Menopause,
by Sharon Luscombe - Counsellor
Out of the Ashes Counselling Australia
What is Menopause?
Menopause is a time in a women's life that marks the end of her menstrual cycles. A doctor will diagnose this when a women has not had a menstrual period for 12 months. For many women, this is completed by the average age of 51 years. However, there are many variances. For some it's several years earlier and for others it's years later.
Prior to Menopause is a season called Perimenopause, the lead up to Menopause. This is where we find many symptoms that can be very mild for some and for others quite severe, requiring medical intervention to be able to manage through each day. It is a natural biological process but comes with many signs and symptoms.
Some of these can be ;
Weight gain, Irregular periods, Hot Flushes, Chills, Night sweats, Sleep difficulties, Vaginal dryness, Mood changes, Dry skin, Hair loss, Headaches, Slower metabolism, Loss of breast fullness to name a few.
Managing the Symptoms
There is a lot of information on how to manage the symptoms of Menopause, however, the main focus is how a women takes care of herself during this transition in her life.
Sleep;
While sleep can be tricky for a women going through menopause, thanks to those hormones fluctuating so regularly and the hot flushes or night sweats, there are a few things that can help.
A calming cool or warm bath or shower before bed can be helpful in relaxing the body.
Chamomile tea can cause the body to calm down and get ready for sleep.
Ensuring that your room is cool and and comfortable can help in getting a person off to sleep.
A gentle massage with lavender oil from your partner, or some lavender oil in a diffuser.
Exercise;
If you're a person who enjoys the gym, continue doing what you enjoy. However, for those who tend to be less active, it could be time to take up some form of gentle exercise. What this might look like is totally up to you. Keeping active has many benefits for our bodies but also benefits our mental health. Exercise can help improve moods, provide energy, promotes better sleep, puts a spark back into your sex life, helps to control weight gain, combats diseases and health issues and can be a great social activity .
Some options could include;
Walking in the cool of the day.
Gardening.
Swimming.
Walks along the beach.
Strength training and aerobic exercise.
Eating
As always it is super important to be eating a whole foods balanced diet. This means cutting out processed foods, diet fad foods, grains, takeaway foods and all junk foods and foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy carbohydrates. In doing so, this will help control weight and help combat any health concerns as well as help with moods and overall feelings of wellness.
Support;
What does support look like for you? Do you have someone you can talk to about what you're going through and how you're feeling? Are your friends and family willing to be a support system for you with whatever it is that helps you through menopause? Coffee with a friend, a partner who does the washing/cooking or someone to call when you feel emotional. It's different for each women. Some ladies find it helpful to write down what support they need and then make a plan of how to achieve that goal.
General tips;
The above are only a few ways in which menopause can be managed naturally. As always, if you are struggling with severe symptoms, make an appointment with your GP to discuss options that would benefit you personally. Along side of this, don't hesitate to call Out of the Ashes Counselling Australia for personalised counselling support or our Menopause Support Group Therapy (maximum of 6 women per group). PH:0431433690
Photo - Becca Tapert - Unsplash
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