This episode of Your Life, Unlimited has past MoMonday speaker Ginny Sudlow sharing her inspiring story of forgiving the unforgivable and leave you with a few tips on practicing forgiveness.
Additionally, Lorna Vanderhaeghe, helped us learn more about understanding Menopause, the lesser known symptoms and how to overcome them naturally. Lorna is the author of 11 books including A Smart Woman’s Guide to Hormones.
Here is an informative guest post from Lorna and you can listen to the entire show here: your life – oct 20th
What women don’t know about menopause symptoms and how to overcome them
Over 50% of Canadian women are in Menopause. The average age of menopause is 52 years. At menopause, the ovaries stop producing eggs and there is no possibility of pregnancy. Menopause is not a disease, but rather is a natural milestone in every woman’s life.
When you think about menopause hot flashes and night sweats most likely come to mind but many women do not suffer these symptoms but often develop anxiety, angry outbursts, depression, panic attacks and hair loss to name a few.
SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE:
Mental & Emotional:
– Anxiety and panic attacks
– Mood swings, irritability and depression
– Brain fog and memory problems
– Migraine headaches
– Adrenal fatigue
– No sex drive and loss of libido
Physical:
– Hot flashes and night sweats
– Vaginal itching (with or without discharge)
– Vaginal dryness
– Painful intercourse
– Weight gain
– Urinary incontinence (aggravated by coughing, sneezing or laughing),
– Recurring urinary tract or vaginal infections.
– Increased risk of heart disease and bone loss
– Menopausal arthritis and fibromyalgia
– Hair loss
Other Symptoms:
– Problems with sleep, Insomnia
– New environmental allergies and food sensitivities
– Adrenal Fatigue
– Hypothyroidism
What makes the difference between a woman who has no symptoms at menopause and the woman who suffers with a multitude of the symptoms mentioned above?
Women with exhausted adrenals, low levels of thyroid hormones and a congested liver will have terrible menopause symptoms compared to women with a healthy liver, thyroid and adrenals. Some of the symptoms will overlap, but when the root cause is addressed, the symptoms disappear.
Conventional Treatment
Most often anti-depressants are prescribed along with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to help women cope with menopausal symptoms. Estrogens are the leading prescription offered for menopause symptoms. More and more women are opting out of these types of treatments due to the side effects.
Low Thyroid = Increased symptoms of Depression
Women with poorly managed low thyroid will have the most severe and long lasting menopausal symptoms. Depression and mood swings are a common symptom of low thyroid in menopausal women. Often when low thyroid is corrected, the depression goes away and the other symptoms lesson.
Stress Connection (exhausted Adrenals) = More Insomnia and Angry Outbursts
When a woman’s ovaries stop producing estrogen, the adrenal glands are supposed to kick in and provide the back up hormones a woman needs. If the adrenals are tired and exhausted, then menopausal symptoms can be severe. Exhausted adrenals promote insomnia whereby you go to bed and fall asleep just fine, but wake up three hours later and are unable to return to sleep. Supporting the adrenals is key to an effortless menopause.
Congested Liver = Estrogen imbalance = Extra Belly Fat
Fat cells produce estrogen and our liver metabolizes estrogens. When the liver is congested extra belly fat occurs. . Estrogen (usually in the form of xenoestrogens) causes women to get fatter in the hips, waistline and buttocks.
Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life but with our busy western lifestyle many women are hit hard by this change.
Thankfully there are natural and preventative nationals, foods and herbs that can ease the transition.
6 Super Nutraceuticals for Menopause
- Sage
- Ashwagandha
- Black Cohosh
- 5HTP
- Essential fatty acids
- Natural Bioidentical Estriol
3 Top Super Foods/drinks for Menopause
- Cold Water Fish
- Green Vegetables
- Water and herbal teas
3 Lifestyle Tips
- Walk for 30 minutes per day – take more time for yourself
- Drink less coffee, and caffeinated beverages and alcohol
- Sleep 8 hours per night and say no to extra requests
The link to the radio podcast is here: your life – oct 20th
Keep livin’ Your Life, Unlimited!
* Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), conferred by the National Speakers Association is the speaking profession’s international measure of professional platform proficiency. Less than 10 percent of speakers have earned this credential and are recognized as some of the best in their fields. Stephanie was one of only five professional speakers in Canada (and the only woman) to attain this designation in 2013.
