The menopause is an opportunity to self-nourish. Acupuncture helps to reduce symptoms such as hot flushes, sweating, headaches, neck and shoulder pain, insomnia, emotional volatility, anxiety, and vaginal dryness, weight gain. Changes made to conserve yin earlier in our lives can make menopause easier.
Acupuncture helps women adjust to the changes, helping to harmonise the kidney and liver energy and keep the heart connected.
The symptoms can be varied not all women suffer these :-
hot flushes night sweats,
headaches & muscle tension,
heavy/irregular periods
emotional lability (mood swings),
dryness - hair, skin, vagina etc
difficulty concentrating
being forgetful,
disrupted sleep & change in libido
Sometimes we talk about menopausal symptoms and are actually talking about perimenopause which can affect women usually from 35-50 and can feel a bit like premenstrual syndrome but more intense. if you are suffering from these it's good to treat these early.
Menopause usually occurs around 49/54. Apart from changes in menstruation is usually a gradual change from longer to shorter more irregular, heavier or lighter periods, other symptoms vary. For many women no more periods is a relief as is never having to worry about contraception anymore.
Acupuncture & Acupressure help harmonise emotions and hormones especially going through these changes and to strengthen the kidneys, liver heart and stomach or whichever area or meridian is most out of balance.
Views on Menopause
In some Eastern cultures women are revered following the menopause. Women are granted special privileges and awarded a higher status in the community. In these cultures women report few menopausal symptoms.
In our increasingly youth and beauty obsessed, consumer culture, we can still flourish if we can value and connect with our emotions and spirituality. Good diet and mindful use of supplements, meditation, relaxation and holistic therapies such as Acupuncture and Acupressure, Chi Kung, Yoga etc can help reduce the intensity of symptoms.
Health & Lifestyle Changes
Many difficult symptoms can be helped by holistic therapies, acupuncture & shiatsu, acupressure, meditation, exercise and healthy lifestyle changes; these include diet, meditation, .
It is vital to keep well hydrated a a diet high in fresh fruit and veg if possible. Foods high in isoflavones and phytoestrogens are especially good - soya beans, edamame beans, lentils and chick peas, flax seeds, fresh figs, yams, almonds eggs and blueberries, oats etc. Choose whole grains instead of refined and sweetened products.
It's advisable to focus on Gut Health and motility for happiness and helping menopause symptoms.. Reducing stimulants such as coffee and alcohol which with less oestrogen we may not tolerate so well
Menopause is a time for re-aligning and reassessing our lives. It is an important time for women to self-nourish and strengthen their constitution with awareness, healthy diet, meditation and exercise and early treatment when needed. It is vital to focus on looking after yourself constitutionally and spiritually and enjoy the next chapter of life with greater confidence, better self-esteem and connectedness.