Women's Health

Jacqueline Rose Menopause Coach, Women's Hormonal Health Specialist, Yoga for Women's HealthCertified Instructor.

PROUD TO BE A HORMONAL WOMAN

For many women, the great achievements of the feminist movement have often meant having to deny the very thing that makes us women, our hormones!

When I came home from school crying at the age of 13 telling my mum that I had started my period, I was embarrassed and mildly traumatized, as are most teenage girls, by this new experience. But my mum gave me a hug and said “Congratulations, You have become a woman!” At that time all I really wanted was to remain a “girl” .

But with hindsight, I realized what a unique and special response that was. My mum had made sure that I understood this was a milestone to be celebrated. I have tried to respond to my daughters in the same way, as each of them in turn has started their periods. I try very hard (not always succeeding!) to be open with them about their menstrual cycles, making sure they feel comfortable and at peace with this new stage of their lives and the changes it brings. I want them to embrace whatever they are feeling, to acknowledge their changing emotions, and make space for their journey.

This is especially important to me as I see how modern society and media relate to periods. We have all seen the sanitary towel/tampon adverts where girls and women are told that they should carry with them all their regular activities (swimming, horse riding, wearing tight white jeans, staying out partying) despite their periods. Or the subliminal messages that girls and women get from magazines, places of work, medical professionals, social media, etc that they should “carry on like normal” regardless of their period. Your period should not limit you in any way!

And on the one hand, this should be a positive and empowering message. It is one of the gifts that the feminist movement has given women. One hundred years after the Suffragette movement succeeded in granting women voting rights in the UK, we should celebrate every movement towards women’s empowerment, equal rights, and equal opportunities for women.

However, I feel this movement has come at a price. For many women, achieving equal rights has often meant having to deny the very thing that makes us women – our periods, or more generally our natural hormonal cycle.

How many times have you been referred to (

or referred to yourself!) as “being hormonal” in a derogatory way. How many times have your mood swings or emotional situation been used against you“ ” as being unprofessional? How many times were you unable to fulfill a task because your PMS (pre-menstrual symptoms) limited you. How many times have you felt guilty or like a victim because you wanted to take it easy for the first days of your period? We have been taught to either just deal/cope

with our natural but “bothersome” menstrual

cycle or in many cases ignore it/ pretend it’

s not happening/ make it disappear altogether. In doing so, we have denied the very thing that makes us women, the very essence of our femininity – our natural feminine hormonal cycle.

I want to propose a paradigm shift, a new way of relating to our menstrual cycle, hormones, periods, PMS, and other feminine life experiences.

My menstrual cycle, hormones, and periods are the very thing that makes me a woman. It has enabled me to become pregnant and give birth to my five children. It has allowed me to be in touch with my body, connect to it in a very visible way, monitor its natural ebbs and flows, and sense when something was wrong. My hormones have connected me to a deeper level of myself, my intuition, my authentic voice, and my feminine energy. This has helped and supported me professionally and personally.

Understanding my hormones and how they work have allowed me to get empowered with my own health journey, has allowed me to express compassion and nurture my children, to tap into unique creativity when decorating my home, or setting up my own business. My personal experiences have taught me to embrace my menstrual cycle, not to fight against it or deny it. And yes, that does mean a totally new approach as to how I relate to my periods, my hormonal cycles, how I respect them and honor them, and how I educate my daughters to relate to theirs.

It means that when they have their period I tell them it’s perfectly normal to NOT expect too much from yourself. You may feel more tired, you may not be in the mood to go out with friends, you may want to stay home, just drink hot tea and hang out in your room. My daughters know that is what it means to respect their bodies.

Because this is just one small phase of a larger menstrual cycle. It is the calm before the hormonal and energy storm of the next phase. As they are educated to embrace these days of calm, it allows them to accept and embrace the days to come, the power and strength of the ovulation phase, the connection, and understanding in the second half of the cycle, the acceptance of whatever hormonal and emotional changes and challenges it brings.

Today I work and support women on their menopause journey – the bookend to puberty. I spend my time deep in the world of hormones. Hormonal fluctuations, understanding how hormones present emotionally and physically, the implications of natural hormonal changes. Part of my mission as a Menopause Coach and Women’s Hormonal Health specialist is to change the way women understand and connect with being hormonal women.

