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Menopause: The elephant in every woman's room

OMAYRA ACEVEDO
Posted 1/29/25

The National Institute on Aging defines menopause as “the stage of a woman’s life when her menstrual periods stop permanently, and she can no longer get pregnant. Menopause is not a disease or disorder — it is a normal part of aging for women. The...

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Menopause: The elephant in every woman's room

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Disclosure: The menopause series is not advice from professionals. It is a collection of stories and ideas that have helped women manage their menopause symptoms naturally.

PEAK TO PEAK - The National Institute on Aging defines menopause as “the stage of a woman’s life when her menstrual periods stop permanently, and she can no longer get pregnant. Menopause is not a disease or disorder—it is a normal part of aging for women. The time leading up to menopause is called the menopausal transition or perimenopause.”

To be clear, perimenopause begins as a transition to post menopause. Post menopause occurs after 12 consecutive months without menstruation. Many women start their menopause journey between 40 and 50; some earlier. 

That’s fine and dandy, but if any woman is going through menopause, she knows there’s nothing “normal” about it. Women may experience menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, joint and muscle discomfort, pain during sex, irritability, dizziness, brain fog, weight gain, difficulty concentrating, or a combination of any of these.

Were you aware there are also rare menopausal symptoms, from brittle nails to cold flashes and heart palpitations to taste bud changes? On top of all this, declining estrogen levels can increase the chances of heart disease, acid reflux, a pH imbalance, anxiety, and depression, to name a few more symptoms.

What if you were told that this hellish version of menopause is not “normal”? What if you were told that you could manage, and for many women completely diminish, menopausal symptoms naturally? What if you were told it would only require a few lifestyle changes and a little trial and error?

Every woman will experience menopause differently, so trial and error is important to figure out what works best for you. 

From the many women who are managing menopause without hormone replacement therapy, trust them when you hear that controlling menopause symptoms naturally is possible and worth it.

For the next few months, The Mountain-Ear is bringing you menopausal education from the women going through it, and from months of research. 

Let’s not devalue the efforts put forth by the thousands of professionals spending much time educating themselves about menopause. It takes a lot of time and patience to find possible and likely solutions.

As with any health information, consult your primary care physician before making major life changes, especially if you are on medication. The goal of the new monthly TME menopausal series, is to offer personal experiences from menopausal women: experiences that have helped many women feel themselves again.

Before diving deeper into stories and lifestyle changes, it is vital to remember that every woman is different and your patience will be key. 

Clear your mind and forget everything you’ve been told about menopause. Let us begin by first practicing a few simple, yet vital steps to figuring out your version of menopause. Your first step is to keep a journal of your entire day. This sounds more troublesome than it is. In this journal, write down everything you do, every day. 

As thoughts and events occur in your day, write them down. This will help you keep track and teach you what some of your menopausal symptom triggers are. Items in your journal should include:

  • The time you wake up.

  • How well you slept.

  • The thoughts on your mind.

  • The time you eat and drink, and what you eat. Every time you eat.

  • The time of bowel movements.

  • The time of any menopausal symptoms, and which symptoms occurred.

  • Your stress level. 

  • If you exercise, how long and what you did, including time of day. Yes, walking counts.

  • Write down everything you can think of, including time.

Keep the journal with you everywhere you go to make it easy to make a note the moment things happen, instead of trying to remember when you get home.

If your schedule is similar every day, keep track for at least a week. If your schedule changes often, keep track for two to four weeks.

While keeping track of your daily life, you should recognize menopausal symptom patterns and triggers, motivating you to begin eliminating those. Some of the things we will share during this monthly menopause series include:

  • Techniques for reprogramming your parasympathetic nervous system.

  • Techniques for reprogramming your brain.

  • Breathing techniques and meditation to stop symptoms in their tracks.

  • Supplement options.

  • Dietary options.

  • Easy exercise routines.

  • And much more.

In addition to your journal, practice deep breathing exercises. If it helps, place one hand on your stomach. Breathe slowly and deeply into your stomach feeling it rise. Slowly exhale and repeat. 

Once you have a good handle on the slow and deep breathing, inhale for four counts, hold for seven counts, and release for eight.

This can be done for two to five minutes every morning before you jump out of bed and during moments of stress, including when experiencing menopausal symptoms.

Now, let’s stop ignoring the white elephant in the room. Let’s talk about it and turn the white elephant into the most colorful experience of your life. You are worth it!