SUBSCRIBE & WIN! Sign up for the Daily CHAT News Today Newsletter for a chance to win a $75 South Country Co-op gift card!

Forgiveness, Menopause and You

Oct 21, 2013 | 2:06 PM

Contributed by Stephanie Staples at Your Life Unlimited

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

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!

Stephanie Staples, CSP* is the author of When Enlightening Strikes – Creating a Mindset for Uncommon Success and an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker. She empowers audiences & clients across North America to bring their ‘A’ game to work and to life. Stephanie has a special interest in working with and empowering nurses and healthcare providers. She happily calls Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada home.  You can get loads of complimentary resources to help with issues such as work/life balance, wellness, stress management and happiness in general, as well as find out more information about her coaching and speaking services at http://www.YourLifeUnlimited.ca.

* 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.

 

The post Forgiveness, Menopause and You first appeared on Your Life Unlimited.

Contributed by Stephanie Staples at Your Life Unlimited