TAMING “THE CHANGE” WITH YOGA BY BOBBY CLENNELL
T
he word “menopause” continues to provoke anxiety and confusion. Many women are even reluctant to say the word. Some simply shrug off this universal phase in a woman’s life. They say it’s a normal part of the life cycle, and women should sail right through it.
Downplaying the impact of this change in our bodies only serves to leave us stranded in lonely ignorance, when in fact, the changes brought about by menopause can be positive. Women can experience new energy and focus when their childbearing years are over—really!
Constructive coping with menopause includes acknowledging the physical changes and psychological challenges that occur at midlife. The solutions lie in acceptance, not in denial or attempts to “turn back the clock.” Menopause is a beginning, not an ending. It’s a process, not a discrete event. It’s the beginning of a new expression of the feminine force. To better understand menopause as a whole, let’s define the three phases: Perimenopause. The Japanese call this phase “the bad shoulder years.” They may not have a vocabulary for it—they don’t have a word for hot flashes either—but they know what’s going on, and they do have hot flashes. Perimenopause is an approximately eight- to 10-year period that leads to the nearshutdown of ovarian function and hormonal changes that result in various emotional and physical symptoms. Menopause is the junction between two worlds. It is the complete cessation of menstruation for at least one year. There is a one- to three-year “settling down” period after the last period. This is categorized as a part of menopause. Postmenopause is an approximately 20-year phase in a woman’s life from around 52–75 years of age. A woman can come out of menopause truly transformed. She can be at her most profound and creative. One hundred years ago, most women would not have lived beyond the age of 52. Women are, for the first time in history, experiencing and enjoying this additional phase, which goes beyond the scope of this article.
What Is “Changing” Exactly? Perimenopause is a gradual process—the ovaries do not stop working suddenly. From around 35 to 40 years old, a woman’s hormone production gradually declines. By the mid-40s, a woman may begin to experience clear symptoms of estrogen deficiency such as irregular periods—shorter or longer, lighter or heavier—or changed premenstrual symptoms such as menstrual cramps. Hot flashes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, mood swings, fatigue, or difficulty concentrating may also occur. Other symptoms include self-doubt (especially if you had self doubt when you were younger), changes of metabolism, and exacerbation of all conditions (old health problems or long22
buried health issues that may surface at this time). Women who may not recognize that these symptoms are all related try to deal with them individually. High levels of estrogen during a woman’s childbearing years protect against heart disease. Estrogen helps raise the blood levels of the “good” cholesterol, HDL, which counters arterial clogging, maintains the elasticity of blood vessels, and diminishes the tendency of the blood to form clots. Estrogen also helps maintain bone density. As ovarian function slowly declines, muscle mass may begin to slowly wane, accompanied by a rise in body fat and a gradual thickening around the waist and abdomen. Too much estrogen can cause sore and tender breasts, headaches, bloating, irritability, weight gain, ankles swelling. Too little estrogen causes hot flashes, poor concentration, insomnia, vaginal dryness, genital atrophy, and bladder irritation. Remember that other body locations such as the adrenal glands also produce estrogen.
What to do? Hormone levels can fluctuate drastically during the year prior to menopause. Befriend your symptoms and negative emotions. Head into menopause as healthy as possible; this is a time to be in tune with your body. Trim pounds gradually. Weigh yourself daily. But don’t try to get too thin or fret about fat around the waist for now. Some studies show women have an easier time going through menopause when they have a little more fat on them. Those with decreased body fat, decreased hormones, stressful family history, and a nutrient-poor diet get slammed in menopause. Some withdraw in preparation for metamorphosis. Others see the clock ticking and up activity levels. Take time to practice. Nurture yourself. Laugh, and if you need to, cry. Spend time with other women who are going through the same thing. Journal. Each day, do one nurturing thing—legs up the wall, nap, walk the dog, take an oil bath. Be creative. Yoga Samachar Fall 2015 / Winter 2016
