My Menopause Blog

For the first time since my period went AWOL, I felt like I was in a club again. Although I didn’t count, I’m betting there were close to 50 ‘hot babes’ in the room at yesterday’s Alternative Therapies for Menopausal Symposium, hosted by the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit at the University of Guelph.

We were a mix of ‘off the street everyday menopausal consumers’ and ‘health professionals’. Occasionally segments of the presentations flew over my head as words like ‘vasomotor symptoms’ and studies with funky acronyms were discussed. But all in all, I got more insight than I came in with.

To give what I gleaned a fair airing and so as not to write a post the length of my body, I’ll do several installments over the next few days. In general, this is what I’ll be blabbing on about.

1. The effects of soy protein on human health.
2. Naturopathic medicine techniques that support menopausal women.
3. Forms of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement.
4. Bone density issues and recommendations.
5. Placebo Effect.
6. Hormone Replacement Therapy post Women Health Initiative Trial.

According to demographic statistics offered by Dr. Donna Fedorkow, between now and the year 2015, one woman will enter menopause every 10 second. Visualize that for a moment. And while you do, realize that Club Meno just got larger.

Further, the idea of healthy aging, which is essentially what I’ve got my sights set on includes three key elements.

1. Maintaining high cognitive and physical function.
2. Engagement with life.
3. Avoiding disease.

As much as we might think menopause has been around for a while, history proves otherwise. In 1850, the average life expectancy of women came in short of the beginning of menopause. By 1900, we were sticking around longer but not so long as to take the whole post reproductive period too seriously. Now, thanks to modern medicine, our life expectancy comes in around 80 years meaning 1/3 of our life may be spent in some stage of menopause.

Reminds me of the warning, be careful what you wish for.

Given my natural tendency to mix up a batch of lemonade from lemons, unless of course I’m on my mood swing, in which case I might just as well whip one the little yellow suckers at your head, I’ll do my best to keep on the sunny side of the menopausal street.

But I did note this. As Dr. Caroline Harvey-Smith N.D. listed some of the more charming symptoms of menopause like fatigue, dizziness, anxiety, lowered libido, insomnia, urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness and itching, burning and discomfort during intercourse etc. etc., even she admitted how ‘dreadful’ the picture appeared.

By mixing cheerfulness with a dab of grim, I’m starting to believe there are two key requirement for an easier menopausal passage. Personal control and support.

And, as I’ve said before, My Menopause will not be your menopause. My DNA is mine, yours is yours, so the idea that a ‘one size menopause relief fits all’ is impossible.

Sue Richards

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