And there are three things that surprise me time and time again: 1. The lack of basic knowledge and understanding that women have about their natural hormonal changes. 2. The profound impact that hormones have on our daily lives and how we show up. 3. The power we have to create hormonal balance for ourselves with small changes to our lifestyle. For me being an empowered, feminist, strong, and confident woman means understanding and working with my hormones and their naturally changing cycles. Our hormones make us feel certain things, show up in specific ways and impact how we respond to situations. Sometimes it feels like our hormones are betraying us. Sometimes we wake up, and no amount of positive thinking gets us out of our bad mood. Sometimes everyone just annoys us and no amount of feeling grateful can change it. When our hormones are out of balance we do not have the resources or ability to act the way we want to, to show up the way we need to. And that can often be confusing and frustrating, sometimes forcing us to find answers and solutions in unhealthy places. It is not all bad news though! By learning how to be proactive and improve your hormonal health and balance and getting your body to function within the delicate hormonal system, we can thrive. We can improve our health and wellbeing, feel deeply connected to our authentic selves, and learn what it means to be a truly empowered woman. Give yourself and your daughters the ultimate feminist gift – the gift of connecting and embracing your TRUE feminine self. Allow yourself to experience every stage of your menstrual cycle, accepting what comes, knowing that it too shall pass. The minute we try to battle against it and deny it is the minute we allow ourselves to deny the very essence of who we are as women.

Jacqueline Rose

www.theyogaroom120.com/

PERIMENOPAUSE AND YOU

Dr. Elaine Mele PT, PYT, FNCP Physical Therapist Yoga Therapist Functional Nutrition Provider

Navigating the Queen of all Changes

Does this sound like you? The minute I hit 40 I was anticipating that next big milestone...the one whispered about in dark circles surrounding cauldrons, living room couches, and long lady lunches...the big “CHANGE” ...the looming of Menopause sometime in the not too distant future. I felt a mix of trepidation and disbelief that I was coming to “that age” already. How is that possible?

As my 40s wore on I continued to be very regular in my periods, yet I was experiencing some of the symptoms I normally associated with menopause...fatigue, brain fog (worse than my usual fog ��), irritability (again, worse than my normal irritability!), waking up at night (I am normally a VERY good sleeper) …. I had not heard of the word “Perimenopause” until I started doing some research and I found that This. Is. A. THING!

Current research on Perimenopause leaves a lot to be desired since studies specific to this population are sparse and often poorly constructed with very small sample sizes. I’ll just go ahead and say research on Women’s Health in general needs to improve but that’s a whole other discussion…

What we do know about Perimenopause is that it can start anywhere between ages 35-50 and lasts through the diagnosis of menopause. Menopause is defined as the time following 12 full months without menstruation. Menopause is actually just a moment in time, after that moment a woman is classified as “post-menopausal” . Perimenopause is all the years, all the changes, and all the symptoms leading up to that moment. These changes can span anywhere from 6 months to 15 years!

Symptoms of Perimenopause can include any or all of the following:

Irregular periods Hot flashes and sleep problems Mood changes Depression Vaginal and bladder problems, including incontinence and leakage Decreasing fertility Changes in sexual function Loss of bone Changing cholesterol levels Bloating and weight gain Hair Thinning Breast tenderness Migraines Burning tongue Joint pain and stiffness

This is mostly all caused by the uneven rise and fall of estrogen during this time. Most of us know estrogen is associated with female reproduction and the menstrual cycle, but it has far more reach and implications than that. Estrogen is often labeled the “super hormone. ” It is actually a group of hormones made primarily by the ovaries but is also produced in small amounts through the adrenal glands and fat cells. You can read more about estrogen and its impact on perimenopause, in the blog I wrote here. Research has shown that the hormonal changes associated with menopause and perimenopause lead to an increased risk of :

Obesity Diabetes High Blood Pressure Stroke Urinary Incontinence Osteoporosis (bone loss leading to increase risk of fractures) Sounds a bit gloomy and hopeless, doesn'

t it? Unfortunately that’s the message that too many women like you and I are receiving from the media, health care providers, and even from family and friends. We have all heard “that’s just part of life” , “everyone deals with it” , and my favorite “you're

being dramatic…

I am here to tell you that women have the power to live our mid and later years in the ways we WANT to–

with health, energy and vitality. We can make these our best years yet, because research also shows that we are not just passive bystanders in this process! We can take control of our health, wellness and vitality by addressing things such as stress reduction, reducing inflammation in the body through informed food choices, developing healthy exercise habits, etc. to help manage the symptoms of menopause and the health risks asscoiated with a loss of estrogen. Results of the CARDIA study published in 2015 indicate that positive lifestyle changes made and sustained in our younger years up through our 40s( ) lowers cardiovascular risk in middle age, improves quality of life, lengthens the lifespan and lowers Medicare costs for the individual in their older age. (1)

www.elainemele.com elaine@elainemele.com

Gaining a gift to literally “pause” , reflect and think about what we really want in life and how we

want to live the rest of our years. That gift becomes an opportunity and a gain to put ourselves first and make positive changes towards a healthy lifestyle. Gaining an opportunity to make the right choices for ourselves that will benefit us for the rest of our lifetime. This way we live our midlife and later years in the way we WANT to with health, energy, and vitality.

