Peri-Menopause : It Can Be Great !!

As females, if we are lucky enough to make it to this chapter of life, we may fall into the trap of believing the society story that this is an intense, very rough and challenging time - years of crazy and erratic hormonal symptoms and feeling not so flash.  

Menopause is the end of our menses, menstruation.  It is when we as females stop maturing eggs which means we become infertile and hence certain functions of the body are slowing down or stopping, the ones which were supporting our body to grow new life.  Peri-menopause is the transition into Menopause (menses pause).  I see many women who are panicked and say they are in peri-menopause only to talk with them and calmly reassure them that they are still far from this.  That’s not to say its something to be fearful of, I’m just saying don’t jump the gun just because you’re feeling a bit tired, noticing a bit more tummy, sometimes feel a bit hot or your period is a bit wonky right now.  There are many factors, often, as mentioned below, and slowing things down, tuning into yourself, getting outside support and not listening to every single podcast or insta-famous self-made health guru will help you a lot, I’m very sure of that.

It saddens me that I hear women being apprehensive of perimenopause.   Just as what we often fear and are told about periods and pregnancy, there is a huge disempowerment and lack of support and positive guidance of this and the different phases of being a woman.  Although I haven't personally experienced menopause I can very confidently say this is one of the main things I focus on in clinic and it definately can be positively supported with basically no symptoms and instead deep clarity and empowerment of this very vital chapter.  It often only takes a few sessions of acupuncture and herbs and women are feeling great, have more energy, no crazy flushes, sweating or dryness down there and aren't feeling as flabby or fluidy.

Menopause is the WISDOM chapter !!  In ancient cultures there was deep respect and support for women passing into the this phase.  Highly regarded for having *lived and experienced* life, often having been a mother or having nurtured someone or something in a way that only females can.  

I want to share that this understanding is not what we are taught in Uni when completing the 4 year full time Bachelor of Science in Chinese Medicine, instead there is a whole extra 1.5 year diploma which teaches the lost parts of TCM (Traditional) known as Classical Chinese Medicine.  Learning these ways, which focus a lot of a different ancient style of herbal medicine has completely propelled my clinic in such a positive direction, and brings great results and is so easy to understand and explain.  I am grateful to my teachers over this last 15 years and honoured to all the women who has entrusted me with their wellness and wellbeing.  It is through witnessing the positive difference this knowledge has on peoples lives and how much my teachers have willingly shared that drives me to continue to share this with as many people, especially women, that I can.

So, what have I noticed over 10 years of working with females transitioning into their peri-menopause years and what can you do to support yourself  ??

1.

Firstly, many women seem to find this one challenging, so lets start with the tricky one hey !!  Menopause, the end of menstruation aka no more eggs, is not a time of *drying or shrivelling up* instead it is a time of deep awareness and wisdom.  It is also considered a time of *repose* - which our western society does not really talk about.  The definition of *repose* is 'the act of resting, the state of being at rest, also a state of mind : freedom from worry.'

One of the most common links I’ve noticed with this age group of women is they are on a roll but also have soooo much on their plate and jammed into their schedules.  And I get it, there are often teenage kids, busy families, households, their business or career is booming and they want to be amongst it all.  It’s tricky because in many ways the body is wanting more slowness, which doesn’t mean sloth mode though, it is wanting awareness and more directed attention on the things that are worthy and matter most.  It is usually the mind that is pushing us, in all of our phases, which causes a lot of the struggles and hurdles we may come across.

Often it seems we want more energy and to feel better, more clarity and more grounded-ness although we need to make more space for this as well and put less burden on our body and minds, especially as they are transitioning into this deeper more potent phase of life.

2.

Secondly, understanding what is actually changing in our body during this time is vital as when we know we can act accordingly and will be more gentle and appreciative of ourselves.

You can find part 1 of my Chinese Medicine explanation here : 

In clinic we can successfully reduce symptoms (in most cases they disappear completely), boost metabolism and fluid metabolism again, clear the mind, improve sleep and mood and get that zest back while balancing hormones.  For these cases I always use both acupuncture and Chinese herbs as we want to create a strong and sustainable treatment approach.  Usually after the first 1 - 3 sessions we get great improvement.

