploration of symptoms. If it can be bought on Amazon Prime and arrives in the next 12 hours then we are more content with that outcome instead. 

This subject needs to be reviewed with urgency!

Most women go through the menopause between the ages 45-55 although for some it happens prematurely and in others it can be induced by medical treatments such as cancer treatments, to stop the body producing oestrogen as the hormone feeds breast and ovarian cancer. 

The first oestrogen pill was introduced in 1942 and HRT became available to women in the UK in 1965 without the sorts of trials that would be done today to look at side effects. The sales pitch played on women’s fear of ‘losing their husbands’ through hot flashes at bedtime, sweats and wrinkles’ hence losing her youth! 

A UK based study began in 1996 which found an increased rate of breast and ovarian cancer in women who took HRT. Thousands of women stopped and thousands more became anxious about starting it. 

The pendulum has swung back the other way when in 2005 the National institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published long term findings showing women do not die from taking HRT. HRT does work. But it is accepted that HRT increases the chances that a woman will get breast or ovarian cancer and possibly heart disease and stroke in those over 60……but you just won’t die as a result!

Are you willing to take your chances?

There are no easy answers but who is looking for an easy answer when it comes to our health?

When it comes to our lifestyle choices - nutrition, exercise, sleep and mindset play starring roles in optimising health and minimising medication. Our lifestyles are maladaptive to our hormones during the perimenopausal and menopausal years. It is not the other way around. I’ve lost count of the amount of people I’ve spoken to with menopausal symptoms who are simply not looking after themselves. They are tired and stressed from intense jobs and lifestyle demands and are drinking alcohol to relax, without focusing on functional nutrition and relaxation. Is it any wonder the weight gain is coming from consistently producing cortisol (the stress hormone) and that the sex drive is on the decline?? 

I am not saying there will be no symptoms and hormones absolutely have to be managed at this stage of life, as there is now a hormone deficiency, and the earlier this is managed, the better.  What I am saying is that this can be achieved naturally.  Small and simple changes in these areas can have tremendous influence on the quality of life and your level of day to day energy. Alternative non drug options such as yoga, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, lifestyle changes including weight loss management and incorporating phytoestrogens from food are a few ways to address this issue in the first instance. Other tips to help with hot flushes are by avoiding synthetic materials. Simply changing a few items in your wardrobe and your duvet cover to 100% wool or cotton helps regulate body temperature especially throughout the night.

Evening primrose oil and other natural alternatives are widely available to help with regulating hormones. These are just a few of the options available that we can help you discover and implement easily into your daily routine.

There is always an alternative answer in nature and our mission at MindVibes is to help you find the right solution to ease these naturally occurring ailments. Don't suffer alone. There is always a way to restore your body to its natural rhythm by exploring alternative options. 

Can the MindVibes team of Certified Health Coaches help you to explore alternatives and functional ways to deal with the angst of modern living??