Did I get your attention?
Good.. Because I want to talk about something very important…
Today is a very special day. It’s a day we women rarely if ever celebrate, acknowledge, talk about, or even quite frankly know the exact date of, but is a day that has a profound impact on our lives…
It’s a day that often affects so many areas of our health, well-being and relationships and yet can also be one of the most powerfully transformative times if we allow it.
So let’s get naked and squash the stigma of talking publicly about… My official entry into Menopause.
First a quick definition: Menopause is signaled by 12 months since your last menstrual cycle.That means anything before that noted day (and usually within 7-10 years) is called Peri menopause and anything after that one day is called Post menopause.
Interesting fact: Menopause is actually only ONE day of your life. Yep. It’s true. And today is that day for me.
I’m sharing this (along with a pic of me in a bra because let’s face it, the two things folks can’t handle are talking about our period and seeing a woman’s naked body!) because we make menopause a secretive, shameful experience (kind of like we tend to make women’s bodies) rather than an important, natural and possibly sensual conversation.
I never heard any of the women in my family talk about it (did you??), let alone sit with me and share what I may go through to help me prepare.
Like a young woman starting her cycle, we rarely get the information we need to arm ourselves for what’s to come.
The fact of the matter is, our bodies do undergo changes during this time: hot flashes, hormonal, mood and body changes, and a feeling that what society suggests about this time in a woman’s life may be true: that we are all washed up.
And far too often WE BELIEVE IT.
And when our hormones are out of wack, we exponentially increase the symptoms of being out of balance having us FEEL unlike our truest selves.
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Digestive Disturbance
- Heart Palpitions
- Issues with blood sugar
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Reduced Sex Drive
I personally have had to work through my own menopausal challenges and have ways – tools, resources, food, supplements, and of course teas – to support the process. (Naja Tea has functional tea called Harmony for this very time in our life).
But what I’m personally coming to is what a sensual time it is when we practice self care amidst the chaotic moments Menopause brings… Where women become far more intuitive, we’re no longer satisfied with the status quo, and we embrace our voice in a different way.
We allow being feminine to take on a whole new definition and if we can shed the masculine cloak many of us have worn, our power explodes.
And, if we allow ourselves, we can say YES to a whole new level of pleasure and reduce so many of the painful symptoms that have become an ‘expected’ part of the process.
‘We can turn ourselves on, rewire our brain and our body to feel more pleasure. The brain is, after all, the biggest sex organ in the body.’ (~ Christiane Northrup)
For me, food is always the beginning of any new journey… Taking an audit of what food is going in and how it is affecting me.
Last weekend I ate a beautiful plate of chicken and waffles…. Mmmmm. Delicious… But the after affects weren’t…
During this menopausal time more than any other in my life, mindful eating determines how I feel, how I act, how I function…
But also we need to look at what’s called our Primary Food intake, everything that nourishes us off the plate:
- Relationships
- Career
- Spirituality
- Creativity
- Physical Activity
In this second phase of life, optimizing my hormone health (Did you know the human body produces 50 different hormones!!) is critical to my well being and requires a balance of my Primary Food (off the plate) and my Secondary Foods (on the plate).
Optimizing my health at this stage requires that the food ON my plate fuels me:
- Reduce sugar and processed foods
- Eating healthy fats
- Portion Control
- And off the plate:
- Prioritizing getting sleep
- Exercise regularly
- Manage stress
- Healthy, loving relationships
I desire for this second phase of life to be even fuller than my first. At almost 48 years young, it must start with SELF care. And so I am celebrating this time by allowing the feelings of change to be expressed with truth, to continue to care for my body with intention, to say ‘YES please!’ to pleasure (and thank you 
) and to be an example for other women to do the same…
So, Happy Menopause Day to Me.
And to you.