3.

Some things to avoid to smooth your experience are (these may unfortunately be your favourites) :

Coffee, sugar, alcohol, spicy foods ….  The main reason is that they all have a heating and drying quality.  In Chinese Medicine dietary therapy (1 of our 5 branches of this complete medicine system) we view all foods by their flavour, temperature, direction of movement and affect on the body.  These 4 foods and drinks will naturally encourage our internal heat to move upwards, which in peri-menopause is already happening, so we don’t want to encourage this.  Instead we want to anchor our internal heat (as I mention in the Instagram Reel here )

Reduce your meal size at the end of the day to lighten the burden on your digestive system.  Opt for a light, fresh meal or soup or broth or even fruit if it feels good.  Not eating past 6 pm can often be beneficial even if having a more substantial meal.  This will give your digestive system enough time and energy to process food and drink properly without trying to do it while you sleep.

Clear your mind : one major symptom of peri-menopause can be restless or broken sleep.  In my professional (and personal) experience, when there is broken sleep it is in most cases because the mind is busy and thinks it’s a brilliant time to be alert and process things when we are still and the world seems quieter.  It makes sense really but is obviously not supportive or constructive.  You can find ways to help calm your mind, but first I suggest clearing your mind.  Writing, expressing yourself physically or creatively, singing, movement and any other form where you feel like you are gaining precious *space* within you will be supportive, and it may look different to another womans preference.  Trust yourself and what feels best for *you*.

Utilise soft music, soft warm yellow lighting, meditations, gentle movements like walking and yin yoga or reading to feel more inner peace and quiet.

Figure out what *you* like.  Often in this chapter you have put everyone else first, and as women it can be common to feel guilty if you are *filling your cup first* (or at all!), but it is so necessary and *you* and your loved ones depend on you prioritising yourself.  It can be common in this chapter of life to feel like you have lost yourself in ways, when really we may be wanting to hold on to an *old version* of ourselves, when it is a time for a new version, a fresh, wise, empowered and strong, all knowing version.  What do you like ?  What have you always wanted to do or try ?  What makes you feel good ?  What brings a smile to your face and warms your heart ?  Do that.

There can be lots of talk about bone density during this time, and yes that is true, however I’ve noticed countless women slogging it out in the gym to get their cardio in and do their weight bearing exercises, only to feel even more burnt out, not shift any weight and increase their symptoms like sweating and flushing.  Movement is definitely important, but running yourself into the ground will not give you the results you are wanting.  Every woman will have slightly different needs and life situations, I’d suggest feeling into what actually feels good – not what your head is telling you feels good, and doing heavy exercise in moderation.  Instead adding more leaning exercises like pilates, yoga and brisk walking.  Walking is incredible, free and beautifully supports us physically and mentally.  Twenty minutes of brisk walking also helps the nervous system reset which in part will make you feel clear, grounded and means your endocrine (hormone) system will be nice and happy which means things like cortisol and excess hormone elimination will improve.  #winning

4.

Fourth : process your emotions and clear out some old thoughts and beliefs.  This is always a great thing to do but especially as we transition into and through big life chapters.  For women especially, the throat chakra (energy centre) is located at the thyroid and is responsible for standing up for ourselves, speaking our mind and our truth and expressing ourselves.  Old thoughts and feelings can easily cause stagnation leading to resentment and frustration, or a feeling of overwhelm or heaviness.  Lightening the load that we carry energetically by releasing unneeded thoughts and feelings is such a potent way to feel more peace, joy and clarity and allow the body to heal as it has been designed to do.

I truly hope this blog intrigues you and resonates for you and you can feel more supported and empowered during this time.  I will be adding to this blog with time and sharing much more about Peri-Menopause with time so stay tuned, including talking about Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Any questions or for support with acupuncture and herbal medicine please reach out.

M x