Approaching Menopause

The physical symptoms and signs of menopause are not cut and dried, do not appear in any logical order and are not experienced by all women the same way all of the time. Now is the time to spend some time understanding this journey and letting it happen rather than fighting it.

Talk to other women who are in mid-life. Support from others going through a similar experience will be valuable. Depending on the women, you may find yourself laughing harder than you ever have.

Hot Flushes and Night Sweats: Sounds sexy. Could even be the name of a band. Unfortunately, red, puffy and clammy is a better way of describing the flash in the pan heat and dripping wet experience.

Vaginal Dryness: Less natural lubrication makes the terrain of the vagina change from a humid rain forest to a desert. Also includes dryness in other mucous membrane areas like the nasal passages, eyes and mouth. Think prune.

Decreased Sexual Drive: As hormone levels drop you may find your desire shifting from fourth gear to neutral. Dryness plays a role here too.

Dizziness: Most often experience as light headedness rather than that inner ear vertigo feeling of being at sea.

Heart Palpitations: Sometimes associated with hot flushes. Your heart races faster than your normal beating without the cardiovascular exercise.

Weight Gain: Experienced as an over all, pudding like thickening of the body. End result is a pear-like shape.

Menopause is preceded by perimenopause and followed by post menopause. All three stages come with their own tell take signs with considerable overlap from one to the other. So, unlike the beginning of your period, which seems to happen in a single moment of time, menopause is very wishy washy. Full menopause is considered to be in effect when you have not had your period for a full year.

There are many alternatives to taking medications. Before deciding on medications, do your homework. Become your own authority.

Remember so many of your symptoms could be made worse by your emotional state. Eg, if you have suffered depression or anxiety in the past it could come back at this time. You will need to understand what is happening for you.

My program for helping you understand what is happening to you at this time will give you a greater awareness both of your body and your emotions.

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