The Myth of Normal in Hormonal Health
Have conversations on peri menopause helped us?
“And of course these days the big convo is around perimenopause. I have a friend who thinks she’s going through it, but doctors can’t diagnose. Is it something we’ve had all along, but have managed through diet and exercise, and now it’s impacting us worse since our lifestyles are so different?” - friend and client
There is an ongoing conversation about what has changed in women’s lives, and how it is affecting our minds and bodies. While menarche (the first menstrual cycle) and menopause (defined as 12 months without a menstrual cycle) are relatively clear milestones that have physical symptoms, the premenstrual and perimenopausal phases are more subtle. What brings them together and creates each persons unique experience is the ability to navigate change.
A woman who is experiencing her monthly cycle knows all about change. Her mood, appetite, libido, skin, hair…even her shape seems to shift every few days. She is like the moon, first growing, then glowing, then waning, and finally withdrawn. If we expand those phases more broadly in life, they tell us the story of the girl who grows into a bright young woman, who then matures into a passionate lady and then shifts into a wise crone. None is better than the other, and all are necessary for a full and fruitful life.
But why are these changes impacting us so negatively? As a start, let’s talk about HOW they are affecting us:
Changes in cycle length and menstrual flow
Spotting between cycles
Irregular periods
Joint and muscle pain
Headaches
Weight gain
Night sweats
Change in libido
Vaginal dryness
Incontinence
Mood swings
Brain fog
Anxiety/ depression
It does sound stressful, especially as women report peri menopause symptoms between 3 and 10 years prior to menopause, and many are experiencing menopause at a younger age (45 and below). Mos of these symptoms are associated with an excess of Vata and Pitta dosha, which were likely already out of balance prior to peri/ menopause, and became more apparent as the body began to change. Nothing happens overnight; in fact many women experience years of menstrual issues that were unaddressed or masked through medication like pain management and birth control.
But how many of these symptoms could also be due to a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, a lack of quality sleep and rest, unmanaged stress, as well as excess alcohol, caffeine, sugar and processed food? It is hard to say, and in modern life many of these culprits are far often ubiquitous than they used to be. To begin having an honest conversation about hormonal health, it is important to first tackle the issue of overall health - and the best place to start is in the gut! Optimising the four pillars of health (diet, routine, sleep and mindset) can make a huge difference to digestive health, which has a flow on effect to all other physical and emotional health functions. Improving gut health goes a long way in managing the uncomfortable symptoms of hormonal imbalances, and smoothing out the road ahead as life transitions come up.
The other important tool to cultivate is a calm, patient and loving attitude towards the feminine. Despite many improvements in women’s health and quality of life, most women are still navigating a masculine world and lifestyle, with little intergenerational support and wisdom from the wise, older women of the community. Social media and the internet are rife with menopause memes, gendered discontent and strong opinions about what women need (as well as pharmaceutical and surgical interventions to fix us), but they lack the nuances of lived experience and energetic connection that real people can provide. Reach out to women who wear their body and soul with grace, and come together to share stories, experiences and humour that is unique to female life. Women are a boundless creative force that invoke beauty, mystery and desire - we will not be tamed, only loved.
“If you’re always trying to be normal, you never know how amazing you could be.”
