Menopause is NOT an illness!

The headlines that scientists are now offering women a ‘procedure’ that could delay the menopause for 20 years is giving the owner of The Hub hot flushes!! Menopause is not an illness, to be suppressed or delayed. It is simply a transition all women go through from having periods to not having periods

The medical profession treats women going through the menopausal transition as ‘patients’, with doctors hellbent on eradicating our ‘symptoms’ with drugs (HRT) or, now, this new ovarian tissue cryopreservation. We don’t treat teenage girls as sick when they hit puberty so why do we treat menopausal women as sick? Yes, this new procedure may prove invaluable for poor girls and women who for some reason are heading for an early menopause which will give them too narrow a window to have children, but routine denial of the menopause is playing Frankenstein with our hormones.

At The Natural Health Hub our therapists believe passionately in living life as naturally and drug-free as possible. Yes, there are symptoms associated with the menopause. But the women who do not approach menopause as an illness and look after themselves properly simply do not get burdened with them.

Here are our cornerstones to cruising through the menopause

• Good diet More than ever at menopause it is crucial to eat well, avoiding processed foods, eating multiple varied fruit and veg, cutting your sugar intake, increasing your intake of omega 3s. Extra tips from Rhi, our naturopathic nutritionist, are to avoid onions, garlic and spicy foods which can trigger hot flushes. Looking after your liver is essential, she says, as is ensuring good gut health. The micro biome (the healthy bacteria in our gut) controls our levels of oestrogen so ensuring lots of good bacteria and clearing any bacterial or fungal infections are crucial in supporting hormone balance.
• A balanced attitude If you don’t think of yourself as ill then you won’t be ill! For some menopause does bring hot flushes and altered mood, but the women who adopt a mindful mindset ride these rather than succumbing to them. Yes, it is possible and and or experts at The Hub are here to help! Also, it is vastly underestimated how emotionally taxing this time of life can be: the wrench of children leaving home (or the opposite…), the worry and burden of ageing parents, the adjustment to getting older, that startling realisation sometimes when you look in the mirror, and the adjustments you are inevitably making with a longterm partner. All too often menopause is blamed for what can actually be a sapping period in our lives emotionally. But again our therapists are here to support you. Homeopathy is particularly effective for the emotional side of menopause and is something I specialise in.
• Reduce stimulants Particularly important! Steer clear of coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, sugar and booze and you will have a much easier menopausal ride.
• Regular exercise
• Relaxation and regular ‘me’ time Yoga, meditation, chi kung, tai chi, walks in the New Forest, whatever floats your boat… time to switch off is a must. Plus make time for you.
• Good sleep If your sleep is disturbed by hot flushes, then your overall health will be affected. We have advice, tips and supplements that can help you there.
• Supplements There are some great herbs to help rebalance hormones. Just ask us and we’d love to help you.

What we at The Hub reckon the menopause should be all about 

liberation      

clarity

wisdom

grace

rejuvenation    

calm

Take a leaf out of Jenny Jones’ fantastic poem on the unshackled possibilities of life after your menopause…

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.

Sue Leach, owner, The Hub