Ancient wisdom for the modern body, mind and spirit.
Menopause:
The Second Spring
“There is no more creative force in the world than the menopausal woman with zest.” Margaret Mead
Current research into the physiological changes that take place during the menopausal transition reveals that in addition to the cessation of reproductive hormonal shifts, there are also intricate changes to the nervous system that can serve as an opportunity for massive personal growth. The peri-menopausal and menopausal brains are being rewired and there is an invitation to change how one relates to the world, how we think and respond to the status quo.
It is a developmental stage that holds promise for new directions, careers, and purpose.
It is a time of life viewed through the wisdom of Chinese medicine called the Second Spring.
Sometimes Support is Necessary
Compared to 1900, women will live another 30 to 40 years beyond menopause!
90% of the women in the U.S. observe menstrual cycle changes and erratic ovulation patterns over a 4-8 year period of time.
Also common are night sweats are nocturnal hot flashes, which contribute to insomnia, accompanied by fatigue the next day, feeling foggy-headed, forgetful, irritable, anxious, headaches and depressed.
Vaginal dryness and low libido are often due to low estrogen as well.
The most common uncomfortable symptom for almost 85% of American women is hot flashes. Some sources say 45% of women experience hot flashes for longer than 5 years.
75% of women experience vasomotor symptoms. These symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, and migraines.
HRT may help, but it's not
the whole answer
A long term 9-year study initiated by the National Institute of Health-funded the Women’s Health Initiative to conduct randomized control trials to evaluate the benefits of HRT on decreasing the risks of the leading causes of disease and death in women ages 50-79. 160,000 subjects were recruited to be followed over a 9 year period.
The study was halted when evidence revealed that HRT actually increased the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, pulmonary emboli, and breast cancer, with only a slight benefit to osteoporosis.
It was concluded that the risks of HRT outweighed the identified benefits. Recent studies indicate that a brief course of HRT early in menopause is safe and may provide some lasting relief of symptoms.
Currently, doctors are finding some success in symptom relief with the use of antidepressants as well as low dose transdermal patches of a blood pressure medication to reduce hot flashes.
About 20% of all American women experience no symptoms at all. In some cultures, it is reported that women do not experience any of these symptoms.
Why is this?