The sooner we make positive and healthy changes, then the more profound and longer-lasting

those changes become. Here are some easy steps you can take to start managing your Perimenopause symptoms. As a bonus, these tips are great for your overall health and well-being,

so it’s worth trying at least one or two!

Manage. Your. Stress Levels.

This is number one on my list, but easier said than done, right? I know!! But starting anywhere is better than nowhere.

In the words of Arthur Ashe “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can” .

Cortisol is the primary hormone released during periods of stress and it is “queen” as far as the nervous system is concerned. Now, some stress, such as that induced by exercise, is good. Prolonged stress, such as chronic lack of sleep or imbalances in work and family relationships cause the body to overproduce cortisol. When this happens, the body selectively chooses to make more cortisol at the expense of all other hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, the very hormones we are already losing! More cortisol also means more inflammation. No bueno.

Slow down. Take 5 deep breaths a few times a day. Take a 20-minute walk at lunch, listen to some favorite music, call a treasured friend and share some laughs. Start paying attention to what you really need and follow through with it. Add more “feel good” things to your day.

Eat a varied diet with adequate fiber that includes whole foods and high fiber fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, legumes, oats, and barley (I know booorrring but you can get creative...yes, you can!) Fiber helps with digestion in order to maintain homeostasis in the gut. A healthy and regular bowel movement will ensure everything that is supposed to leave the body, leaves. The digestive tract produces over 50 hormones including cortisol, dopamine, and serotonin and it plays an important role in the metabolism of estrogen. A healthy gut will assist in reducing levels of inflammation in the body which is important in managing conditions such as chronic pain, arthritis, and certain neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Disease. It's a pretty big deal, and too complex to include in just one paragraph. Diet is very individualized, so it’s best to speak with an experienced healthcare professional.

Xenoestrogens are man-made, non-biodegradable compounds that mimic estrogen and are found in many everyday products such as cosmetics, plastic containers, shampoos, and soaps. Xenoestrogens often lead to an increase in available estrogen or “estrogen dominance” which leads to many of the symptoms I described above as part of Perimenopause. Being mindful of product choices can have far-reaching effects on your health. You can get my list of xenoestrogen products to avoid here.

Avoid the Xenoestrogens.

Exercise, But Not Too Much.

Nothing is ever black and white, is it? Current exercise recommendations for women in mid-life include a combination of aerobic activity such as w st alkin reng g, th r t un rai n n i i n n g g , f sw or im a t ming, otal o or f 2 hi ½ ki h n o g ur a s lo p ng er wi we th ek. Besides the obvious health benefits to your heart and ability to maintain a healthy weight, the exercise of both types can help manage depression and anxiety, which both tend to rise during Perimenopause. Bonus points if you exercise with a friend! Strength training helps to mitigate bone loss that also occurs during this time. High endurance activities such as marathon training can affect cortisol levels, so if this is your jam it might be a good idea to check on levels through periodic testing.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is something you can do today. Take one step forward toward better health. Just one action can have rippling effects. Perimenopause is a complex series of events in the body and it is unique to each woman. No two women experience it the same. However, we are all together on this journey, no matter how it looks individually. The best thing we can do is be curious, share and listen (really listen) to one another, and support each other in our good days and bad.

I am thrilled to be a part of this magazine collaboration that empowers women to have a voice in ALL areas of their life. In that spirit, I will empower you, the reader, to help guide me in choosing topics for the articles I will write this year. What would you like to hear about in the next 5 columns? Please comment with your suggestions below! This is for YOU. Speak. Share. Support.

Reference: K. Liu, M. L. Daviglus, C. M. Loria, L. A. Colangelo, B. Spring, A. C. Moller, D. M. Lloyd

Jones. Healthy Lifestyle Through Young Adulthood and the Presence of Low Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profile in Middle Age: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) Study. Circulation, 2012; 125 (8): 996 DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.06061

Dr. Elaine Mele

www.elainemele.com elaine@elainemele.com